📋 What is CAT
📅 Dates 2026
✅ Eligibility
📊 Exam Pattern
📚 Syllabus
🏛️ IIM Cutoffs
💰 MBA Salary
🎯 Strategy
📖 Books
📝 Registration
CAT (Common Admission Test) is India's most competitive management entrance exam — the gateway to 21 IIMs and 1,300+ top MBA colleges. Around 2.95 lakh students registered for CAT 2025, making it one of the most sought-after exams in the country. If you're targeting IIM for 2026, this is the only guide you need.
📋
What is CAT — Quick Overview
Full Name
Common Admission Test
Conducted by IIMs on rotation
CAT 2026 Exam Date
November 29, 2026
Tentative · Official confirms July 2026
Conducting IIM
IIM Indore
Expected · Rotation basis annually
Total Questions
68 questions
204 marks · 120 minutes
Registration Fee
₹2,600
General/EWS/OBC · SC/ST/PwD: ₹1,300
Registrations
~4.5 lakh expected
2.95 lakh registered CAT 2025
Sections
3 Sections
VARC · DILR · QA
Test Cities
~170 cities
300+ test centres across India
Official Website
iimcat.ac.in
Always verify on official portal
Important: CAT 2026 notification and exact dates will be officially released by IIM Indore on iimcat.ac.in in the last week of July 2026. All dates on this page are based on confirmed past patterns and widely reported expected dates — always verify at the official website before applying.
📅
CAT 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Expected Date (2026) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Official Notification Release | July 26, 2026 (last Sunday of July) | ⏳ Upcoming |
| Registration Opens | August 1, 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| Registration Closes | September 20, 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| Admit Card Download | First week of November 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday) | ⏳ Upcoming |
| CAT 2026 Result | Last week of December 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| IIM Shortlists / Interview Calls | January–February 2027 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| WAT-PI Rounds (IIMs) | February–April 2027 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| Final Admission Offers | April–May 2027 | ⏳ Upcoming |
Source: Based on IIM CAT 2025 official pattern, widely reported by Careers360, MBAUniverse, and TestFunda. Always confirm on iimcat.ac.in once the official notification is released.
✅
CAT 2026 Eligibility — Who Can Apply?
| Criterion | General / EWS / NC-OBC | SC / ST / PwD |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor's degree from any recognised university or institution in India. Any stream — Arts, Science, Commerce, Engineering, Law — all eligible. | |
| Minimum marks | 50% aggregate (or equivalent CGPA) | 45% aggregate (or equivalent CGPA) |
| Final year students | Eligible — can apply provisionally. Must submit proof of graduation before admission if selected. | |
| Age limit | No age limit. Anyone with a valid bachelor's degree can apply. | |
| Number of attempts | No limit on CAT attempts. You can appear every year. | |
| Work experience | Not required for CAT. Many IIMs consider it during shortlisting and final admission — but it is not an eligibility criterion. | |
Which students should plan for CAT 2026? If you are currently in the final year of graduation (2026-27 batch), you can appear for CAT 2026 and provisionally join an IIM if selected, subject to submitting final degree proof. If you graduated in 2024 or 2025, you are fully eligible. If you are a working professional with 1–5 years experience, CAT is still the way — work experience is valued during the IIM admission process even though it is not mandatory for the exam.
📊
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern — What to Expect
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of exam | Computer Based Test (CBT) — conducted at designated test centres, not online from home |
| Number of sections | 3 — VARC, DILR, QA (in this fixed order; cannot switch sections) |
| Total questions | 68 questions |
| Total marks | 204 marks (each question = 3 marks) |
| Total duration | 120 minutes for all candidates; 160 minutes for PwD candidates |
| Sectional time limit | 40 minutes per section — strictly enforced; cannot go back to previous section |
| Question types | MCQ: ~49 questions (multiple choice, 4 options) + TITA: ~19 questions (Type-In-The-Answer, no options) |
| Marking scheme — MCQ | +3 for correct answer; −1 for wrong answer |
| Marking scheme — TITA | +3 for correct answer; NO negative marking |
| Section switching | Not allowed. Once a section time is over, it closes. You cannot go back. |
| Exam slots | Multiple slots on the same day (Slot 1, 2, 3 — scores normalised across slots) |
📖 VARC
24 questions · 72 marks
40 minutes
Reading Comprehension (RC): 16–18 questions. Long passages (500–900 words) on economics, philosophy, social science, science, literature, history.
Verbal Ability (VA): 6–8 questions. Para jumbles, para summary, odd sentence out.
No grammar or vocabulary directly tested.
