CAT 2022–2025 Difficulty Pattern: What the Last Four Papers Really Tell Us About CAT 2026
Aspirants love predicting CAT.
“Last year QA was difficult, so this year it will be easier.”
“IIM Indore is conducting CAT 2026, so Quant will be brutal.”
Neither is a preparation strategy.
The more useful lesson from recent CAT papers is:
The structure can remain familiar while the experience changes sharply.
This is why “last year plus one adjustment” is a poor forecast.
The paper used:
Career Launcher described Slot 1 VARC as easy-to-moderate, DILR as slightly tougher and QA as comparatively manageable.
The main lesson was familiar: selection and accuracy mattered more than trying to finish the paper.
The question count remained 66.
The experience changed.
Career Launcher described QA as difficult, with the overall paper significantly challenging across sections.
This is a good paper to remember whenever somebody gives you a fixed attempt number.
On a hard section, forcing “normal” attempts can destroy accuracy.
The total increased to 68 questions because DILR moved from 20 to 22.
IMS reported five DILR sets: three four-question sets and two five-question sets.
IMS also assessed CAT 2024 as easier than CAT 2023 overall, especially in DILR and QA.
That creates the opposite strategic risk.
When a paper genuinely offers more opportunities, being excessively conservative can hurt.
The 68-question structure remained.
IMS reported:
Same broad shape.
Different execution requirement.
CAT 2026's notified framework confirms:
These are useful structural anchors.
Do not assume:
For each section, know what you will do if it feels:
That is a much more robust CAT 2026 strategy than predicting the paper.
A varied mock inventory matters because adaptability cannot be learned from one paper style.
Use the On Your Mocks Test Series for repeated full-paper and sectional exposure.
Advanced students who genuinely need more strategy repetitions can consider the CAT Intensive 50 Mock Test Series.
Do not predict whether CAT 2026 will be easy.
Predict this:
At least one part of the exam will not feel exactly the way you hoped.
Then prepare to adapt.Four-year view
Year Total questions Broad lesson CAT 2022 66 Familiar pattern; DILR was challenging in several analyses CAT 2023 66 Difficulty rose; QA became a major pain point CAT 2024 68 Easier than 2023 overall; DILR increased to 22 questions CAT 2025 68 Same broad structure as 2024; QA became tougher again CAT 2022
CAT 2023
CAT 2024
CAT 2025
What can you safely prepare around?
What should you not assume?
Prepare three versions of yourself
Easier than expected
Around expected
Harder than expected
Where OYM fits
The prediction worth making