Nine years of CAT papers and 129 DILR sets show a pattern most aspirants never notice: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning are not equal partners in this section. The CAT DILR analysis from 2017 to 2025 shows that the section leans roughly 78% toward Logical Reasoning and just 22% toward Data Interpretation, a gap wide enough to reshape how you should be spending your prep hours right now.
If you’ve been splitting your DILR practice 50/50 between DI and LR, this analysis is your signal to rebalance.
Also read: How to Prepare for Data Interpretation In CAT 2026
Table of Contents
What the CAT DILR Pattern Actually Shows?
Across 2017-2025, CAT has tested 129 DILR sets. The single most-repeated topic in this window is Grouping & Assignment with 3+ parameters, which alone accounts for 16.4% of all sets and has shown up in every single year – 21 sets in total.
The exam’s structure has also changed. From 2020 onward, CAT moved to three slots per day, with each slot carrying 4-5 DILR sets. This matters practically: a difficult set can eat disproportionate time in a slot with fewer sets, so smart set selection now carries more weight than it did in the 2017–19 era, when slots ran 16 sets deep. Smart set selection not only helps the aspirants save time but is also needed to decrease the marks lost due to negative marking.
| Period | DILR Structure |
| 2017–2019 | Larger slot pools, upto 16 sets per year |
| 2020 onward | 3 slots/day, 4–5 sets each |
| 2021–2025 | Total sets per year down to 11–15 |
Why LR Dominates: The 78% Pattern Every Aspirant Must Know
The data is unambiguous on this point: DILR is fundamentally a LR-heavy section. This is the core of the CAT DILR topic-wise weightage story, and it should directly inform how you allocate prep time, heavily toward LR, with DI as a secondary focus rather than an equal one.
Two topics stand out inside that LR share:
- Grouping & Assignment (3+ parameters): Present every year, 21 sets total. Treat this topic as your highest priority, considering the past year paper analysis.
- Number-Based Logic: Appeared 15 times since 2018, roughly 1–2 sets per slot in recent years. It’s no longer an occasional topic; it’s a near-certainty that should become your next priority.
Practice the Pattern: Why a CAT Test Series Matters Here
Knowing that LR carries 78% weightage only helps if your practice reflects it. A well-structured CAT test series mirrors the real DI-LR split, slot structure, and difficulty curve seen across 2017–2025, so you’re not wasting attempts on the mocks that don’t exist in the actual exam. Attempting sets in exam-like conditions is also the fastest way to build the set-selection instinct that this section rewards.
IIM-Wise DILR Trends: Does the Conducting IIM Change the Pattern?
Yes, and this is one of the more underused insights in CAT prep. Each IIM that has conducted CAT since 2017 shows a distinct DI/LR preference:
| Conducting IIM | Years | DI % | LR % | Total Sets |
| IIM Lucknow | 2017, 2023 | 14% | 86% | 28 |
| IIM Calcutta | 2018, 2024 | 32% | 68% | 31 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 2019, 2025 | 26% | 74% | 31 |
| IIM Indore | 2020 | 13% | 87% | 15 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 2021 | 18% | 82% | 11 |
| IIM Bangalore | 2022 | 17% | 83% | 12 |
IIM Calcutta stands out as the clear DI outlier, with the highest DI share across both years it has conducted the exam. CAT 2024 hit 47% DI, well above the 9-year average of 22%.
Also Read: CAT Crash Course to master the CAT DILR section in a fast-paced manner.
The Must-Master Topic List: Tier 1, 2, and 3
Based on 9 years of frequency and trend data, captured by our experts, here’s how to prioritise your CAT DILR preparation strategy:
Tier 1 – Must Master
- Grouping & Assignment (3+ parameters)
- Scheduling
- Number-Based Logic
- Matrix Based
Tier 2 – High Priority
- Network Diagrams & Routes
- Arrangement (Linear & Non-Linear)
- Bar Graphs / Tables (DI)
- Ranking
Tier 3 – Cover Once
- Set Theory (2, 3, 4+ sets)
- Games & Tournaments (Points Table)
- Scatter Plots / Line Graphs (DI)
- Caselets
Working through these tiers systematically, rather than randomly, is exactly what a structured CL CAT test series is built for.
Don’t Navigate This Alone: Structured Guidance Helps
Spotting a 9-year pattern is one thing; building a study plan around it is another. If you’d rather not piece this together on your own, a CAT online coaching program for working professionals and students can turn this DILR data into a week-by-week plan, tiered by topic priority, paced around your schedule, and adjusted as new trends emerge. Take a structured program to get better in the CAT DILR section instead of guessing which topics deserve your time.
CAT DILR Trends That Could Catch You Off Guard
A few shifts in the data are easy to miss but worth knowing before exam day:
- Set Theory is fading. It was largely absent post-2020 (missing in 2021, 2023, and 2025). Keep it in your back pocket, but don’t over-invest.
- Matrix-based is cyclical, not gone: Skipped in 2021–22, it returned strongly in 2023 with 3 sets, never drop it entirely from prep.
- Network/Routes is now a fixture: It appeared in 2017 and then every year from 2022–2025 (9 sets total), moving from occasional to near-permanent.
- Scheduling shows up every year: (10 sets total) and is often bundled with Grouping & Assignment, practice both standalone and combined versions.
- Games & Tournaments is sporadic: present 2019–22, absent 2023–24, making it a medium-priority, not skippable, topic.
Also Read: How to approach CAT DILR Section in CAT 2026
Turning This Pattern Into Your CAT 2026 DILR Strategy
The takeaway from nine years of CAT DILR papers is simple: master LR first, and stay ready for DI surprises, especially in IIM Calcutta-conducted years. Set selection inside the exam hall matters as much as raw solving speed, given the tighter 4–5 sets-per-slot structure since 2020.
Put this pattern into practice with focused mock attempts, and if you get stuck on a set type, Career Launcher’s coaching programs can help you work through it before exam day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the most repeated topic in CAT DILR?
A: Grouping & Assignment with 3+ parameters, appearing in every year from 2017-2025 (21 sets total, 16.4% of all sets analysed).
Q: How many DILR sets appear in each CAT exam?
A: It varies by year. From 2020 onward, CAT runs 3 slots per day with 4–5 DILR sets each. Overall yearly totals dropped from around 16 sets (2017–19) to 11–15 sets (2021–2025
Q: Is DILR mostly LR or DI in CAT?
A: Mostly LR. Across 2017–2025, roughly 78% of DILR sets have been Logical Reasoning and 22% Data Interpretation.
Q: Which IIM sets the toughest DILR section in CAT?
A: “Toughest” varies by student, but IIM Calcutta (2018, 2024) consistently sets the most DI-heavy papers, with 32% DI, which is the highest among all conducting IIMs since 2017.
Q: Which DILR topics can I skip in CAT prep?
A: None entirely, but Set Theory and Games & Tournaments are lower-frequency “cover once” topics rather than high-priority ones, don’t skip them, just don’t over-invest either.
Q: Has the CAT DILR section gotten harder over the years?
A: The section has gotten shorter (11–15 sets since 2021 vs 16 in 2017–19), which means each set carries more weight and set-selection skill matters more than before.
