CAT Exam 2026 syllabus, Exam Date, Eligibility Criteria for MBA
Prepare for CAT exam 2026: Check syllabus, exam date, question paper, and last date for CAT 2026 registration. Secure your spot with CAT exam tips.
WHAT IS CAT EXAM?
Common Admission Test or CAT is a distinctly competitive exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It was initiated 37 years ago in the year 1984, as a paper- pencil based test. CAT has undergone various changes since the time it was introduced.
In the year 2009, the CAT was switched to computer-based test. The online testing partner of the first computer-based Test was Prometric India Pvt. Ltd. CAT is considered among the most sought after among the other management entrance tests held in India. IIM- Ahmedabad conducted the first computer based CAT in 2009.
The CAT involves a thorough selection process that includes a written ability test, personal interviews, discussions, and test scores.
CAT: MBA Entrance Exam
CAT is an online test conducted by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) every year for students who is looking for admission in MBA/PGDM Programs offered by IIMs or various other prestigious management colleges across India such as Management Development Institute (Gurgaon), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), International Management Institute (IMI), Institute of Management Technology (IMT) and many more. CAT Exam is conducted by one of the IIM’s. Candidates need to take the CAT to pursue their MBA dreams.
Preparation for CAT would be sufficient to help students appear for other B-School entrance exams as well, as the pattern and syllabus are almost the same. CAT is the dominant entrance test for the 2 years full time post graduate management program (MBA/PGDM). Apart from this, it serves as a gateway for one year MBA Programs in IIMs and several other eminent management studies.
The CAT is a crucial exam for admission to top business schools. The CAT serves as the primary entrance exam for admission to prestigious management institutes.
From the year 2012, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have also started accepting CAT score for admission to their Management programs in lieu of JMET.
ADVANTAGES OF CAT EXAM 2026
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer based Test which is conducted once a year in 156 cities across the country. Lakhs of students appear for this exam each year, and the number consistently increases. CAT is a gateway for gaining admission to top-notch B-schools in India. Here is the list containing main features:
- IIMs and Other Prestigious Institutes: IIMs, along with other prestigious institutes, consider scores of CAT for admission into MBA. Excelling in the CAT with excellent scores helps you get into prestigious institutes, providing the knowledge and exposure needed to enter the corporate world.
- Unlimited Attempts: One can appear for the CAT exam as many times as they want, as there is no limit to the number of attempts. This allows candidates to improve their scores and chances of admission.
- Advantages for Final Year Students: Students pursuing their final year of undergraduate studies can appear for the exam without taking a gap year. They can prepare for the CAT along with their final year’s studies. For instance, students pursuing B.Tech, B.Sc, or B.Com can easily prepare for Quantitative Ability while studying subjects like Maths.
- Earn Work Experience: IIMs reserve approximately 10 percent of seats for students who have work experience before joining the PGP course. Final-year students who get into an IIM can defer admission for up to two years to gain work experience.
- Helpful in CAT Coaching: Though each student may not need to take CAT classes, these classes can help in disciplined and streamlined preparation. Final-year students can take advantage of the classes, unlike working professionals who might struggle to manage time due to their 9 to 5 jobs.
CAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before applying for the CAT. Applicant should have secured minimum 50% marks in the Graduation. Student in the Final Year are also eligible for appearing in the CAT Exam. Candidates can attempt any number of times and there is no age limit to apply for the same.
- The Reserved seats for OBC: 27%
- The Reserved seats for SC Candidates: 15%
- The Reserved seats for ST candidates: 7.5%
- The Reserved seats for the person with disabilities: 3%
NOTES:
- Applicants in the final year of degree examination need to submit the certificate from the Principal/Registrar of the respective institute or university. It should state that they have met all the requirements for equivalent qualification.
- As per the current regulations, students with any kind of academic backlogs in their graduate program can apply without any issue.
- Students with professional degrees CA/CS/ICAW can apply for CAT.
CAT 2026 EXAM HIGHLIGHTS
The highlights of the exam include changes in the exam pattern and an increased number of test centers. The CAT is one of the most important exams for MBA aspirants in India. The detailed schedule for the CAT 2026 will be released soon on the official website.
Highlights of CAT 2026 Exam
Every year, lakhs of candidates apply for the CAT to pursue higher education opportunities.
| CAT Particulars | Details |
| CAT Full Form | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| Conducting Institute for 2026 | To be announce |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year (In the month of November) |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November, 2026 |
| Exam Timings |
|
| Exam Fees | INR 2600 (General category) and INR 1300 (Reserved category) |
| Eligibility Criteria | Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students) |
| Number of Applications | 2.95 lakh (in 2025) |
| Number of Test Takers | 2.58 lakh (in 2025) |
| Exam Purpose | Majorly for MBA Admissions in top IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,200 B-Schools in India |
| Entrance Test for Admissions in | PGDM/MBA |
| Sections in Question Papers |
|
| Mode of Exams | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Question Types Asked | MCQ & Non-MCQ |
| Total Exam Centers | 150 |
| Official CAT website for Updates | https://iimcat.ac.in |
| Exam helpdesk no. | 1-800-210-1088 (Toll Free) |
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
IIM will conduct CAT Exam. The exam pattern of CAT 2026 mentioned briefly below. The CAT exam pattern has undergone numerous changes in the past. Since the last 5 years, the CAT exam pattern has remained same. Below is the brief about the pattern.
