CAT
Gateway to MBA/PGP programmes at the 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and is also accepted by hundreds of other B-schools such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, IITs' management schools and many PSU recruitments.
Eligibility
Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates) from a recognised university; final-year students may apply. There is no upper age limit and no cap on the number of attempts.
Age limit: No age limit
Exam pattern
Computer-based test of 120 minutes in three sessions on a single day, with 68 questions in three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC, 24), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR, 22) and Quantitative Ability (QA, 22). Each section has a strict 40-minute lock and cannot be revisited. Questions are MCQs and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA). +3 for a correct answer, -1 for a wrong MCQ, no penalty on TITA questions; maximum 204 marks. Scores are normalised across slots and reported as percentiles.
Syllabus at a glance
VARC covers reading comprehension passages (the bulk of the section), para-jumbles, para-summary and odd-sentence-out. DILR has sets on tables, charts, arrangements, games and tournaments, networks and Venn-diagram style puzzles. QA spans arithmetic (percentages, profit and loss, ratios, time-speed-distance, time and work), algebra, geometry and mensuration, number systems and modern maths, at roughly Class 10 level but with heavy application.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Admit card release | 4 Nov 2026 (downloadable until 29 Nov) | expected |
| CAT 2026 exam (three slots) | 29 Nov 2026 (Sunday) | confirmed |
| Provisional answer key and response sheet | First week of Dec 2026 | expected |
| CAT 2026 result | Late Dec 2026 – first week of Jan 2027 | expected |
| CAT 2027 notification | Late Jul 2027 | expected |
| CAT 2027 exam | Late Nov 2027 (last Sunday) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT – Arun Sharma (McGraw Hill)
- How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for the CAT – Arun Sharma (McGraw Hill)
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT – Nishit K. Sinha (Pearson)
- Quantum CAT – Sarvesh K. Verma (Arihant)
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT – Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay (McGraw Hill)
- Word Power Made Easy – Norman Lewis
How toppers play it
- Because every section is locked at 40 minutes and IIMs apply sectional cut-offs, train for balance: a weak section can sink you even with a 99+ in another.
- In DILR spend the first 4-5 minutes scanning all sets and pick the two or three most doable; solving two sets fully usually beats touching four.
- Attempt every TITA question you have worked on even partially – there is no negative marking on them.
- In VARC, RCs carry roughly two-thirds of the marks; read one dense editorial or Aeon essay daily and do at least two timed RC sets a day from October.
- Take 20-30 full-length mocks from September and spend more time analysing each mock than taking it; track accuracy by question type, not just score.