Quick Facts
- CAT 2026 is expected on November 29, 2026, conducted by IIM Indore at 170 cities.
- The exam has 68 questions, 204 total marks, and runs for 120 minutes in 3 sections.
- Registration opens in August 2026 at iimcat.ac.in. Fee is Rs 2,600 for General category.
- Top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta require 99+ percentile for a call.
CAT 2026 Preparation begins with one fact: CAT 2026 is expected on November 29, 2026, with IIM Indore as the likely conducting body, giving aspirants roughly six months from today to build a score that opens IIM doors.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India’s most competitive management entrance exam. Over 2.58 Lakh candidates appeared in CAT 2025, competing for seats at 22 IIMs and over 1,600 other business schools. The official CAT 2026 notification is expected on the last Sunday of July 2026 at iimcat.ac.in. That notification will confirm the exam date, registration window, fee, and any pattern changes. Until then, everything in this guide is based on the confirmed CAT 2025 pattern, which all credible sources expect to continue in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The CAT pattern has been stable for three years. Start preparing now using past papers and the confirmed 68-question format.
- TITA (Type in the Answer) questions carry no negative marking. Always attempt every TITA question, even if you are not fully sure.
- Sectional cutoffs are just as important as your overall percentile. Missing even one section’s threshold means rejection at any IIM.
- A 99+ percentile does not guarantee a call. Work experience, academic profile, and diversity factors all add weight at top IIMs.
What Is the CAT 2026 Exam Pattern?
The CAT exam pattern for 2026 is expected to follow the same structure used since CAT 2024. The test is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) with a total duration of 120 minutes. You cannot switch between sections during the exam. Each section has a strict 40-minute limit.
| Section | Full Name | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 24 | 72 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| QA | Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 204 | 120 minutes |
VARC carries the highest weightage at 72 marks. Reading Comprehension passages alone account for the majority of VARC questions in most years.
What Is the Marking Scheme for CAT 2026?
Every correct answer earns you 3 marks. There are two types of questions: MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) and TITA (Type in the Answer) questions.
| Question Type | Correct Answer | Wrong Answer | Unattempted |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ | +3 marks | -1 mark | 0 marks |
| TITA (non-MCQ) | +3 marks | 0 marks | 0 marks |
TITA questions are your safety net. A wrong TITA answer costs nothing. Always attempt every TITA question. Skipping a TITA is the same as giving up free marks.
What Topics Does CAT 2026 Cover?
The IIMs do not publish a fixed official syllabus for CAT. The topics below come from 10 or more years of past CAT papers and are consistently tested.
| Section | Core Topics |
|---|---|
| VARC | Reading Comprehension (passages from literature, social science, science, philosophy), Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Sentence Exclusion, Vocabulary in context |
| DILR | Data Interpretation (tables, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs), Logical Reasoning (arrangements, puzzles, games and tournaments, binary logic, networks) |
| QA | Arithmetic (profit-loss, percentages, time-speed-distance, mixtures), Algebra (equations, functions, inequalities), Geometry and Mensuration, Number System, Modern Maths (permutations, probability, progressions) |
In QA, Arithmetic has consistently been the single largest topic cluster, accounting for roughly 35 to 40 percent of QA questions in recent years.
How Should You Approach CAT 2026 Preparation Section by Section?
Each of the three sections demands a different skill set and a different study approach. Here is how to build your CAT 2026 Preparation around each one.
VARC: Read More, Read Every Day
Reading Comprehension is not something you can cram in a week. It builds over months. Read 2 to 3 full articles daily from serious publications like the Hindu, Economic and Political Weekly, Aeon, or the Economist. Focus on understanding the main argument and the author’s tone. Your speed and accuracy in RC directly drives your VARC score.
For Verbal Ability questions (Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Sentence Exclusion), practice spotting logical connectors between sentences. These questions reward careful reading over vocabulary cramming.
DILR: Practice Sets, Not Individual Questions
DILR questions always come in sets of 4 to 6 questions built around a single data puzzle or arrangement. The skill is not just solving one question but choosing which sets to attempt within 40 minutes. Practice reading a new set, estimating how long it will take, and deciding whether to attempt it or move on.
