CAT 2026 Exam Overview
Section
Duration
No. of MCQs
No. of Non-MCQs (TITA)
Total Questions
VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)
40 minutes
22
2
24
DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
40 minutes
12
10
22
QA (Quantitative Aptitude)
40 minutes
14
8
22
Total 2 hours (120 minutes) 48 20 68
CAT Exam Duration
The CAT exam follows a strict sectional time limit , which cannot be switched between sections.
Section
Time Allotted
VARC
40 Minutes
DILR
40 Minutes
QA
40 Minutes
Total 120 Minutes
This structure tests not just knowledge, but time management under pressure .
CAT exam Total Questions
Section
No. of Questions (Approx.)
VARC
22–24
DILR
20–22
QA
22–24
Total 66–70
The number of questions may vary slightly year to year, but difficulty level is scaled accordingly .
CAT Marking Scheme
Question Type
Marks
Negative Marking
MCQ
+3
-1
TITA
+3
No Negative
Key Insight: TITA questions are high-reward opportunities since there is no penalty for wrong answers .
MCQ vs TITA Questions
In the CAT exam, questions are broadly divided into Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions . Understanding the difference between these two formats is crucial because they follow different evaluation rules and test different skills .
MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)
Four answer options are provided
One correct option
Negative marking applies for incorrect attempts
TITA (Type In The Answer)
No answer options provided
Candidates must type the numerical or word-based answer
No negative marking for wrong responses
Feature
MCQ
TITA
Options Available
Yes
No
Negative Marking
Yes
No
Risk Level
High
Low
Attempt Strategy
Accuracy-focused
Logic-focused
CAT scores are normalized and converted into percentiles.
Percentile
Scaled Score (Approx.)
99+
95–105
95–98
70–85
90–94
55–65
80–89
40–50
Actual cutoffs vary by year and difficulty level.
CAT Sectional Cutoff for IIMs 2026
IIM
GEN
EWS
OBC
SC
ST
IIM Ahmedabad
99
95
90
85
75
IIM Bangalore
99
95
90
85
75
IIM Calcutta
99
95
90
85
75
IIM Lucknow
98
90
82
65
60
IIM Mumbai
98
90
82
65
5
IIM
GEN
EWS
OBC
SC
ST
IIM Indore
97
90
80
60
45
IIM Kozhikode
97
90
80
60
45
IIM Shillong
95
85
75
55
45
IIM Udaipur
95
85
75
55
45
IIM Trichy
95
85
75
50
30
IIM
GEN
EWS
OBC
SC
ST
IIM Ranchi
94
80
70
50
30
IIM Raipur
94
80
70
50
30
IIM Kashipur
94
80
70
50
30
IIM Nagpur
95
81
81
66
42
IIM Bodh Gaya
95
81
81
66
42
IIM Sambalpur
95
80
75
55
40
IIM
GEN
EWS
OBC
SC
ST
IIM Sirmaur
95
81
81
66
42
IIM Amritsar
90
80
80
55
40
IIM Visakhapatnam
90
72
72
45
30
IIM Jammu
95
81
81
66
42
To apply for CAT, candidates must meet the following criteria:
Bachelor’s degree with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD)
Final-year students are eligible
No age limit
No limit on number of attempts
This makes CAT one of the most inclusive MBA entrance exams in India .
CAT Official Website
The only official and authentic source for CAT notifications, application forms, and updates is the IIM CAT official website
Exam notifications
Syllabus updates
Admit cards and results
Understanding the CAT syllabus at a granular level is essential because the exam does not follow a fixed or officially declared topic list. Instead, CAT evaluates candidates through recurring question patterns, topic weightage trends, and evolving difficulty levels .detailed, section-wise breakdown of the CAT 2026 syllabus , covering important topics, expected number of questions, weightage, and difficulty , based on previous CAT papers and exam trends.
CAT VARC Syllabus 2026 (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)
The VARC section evaluates a candidate’s ability to read, comprehend, interpret, and logically process written content , along with sentence-level language skills. This section typically carries 24 questions and contributes heavily to overall percentile due to high accuracy requirements.
VARC Section Structure & Weightage
Reading Comprehension dominates the section
Verbal Ability questions are mostly non-MCQs (TITA)
RC passages are usually 500–600 words long
VARC Sheet
Area
Approx. Weightage
Reading Comprehension
65–70%
Verbal Ability
30–35%
Types of Questions in CAT Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension questions test deep understanding rather than surface reading . Questions often require interpretation, inference, and logical evaluation of arguments.
