Know what CAT 2021 test takers have to say about difficulty level of the question paper. Check out CAT 2021 student reactions and review.
Know the observation of CAT 2021 candidates about the question paper
CAT 2021 exam was conducted today in three slots at over 400 test centres across India. The first slot was conducted from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, the second slot was conducted from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and the third slot was conducted from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Shiksha team visited a CAT exam centre in Delhi to know from the candidates about the exam and question paper.
Like last year, the CAT 2021 exam was conducted with COVID-19 guidelines. All the candidates were given different reporting time to avoid overcrowding at the centre. Physical distancing and other safety measures were followed at the time of entry and during the exam. Irregularity in following physical distancing was reported from a few CAT exam centres but over all the COVID-19 protocol was followed.
Explore colleges based on CAT
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
The CAT 2021 question paper was of moderate difficulty level and in all the three slots, VARC section was tough and lengthy. There were 66 questions in total (VARC-24, DLIR-20 and QA-22). Read below CAT 2021 student reactions and reviews from a examination centre in Delhi.
Also Read:
CAT 2021 Student Reactions and Reviews
Anika Jain
"I found the VARC section a bit tougher like last year, but the DILR and Quant sections were much easier. So, all in all I would say that the paper was on the easier side."
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
8 Jul '26
30 Aug '26
1 Nov '25 - 31 Aug '26
22 Jun '26 - 7 Sep '26
29 Sep '26 - 30 Sep '26
8 May '26 - 11 Jul '26
2 Jul '26 - 12 Jul '26
1 Mar '26 - 15 Jul '26
2 Apr '26 - 15 Jul '26
20 Aug '26
Anand Malhotra
"The exam was not tough it was quite moderate but the Quant part was time consuming. Reasoning part was average and Verbal was also average."
Tanmay
"This was my second CAT attempt. Quant was easy. I attempted most of the questions. Some questions were a little bit lengthy and DILR was smooth. If someone had prepared will they could easily attempt three sets. VARC is my weak area so I comment on that but I guess it was also decent. One could attempt more than 15 questions."
Arpan Tripathi
"The exam was good, not that much difficult. Last year, it was more difficult but this year it was good. Verbal part was a little bit difficult but overall it was easy."
Akash
"According to me, the verbal section relatively easier than last year. The LRDI section was pretty tricky and lengthy but once you got the concept it became easy and for Quants, I would say concept wise the questions were easy but calculations were tricky and lengthy."
Piyush
"The Quant section was straightforward according to me and English section was quite lengthy but DILR section was really tough in comparison to last three years. The English passages were quite long."
Watch Video:
CAT 2021 Analysis
| CAT Experts |
CAT 2021 Analysis Page Links |
|---|---|
| CAT 2021 analysis by CATKing |
|
| CAT 2021 analysis by Career Launcher |
Available Now |
| CAT 2021 analysis by IMS |
Available Now |
| CAT 2021 analysis by T.I.M.E. |
Available Now |
| CAT 2021 analysis by Endeavor Careers |
Available soon |
IIM Ahmedabad will release the preliminary CAT 2021 answer key within a week following which most of the CAT test takers will be able to analyse their performance better. The CAT 2021 result will be announced by first or second week of January 2022.
Read More:
- CAT score vs percentile: What is the difference
- CAT cut offs: Expected and Previous
- CAT 2021- How Scaled CAT Score will be Calculated for Three Slots?
- Understanding CAT normalization process
- What after CAT result 2021?
- MBA colleges accepting CAT in range of 60-70 percentile
- MBA colleges accepting CAT in range of 70-80 percentile
- MBA colleges accepting CAT in range of 80-90 percentile
- IIM admission criteria and selection process 2022-2024
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jul '26 | XAT 2027 registration dates |
Sep '26 | XAT 2027 mock test |
Aug '26 | SNAP 2026 Registration Process |
Nov '26 | SNAP 2026 admit card session 1... |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Registration Window |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
22 Jun '26 - 7 Sep '26 | MAT September 2026 Registratio... |
22 Jun '26 - 14 Sep '26 | MAT September 2026 Registratio... |
Dec '26 | IBSAT 2026 Exam Date |
18 Jun '26 | IBSAT 2026 Registration Start |
Oct '26 | CMAT 2027 registration and app... |
Jan '27 | CMAT 2027 exam |
2 Jul '26 - 12 Jul '26 | MAH MBA CAP 2026 Registration |
3 Jul '26 - 13 Jul '26 | MAH MBA CAP 2026 Registration ... |
15 Jul '26 | TANCET Rank List 2026 Release ... |
15 Jul '26 | Release of TANCET rank list fo... |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 13 hours ago
No, CAT is not compulsory to get admission in TITE - Templecity Institute of Technology and Engineering. The college accepts entrance exams such as: OJEE/ATMA/CAT/MAT. Candidates wishing to get admission into this programme should have passed graduation with at least 50% marks.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
No, CAT is not compulsory to get admission in MBA at College of Engineering, Pune. The college consider svalid score of entrance exams such as:
- MAH-CET (The primary state-level exam considered for Maharashtra students)
- CAT
- CMAT
- XAT
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, personal interview round for MBA admission is mandatory for all candidates regardless of which exam they apply through. Candidates applying through CAT result for PP Savani University can only skip SLMET written test during MBA admission process.
Their final evaluation will be based on combined
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Xavier Institute of Management and Informatics does accepts CAT scores for admission in MBA programme. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants can also get admission based on their qualifying exam scores and performance in the PI round.
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered 2 days ago
Candidates preparing for CAT may not need to prepare for KLMAT Management separately, as the syllabus is the same and the test structure is also similar. However, one should make sure they practice KLMAT sample papers from a month before the exam as the question type and difficulty level will be dif
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Candidates who want to apply for Sharda University, Greater Noida MBA course must secure a CAT/ XAT percentile of 65% to skip SUAT. For MAT applicants, this score stands at 75% for MBA admissions at Sharda, Greater Noida.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, you can get scholarship for MBA in Adamas University based on CAT score according to the following criteria:
CAT Score | Scholarship |
|---|---|
80 percentile & above | 50% of the 1st Semester Fee |
70 percentile to 79.99 percentile | 25% of the 1st Semester Fee |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, CAT is not compulsory to get admission in MBA at IILM University Gurgaon. Candidates wishing to get admission in MBA should have passed Graduation with at least 50% marks. The university offer admission based on entrance exam score such as:
- CAT
- XAT
- MAT
- NMAT
- CMAT
- GMAT
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
As per my knowledge, Yes If you've worked hard for your CAT score and you're now wondering whether DBS Global University will accept it For MBA admission at DBS Global University, a valid CAT score is accepted alongside MAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, and the DBS Global University Entrance Examination. Regist
P
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
The CAT 2026 cutoff has not been released yet. However, as per the 2025 cutoff, for admission to PGDM International Business at FORE School of Management, the last round cutoff percentile stood at 75 for the General AI category.
Additionally, the XAT cutoff 2026 for the same course also stood at 75
Contributor-Level 10
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
Read Full Bio