In CAT 2025, DILR was reported as significantly harder than in CAT 2024. Practice with sets from at least the last five years of CAT papers. Focus on arrangements, games and tournaments, and network puzzles, as these have appeared frequently.
QA: Build Concepts Before Shortcuts
Start with Class 10 arithmetic: percentages, ratios, profit and loss, time and work. These form the base of 35 to 40 percent of QA questions. Once you are confident in arithmetic, move to algebra and geometry. Memorising shortcuts without understanding the concept behind them often leads to errors under exam pressure.
Practice mental calculation daily. In a 40-minute QA section, speed of calculation is as important as conceptual accuracy.
What Are the Key Dates for CAT 2026?
The official CAT 2026 notification has not been released as of May 2026. All dates below are based on confirmed patterns from CAT 2023, CAT 2024, and CAT 2025. Verify all dates from iimcat.ac.in once the official notification is out.
| Event | Expected Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Official Notification Release | Last Sunday of July 2026 (around July 26, 2026) |
| Registration Opens | August 1, 2026 (approx.) |
| Registration Closes | September 20, 2026 (approx.) |
| Admit Card Download | Last week of October 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Answer Key Release | 2 to 3 days after exam (December 2026) |
| Result and Scorecard | Third week of December 2026 |
| IIM WAT-PI Rounds | January to March 2027 |
The exam runs in three slots on the same day. The three slots may have slightly different difficulty levels. CAT uses a normalisation process to ensure fair scoring across all slots.
What Is the Application Fee and Who Can Apply?
Registration for CAT 2026 is fully online through the GOAPS portal at iimcat.ac.in. Based on the CAT 2025 and 2026 fee structure, the expected fees are as follows.
| Category | Expected Fee |
|---|---|
| General, EWS, NC-OBC candidates | Rs 2,600 per registration |
| SC, ST, PwD candidates | Rs 1,300 per registration |
One CAT registration covers applications to all IIMs and participating institutes. You do not pay a separate fee per IIM. Fees are non-refundable and paid online.
To be eligible, you must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with at least 50 percent marks (45 percent for SC, ST, and PwD candidates). Final-year students can apply provisionally. There is no age limit for CAT.
What Percentile Do You Need for Each IIM?
Every IIM has two types of cutoffs. The qualifying cutoff is the minimum percentile to be considered. The actual call cutoff is the real percentile at which candidates receive interview invitations. The gap between the two is large at top IIMs.
| IIM Tier | Qualifying Cutoff (approx.) | Actual Call Percentile (approx.) | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old IIMs (ABC) | 95 percentile (General) | 99 to 100 percentile | IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta |
| Established IIMs | 90 percentile (General) | 97 to 99 percentile | IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode |
| Newer IIMs | 85 percentile (General) | 94 to 97 percentile | IIM Trichy, IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur |
| Baby IIMs | 80 to 85 percentile (General) | 90 to 94 percentile | IIM Sirmaur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Jammu |
| Top non-IIM schools | Varies | 98 to 99 percentile (FMS Delhi, JBIMS Mumbai) | FMS Delhi, JBIMS Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR |
IIM Ahmedabad raised its General category qualifying cutoff from 80 to 95 percentile for the 2026-28 batch. This is a significant change. If you are a General category student targeting IIM Ahmedabad, a sectional weakness in any one of VARC, DILR, or QA can eliminate you even at 99 overall percentile.
About CAT and the IIMs
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted annually by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis on behalf of all 22 IIMs. CAT scores are accepted by over 1,600 business schools in India for MBA and PGDM admissions. The exam is conducted under the oversight of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. CAT 2025 saw 2.58 Lakh candidates appear across 339 test centres in 170 cities on November 30, 2025.
What This Means For You
If you are a student
You have roughly 6 months from today to November 29, 2026. That is enough time to build strong fundamentals in all three sections if you start now. Do not wait for the official notification in July. Use past CAT papers as your syllabus. Take one full mock test per week from October 2026. Every mock you analyse is more valuable than two mocks you only take. Register at CampusFeed’s exam calendar to get notified when the official CAT 2026 registration opens.
