CAT 2026: exam pattern, marking and a last-month plan

CAT 2026 will be held on Sunday, 29 November 2026, as a computer-based test in three slots. Registration has closed and admit cards are out. The paper is expected to follow last year's structure: three sections of 40 minutes each (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability), about 68 questions, +3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong multiple-choice answer, with no penalty on type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions.

With less than a month to go, the marks you gain now come from better selection and fewer careless errors, not from new topics.

CAT 2026 at a glance

The official pattern is announced only by the IIMs. Read the instructions screen carefully on the day; numbers can vary slightly between slots.

The three sections

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Four reading passages carry most of the marks (about 16 questions). The rest is verbal ability: para-summary, para-jumbles and odd sentence out, several of them TITA. Read every passage's first paragraph before choosing which to attempt.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Usually four or five sets of four to six questions each. The section is about choosing sets: spend the first 4 to 5 minutes scanning all sets, then attempt the two that look most familiar. Solving two sets fully is a good score in most years.

Quantitative Ability (QA)

Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, time-speed-distance, time and work) and algebra make up most of the section, followed by geometry and numbers. Do the one-step questions first and mark the long ones for later.

Marking: what it means for attempts

A wrong MCQ costs you a third of what a right one earns. If you can eliminate two of four options, a guess has a positive expected score. TITA questions carry no negative marks, so never leave a TITA blank if you have any working answer.

A plan for the last four weeks

1. Two mocks a week, never more than three. A mock is useful only with analysis: spend at least as long reviewing as you spent writing it.
2. Keep a mistakes notebook of every question you got wrong or took too long on, and revise it every two or three days.
3. Practise DILR set selection daily with two or three timed sets from previous CAT papers.
4. Read for 30 minutes daily (editorials or long-form articles) to keep RC speed up.
5. Final week: one or two mocks only, a revision of formulas and your mistakes notebook, and normal sleep.

You can practise previous year CAT questions, section by section and with step-by-step solutions, free on Target Campus, including timed DILR sets.

On the exam day

• Reach the centre early with your admit card and a valid photo ID.
• Use the scribble pad for every calculation; the on-screen calculator is slow for simple arithmetic.
• Do not judge the section while writing it. A section that feels hard is usually hard for everyone.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move between sections in CAT?

No. Each section has its own 40 minutes and the order is fixed. Time left in one section is not carried to the next.

Is there negative marking for TITA questions?

No. Only wrong multiple-choice answers lose a mark; wrong or blank TITA answers score zero.

How many mocks should I take in the last month?

Six to eight, with full analysis, is enough for most students. Quality of review matters more than the number of mocks.