Further Exaggerated
Changes in the CAT Pattern 2026
- VARC, DILR and QA
- In CAT 2025, there was 68 question.
Other CAT Exam Pattern Analysis
- In CAT 2009 and CAT 2010, there were three sections : VARC, LRDI and QA with an overall time limit but no sectional time limits
- In CAT 2011, 2012 and 2013 though the number of questions remained same, the sections were reduced to two : VARC-LR and AQ-DI with 30 questions from each sections
- In CAT 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, there were total 60 questions with a time limit of 150 minutes.
- In CAT 2014, there were 50 questions each from the two sections : VARC-LR and QA-DI with total time limit of 170 minutes and no sectional time gap.
CAT Exam Analysis
Morning Slot
Afternoon Slot
All Slot
CAT 2026 Syllabus
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
RC passages Based Questions, Para-Jumbles & Para- Summary, and Inferences, Sentence Completion
DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Graphs, Tables, Data Caselets, Blood Relation
Quantitative Ability
Mensuration, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Time, Work, and topics of middle school mathematics
For detailed curriculum, Click here CAT Syllabus.
CAT EXAM REGISTRATION
Registration for the CAT exam is open now, and candidates can apply online. Those candidates willing to appear for CAT 2026 Exam need to do registration first by visiting the official website of IIM’s when you see that official website has one high lighted lines displaying “Registration for the CAT exam is open now, and candidates can apply online”
To apply for the CAT Exam, applicants are required to fill CAT 2026 Application Form. Applicants need to fill in the correct details as any incorrect information may lead to cancellation of the application or may create issues at the time of admission. Prospective candidates should register for CAT early to avoid last-minute hassles. It is advisable to keep the print of the filled application form and fee receipt for future reference.
APPLICATION FEE
Application fees is required to be submitted through online mode only. Payment can be made through Debit Card/ Credit Card/ Net Banking and UPI payment gateways only.
For SC/ST and PWD – the application fees is Rs. 1300/-.
For other applicants- the application fees is Rs. 2600/-.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR CAT Exam APPLICATION FORM
Aspirant should keep the below documents ready before filling the CAT registration form:
- Marksheet of class 10
- Marksheet of class 12
- Marksheets/Certificates of Graduation
- Date of Birth Certificate
- Address Proof
- Caste category certificate (if applicable)
- Scribe Certificate (if applicable)
- PwD category certificate (if applicable)
- Debit/Credit card or net banking credentials
- Work Experience document
CAT 2026 REGISTRATION PROCESS
The registration process for the CAT will commence in the first week of August 2026.
CAT registration is bi-furcated into 3 steps:
STEP 1. CAT REGISTRATION
In order to apply for CAT Exam, aspirant need to register on the official CAT website.
- Open iimcat.ac.in
- Select “New Candidate Registration” tab.
- Fill in details like name, email ID, date of birth, mobile phone number and nationality.
- Select “Generate OTP” tab.
- Then OTP is sent on the registered mobile number.
- Enter the OTP in the given field to verify CAT registration.
STEP 2. FILLING UP CAT REGISTRATION FORM
Once the verification is done, aspirant receives user ID and password on the registered mobile number and or on the registered email ID. Further, to fill the form, applicant need to login again using the CAT user ID and password.
Registration form of CAT is divided into five parts:
- Personal Details: Details like name, date of birth, category, father’s name, gender, nationality, email ID, phone number etc. are required to be filled in.
- Academic Details: Aspirant need to fill in scores of class 10th and 12th marks details and marksheet of bachelor’s degree and details of other professional courses (if any).
- Work Experience: Aspirant need to fill in the details of their relevant work experience, such as name of the company, duration.
- Programs: Aspirant need to click on the IIM institutes of their choice and the MBA programs they wish to choose.
- Exam Centre Cities: Aspirants need to mark the test city they prefer. One can select up to six cities in preference order from one to six out of 156 cities. Please note: Test City is subject to availability of seats.
STEP 3. PAYMENT OF CAT REGISTRATION CUM APPLICATION FEE
The final step in CAT registration process is the payment of application fees. Select ‘Save & Continue’ tab to proceed towards fee payment window. Applicant can use Credit/Debit Card, Internet Banking or mobile wallets to pay the CAT application fees.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE DOCUMENTS
- SCANNED PASSPORT SIZE PHOTO: Photo should not be more than six months old. It should be in jpg or jpeg format within the dimension of 30mm x 45mm. It should not be less than 150 px/inch in resolution.