If you are a parent
CAT is unlike board exams: there is no fixed syllabus booklet. Your child needs good reading habits, daily newspaper reading, and consistent practice over months, not cramming in the final weeks. A strong CAT score is valid for one admission cycle only. Encourage your child to understand the IIM cutoff and WAT-PI process too. A 99 percentile score without interview preparation will not convert to an IIM admit.
If you run a college or university
CAT 2026 preparation awareness in your final-year classrooms makes a real difference to placement and higher-education outcomes. A short workshop in July, when the official notification drops, can give your students the head start they need. Many CAT toppers credit early institutional guidance for their preparation path.
CampusFeed Take
The single most overlooked fact in CAT 2026 Preparation is the sectional cutoff. Every year, candidates with strong overall percentiles lose IIM calls because they underperformed in one section. IIM Ahmedabad’s 2026 decision to raise its General category qualifying cutoff from 80 to 95 percentile signals a system-wide push toward balanced scorers, not just high-total candidates. The group that should pay closest attention to this shift is the large pool of engineering graduates who traditionally score well in QA but neglect VARC. November 29, 2026 is six months away. A student who builds 45 minutes of daily VARC reading into their routine starting now will have a measurable section-score advantage before a single mock test is taken. By CampusFeed Desk.
What Is Next
The official CAT 2026 notification is expected on the last Sunday of July 2026. Registration opens around August 1, 2026 and closes around September 20, 2026.
- Now to July 2026: Build concept foundation. Solve CAT 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 papers. Read daily.
- July 26, 2026 (approx.): Official notification released at iimcat.ac.in. Confirm exam date, fee, and pattern.
- August 1 to September 20, 2026: Registration window. Apply without delay to avoid last-minute portal issues.
- October 2026: Admit card expected. Begin weekly full-length mock tests.
- November 29, 2026: CAT 2026 exam across three slots.
- Third week of December 2026: Result and scorecard on iimcat.ac.in.
- January to March 2027: WAT-PI rounds at IIMs.
Have you started your CAT 2026 Preparation yet? Which section do you find hardest right now?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which IIM will conduct CAT 2026?
IIM Indore is expected to conduct CAT 2026, based on the rotational system among IIMs. IIM Kozhikode conducted CAT 2025, IIM Calcutta conducted CAT 2024, and IIM Lucknow conducted CAT 2023. The official confirmation will come with the CAT 2026 notification, expected in the last week of July 2026 at iimcat.ac.in.
What is the CAT 2026 exam date?
CAT 2026 is expected on Sunday, November 29, 2026, based on the confirmed pattern of CAT being held on the last Sunday of November every year. The exam will be conducted in three slots across approximately 170 cities. Official confirmation will come from the CAT 2026 notification at iimcat.ac.in.
What is the CAT 2026 registration fee?
The expected registration fee for CAT 2026 is Rs 2,600 for General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates. SC, ST, and PwD candidates are expected to pay Rs 1,300. One registration covers applications to all IIMs and participating institutes. Fees are paid online at iimcat.ac.in and are non-refundable. The exact fee will be confirmed in the official July 2026 notification.
What percentile is needed for IIM Ahmedabad in CAT 2026?
For the 2026-28 batch, IIM Ahmedabad raised its General category qualifying overall cutoff from 80 to 95 percentile. Candidates also need to clear independent sectional cutoffs in VARC, DILR, and QA, and must have a positive raw score in each section. The actual percentile at which interview calls are issued is typically 99 to 100 percentile for General category candidates.
How many questions are there in CAT 2026?
CAT 2026 is expected to have 68 questions across three sections: 24 in VARC, 22 in DILR, and 22 in QA, for a total of 204 marks. Each section has a strict 40-minute time limit. The exam is a Computer-Based Test of 120 minutes total. Section switching is not allowed during the exam.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information at the time of publishing. Exam dates, fees, cutoffs, deadlines, eligibility criteria, and registration details can change without notice. All CAT 2026 dates in this article are tentative and based on historical patterns from CAT 2023, 2024, and 2025. Always verify the latest information from the official CAT portal at iimcat.ac.in before taking any action. CampusFeed and its authors are not responsible for decisions made based on this article. This is not legal, financial, or career advice. Please consult a qualified counsellor or institution for individual guidance.
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