NinetynineHow to use CAT previous year papers
Use the 24 CAT papers from 2017 to 2025 in two ways: the older ones (2017–2019, 100 questions each) for topic-wise practice, and the recent ones (2020–2025, the current pattern) as timed full mocks. Review every attempt, then re-solve the questions you got wrong a week later.
Key facts
- There are 24 CAT papers from 2017 to 2025, with 1,830 questions in all.
- 18 of them (2020–2025) follow the current 120-minute pattern and make the best full-length mocks.
Which CAT papers should I solve first?
Start topic practice with 2017–2019 (6 papers, 600 questions): the pattern is older but the concepts are the same. Keep 2020–2025 (18 papers) for timed mocks, newest last, so the most representative papers are fresh when your timing is best.
How do I practise topic by topic?
Pick a topic from the topic list, start with the most-asked (see weightage), and solve every PYQ on it. Don't time these. After each one, read the worked solution even if you were right: the shortcut is often the point.
How should I take a full paper as a mock?
Take it in one sitting with the real section timers (40 minutes each, no switching). Before you start, decide your attempt order within each section. Afterwards, spend at least as long reviewing as you spent taking it.
What does a good review look like?
- For each wrong answer, write down why: concept gap, misread, calculation slip or time pressure.
- For each question you skipped, decide whether skipping was right.
- For each question you got right slowly, find the faster route in the solution.
- Re-solve every wrong question a week later without looking at the solution.
A 12-week schedule
| Weeks | Topic practice (older papers) | Mocks (recent papers) |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Top QA topics, all verbal ability types, two DILR families a week | One sectional a week |
| 5–8 | Remaining QA topics; RC from every subject; the rest of the DILR archetypes | One full paper a week |
| 9–12 | Re-solve everything marked wrong; similar questions on weak concepts | Two full papers a week, newest last |
Method: counted from all 24 CAT papers 2017–2025 (1,830 questions), each tagged with one topic. 8 papers currently have a worked solution for every question. How the data is built.
Frequently asked questions
Are old CAT papers (2017–2019) still useful?
Yes for concepts and topic practice; the questions test the same ideas. Their pattern (100 questions, 180 minutes) is older, so use recent papers for timed mocks.
How many times should I solve CAT PYQs?
Once properly, with full review, then a second pass on only the questions you got wrong or solved slowly.