CAT Syllabus 2026: Section-wise Topics, Weightage & Free PDF Download

The CAT syllabus 2026 covers three sections — VARC (24 questions), DILR (22 questions), and Quantitative Ability (22 questions) — totalling 68 questions in 120 minutes. There is no officially released syllabus; all topics are based on previous CAT paper analysis. Core topics have remained consistent since 2021.

No. The IIMs do not publish an official CAT syllabus document. CAT intentionally keeps topics undefined to prevent rote learning. All preparation is based on past paper analysis, and the topic distribution is highly predictable year after year.

You can download the free CAT syllabus 2026 PDF directly from Coachify — it covers all three sections (VARC, DILR, QA) with topic-wise weightage, difficulty ratings, and a study plan. Use the download button at the top of this page.

Yes — the core CAT syllabus topics remain consistent year after year; only difficulty levels and exact question counts shift slightly. Arithmetic has appeared as 8–10 QA questions for 5 consecutive years and VARC has had 4 RC passages for 4 years. You can safely use the CAT 2025 syllabus as your base for CAT 2026.

The CAT VARC syllabus has 24 questions in 40 minutes — 16 from Reading Comprehension (4 passages × 4 questions) and 8 from Verbal Ability (Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out, Para Completion). All VA questions are TITA type with no negative marking.

The CAT DILR syllabus has 22 questions across 5 sets in 40 minutes, split between Logical Reasoning (Arrangements, Puzzles, Games & Tournaments, Networks) and Data Interpretation (Tables, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Caselets). DILR is a pure skill — no academic knowledge required, only consistent set-solving practice.

The CAT QA syllabus has 22 questions in 40 minutes covering Arithmetic (40–45%), Algebra (20–25%), Geometry & Mensuration (15–18%), Number System (10–12%), and Modern Maths (8–10%). All topics are Class 9–10 level but applied in non-routine, challenging ways.

VARC carries the highest weightage at 35% (24 questions), while DILR and QA both carry 32% each (22 questions each). Reading Comprehension is the heaviest single topic at 67% of VARC, and Arithmetic is the heaviest QA topic at 40–45%.

The top 3 topics by question count are Reading Comprehension (16/68 questions), Arithmetic (8–10/68), and Seating Arrangements & Puzzles (8–10/68) — together covering nearly 50% of the CAT paper. Mastering just these three areas can take you to 85+ percentile.

Arithmetic carries 40–45% of the QA section, appearing as 8–10 questions per paper — making it the single most heavily weighted individual topic in the entire CAT syllabus. Key sub-topics include Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time–Speed–Distance, Averages, and Mixtures.

There are 4 Reading Comprehension passages in the CAT exam, each with 4 questions — totalling 16 RC questions out of 24 in VARC. Passages typically cover Social Sciences, Philosophy, Economics, Science, and Literature, ranging between 500–900 words each.

No. General Knowledge is not part of the CAT syllabus. CAT tests only VARC, DILR, and Quantitative Ability. GK is relevant for other MBA exams like XAT and IIFT but never for CAT — do not spend preparation time on current affairs for CAT.

Most aspirants complete the full CAT syllabus in 4–6 months with 3–4 hours of daily study. Engineers typically cover QA faster and need more time for VARC, while Arts/Commerce students need extra months for QA Geometry and Number System. Aim to finish the syllabus by August and start full mocks in September.

Start with the 3 highest-weightage topics — RC, Arithmetic, and Seating Arrangements — and master them fully before moving on, as they cover 50% of the paper. Follow a phase-wise plan: concepts in Months 1–3, sectional tests in Months 4–5, and full mocks with analysis from Month 5 onwards.

For QA, use Quantitative Aptitude by Arun Sharma and NCERT Math Class 9–10 for basics. For VARC, practice RC daily from The Hindu or Aeon and use Norman Lewis for vocabulary. For DILR, solving CAT previous year question papers set by set is the single best practice resource available.

DILR is widely considered the toughest section because it requires no prior knowledge but demands set-selection strategy and set-decoding speed built only through months of practice. VARC is most time-consuming due to long RC passages, while QA difficulty depends entirely on your math background.

The QA section covers Class 9–10 level math, which non-engineers can master with 3–4 months of focused practice starting from NCERT basics. Non-engineers typically have a natural advantage in VARC (RC and para-based questions), which carries the highest section weightage at 35%.

TITA (Type In The Answer) questions are non-MCQ questions where you type the answer directly — they carry no negative marking. There are 23 TITA questions out of 68 total. Always attempt every TITA question since a wrong answer costs nothing but a correct one earns +3 marks.

The CAT marking scheme is +3 for every correct answer and −1 for every wrong MCQ. TITA questions carry +3 for correct and 0 for wrong — no negative marking. Skipping an MCQ scores 0. Maximum total marks are 204 (68 questions × 3 marks each).

No. CAT has not tested direct vocabulary or grammar since 2016. The VARC section only tests Reading Comprehension and para-based Verbal Ability — Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Odd One Out. Do not waste preparation time on word lists or grammar rules; focus entirely on RC practice.