- SCANNED SIGNATURE: The signature should be clear and on white background within the dimensions of 30mm x 35mm and in jpg or jpeg.
- SC/ST/NC-OBC CERTIFICATE: If the aspirant belongs to any of the above category, then one has to download the caste certificate from the CAT website, fill in the required information, self-attest and then upload the scanned copy as a PDF document.
- PwD CERTIFICATE: If the aspirant is from PwD category, then one need to download PwD certificate from the CAT website, fill in the details, self-attest and then upload its scanned copy as PDF document.
Points to note while filling the form:
- To apply the form, Edge, Chromium or Mozilla Firefox (version 56 and above) and Google Chrome (version 59 and above) are the preferred web browsers to fill the CAT application form.
- Correct and valid mobile number and email ID should be entered.
- Fill the CAT application form by using laptop or a desktop instead of the smartphone.
- Enter the IIM campuses thoughtfully as you may get a call based on the choices mentioned (if shortlisted).
- Before clicking ‘Submit/Save’ tab, check all the details thoroughly.
- Once the form is submitted it cannot be edited. Or else you will have to create a new login ID, fill the form and pay the fees again.
- CAT form will not be accepted if the fee payment transaction is incomplete.
- It is advisable to save a copy of the CAT application fee acknowledgement slip and copy of duly filled application form for future reference.
- Take the print of the CAT registration confirmation email until the end MBA process for future reference.
CAT APPLICATION FORM CORRECTION
Applicants who wish to change their test city preference or upload another photograph and image of their signature can do so once the correction window opens.
- Log on to CAT website.
- Enter User ID and password
- Click on Application Form
- Click on Personal details or Test City
- Furnish the changes and enter CAPTCHA code and click on continue to complete the process.
CAT ADMIT CARD 2026
The process to download CAT 2026 admit card will be released in the third week of September 2026. The links to download the CAT Admit Card will be available online on official CAT website. Stay updated with the official CAT website for the link to download the CAT admit card and other important updates.
ELIGIBLITY VERIFICATION
If any of the IIMs shortlist the applicant then he/she will have to comply the following eligibility verification:
Reservation Category Requirements
Applicants from SC, ST, NC-OBC and DA category are required to present their original caste/class and/or disability certificate and submit the copy of the certificate at the time of interview.
Additionally, when an applicant is selected for a programme, he/she will have to provide the original certificate of qualifying degree and attested copy of the same for verification.
Marksheets and Degree Certificates
Shortlisted applicants are required to provide all the original marksheets and present attested photocopies proving their eligibility at the time of interview. Additionally, when an applicant is chosen for a particular programme, he/she may have to submit the original degree certificate and marksheets of all the semesters along with their attested copies at the time of joining.
Applicants Pursuing Final Year of Graduation
Applicants pursuing their final year bachelor’s degree or equivalent examination are required to provide an original certificate from the Principal/Registrar/ Director of the University/institution endorsing that the applicant has secured 50% marks or equivalent (45% for the SC/St and DA category) based on the current marks. As well as the attested copy of the original certificate (for category applicants).
- Applicants shortlisted for the Post-Graduate Programs of IIMs can join the program provisionally if they submit the duly signed certificate from the head that all the required certificates (including the supplementary exams) are provided.
- In case, the certificate is incorrect or has any discrepancies later may lead to automatic cancellation of the provisional admission.
ADMISSION PROCESS
The CAT score forms the basis of admission to various management programs. Applicants are selected solely based on their performance in CAT exam that includes Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). Only candidates who meet the qualifying CAT cut off percentiles will be considered for admission to the IIMs.
Please note: IIM shortlists applicants for the second stage of selection independently. IIMs consider various parameters while shortlisting and ranking an applicant during the admission process, such as academic records, relevant work experience and several other points. Additionally, the evaluation parameters may vary across other IIMs. One should refer individual IIM’s website for further information.
CAT 2026 PREPARATION: How to Prepare for CAT Exam
As you know, CAT is highly competitive, the preparation also needs immense hard work. To secure admission, candidates must take the CAT exam seriously. It is taken by various fresh graduates and experienced professionals from various fields each year. The number of applicants increase each year simultaneously the difficulty level of the CAT also increases each year. Thus, those who wish to get into the preferred B-School need to prepare well for the exam.
Have you started with your CAT preparation? Confused! Where to start from?
Well, for preparation you need to plan, prepare and follow a proper strategy and stay connected with the experienced faculties to guide along. But not sure how to make a proper preparation strategy?
