CAT DILR Set Types: What Appeared in Every Paper, 2017–2025
Every CAT DILR set type from 2017 to 2025 ranked by questions asked, with year-wise trends, sets per paper and how to choose sets in 40 minutes.
The CAT DILR set types that appear most often are DI tables and graphs and selection and distribution puzzles, followed by mathematical-reasoning sets, grid puzzles and arrangements. From our tagging of every CAT DILR question from 2017 to 2025, those five types account for 76.3% of all questions. The mix swings sharply from year to year, though: CAT 2023 and 2024 leaned on mathematical reasoning, while CAT 2025 had none and leaned on tables and arrangements instead.
This post ranks every set type, shows how the number of sets per paper has changed, and ends with a practical way to choose sets in the 40-minute section. Each set type links to a chapter page of past CAT sets with solutions.
How we counted
We tagged each question in the 24 CAT DILR slot papers on our site for 2017–2025 (575 questions in 129 sets) by set type. A few questions carry two tags, so the tag total is 587; shares below are shares of tags. Our data records how many distinct sets each paper had, but a set's type is tagged question by question, so the "sets (est.)" column is an estimate: questions of that type in a paper divided by that paper's average set size, rounded. Treat it as a guide, not an exact count. One caveat: our record of CAT 2024 Slot 1 shows 21 DILR questions where 22 is likely, so we do not quote 2024 per-slot question counts; recent papers have had 20–22 DILR questions.
CAT DILR set types ranked, 2017–2025
| Rank | Set type | Qs 2017–25 | Share | Qs 2021–25 | Share 2021–25 | Sets (est.) | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tables & Graphs | 126 | 21.5% | 68 | 21.9% | ~30 | 8 / 9 |
| 2 | Selection & Distribution | 118 | 20.1% | 46 | 14.8% | ~26 | 9 / 9 |
| 3 | Mathematical Reasoning | 82 | 14.0% | 50 | 16.1% | ~19 | 7 / 9 |
| 4 | Puzzles | 74 | 12.6% | 44 | 14.1% | ~14 | 6 / 9 |
| 5 | Arrangements | 48 | 8.2% | 32 | 10.3% | ~11 | 5 / 9 |
| 6 | Venn Diagram | 38 | 6.5% | 14 | 4.5% | ~9 | 5 / 9 |
| 7 | Routes & Networks | 32 | 5.5% | 20 | 6.4% | ~7 | 5 / 9 |
| 8 | Games & Tournaments | 25 | 4.3% | 17 | 5.5% | ~6 | 5 / 9 |
| 9 | Board Games | 25 | 4.3% | 9 | 2.9% | ~6 | 5 / 9 |
| 10 | Rank & Ordering | 10 | 1.7% | 10 | 3.2% | ~2 | 2 / 9 |
| 11 | Coding Decoding | 8 | 1.4% | 0 | 0.0% | ~2 | 2 / 9 |
| 12 | Logical Connectives | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.3% | <1 | 1 / 9 |
What each set type looks like
- Tables & Graphs: a table, bar or line chart, sometimes with missing values to reconstruct. Recent CAT tables are rarely "read and calculate"; most hide a logic step (fill the blanks from totals and constraints).
- Selection & Distribution: assign people or items to groups, committees or days under conditions. The single most consistent type: seen in all nine years.
- Mathematical Reasoning: number-driven logic, such as scores, sums, averages or digit constraints, where arithmetic is the main deduction tool.
- Puzzles: grid-style deductions that do not fit a standard template.
- Arrangements and rank and ordering: linear or circular seating, floors, sequences, and ranking under conditions.
- Venn Diagram: overlapping groups, usually three or four sets with partial counts.
- Routes & Networks: flows through a network, shortest paths, or movement between nodes.
- Games & Tournaments: round-robin or knockout results, points tables and who-played-whom.
- Board Games: chess boards and grids where pieces move or cover cells.
How the mix has changed year by year
In 2017–19, selection and distribution was the largest type (26.0% of tags) and puzzles were rare (2.0%). In 2021–25 the field flattened: tables and graphs 21.9%, mathematical reasoning 16.1%, selection and distribution 14.8% and puzzles 14.1%.
- 2017: selection and distribution 20, arrangements 12, routes and networks 8.
- 2018: selection and distribution, mathematical reasoning and tables 16 each; one coding-decoding set.
- 2019: tables and graphs 20, selection and distribution 16, plus tournaments, routes and board games. CAT 2019 LRDI Slot 1 had seven different types in one paper.
- 2020: puzzles 26 and Venn diagrams 12, the most of either in any year.
