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CAT Exam Pattern Changes: The CAT 2025 exam will be held on November 30, 2025, and just like last year, there are no major changes in the exam pattern or syllabus. The number of applicants is slightly lower this year, but the overall structure of the test remains the same.
If you want to understand how the CAT exam pattern changed in recent years, here is a simple and clear guide to help you prepare better.
Major CAT Exam Pattern Changes Over the Last 5 Years
Over the past few years, the CAT exam has gone through many updates. Knowing these changes helps you plan your preparation more confidently.
Important CAT Pattern Changes Since 2019
| Changes | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration | Reduced during COVID, shorter format continued later |
| Exam Slots | Third slot introduced to manage applicants |
| Total Questions | Reduced, making exam compact and focused |
| DILR Changes | Fewer sets; more logic-driven structure |
| VARC Changes | RC-heavy, older verbal types removed |
| QA Changes | More focus on Arithmetic & Algebra |
| Difficulty Levels | More variation across slots |
| Marking Scheme | Remained the same |
| CAT 2025 Pattern | No changes; same as CAT 2024 |
Overall: CAT is now more reasoning-based, shorter, and concept-focused.
Also Read, CAT Exam Analysis 2024, Slot 1,2,3 Section-wise Analysis
Year-Wise CAT Exam Pattern: Questions, Time & Structure
Here is a clean and updated breakdown of how the CAT exam looked from 2020 to 2025.
CAT Exam Pattern Summary Table (2020–2025)
| Year | Total Questions | Duration | Sectional Time | Sections | Conducting IIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 68 (expected) | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Kozhikode |
| 2024 | 68 | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Calcutta |
| 2023 | 66 | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Lucknow |
| 2022 | 66 | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Bangalore |
| 2021 | 66 | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Ahmedabad |
| 2020 | 76 | 120 min | 40 min | VARC, DILR, QA | IIM Indore |
Also Read, CAT 2025 Expected Questions PDF with Video Solutions
CAT 2024 Exam Pattern Changes
- Total questions increased from 66 to 68.
- DILR questions increased from 20 to 22.
- New types of DILR sets were added.
- VARC removed Para Jumbles and placed some verbal questions inside RC passages.
CAT 2023 Exam Pattern Changes
- The number of questions stayed at 66.
- Difficulty varied across slots.
- VARC kept its RC-heavy style.
- DILR had 20 questions.
- QA focused on Arithmetic, also with 22 questions.
CAT 2022 Exam Pattern Changes
- Pattern mostly similar to CAT 2021.
- Total questions: 66.
- DILR included 4 sets of 5 questions each.
- VARC had 24 questions and added para insertion.
- QA continued with 22 questions.
CAT 2021 Exam Pattern Changes
- Followed the new structure set in 2020.
- 66 questions, 120-minute total time, and 40 minutes per section.
- Conducted in three slots because of COVID rules.
CAT 2020 Exam Pattern Changes
This year brought the biggest change:
- Exam time reduced from 180 minutes to 120 minutes.
- Questions reduced from 100 to 76.
- Introduced three slots.
- Major changes in all three sections.
Also Read, CAT Study Material 2025, Questions, Test Series, Formula PDF
Changes in VARC, DILR, and Quant Sections Over the Years
The sections changed in structure, question count, and difficulty. You must understand these trends because your preparation depends on sectional behaviour.
| Section | 2019 | 2020 | 2021–2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 34 | 26 | 24 | 24 |
| DILR | 32 | 24 | 20 | 22 |
| QA | 34 | 26 | 22 | 22 |
Detailed Section Changes
VARC
- CAT shifted focus almost fully to RC.
- It reduced Para Jumbles and removed Para Jumbles in 2024.
- CAT mixed VA questions inside passages in 2024.
DILR
- It reduced questions from 32 to 20 between 2019 and 2021.
- Also, increased questions to 22 in 2024.
- CAT made DI and LR more reasoning-based than calculation-based.
Quant
- CAT reduced questions from 34 to 22.
- It increased the weightage of Arithmetic and Algebra.
- Additionally, reduced Geometry and Number System complexity.
Also Read, CAT Revision Strategy 2025, Revision Videos, Study Materials
CAT Difficulty Level Changes over the Last 5 Years
The CAT exam difficulty level has shifted from year to year, even though the overall pattern has stayed the same. Sections like DILR became more logic-based, VARC moved closer to pure reading comprehension, and QA varied in difficulty depending on the year. For a clear breakdown of how each year changed, please check the detailed table given below.
Year-wise CAT Difficulty Trends (2020–2024)
| Year | Overall Difficulty | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Moderate | New shortened format, students adjusting to new pattern. |
| 2021 | Balanced | DILR was difficult in some slots, but other sections stayed manageable. |
| 2022 | Moderate | DILR continued to be tricky; overall difficulty stable. |
| 2023 | Tough | VARC difficult in Slot 2 & 3; QA was the toughest in the last 6–7 years. |
| 2024 | Slightly Easy | QA and DILR were easier, except Slot 3, which was harder. |
Note: CAT has gradually shifted toward more reasoning-based questions, especially in DILR, where logic matters more than heavy calculations. QA now focuses more on arithmetic, making it easier for many students. VARC remains largely RC-focused, with fewer traditional verbal ability questions.
Effect of Pattern Changes on Cut-Offs
These CAT exam pattern changes affect the percentile requirements each year.
- 2020: Higher cut-offs due to the new pattern.
- 2021 & 2022: Stable cut-offs.
- 2023: Slightly lower because QA was tough.
- 2024: Higher cut-offs, especially in QA, due to easier paper.
- 2025: Expected to follow similar cut-off trends as 2024.
CAT Exam Pattern Changes Over the Last 5 Years: Conclusion
The CAT exam has changed in many ways over the past few years, becoming faster and more focused on reasoning. Knowing these updates like fewer questions, shorter duration, and changes in each section helps students plan their preparation better. Since CAT 2025 follows the same pattern as CAT 2024, aspirants can easily depend on last year’s format and trends.
In the last five years, CAT has mainly focused on logic-based DILR, reading-heavy VARC, and arithmetic-focused Quant. These trends make it clear how students should prepare for CAT 2025. With a stable and predictable exam pattern, aspirants can improve their speed, accuracy and overall performance by practicing regularly and understanding how each section behaves.