Verbal Ability (VA): 6–8 questions. Para jumbles, para summary, odd sentence out.
No grammar or vocabulary directly tested.
📊 DILR
22 questions · 66 marks
40 minutes
Data Interpretation (DI): Tables, bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, caselets.
Logical Reasoning (LR): Seating arrangements, blood relations, grid puzzles, games/tournaments, routes.
Set-based: 4–6 questions per set. Selecting good sets over bad ones = key strategy.
Logical Reasoning (LR): Seating arrangements, blood relations, grid puzzles, games/tournaments, routes.
Set-based: 4–6 questions per set. Selecting good sets over bad ones = key strategy.
🔢 QA
22 questions · 66 marks
40 minutes
Arithmetic (40%+): Percentages, profit-loss, time-speed-distance, time-work, ratio-proportion.
Algebra (20–25%): Equations, inequalities, functions.
Geometry (15–20%): Triangles, circles, coordinate geometry.
Number System (10–15%): Factors, LCM-HCF, remainders.
Modern Maths (5–10%): P&C, probability, progressions.
Algebra (20–25%): Equations, inequalities, functions.
Geometry (15–20%): Triangles, circles, coordinate geometry.
Number System (10–15%): Factors, LCM-HCF, remainders.
Modern Maths (5–10%): P&C, probability, progressions.
📚
CAT 2026 Syllabus — Section by Section
VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
VARC is the first section. IIMs do not publish an official syllabus, but 10+ years of past papers establish a consistent pattern. Reading Comprehension dominates — 65–70% of VARC marks come from RC passages.
| Topic | Questions (approx) | Type | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16–18 | MCQ | Moderate–Difficult (dense passages) |
| Para Jumbles | 3–4 | TITA (no negative marking) | Moderate |
| Para Summary / Central Idea | 2–3 | MCQ | Moderate |
| Odd Sentence Out | 2–3 | TITA (no negative marking) | Moderate |
VARC strategy insight: RC passages in CAT are intentionally dense — from The Economist, Foreign Affairs, Boston Review, Aeon, philosophy journals. Speed reading won't help. Deep reading and inference skills are tested. The best preparation is reading quality long-form non-fiction daily for 6+ months before the exam.
DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
DILR is the most unpredictable section — difficulty varies wildly between years. In CAT 2023 it was extremely hard; in CAT 2024 it was moderate. This section is entirely set-based — 4–6 questions per data/logic set.
| Topic area | Common question types | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Seating Arrangements | Linear, circular, floor-based puzzles | High — appears almost every year |
| Games & Tournaments | Round-robin, knockout brackets, scoring systems | High — last 4 years consistent |
| Scheduling & Routes | Timetable puzzles, route optimization | High |
| Tables & Caselets (DI) | Multi-condition data tables, derived calculations | High |
| Bar / Pie / Line Charts | Calculation-heavy visual data | Medium |
| Grid / Matrix Puzzles | Logic-based grid filling | Medium |
| Blood Relations, Direction Sense | Standard logic | Low — rarely pure, usually embedded in sets |
The single most important DILR skill: Set selection — choosing which 4–5 sets to attempt in 40 minutes. Reading all set questions (2 mins each) in the first 8–10 minutes and selecting the most solvable ones is more important than raw solving speed. Toppers skip 2–3 full sets intentionally.
QA — Quantitative Ability
QA is the most structured section — syllabus is predictable. Students from engineering backgrounds often find it easier; non-engineers must focus on fundamentals.
| Topic | Weightage in QA | Key concepts |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 40%+ (highest) | Percentages, Profit-Loss, TSD, TW, Averages, Mixtures, Ratio |
| Algebra | 20–25% | Linear/Quadratic equations, Inequalities, Logarithms, Functions |
| Geometry | 15–20% | Triangles, Circles, Quadrilaterals, Mensuration, Coordinate Geometry |
| Number System | 10–15% | Factors, HCF-LCM, Remainders, Unit digits, Divisibility rules |
| Modern Mathematics | 5–10% | Permutation & Combination, Probability, AP-GP, Set Theory |
🏛️
IIM Cutoffs & Top B-School Cutoffs — 2026
Based on CAT 2025 trends. CAT 2026 cutoffs will be set after results. Higher difficulty = lower absolute marks at same percentile. All percentiles below are overall percentiles; sectional cutoffs also apply.
