IIFT General Knowledge had 20 questions worth 1.5 marks each - 30 total marks out of 300, with -0.5 negative marking per wrong answer. The last IIFT entrance exam was held in December 2023; IIFT now uses CAT scores for admissions from 2025 onward. Download the 2008 to 2023 GK papers below, then check the topic wise weightage to see where marks actually come from.
Official website: iift.edu
- GK section: 20 questions, 1.5 marks each - 30 marks total out of 300
- Negative marking: -0.5 per wrong answer in the GK section
- Typical GK cutoff: 6 to 9 marks - 4 to 6 correct answers clears the section
- Topic split: approximately 60% current affairs, 40% static GK in recent papers
- Last IIFT entrance exam: December 2023 - 15 papers available from 2008 to 2023
- Key trade topics: WTO, bilateral trade agreements, export-import data - appear every year
IIFT General Knowledge Sample Papers 2026 - Download PDF
| Sample Paper | PDF Download |
|---|---|
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 4 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 5 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 6 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 7 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 8 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 9 | Download PDF |
| IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper 10 | Download PDF |
PDFs will be updated as new papers are added. Bookmark this page.
| Year | Sets Available | Solutions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Full paper (1 set) | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2022 | Full paper (1 set) | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2021 | Full paper (1 set) | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2020 | Full paper (1 set) | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2019 | Full paper (1 set) | Available | Collegedunia |
Start with 2023 and 2022 - they show the most recent GK mix before the exam was discontinued. Papers from 2008 to 2023 are on Collegedunia and iift.edu.
IIFT General Knowledge Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2026
The GK section has its own cutoff. Clearing it - not just the overall score - determines shortlist status.
- Total questions: 20 (no sub-sections within GK)
- Marks per correct answer: +1.5
- Negative marking: -0.5 per wrong answer
- Total GK marks: 30 out of 300
- Exam duration: 2 hours, no section timer
- Recommended GK time: 15 to 20 minutes
IIFT Sample Papers with December 2023 GK Pattern - Why the Last 5 Years Papers Matter Most
Papers from 2019 to 2023 have the highest practice value. Current affairs from those years are dated, but static topics - international organizations, trade data, books and authors - repeat in predictable patterns across all 15 papers.
Start with 2023, then work back to 2021. Skip current affairs from papers older than 3 years and track static GK answers to map repeating topic patterns.
Note: IIFT moved to CAT-based shortlisting from 2025 admissions. No new IIFT GK paper will be published after December 2023.
IIFT General Knowledge Topic Wise Weightage - High Scoring Topics to Focus in Sample Papers
Economy and trade carry the most weight in IIFT GK - 8 to 10 of the 20 questions across most years.
| Topic | Questions | Difficulty | What to Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy and Business Affairs | 5-6 | Moderate | RBI rates, Budget highlights, GDP data |
| International Trade and Organizations | 3-4 | Moderate | WTO rulings, BRICS summits, bilateral FTAs |
| Current Affairs - Awards and Appointments | 2-3 | Easy-Moderate | Nobel Prizes, Padma awards, org heads |
| Sports Events and Tournaments | 2-3 | Easy | Olympics, Cricket World Cup, Asian Games |
| Books and Authors | 1-2 | Easy | Business biographies, debut authors in news |
| Science and Technology | 1-2 | Moderate | ISRO missions, AI policy, tech milestones |
| Indian History and Polity | 1-2 | Easy-Moderate | Constitutional amendments, historical firsts |
| Geography and Environment | 1-2 | Easy | Capital-currency pairs, climate summits |
Do not skip Sports and Books. At 1.5 marks per correct answer, two easy questions equal 3 marks - often half the cutoff.
IIFT General Knowledge Sample Paper Video Solutions 2026 - Watch Before You Start Solving
One GK walkthrough before you start shows how to eliminate wrong options fast - especially for trade and economy questions where two options look similar.
Watch: Last 6 Months IIFT GK Questions in One Shot - IIFT General Knowledge Questions Part 1
Channel: BYJU'S Exam Prep | Topic: Current Affairs and Static GK for IIFT
How to Use IIFT General Knowledge Sample Papers to Hit the Cutoff in First Attempt
The GK cutoff is typically 6 to 9 marks. Attempt 8 to 10 questions with high confidence and skip the rest.
- Triage all 20 questions first - mark sure, probable, and skip before answering any
- Attempt "sure" questions first - no penalty risk, builds your base score fast
- On "probable" questions - attempt only if you can eliminate at least 2 of 4 options
- Skip anything you cannot eliminate - a blank scores 0, a wrong answer scores -0.5
- Track topic accuracy after each paper - note which areas give probable rather than sure answers
- Target 8 correct answers - that gives 12 marks, well above most GK cutoffs
IIFT General Knowledge Sectional Strategy - How to Score Above the GK Cutoff Using Sample Papers
GK is where fewer attempts often gives a better score. Negative marking punishes guessing hard at low question counts.
- Personal cutoff zone: 6 marks minimum, 12 marks target - set this from your PYQ analysis
- Static GK topics repeat: cover org HQs, superlatives, and trade body chief names first
- Current affairs prep: the 6 months before the exam covers 60% of GK questions
- Economy and trade are the highest-value topics - 5 to 6 questions, always worth deep prep
- Time limit: 15 minutes max on GK - move to other sections early
IIFT General Knowledge 4 Week Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- Week 1 - Solve the 2023 GK section untimed. List the topic for every question you guessed or could not start.
- Week 2 - Cover your 3 weakest topics. Then solve 2022 and 2021 GK sections timed at 15 minutes each.
- Week 3 - Solve 2020 and 2019 sections. Focus on static GK only - skip current affairs from these older papers.
- Week 4 - One timed GK section daily. Stop new papers 2 days before the exam and review your error log only.
FAQs on IIFT General Knowledge Sample Papers 2026
Ques. How many IIFT GK sample papers are enough to clear the section cutoff?
Ans. 8 to 10 papers with an error log is enough. The cutoff is 6 to 9 marks, so accuracy on a small set of questions beats high-volume solving.
Ques. Are IIFT GK questions repeated across years?
Ans. Static GK topics repeat - org HQs, trade body names, superlatives. Current affairs do not. Focus your analysis on the static GK patterns across papers.
Ques. Which IIFT GK year paper should I start with?
Ans. Start with 2023 then 2022. These are the most recent papers before IIFT discontinued its exam and show the closest mix of current affairs and static GK.
Ques. Where to download IIFT GK papers with answer key PDF for free?
Ans. Collegedunia has IIFT papers from 2017 to 2023 with solutions. The official site at iift.edu has archived papers. Both are free, no registration needed.
Ques. Does IIFT GK practice still help now that IIFT uses CAT scores?
Ans. Yes. IIFT GK papers are the best practice resource for XAT, CMAT, TISS-NET, and SNAP GK sections. The trade-economy and static GK focus transfers directly.
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