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CAT 2026 (Common Admission Test) — Complete Guide for IIM Admission
CAT (Common Admission Test) is India's most prestigious management entrance examination, conducted annually by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis. IIM Bangalore is the convening body for CAT 2026. CAT scores are accepted by all 20 IIMs and 1,200+ other B-schools across India.
CAT 2026 — At a Glance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Convening IIM | IIM Bangalore (2026) |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday — expected) |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) — 3 slots |
| Sections | VARC, DILR, QA |
| Total Questions | 66 |
| Duration | 120 minutes (40 min/section) |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
CAT 2026 — Important Dates
| Event | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Notification & Registration Opens | August 1, 2026 |
| Registration Last Date | September 15, 2026 |
| Admit Card | November 2026 |
| CAT Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Result / Scorecard | January 2027 |
| IIM Interview Process | February–April 2027 |
| Final Admission | May–June 2027 |
Eligibility Criteria
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Degree | Bachelor's in any discipline from recognized university |
| Minimum Marks | 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) |
| Final Year | Final year students may apply (degree must be completed by time of joining) |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| Attempts | No limit on number of attempts |
CAT 2026 — Exam Pattern & Section Details
| Section | Full Name | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 24 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 20 | 40 minutes |
| QA | Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 66 | 120 minutes |
Marking Scheme:
- MCQ correct: +3 marks
- MCQ wrong: −1 mark
- TITA (non-MCQ) correct: +3 marks
- TITA wrong: 0 marks (no negative marking)
Sectional time limit is strict — you cannot move between sections before each 40-minute window ends.
CAT 2026 — Detailed Syllabus
VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (24 Q)
Reading Comprehension (RC) — 16 questions:
- 4 RC passages (each 400–700 words)
- Passage types: Business, Social Science, Humanities, Science
- Questions test: Main idea, Inference, Tone, Vocabulary in context
Verbal Ability — 8 questions (TITA — no negative marking):
- Para Jumbles (sentence ordering)
- Para Summary (choose best summary for a paragraph)
- Odd Sentence Out (find sentence that doesn't belong)
DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (20 Q)
Data Interpretation (DI):
- Tables, Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Line Graphs, Caselets
- Mixed graphs requiring multi-step calculations
Logical Reasoning (LR):
- Seating Arrangements (Linear + Circular)
- Blood Relations
- Scheduling / Sequencing
- Games & Tournaments
- Networks / Routes
- Numbers & Quantities (LR-based)
QA — Quantitative Aptitude (22 Q)
| Topic | Approx. Questions |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic (Ratio, %, Profit, TSD, TW) | 6–8 |
| Algebra (Equations, Inequalities, Functions) | 4–6 |
| Number System | 2–4 |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 4–6 |
| Modern Math (P&C, Probability) | 2–3 |
| Sequences & Series | 1–2 |
IIM-wise Cutoff Percentiles (CAT 2024 Reference)
| IIM | General Cutoff | SC/ST Cutoff | Process After CAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99.5+ | 85+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Bangalore | 99+ | 80+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Calcutta | 99+ | 80+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Lucknow | 97+ | 75+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Kozhikode | 95+ | 70+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Indore | 95+ | 70+ | WAT + PI |
| IIM Shillong | 90+ | 65+ | Essay + PI |
| Newer IIMs (Ranchi, Udaipur, etc.) | 85–90+ | 60+ | PI |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / PwD | ₹1,250 |
| All Others | ₹2,500 |
Preparation Strategy for CAT 2026
6-Month Plan
Month 1–2 — QA Foundation:
- Arithmetic: Percentage, Ratio, Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work (Arun Sharma QA)
- Number System + Algebra fundamentals
- Daily: 20 QA questions
Month 3–4 — VARC + DILR:
- Read 2 RC passages daily (TIME and The Economist editorials)
- DILR: Practice 1 full DI set + 1 LR set daily
- Vocabulary: 10 words daily from Norman Lewis
Month 5–6 — Mock Tests + Analysis:
- 2 full CAT mocks per week (iimcat.ac.in free mocks + paid test series)
- VARC target: 70th+ percentile in each attempt
- QA target: 95th+ percentile with accuracy above 80%
- Track sectional performance — CAT has sectional percentile cutoffs too
Best Books
| Subject | Book |
|---|---|
| QA | Arun Sharma — Quantitative Aptitude for CAT |
| VARC | Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay — Verbal Ability |
| DILR | Arun Sharma — Logical Reasoning & DI |
| Reading | The Hindu editorial + The Economist (daily) |
| Mocks | TIME / IMS / CL test series |
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| CAT Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Registration | iimcat.ac.in |
| Previous Year Papers | CAT Past Papers |
Last Updated: April 2026 | Source: IIM Bangalore / CAT 2026 Convener
Important Dates
Exam Timeline
Eligibility Criteria
No age limit
Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD). Final year students can also apply.
No limit
How to Apply
Follow this step-by-step guide to fill the CAT 2026 — Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus, Score & IIM Cutoff — Complete Guide application form correctly.
Documents Required
- Scanned Passport Size Photo (20-50kb, JPG)
- Scanned Signature (10-20kb, JPG)
- Class 10th & 12th Marksheets
- Category Certificate (if applicable)
Syllabus & Pattern
Download Official Syllabus
The detailed syllabus and exam pattern are available in the official notification PDF.
Download Notification PDF