Read ahead to know:
- CAT Preparation Tips
- CAT Online Preparation
- CAT Online Coaching
- CAT Preparation Books
- CAT Question Papers
- CAT Sample Papers
- CAT Mock Tests
- CAT Mock Test By IIM
CAT EXAM PREPARATION TIPS:
1. ‘Early you start, wisely you’ll achieve’
Students who wish to crack the CAT Exam and achieve high score to get into elite MBA institutes then you need to start your preparations right away.
Here we are here to help you to plan your strategy in step-by-step manner:
- Know the Exam pattern
- Know the complete Syllabus
- Clear your basics
- Attempt CAT mock tests regularly
- Analyze your strengths and weaknesses
2. Know the CAT Exam pattern
‘To reach the destination, know the road you need to travel upon.’
Similarly, one should have a complete understanding of the exam pattern.
CAT paper is divided into 3 major sections, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).
3. Be thorough with Syllabus
An aspirant should be very clear with what all topics are required to be covered. Though there is not a standard syllabus for CAT but one can refer to CAT sample papers, previous year’s papers or speak to the mentor to know the details and accordingly plan which topics should be finished within which time limit.
4. Clear Your Basics
So when you are thorough with the syllabus and exam pattern, start working on the basics of each topic. For verbal ability section, regular reading is essential, whereas for QA and DILR, you need to practice a lot. More you practice, well-versed you become.
5. Attempt Mock Tests Regularly
Any kind of preparation is incomplete if you have not tested yourself. Similarly, your CAT Exam preparation is incomplete if you have not attempted mock tests. CAT mock tests, CAT test series or CAT sample papers are designed to help students understand the exam pattern and the difficulty level of the exam.
Additionally, CAT mock tests boost an aspirant’s confidence level too which in turn helps aspirant to perform well in the main exam.
6. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses
Assessing mock test is very important step in the journey of preparation. Mock tests help aspirant understand their strengths and weakness over the topics. Aspirants get to know where they stand and accordingly prepare their strategy.
Hence, more mock test you appear for, more you get to know which tips and tricks work for you.
SECTION WISE CAT EXAM PREPARATION STRATEGY
1. VARC
Verbal ability section is delineated to analyze applicant’s oral as well as written communication skill. To prepare for this section, you should:
- Develop perpetual habit of reading. You can read newspapers, editorials, novels, simple passages and much more. This is turn increases reading speed and you gain a better understanding of grammar.
- You should be thorough with the basic grammar concepts like articles, verbs, parts of speech, tenses etc.
- Scan the questions before reading the passage. This helps you get the answers quickly when you read the passage.
- Learn new words and revise atleast 50 words each day.
- Read quickly by setting a time frame.
2. LRDI
Consistent practice is the key to success especially in LRDI section.
- Be meticulous with the tables, charts and graphs for DATA Interpretation and work on caselets and puzzles for Logical Reasoning.
- Study percentage equivalent of fraction and the alphabets codes from A to Z and practice brain calculations for quick computation.
- Practice atleast 4-5 question sets of logical reasoning and data interpretation by setting a time limit.
3. QA
For QA section, applicant should understand basic concept and the questions smartly. Every CAT aspirant must prepare thoroughly to achieve a high score in the exam. Here accuracy is more important than speed.
- Prepare a plan on how many questions you should solve each day within the time limit.
- Start with easy questions followed by tricky questions (as it may take more time to solve).
ADDITIONAL TIPS
- Prepare short notes on topics subject wise. This helps you understand how much time you need to allot to each subject.
- Revise previous year’s paper of CAT to get a better understanding of the exam pattern as well as the difficulty level of the paper.
- Read, read and read to get the speed.
- Read newspapers and listen to debates, understand the issues to keep yourself updated with the happenings further increasing your general knowledge.
CAT EXAM DATE
Check below table for the upcoming events and tentative dates.
Please note: All the events will be conducted through online mode only.
CAT Exam SYLLABUS
CAT tests student’s generic knowledge by asking questions based on logical reasoning and middle school topics from the subjects Math’s and English. Before heading towards the details. Check out the important topics one should cover in respective of the Sections
VERBAL ABILITY & READING COMPREHENSION
- Sentence Completion
- Inferences
- Para jumbles & para summary
- Reading comprehension and questions based on it
QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE
- Number System
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Mensuration
- Geometry
- Modern Maths
LOGICAL REASONING & DATA INTERPRETATION
- Tables
- Seating Arrangements
- Graphs
- Data Caselets
Find below is the comprehensive details.
DATA INTERPRETATION & LOGICAL REASONING
- Bar Graphs and Column Graphs
- Syllogism
- Venn Diagrams
- Connectives & Sequence
- Binary Logic
- Number and Letter Series
- Caselets and Tables
- Combination of two or more types linked to each other
- Calendars
- Logical Matching
- Seating Arrangement
- