SET Exam Question Paper 2026, Previous Year Papers: PDF Download

Common mistakes to avoid in SET exam include:

• Poor Time Management
• Neglecting Planning
• Procrastination
• Lack of Conceptual Clarity
• Overlooking Sectional Preparation 
• Ignoring Previous Years' SET Question Papers

The SET exam is held for only one hour or 60 minutes. There is only one slot for the SET exam. SET exam does not have any sectional time limit as well. However, the candidates need to solve the question paper in 60 minutes and this means that the candidates will have approximately one minute to solve each question. Candidates must take care of saving their answers at every step as the moment 60 minutes will get over, the screen will automatically end the test. The SET exam is conducted in the afternoon shift, I. e. from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Also, there is no provision for changing the exam slot. Candidates must make sure that they reach the SET exam centre by 10:30 AM in order to complete the frisking formalities at the entry GATE. Candidates will not be allowed to enter the exam centre beyond 11:15 AM.

SET exam will be conducted in computer-based test mode this year. In 2021, the exam was conducted in the internet-based test mode because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the exam was conducted in the paper-based test mode but that changed to online mode only.

Three out of the four sections of the SET exam namely, General English, Quantitative Aptitude and General Knowledge, have equal weightage. Each question carries one mark for correct attempt. There is neither a negative marking for incorrectly marked answers nor there is marks deduction for unanswered question. The last section of the SET exam, i.e. Analytical and Logical Reasoning carries the least weightage. There are only 12 questions in this section which carry one mark each. The marking scheme of all the four sections is the same. Given below is the sectional weightage of SET exam.

1. General English: 16 questions, 16 marks
2. General Knowledge: 16 questions, 16 marks
3. Quantitative Aptitude: 16 questions, 16 marks
4. Analytical and Logical Reasoning: 12 questions, 12 marks

One should prepare well for all the sections of the SET exam. If you will score equally well in every section, only then will your overall score will be good. Also, many colleges consider sectional scores as well for admission shortlist so it is important to perform equally well in all sections of SET.

To crack SET exam in first attempt, students should have a preparation plan for 3 to 6 months bifurcated according to topics, strengths and knowledge of students. Students should consistently practice to fetch good SET scores. 

To understand the exam pattern and SET question paper, SET mock test is conducted before the SET exam. The mock test will be available on the SET official website at least two days before the exam date. Candidates must know that it is mandatory for the registered candidates planning to appear for the SET exam to take the SET mock test. To know how to appear for the SET mock test follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Visit the official website of SET
2. In the topmost bar, click on Mock Test button
3. Candidates will be redirected to a new webpage
4. Login using the email ID and password which the candidates used to register themselves for the SET exam
5. After login, candidates will be redirected to a new window where they will have a set of instructions that they need to follow
6. Click on the tab indicating Mock Test after reading the instructions carefully and take the test.

1. Allocate time to each section and give priority to easier ones
2. Do not avoid SET mock test. 
3. Learn concepts, practice and revise to increase chances of scoring well. 
4. Prepare for each section separately and prepare accordingly. Know the weaknesses and strengths and do a balanced preparation.

Aspirants should start preparing for the SET exam at least six months before the test date. SET preparation requires planning thus one must start early. They can also join coaching institutes for focused preparation. Starting early will also help you assess that whether you need to join a coaching institute or not. Divide your preparation into three phases - 1. Covering the syllabus 2. Practicing mock tests, sample questions and 3. Revision.

The SET syllabus includes the following topics:

General English: Parajumbles, Sentence Completion, Grammar, Comprehension Passages, Synonyms and Antonyms, etc.

Logical Reasoning: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Strong and Weak Arguments, and Syllogism

Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, Algebra Number System Arithmetic, Mensuration etc.

General Awareness: Companies and Founders, Awards, Books and Authors, Sports, Politics, Current Affairs, etc.

You can read the following SET books for exam preparation:

• A New Approach to Reasoning by BS Sijawali
• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
• Multi-Dimensional Reasoning by Mishra Kumar and Dr Lal
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
• High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
• How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
• Class 9 and Class 10 NCERT Mathematics books
• Quantitative Aptitude by R. S Aggarwal
• Manorama Year Book

No, the SET exam will be conducted in a single shift. SET exam is usually conducted in a single shift for one hour, i. e. from 9 AM to 10 AM. The exam was, however, is conducted on two days. 

However, in 2020, the SET exam was conducted in the remote-proctored mode in order to follow the social distancing guidelines for COVID-19, and the students had the option to choose the exam slot according to their preference and convenience. SET exam pattern was also changed after 2020. 

Medium of SET question paper is English. SET exam is conducted in CBT test. Duration is 60 minutes and has 60 Multiple Choice Questions, carrying one mark each. Questions are from 4 different sections, i.e. General English, Quantitative Aptitude, General Knowledge and Logical Reasoning. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. Total marks are 60.

Previously, the SET exam had 150 questions. They were reduced to 60 multiple-choice questions in the year 2021, and the duration of the exam was also reduced  proportionally. Check out the table below to know what can be considered a good score in SET exam according to the previous years' analysis:

Section	Total Marks	Good Score
General English	16	12-14
Quantitative Aptitude	16	10-12
General Awareness	16	11-12
Analytical and Logical Reasoning	12	9-10

Candidates can only attempt SET exam twice on given test dates. The SET exam 2026 will be conducted on May 2 and 10. 

Candidates can mention their number of attempts while filling the SET application form. However, they have to pay the application fee per session. Thus, candidates who are sure of making multiple attempts only they should apply for multiple sessions as the fee amount is non-refundable.  

SET is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to various undergraduate courses. SET 2026 will be conducted in the computer-based test mode. The difficulty level of the SET exam is usually easy to moderate. But, a few questions might trick your mind and can be time-consuming.

General Knowledge and Analytical and Logical Reasoning are easier than the Quantitative Aptitude section. In 2025, according to the students who appeared for the SET session 1 exam, the SET exam was moderate. The General English section was the easiest of all four sections. The Quantitative Aptitude section was the toughest, and the other two sections were moderate to easy. The overall difficulty level of the SET question paper was moderate. Students who appeared for the SET 2025 session 2 exam said that the overall difficulty level was easy. Again, the General English section was the easiest. In this session, the Analytical and Logical Reasoning section was also easy to moderate. The Quant section was easy to moderate, and the General Knowledge section was difficult.

No, SET exam does not have negative marking. Each question in SET exam carries one mark and if answer is incorrect, no marks will be awarded for that question. 

Syllabus in SET exam is based on Class 12 and students need not study advanced topics beyond Class 12. SET syllabus assesses knowledge of students and skills at Class 12 level.