Question Type
Description
Inference-Based
Draw conclusions based on implicit information
Specific Detail
Identify facts or statements directly stated
Author’s Tone
Understand attitude, intent, or perspective
Application / Purpose
Identify why a paragraph or idea is used
Logical Structure
Analyze flow and argument structure
Vocabulary (Contextual)
Meaning of words based on usage
Types of Passages in CAT VARC
Passage Type
Frequency
Argumentative
High
Analytical
High
Abstract / Philosophical
Low
Narrative
Low
Descriptive
Low
Verbal Ability Question Types in CAT
The VA portion focuses on sentence logic, coherence, and structure , not grammar rules alone.
Topic
Description
Para-jumbles
Arrange sentences into logical order
Para-summary
Identify correct summary of a paragraph
Odd Sentence Out
Identify incoherent sentence
Para-completion
Complete paragraph logically
Sentence Correction
Identify language or usage errors
VARC Topic-Wise Question Distribution (Expected)
Topic
No. of Questions
Difficulty
Reading Comprehension
16
Moderate to Difficult
Para-jumbles
3
Moderate to Difficult
Odd Sentence Out
2
Easy to Moderate
Para-summary
3
Easy to Moderate
Total 24 Moderate to Difficult
CAT DILR Syllabus 2026 (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
The DILR section measures analytical thinking, data handling, and logical deduction . It is considered the most unpredictable section and typically includes sets rather than standalone questions .
DILR Section Overview
Total Questions: ~22
Each set usually has 4–6 questions
Time pressure is a major challenge
Area
Weightage
Data Interpretation
50%
Logical Reasoning
50%
Topic-wise Coverage in DILR Section
Data Interpretation (DI) Logical Reasoning (LR)
Percentages and Ratios
Seating Arrangements
Averages and Weighted Averages
Blood Relations
Profit and Loss
Direction Sense
Growth Rates
Syllogisms
Data Comparison
Clocks and Calendars
Venn Diagrams
Coding–Decoding
Tables-based Data Interpretation
Number Series
Routes and Networks
Logical Sequences
Mathematical Puzzles
Puzzles
Graphs (Bar, Line, Pie)
Games and Tournaments
Types of Questions in DILR Section
Question Type
Description
Graph-Based
Interpret visual data
Calculation-Intensive
Require multi-step calculations
Caselets
Analyze data-heavy passages
Mixed Sets
Combine tables, graphs, and logic
DILR Question Distribution
Area
No. of Questions
Difficulty
Data Interpretation
11
Easy to Moderate
Logical Reasoning
11
Moderate to Difficult
Total 22 Moderate
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026
The Quant section tests numerical ability, conceptual clarity, and application under time pressure . Arithmetic and Algebra together contribute nearly 70% of the section .
Quant Section Structure
Total Questions: ~22
Mix of MCQs and TITA
Speed and accuracy are critical
PYQs of QUANT
CAT Quant Syllabus: Topic-Wise Weightage
Quant Area
Topics Included
No. of Questions
Weightage
Arithmetic
Percentages, Ratios, Averages, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, TSD, SI/CI
8–10
~40%
Algebra
Linear & Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Progressions, Functions
5–7
~30%
Geometry
Triangles, Circles, Mensuration, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry
1–3
~15%
Number System
Divisibility, HCF-LCM, Remainders, Factorials, Cyclicity
1–2
5–7%
Modern Math
Permutations, Combinations, Probability, Sets
2–4
5–7%
Total
22 100%
CAT Mock Test – Why It’s Non-Negotiable
Mock tests help you:
Understand real exam pressure
Identify weak sections
Improve speed and accuracy
Best Practice:
1 mock/week initially
2 mocks/week closer to exam
Analyze every mock deeply
cat exam previous year papers
How CAT Syllabus Differs from Other MBA Entrance Exams
Exam
Key Difference
XAT
Decision Making section
SNAP
Easier but speed-based
CMAT
GK included
CAT
Highest difficulty & scaling
Common Myths About CAT Syllabus
❌ CAT has a fixed syllabus (False)
❌ Only engineers can crack CAT (False)
❌ You must attempt all questions (False)
Key Takeaways
CAT syllabus is trend-based, not fixed
Focus on high-weightage topics
Sectional cutoffs are as important as overall score
Mock tests are the real preparation tool
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