What is the best time to practice CAT mock test?

Candidates should practice CAT mock test during the day. Once, CAT admit card is released, they should practice CAT mocks at the same time as their exam slot. This will help them align their mind and body to 2 hours of rigorous test so that they can utilize their time in the CAT exam well. For example, CAT exam starts are early as 8:30 am. So, those who are not used to studying early morning will face difficulty in performing optimally if they get morning slot.

What to keep in mind for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation?

CAT Quantitative Aptitude has the potential of 100 percentile if you prepare well. The Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT are advance level Mathematic topics from Class 9 and 10. So, for any candidate, the foundation is already there, they only need to work on it further. The important topics of CAT Quantitative Aptitude include Geometry, Ratios and Proportion, Inequalities, Trigonometry, In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Work and Time, Algebra, Surds and Indices, Percentages, Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance, Logarithms, Partnership (Accounts), Number System, Square Root and Cube Root, Profit & Loss, Geometric Progression, Probability, Mean-Mode-Median, Binomial theorem, Simple interest and compound interest. Maximum questions are asked from Arithmetic and Geometry so keep the main focus on these two topic. Understand and memorise the formulas and theorems well, and practice enough questions to be thorough with their application.

Are six months enough to prepare for CAT?

Yes, six months are enough to prepare for CAT exam, if you can dedicate 8-10 hours to it daily. In the first three months complete the syllabus. In the last three months practice mock tests and do revision.

Can I crack CAT through self-study?

Yes, you can crack CAT through self study but it will require a lot of discipline and consistency on daily basis. You will need the most recommended books, best mock test series and online practice sessions. Join YouTube channels for online tutorial. Give yourself 9 months and study for 8 hours daily.

How many previous years’ CAT question papers to practice for exam preparation?

Candidates should practice at least past 10 years' CAT question papers to have a good control over the exam. Many times, questions are repeated so prior practice will be helpful. CAT question papers are also best source of RC passages.

Are CAT question papers different for every slot?

Yes, the question papers of all CAT exam slots are different from each other. This is done to ensure that there is no question leak before the next slot, and that second and third slot candidates have no advantage over first slot candidate.

Which topics have the highest weightage in CAT exam?

In CAT Quantitative Aptitude, Arithmetic has the highest weightage with 7-8 questions in every shift. In VARC, Reading Comprehension has the maximum weightage with about 16 questions. In DILR, the number of questions are equally distributed.

Is CAT exam tough for an average student?

CAT is a speed-based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or Commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advanced-level problems. However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam. Hope it was helpful!!!

How can I prepare for DILR section of CAT?

CAT DILR preparation is completely based on practice papers and mock tests. You should obtain recommended CAT DILR sample papers and mock test series. Make sure to cover all types of question. Also practice DILR questions of past year with the help of CAT question papers.

Is it wise to practice a CAT mock test, just before the exam?

No, it is not wise to attempt a CAT mock test, just before the exam. Candidates must practice only one CAT mock test just before the exam; not to check his control over topics but to keep the confidence of time management high. Any candidate who has practiced a good number of mock tests will be able to score 98-99 percentile by the last week of the CAT exam, so they need to just go with the same confidence.

How many RC questions does CAT have?

The CAT VARC section is dominated by RC questions. Out of 24 questions about 14-16 are based on Reading Comprehension passages and the rest of them are based on parajumbles, para completion, etc. CAT has about 12-16 RC question. Since, it is not mandatory to solve all the questions, candidates can maximize their scores by leaving out the questions related to the passage they find the toughest. There is negative marking in CAT so candidates must ensure that they mark only the correct options or do not mark any option at all.

How many question should I solve for 99 percentile in CAT exam?

To get 99 percentile and above, candidates must attempt 40-45 out of 68 questions in CAT, with maximum accuracy.

What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?

India's premiere b-schools accept CAT for MBA admissions. More than 2.5 lakh candidates fighting for limited seats at these institutes make the exam tough to crack.

How important are sectional mock tests for CAT preparation?

CAT exam has sectional time limit of 40 minutes per section and as soon as the time gets over, the test screen moves to the new section. So, it is very important that a candidate uses 40 minutes to attempt the questions correctly and optimally. RC passages are long and dense. Sometimes, DI or LR questions turn out to be lengthy, Quants questions are often time taking. By practicing sectional mock tests, candidate will get the practice of how to manage 40 minutes irrespective of the type of question.

Is it possible to prepare for CAT with mock tests only?

Yes, it is possible to prepare for CAT exam with mock tests only if you have appeared for the exam previously and have complete control on the topics included in the CAT syllabus. But if you are a first timer, you need to first complete the syllabus, understand each and every topic and then practice CAT mock tests to crack the exam.

CAT Mock Test by Shiksha & IIMCAT

Updated on Jun 7, 2026 23:57 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Assistant Manager – Editorial Content

Overview

CAT mock test is an integral part of exam preparation. Those planning to appear for the CAT 2026, must make a preparation plan that includes adequate practice of mock tests. It is best suited to start mock test practice after completing exam syllabus. CAT aspirants must practice at least 40-50 mock tests of various difficulty levels during the preparation phase. And thoroughly analyse each result.

