1,002 CAT questions tagged across all sections (2021–2025). Here's where the marks actually come from.
A cross-section analysis of all 1,002 questions from CAT 2021–2025. RC Inference (120 Qs) and Arithmetic (124 Qs) are the two biggest skill buckets. Tables-based DI is third. Most prep plans have the emphasis backwards.
The full picture
1,002 questions. 15 slots. CAT 2021–2025. Every question tagged by section, topic, and subtopic. Here's what the data shows when you look at the paper as a whole.
Section breakdown
| Section | Questions | % of paper | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 360 | 36% | 40 |
| Quant | 330 | 33% | 40 |
| DILR | 312 | 31% | 40 |
Questions per section (1,002 total)
Each section gets the same time despite unequal question counts. DILR has fewer questions per minute than VARC — each set requires setup time that individual VARC questions don't.
The 10 highest-frequency skills in the entire paper
| Rank | Skill | Section | Questions | % of paper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RC Inference | VARC | 119 | 11.9% |
| 2 | QA Arithmetic | Quant | 124 | 12.4% |
| 3 | QA Algebra | Quant | 111 | 11.1% |
| 4 | RC Detail / Factual | VARC | 68 | 6.8% |
| 5 | DI Tables | DILR | 61 | 6.1% |
| 6 | DILR Logical Reasoning | DILR | 66 | 6.6% |
| 7 | QA Geometry | Quant | 48 | 4.8% |
| 8 | Para Jumble | VARC | 38 | 3.8% |
| 9 | Para Summary | VARC | 38 | 3.8% |
| 10 | DI Bar Charts | DILR | 21 | 2.1% |
Top 10 skills by question count (2021–2025)
RC Inference (12%) and Arithmetic (13%) are the two dominant skill areas. Together they account for 25% of the entire paper.
VARC: 360 questions
| Topic | Questions | % of VARC |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 240 | 67% |
| — Inference | 120 | 50% of RC |
| — Detail / Factual | 68 | 28% of RC |
| — Main Idea | 19 | 8% of RC |
| Para Jumble | 38 | 11% |
| Para Summary | 38 | 11% |
| Sentence Insertion | 28 | 8% |
| Odd Sentence Out | 16 | 4% |
Quant: 330 questions
| Topic | Questions | % of QA |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 124 | 37% |
| Algebra | 111 | 34% |
| Geometry | 48 | 15% |
| Number System | 30 | 9% |
| Modern Math | 17 | 5% |
DILR: 312 questions
| Topic | Questions | % of DILR |
|---|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | 183 | 59% |
| — Tables | 61 | 20% of DILR |
| — Bar Charts | 21 | 7% of DILR |
| — Scatter Plot | 13 | 4% of DILR |
| Logical Reasoning | 66 | 21% |
| Arrangements | 43 | 14% |
| Scheduling | 20 | 6% |
Three mistakes this data reveals
1. Treating RC as one undifferentiated skill.
RC Inference (119 questions) and RC Detail (68 questions) require completely different approaches. Inference tests logical reasoning from the passage — whether a claim follows from what's stated. Detail tests close reading — whether you can locate and verify specific information. Practising "RC" as a whole skill without separating question types is the most common VARC mistake.
2. Under-allocating time to Arithmetic in QA.
124 questions, 37% of Quant. No single subtopic dominates: TSD, P&L, Averages, Time & Work, and Mixtures are all within 4 questions of each other. Coaching plans that treat one of these as the "main" Arithmetic topic are misallocating prep time.
3. Assuming DILR = Arrangements.
DI (Tables, Bar Charts, Scatter Plots, etc.) is 59% of DILR. Tables alone (61 questions) exceed all Arrangements combined (43 questions). If 80% of your DILR hours went to seating and linear arrangements, your allocation is backwards.
How to use this data
These numbers are from the actual PYQ database — you can practise by any topic, section, or question type directly:
- Filter by topic: Go to Past Questions and filter to any subtopic to drill specifically
- Full-length practice: 9 mock tests in CAT 2025 format
- Topic by topic: Study material organised by section and topic
Put this into practice
Solve CAT General PYQs — filtered by topic, with full solutions.