The Common Admission Test (CAT) has been constantly changing, and aligning itself with modern testing standards. While this evolution helps maintain a high level of competency, but has posed challenges for aspirants who dedicate months and years to their CAT preparation. The CAT has made multiple changes in the number of questions, difficulty levels, and nature of question types in all three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
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It is important to analyze the previous CAT Trend Analysis for the candidates to reconcile their preparation with the exam’s changing trends. In this blog, we shall examine the key changes across all three sections year by year, such as regularly recurring subjects, difficulty, question patterns, and effective strategies.
CAT Trend Analysis- VARC
The VARC section has seen significant changes, although not structural in passage themes and question difficulty. The Reading Comprehension (RC) passage genres have widened over the years to encompass topics such as economics, philosophy, social issues, abstract ideas, and technology. The complexity of the passages has also risen, requiring greater understanding and more robust critical thinking abilities.
Over the past years, answers have been worded more similarly, making it increasingly difficult for candidates to find the right response. Bigger fonts and longer texts have also added to more reading time, necessitating effective time management.
Important Trends from CAT 5-Year Analysis:
- Passages for RC in 2020 covered topics such as science, art & culture, history, psychology, technology, and politics. Question types were analytical, inference, and fact, with varying difficulties from moderate to difficult.
- The themes moved closer to technology, environment, literature, and social sciences in 2021. Question types veered closer towards critical reasoning and inference, but VA questions also had para jumbles, para summaries, and odd-one-out type questions at moderate to difficult difficulty levels.
- In 2022, the emphasis was mainly placed on the management, technology, environment, and humanities. The section was still inference-dominant, but sentence insertion questions were added to it, keeping it moderately challenging.
- In 2023, mainly the passages were about economics, literature, philosophy, and affairs. The questions were framed using complicated reasoning and inference-based strategies, which added to the moderate to difficult nature and the aspirants found it a little bit challenging.
- In 2024, abstract concepts, social problems, science & technology, and history were the most prominent topics in the section. The RC questions were analytical, conceptual, and critical reasoning in nature, with the same difficulty level.
Most engineers struggle with the VARC section because it tests language skills and reading comprehension. To help such candidates, coaching centres like AIExpertsEdge have introduced special modules, such as video lectures and practice sets on RC and VA techniques.
CAT Trend Analysis- DILR
The DILR section is particularly unpredictable, with varying scores and percentiles year after year. It is an important section where candidates can boost their overall performance, but recent trends have shown growing complexity, especially with reasoning-based Data Interpretation (DI) sets.
Previously, DI sets were standalone, but the current trend involves hybrid sets that integrate multiple reasoning concepts. For example, in CAT 2024, routes and networks were combined with mathematical reasoning, making problem-solving more time-consuming. Selecting the right set and approaching it efficiently is critical for securing a high percentile.
Key Five-Year CAT Trend Analysis:
- From 2020, typical question types were Venn diagrams, puzzles, tables & graphs, board games, and selection & distribution problems. The level was moderate to challenging.
- In 2021, arrangement, math reasoning, selection & distribution, and tables & graphs were typical topics, having a moderate level.
- In 2022, rank & ordering, Venn diagrams, and games & tournaments were common, making the section moderately challenging.
- In 2023 the questions related to Puzzles, scheduling, routes and networks, and distribution problems were there which made the overall difficulty level of the test quite higher.
- In 2024, the questions related to Candlesticks, mathematical reasoning, board games, bar graphs, bubble charts, and difficult puzzles appeared throughout while maintaining the difficulty level at a moderate level.
Although the level of difficulty has risen, each year there is one comparatively easy set. Finding and solving such sets promptly is crucial to save time for the tough ones.
CAT Trend Analysis- Quant
The quantitative Aptitude (QA) section is usually the toughest to attain a high percentile. This section checks application skills and conceptual clarity instead of memorization. The CAT Trend Analysis show a greater emphasis on Algebra and Geometry, with Arithmetic being steady but tougher.
In addition, examiners are adding more variable-based questions that demand problem-solving skills at a deeper level. Assumption-based shortcut methods are being substituted with systematic methods, and trap questions have been added to assess a candidate’s time management ability and avoidance of fixation on tough problems.
Key Trends of the Last Five Years:
- Arithmetic: In this section, the quantity of questions has been consistent, usually between 8–10 per year. However, the questions have increased in terms of calculation and concepts.
- Algebra: The inclusion of more variable-based questions has turned this section more complex, with approximately 6–9 questions showing up every year.
- Geometry: This subject has become more prominent, being asked 4–5 questions every year. The emphasis has moved beyond Mensuration and Triangles to encompass other subtopics.
- Number Systems: Although fewer questions are asked from this section (1–3 every year), the context of these questions in real life has made it more difficult to identify the appropriate concept to use.
- New Maths: The section still has low weightage (1–2 questions), but the questions are easy to moderate in difficulty, offering aspirants a chance to score.
CAT Exam Analysis Over the Years
Over the last ten years, questions in the CAT, the duration of exams, and levels of difficulty have changed enormously. Between 2011 and 2019, the exam comprised 100 questions and was completed within 3 hours. From 2020 onwards, however, the number of questions decreased, but 2 hours remained constant.
- For 2023, conducted by IIM Lucknow, there were 66 moderately challenging questions.
- In 2022, under IIM Bangalore, the level of difficulty was moderate with the same pattern.
- In 2021, IIM Ahmedabad’s CAT exam was supposed to be moderately difficult to high.
- In 2020, IIM Indore brought in 76 questions in a 2-hour pattern, making it moderately challenging.
- Between 2015 and 2019, CAT had always been 100 questions across 3 hours with moderate to high difficulty.
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- Personalized Preparation: AIExpertsEdge offers personalized learning methods to cater to diverse backgrounds. Engineers can improve their VARC skills, whereas non-engineers are given systematic learning to master Quant concepts. In this manner, all the candidates compete at the highest level with confidence and precision.
With AI ExpertsEdge, you get a competitive advantage with expert guidance, state-of-the-art AI technology, and a systematic, application-oriented learning experience—assisting you in achieving a 99+ percentile in CAT.
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Conclusion
Understanding CAT Trend Analysis is the key for the aspirants to target the premier B-schools. The test has become complex and demands a careful and planned approach towards preparation. Be it the tougher RC difficulty in VARC, hybrid sets of reasoning in DILR, or concept changes in Quant, being well aware of the CAT Trend Analysis can make the candidates most effectively plan their studies.
Centres such as AI ExpertsEdge and others have implemented specialized modules to cater to these evolving trends, making students learn the correct techniques to master CAT 2025 and onwards effectively
