CAT Exam Syllabus 2026: Complete Guide for MBA Aspirants
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Shruti Sharma
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CAT (Common Admission Test) is the primary MBA entrance examination in India, conducted by IIMs on a rotational basis. CAT 2026 will test candidates across three sections — VARC, DILR, and QA — in 120 minutes. Over 2.5 lakh candidates appear annually for approximately 5,000 IIM seats and 1,50,000+ seats at other MBA colleges.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview
| Section | Full Name | Questions | Duration | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 24 | 40 min | 72 |
| DILR | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 20 | 40 min | 60 |
| QA | Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 40 min | 66 |
| Total | 66 | 120 min | 198 |
Section 1: VARC Syllabus (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)
| Topic | No. of Questions | Type | Key Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (RC) | 16–18 | MCQ | Main idea, inference, tone, vocabulary in context |
| Para Jumbles | 2–3 | TITA | Logical sentence sequencing, connectors |
| Para Summary | 2–3 | MCQ | Identifying central idea, distinguishing detail from main point |
| Odd Sentence Out | 1–2 | TITA | Coherence, thematic unity of paragraph |
Section 2: DILR Syllabus (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
| Sub-Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | Tables, Bar Charts, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Caselets (text-based DI), Mixed DI sets |
| Logical Reasoning | Linear/Circular Arrangements, Grid-based Puzzles, Teams/Grouping, Binary Logic, Games & Tournaments, Scheduling, Routes & Networks |
Section 3: QA Syllabus (Quantitative Aptitude)
| Category | Topics | Approx. Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Ratio & Proportion, TSD, Time & Work, Averages, Mixtures, Partnership | 30–35% |
| Algebra | Linear equations, Quadratic equations, Polynomials, Inequalities, Functions, Progressions (AP/GP/HP) | 20–25% |
| Geometry & Mensuration | Triangles, Circles, Quadrilaterals, 3D shapes, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry | 20–25% |
| Number Systems | LCM, HCF, Divisibility, Remainders, Factorials, Bases, Powers & Roots | 15–20% |
| Modern Maths | Permutations & Combinations, Probability, Set Theory, Venn Diagrams | 10–15% |
IIM Percentile Cutoffs 2026
| IIM | General Cutoff (Overall) | Section Cutoff (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99.5+ | 85+ each section |
| IIM Bangalore | 99+ | 85+ each section |
| IIM Calcutta | 99+ | 80+ each section |
| IIM Lucknow | 97+ | 75+ each section |
| IIM Kozhikode | 96+ | 70+ each section |
| IIM Indore | 96+ | 70+ each section |
| Newer IIMs (Rohtak, Udaipur, etc.) | 90+ | 60–70+ each section |
CAT 2026 Preparation Strategy: 6-Month Plan
Month 1–2: Build concepts — Arithmetic, Algebra (QA); RC passages daily (VARC); DI/LR fundamentals (DILR). Month 3–4: Practice sets — 50–100 questions/day, 2 full mocks/week. Month 5: Intensive mocking — 3–4 full mocks/week; thorough analysis after each mock (identify weak topics). Month 6: Consolidation — focus on weak areas, time management drills, section-wise timed practice. Key insight: mock analysis is more valuable than mock quantity. Spend 2 hours analysing every 2-hour mock you take.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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CAT 2026 exam pattern: Total questions: 66 MCQs + TITA (Type in the Answer). Total duration: 120 minutes (40 minutes per section). Three sections: (1) VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (24 questions); (2) DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (20 questions); (3) QA — Quantitative Aptitude (22 questions). Marking: +3 for correct MCQ, -1 for incorrect MCQ, 0 for TITA regardless of correct/incorrect.
CAT VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension) topics: Reading Comprehension (RC) — 3–4 passages (abstract, social sciences, humanities, science), 4–6 questions each; Para Jumbles — rearranging 4–5 sentences in correct order (TITA); Para Summary — choosing the best summary of a paragraph; Odd Sentence Out — identifying the sentence that doesn't fit in a paragraph (TITA). RC dominates with approximately 16–18 out of 24 questions in VARC.
CAT DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) topics: Data Interpretation — Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Caselets (word problems with data); Logical Reasoning — Arrangements (linear, circular), Grouping & Selection, Games & Tournaments, Blood Relations, Venn Diagrams, Clocks & Calendars, Seating Arrangements. DILR has 20 questions in sets of 3–6 questions per set. All questions require careful reading and multi-step reasoning.
CAT QA (Quantitative Aptitude) major topics: Arithmetic — Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple/Compound Interest, Ratio, Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work, Averages, Mixtures; Algebra — Linear equations, Quadratic equations, Functions, Inequalities; Geometry — Triangles, Circles, Polygons, Mensuration, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry; Number Systems — LCM, HCF, Remainders, Divisibility, Factorials; Modern Maths — Permutations & Combinations, Probability, Set Theory, Progressions (AP, GP, HP).
IIM Ahmedabad's cutoff for shortlisting varies by category: General: ~99.5 percentile overall, with section cutoffs of ~85 percentile in each of VARC, DILR, and QA. OBC-NC: ~97 percentile overall. SC: ~90 percentile overall. ST: ~85 percentile overall. Note that IIM A's shortlisting also includes Academic Performance (10th and 12th marks, graduation CGPA) and Work Experience, so achieving the CAT percentile cutoff is necessary but not sufficient for an interview call.
Serious CAT preparation typically requires 4–6 months of focused study (assuming working professional or college student) or 2–3 months of intensive full-time study. For 99+ percentile, most aspirants prepare for 6–12 months. Week-by-week plan: Months 1–2: Concepts and fundamentals (all three sections); Months 3–4: Practice and mock tests (2 mocks/week); Months 5–6: Full-length mocks (3–4/week), analysis, and weak area strengthening. Mock test analysis is more important than mock test quantity.