- 2021: selection and distribution 22 and puzzles 18; every slot had one tables set.
- 2022: the most varied year, with nine types including Venn (10) and routes (10).
- 2023: mathematical reasoning 24 and puzzles 16; no tables-and-graphs set at all.
- 2024: tables and graphs 20, mathematical reasoning 17 and board games 9.
- 2025: tables and graphs 21 and arrangements 17; no mathematical-reasoning, Venn or board-game sets. Slot-by-slot detail is in our CAT 2025 paper analysis.
The lesson is not "tables are back". It is that no single type is safe to skip: every type in the top nine has appeared in at least five of the nine years.
How many sets are there in a CAT DILR paper?
| Year | Slots | Questions per slot | Sets per slot | TITA per slot (our records) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 | 32 | 8 | – |
| 2018 | 2 | 32 | 8 | – |
| 2019 | 2 | 32 | 8 | – |
| 2020 | 3 | 24 | 5 | – |
| 2021 | 3 | 20 | 4 | about 5 |
| 2022 | 3 | 20 | 4 | about 6 |
| 2023 | 3 | 20 | 4 | about 8 |
| 2024 | 3 | about 22 | 5 | about 10 |
| 2025 | 3 | 22 | 5 | about 11 |
The format has changed three times. CAT 2017–2019 had eight sets of four questions in 60 minutes. CAT 2020 cut to five sets. CAT 2021–2023 had four sets of five questions, and CAT 2024–2025 moved to five sets with 22 questions (typically three sets of four and two of five). TITA has also grown, from about 5 per slot in 2021 to about 11 in 2025 in our records, which means more questions where guessing earns nothing and errors cost nothing.
How to choose sets in 40 minutes
With five sets and 40 minutes, solving two sets fully and part of a third is a sound target for most test-takers. The real skill is choosing them.
- Scan all five sets first (4–5 minutes). Read only the setup and one question of each. Note the type, the number of variables and whether the data is complete or must be reconstructed.
- Prefer sets with fewer unknowns and direct questions. A selection set with four people and three committees beats a tournament with eight teams and hidden scores, whatever your favourite type is.
- Watch for TITA-heavy sets. No negative marking on TITA makes a partly solved set worth finishing: two sure TITA answers add marks with no risk.
- Set a cut-off. If you have not got a first deduction in 4 minutes, leave the set and move on. Returning later with fresh eyes often works.
- Do not abandon a solved grid. Once the main table is built, every question in the set is fast. Answer them all before switching.
For a fuller plan, including mock analysis, read the CAT DILR preparation guide, and see the CAT exam pattern for timing and marking.
Papers with good examples of each type
- Tables and graphs with reconstruction: CAT 2025 LRDI Slot 3 and CAT 2022 LRDI Slot 3.
- Arrangements: CAT 2025 LRDI Slot 2.
- Mathematical reasoning and puzzles: CAT 2023 LRDI Slot 1 and CAT 2023 LRDI Slot 3.
- Venn, routes and selection in one paper: CAT 2022 LRDI Slot 2.
- Board games and tables: CAT 2024 LRDI Slot 3.
- Selection and distribution: CAT 2021 LRDI Slot 1; seven different types in one paper: CAT 2019 LRDI Slot 1.
All papers are on the CAT previous year papers page. To drill one type, open its chapter page from the table above, or use the test builder to make a timed four- or five-set section from chosen types. Log sets you misread in your mistake notebook.
The other two sections: most asked topics in CAT Quant and CAT VARC question types. CAT 2026 is on Sunday 29 November 2026 (confirm on iimcat.ac.in).
Frequently asked questions
Which DILR topics are most important for CAT?
Tables and graphs (126 questions from 2017 to 2025) and selection and distribution (118) lead, followed by mathematical reasoning (82), puzzles (74) and arrangements (48). Selection and distribution appeared in all nine years.
How many sets come in CAT DILR?
Five sets in CAT 2024 and 2025, with 20–22 questions. CAT 2021–2023 had four sets of five questions; CAT 2017–2019 had eight sets of four.
How many sets should I attempt in CAT DILR?
It depends on your level, but most test-takers do better by solving two sets completely and a third partly than by touching all five. Accuracy within a chosen set matters more than coverage.
Is DILR in CAT more DI or more LR?
Mostly LR. DI types (tables and graphs, routes and networks, games and tournaments) were 33.8% of 2021–25 tags; the rest were LR types.
Where can I practise CAT DILR sets by type?
Use topic-wise preparation and pick a set type, or take full past papers. Every set has a step-by-step solution.