CAT official mock test is released at iimcat.ac.in website about a week or two before CAT 2026 exam. Attempting official CAT mock test is very important as it is a window to the actual test environment and experience. It is also the best resource to understand the latest CAT exam pattern as well as the structure of CAT question paper. Shiksha has provided below free CAT mock tests for practice.

Table of contents

CAT Free Mock Test with solutions by Shiksha
Official CAT Mock Test by IIMCAT
CAT Question Papers with Answer Keys
How to Attempt Mock Test for CAT
CAT Mock Test Sectional Break Up
FAQs on CAT Mock Test

CAT Free Mock Test with solutions by Shiksha

Shiksha has created CAT free mock tests based on official CAT question papers, so that you face the same difficulty level and master it. Check the table below to access.

Key Aspects of Shiksha CAT Mock Tests:

These CAT mock tests have questions with same difficulty level as the actual exam.
Best questions have been curated to create these CAT mock tests to prepare you for all types of difficulty levels.
The questions are accompanied by solutions for to help you understand the question and its answer better.
After attempting each CAT mock test paper, evaluate your performance by checking the percentage of questions solved and time taken for each.
Do keep a timer so that you can solve the mocks in a time bound manner.

CAT Free Mock Test by Shiksha

CAT Mock Test 1	CAT Mock Test 1 Solutions
CAT Mock Test 2	CAT Mock Test 2 Solutions

Official CAT Mock Test by IIMCAT

Candidates can attempt the CAT official mock test free by using their login ID. Candidates planning to appear for the exam in 2026, should also attempt it once to see how familiar they are with the CAT syllabus, so that they can plan their preparation accordingly. Given below are te steps to follow for free:

Visit the official website of CAT exam: iimcat.ac.in
Look for CAT mock test tab
The candidate will be directed to a login page
Click on 'Sign In'
Click on 'Next'
Check the box for 'I agree to the terms and conditions'
Click on 'I am ready to begin' and start the test

Check below official CAT free mock test:

CAT Official Mock Test Link	Click Here
CAT Mock Test Link - For non-PwD Candidates	Click Here
CAT Official Mock Test Link - For PwD Candidates (Blindness and Low Vision)	Click Here

CAT Question Papers with Answer Keys

CAT 2026 aspirants can download the official question papers of previous years from the table below. They should solve these CAT question papers to understand question type and difficulty level.

CAT 2025 Question Paper	Download Here
CAT 2024 Question Paper	Download Here

Download more CAT question papers

Check Out:

How to Attempt Mock Test for CAT

CAT mock tests prepare an aspirant for the actual exam w.r.t. speed, accuracy and selection of questions. Merely attempting mocks is not enough. Candidates must know how to attempt them for best result. We have listed below, some key tips to practice CAT mock tests.

Start with easy mocks. Increase difficulty level gradually.
CAT exam has sectional time-limit for each section. To master that practice a good number of sectional mocks.
Analyse your performance after every mock attempt. Check hits and misses. This will help you in strategising further.
Your aim should be to improve your score with every consecutive CAT mock test. So, focus on improvement not merely completing the test.
Do not get bogged down, if you don't get good scores soon. Check the mistakes in your performance and do not repeat them in next mock. Keep practicing. Your score will improve gradually.

CAT Mock Test Sectional Break Up

A full length CAT mock test has three sections with time limit of 40 minutes each. Check the below table for sectional break up:

CAT sections	Number of questions	Total marks
VARC	24	72
DILR	22	66
QA	22	66
Total	68	204

FAQs on CAT Mock Test

Find some important FAQs related to CAT mock test below:

Q: Can I crack CAT exam if I have not studied Maths in 12th?

Yes, you can crack CAT exam even if you haven't studied Maths in class 12. CAT Quant and DI have Mathematical questions of advance level, from the topics studied in Class 9 and 10. You will only need to brush up the basic and practice advance level questions.

Q: What is the marking scheme of CAT?

CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.

Q: What are the important topics of CAT syllabus from which maximum questions are asked?

CAT lays a lot of emphasis on analytical skills so the questions are asked mostly from those topics which require deep learning and practice. The three sections of CAT question paper are designed in such a way that candidates have to use their ability of minute observation and fast calculation. Shared below are the section wise main topics from which questions are asked in CAT. Verbal Ability: Parajumbles, Parasummary, Sentence Completion and Inferences

Reading Comprehension: Questions based on passages, Para meaning, Order of sentences
Data Interpretation: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning: Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Sets and Caselets, Family Tree, Assumptions
Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, Algebra Number System Modern Math, Arithmetic, Mensuration

The difficulty level of CAT questions is usually moderate to high. Only a few questions are easy and quick to solve. To crack the CAT exam, one needs to pay attention to the abovementioned topics.

Q: What should be the last month preparation strategy for CAT?

In the last month of CAT preparation, focus on revision with sample papers, previous years' question papers and practice sessions.

Q: What is the overall difficulty level of CAT exam?

Overall difficulty level of CAT exam has always been moderate to high. CAT is of higher difficulty level than all other MBA entrance exams in India.

Q: Is it compulsory to attempt all sections in CAT?

While it is not mandatory to attempt all sections in CAT, the IIMs and all top B School consider sectional percentiles too for selecting candidates for admission. Thus, you cannot afford to skip a CAT section all together. You can skip some questions though.