CAT 2021 Question Paper with Solution PDF: Download Slot 1, 2 & 3 Papers

For CAT 2026 aspirants, practising the CAT 2021 Question Paper with Solution can help assess your preparation, identify frequently asked topics, and improve your time-management strategy.

In 2021, the total number of questions was reduced from 76 to 66. Hence, VARC had 24 questions, DILR had 20 questions, and QA had 22 questions. In this article, you can download the CAT 2021 question paper with solutions in PDF and use it for mock test practice.

Related Links:

• CAT Previous Year Question Paper (Available): Download PDF with Solutions (2025-1990)
• CAT Topic-Wise Previous Year Questions (PYQs) with Solutions [1990–2024] – QA, VARC & DILR

CAT 2021 Question Paper with Answers PDF Analysis

Based on CAT 2021 question paper with answers PDF, the exam was moderate to difficult. Check out the CAT 2021 paper analysis below for each section.

CAT 2021 Paper Analysis for Slot 1

CAT 2021 Paper Analysis for Slot 2

CAT 2021 Paper Analysis for Slot 3

You can watch a YouTube video by “Cracku- MBA CAT Preparation” for a complete, detailed analysis of the CAT 2022 Paper.

CAT Previous Year Question Paper PDF Free Download

The CAT previous year question paper PDFs are tabulated below. Download them along with the solution PDF for a better understanding of the most frequently asked topics.

CAT 2026 Sample Paper with Solutions

The CAT sample papers are prepared based on the exact CAT exam pattern. Once you have completed your CAT 2026 syllabus, start attempting mocks and practice sample papers to familiarise yourself with the actual exam difficulty.

CAT Section-wise Sample Papers and Mock Test

Why Solve CAT 2021 Question Paper?

Solving CAT 2021 question paper with solution PDF helps you in following ways:

• Understand the CAT question style: Get familiar with how CAT frames questions across VARC, DILR and QA, including the way concepts are tested.
• Learn how to select questions: Practise identifying which questions to attempt first and which ones to leave, an important skill for maximising your CAT score.
• Analyse your mistakes: Review incorrect and unattempted questions to understand whether the problem was conceptual, calculation-based or due to time pressure.
• Recognise frequently asked concepts: Track concepts and question types that appear repeatedly and prioritise them during your preparation.
• Get familiar with actual CAT-level questions: Previous-year papers provide a realistic understanding of the language, logic and complexity of questions beyond what topic-wise practice can offer.
• Build an exam-day strategy: Use your experience solving the paper to decide your ideal order of attempts, time allocation and approach to difficult questions.