| College | Overall percentile cutoff | MBA programme | Fees (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) | 99+ percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹25L–₹28L |
| IIM Bangalore (IIMB) | 99+ percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹24L–₹27L |
| IIM Calcutta (IIMC) | 98+ percentile | PGDM (2 years) | ₹25L–₹28L |
| IIM Lucknow (IIML) | 95–97 percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹20L–₹22L |
| IIM Indore (IIMI) | 95–97 percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹20L–₹22L |
| IIM Kozhikode (IIMK) | 90–95 percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹20L–₹22L |
| FMS Delhi (Delhi University) | 97–98 percentile | MBA (2 years) | ~₹24,000 total (cheapest top MBA in India) |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 85–90 percentile | PGDM (2 years) | ₹20L–₹22L |
| MDI Gurgaon | 90–93 percentile | PGDM (2 years) | ₹21L–₹23L |
| IIT Bombay (Shailesh J. Mehta) | 97–98 percentile | MBA (2 years) | ₹12L–₹14L |
| IIT Delhi (DMS) | 97–98 percentile | MBA (2 years) | ₹10L–₹12L |
| New IIMs (Amritsar, Bodhgaya, Sirmaur etc.) | 80–90 percentile | PGP (2 years) | ₹12L–₹18L |
CAT Score vs Percentile — What Score Gets You Where
| CAT score (out of 204) | Approximate percentile | Accessible colleges |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ marks | 99+ percentile | IIM A, B, C, FMS Delhi, IIT B/D MBA |
| 85–100 marks | 97–99 percentile | IIM L, I, K, SPJIMR, MDI, IIT MBA |
| 70–85 marks | 93–97 percentile | New IIMs, IMT Ghaziabad, IIFT, GIM Goa |
| 55–70 marks | 85–93 percentile | TAPMI, XIME, Welingkar, BIMTECH |
| 40–55 marks | 70–85 percentile | Various MBA colleges accepting CAT score |
Score-percentile mapping varies by year based on overall difficulty. In an easy year, 100 marks may yield 97 percentile; in a hard year, the same score may give 99+. The percentile is the key metric — not the raw score.
💰
MBA Salary After CAT — What You Can Expect
| College | Average package 2025 | Highest package | Top recruiters |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | ₹35L–₹40L LPA | ₹1Cr+ (international) | McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Goldman Sachs, Amazon |
| IIM Bangalore | ₹33L–₹38L LPA | ₹1Cr+ (international) | McKinsey, Goldman, P&G, Microsoft |
| IIM Calcutta | ₹32L–₹36L LPA | ₹80L+ (international) | BCG, Bain, J.P. Morgan, Flipkart |
| IIM Lucknow / Indore | ₹25L–₹30L LPA | ₹60L–₹80L | Amazon, Deloitte, KPMG, Aditya Birla |
| FMS Delhi | ₹28L–₹32L LPA | ₹60L+ | McKinsey, BCG, Google, Yes Bank |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | ₹28L–₹33L LPA | ₹60L+ | P&G, Hindustan Unilever, TAS, BCG |
| New IIMs | ₹12L–₹22L LPA | ₹30L–₹50L | Mid-size consulting, FMCG, banking |
🎯
CAT 2026 Preparation Strategy — Section by Section
📖 VARC Strategy — Reading Comprehension First
- Read quality long-form content daily — The Hindu Editorial, The Economist, Aeon.co, Foreign Affairs, Boston Review. 30–45 mins/day for 6+ months is the single best VARC preparation.
- RC skill = inference, not information. Practice understanding what the author implies, not just what they say.
- Para Jumbles and Odd Sentence Out are TITA — no negative marking. Attempt all of them, even if unsure. A guess costs nothing.
- Target: attempt all 24 VARC questions. Accuracy of 65–70% in RC gets you a strong percentile.
- Do NOT memorise vocabulary lists for CAT — they are not tested directly.
📊 DILR Strategy — Set Selection is Everything
- Spend the first 8–10 minutes reading all set questions quickly (don't solve). Identify which 4–5 sets look most solvable. Then attempt only those.
- Solving 3 sets perfectly (12 correct, 36 marks) beats attempting 5 sets with errors (partial marks + negatives).
- Practice set-by-set from past CAT papers. 2IIM and Cracku have good free DILR set archives.
- If you crack 13 correct out of 22 questions (39 marks), you are at 99th percentile in DILR — this is how low the bar can be in a hard DILR year. Don't panic.
- Seating Arrangements, Games/Tournaments, and Scheduling sets appear every year — master these first.
🔢 QA Strategy — Arithmetic First, Always
- Arithmetic (Percentages, Profit-Loss, TSD, TW) = 40%+ of QA. Build these rock-solid before anything else. NCERT Maths Class 8–10 is the best starting resource.
- Non-engineers: don't fear QA. Arithmetic is not engineering maths. Most questions are conceptual, not calculation-heavy. Consistent daily practice matters more than background.
- Geometry and Number System take time to build — start early. Do not leave them for the last 2 months.
- TITA questions in QA have no negative marking — attempt all QA TITAs. If you can estimate a reasonable range, guess within it.
- In the exam, spend max 3 minutes per QA question. Skip and flag, don't get stuck.
Month-by-Month Preparation Timeline (for CAT 2026)
- June–July 2026: Assess your current level with a free mock. Identify weakest section. Start daily reading for VARC. Begin NCERT Maths (Class 8–10) for QA basics. One DILR set daily.
- August 2026: Complete CAT registration (opens Aug 1). Structured daily practice — 2 hours minimum. VARC: 2 RC passages/day. QA: Arithmetic chapter-by-chapter. DILR: 2 sets/day. Take one sectional mock weekly.
- September 2026: Registration closes Sept 20. Increase intensity. QA: Move to Algebra and Geometry. DILR: Practice set-type recognition and selection speed. VARC: Work on Para Jumble accuracy.
- October 2026: Full-length mock every weekend. Analyse every mock in detail — WHY you got something wrong is more important than THAT you got it wrong. Error logs mandatory.
- November 1–28, 2026: Two full mocks per week. Stop learning new topics. Focus only on accuracy and speed. Revise error logs. Sleep 7+ hours nightly — fatigue kills CAT performance.
- November 29, 2026 (Exam Day): Do not attempt new practice. Reach test centre 45 mins early. VARC first — read carefully, don't rush. DILR — select sets in first 8 minutes. QA — skip time-killers early.
📖
Best Books & Resources for CAT 2026
| Section | Resource | Why use it |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | Reading RC by S. Anand (2IIM) | Best RC approach guide. Teaches inference-based reading, not just comprehension. |
| VARC | Aeon.co, The Economist (free online) | Best quality reading material matching CAT RC complexity. Daily habit. |
| DILR | Past CAT papers (2017–2025, official) | Real CAT DILR sets are the best practice. Free at iimcat.ac.in. |
| DILR | Cracku Free DILR Sets | Curated DILR set practice, categorised by type. Free. |
| QA | Arun Sharma — Quantitative Aptitude (McGraw-Hill) | Most comprehensive CAT QA book. Chapter-wise with LODs (Levels of Difficulty). |
| QA | NCERT Maths Class 8–10 | Non-engineers start here. Fundamental concepts clearly explained. |
| All sections | 2IIM CAT online (free + paid) | High-quality free content, especially for QA and DILR. Daily free problems. |
| Mocks | TIME, IMS, Career Launcher, Cracku, iQuanta | Take mocks from multiple providers — different question styles prepare you better. |
| Official | iimcat.ac.in | Free official CAT mock and past papers. Always the most accurate preparation benchmark. |
📝
How to Register for CAT 2026 — Step by Step
- Step 1: Visit iimcat.ac.in from August 1, 2026 (expected). New candidates must register first to create an account using a valid email ID and mobile number. Use one that you will maintain throughout the process.
- Step 2: Fill in personal details (name as on degree certificate, date of birth, category, PwD status) and educational details. Double-check — discrepancies discovered later can disqualify you.
- Step 3: Select preferred test city and test centre. Up to 4 city preferences are typically allowed. City allocation is subject to availability. Apply early for better city choices.
- Step 4: Upload documents — passport-size photo (white background, recent) and scanned signature as per exact specifications in the notification. Wrong format = rejection.
- Step 5: Pay registration fee — ₹2,600 (General/EWS/NC-OBC) or ₹1,300 (SC/ST/PwD). Payment via credit card, debit card, or net banking. Download payment receipt.
- Step 6: Submit form and download confirmation. Keep the registration number safe — it is your primary reference for all future communications.
Registration deadline is firm: September 20, 2026 (expected). No extensions are given. Do not wait until the last week — heavy traffic on the portal near the deadline can cause technical issues. Apply by September 10 to be safe.
CareerShuru verdict
CAT is hard — only about 1,000–1,500 students get into IIM A, B, or C every year from 4.5+ lakh attempts. But the ceiling for those who do is extraordinary: average salary of ₹33L–₹40L LPA, recruitment from McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, P&G, Amazon, and the most coveted corporate roles in India. If CAT is your goal for 2026, the time to start is right now — not in September. Six months of structured daily preparation separates those who crack 99 percentile from those who don't. Build your reading habit first, strengthen QA fundamentals second, and analyse every mock you take. The analysis is what actually moves the percentile — not just the number of mocks.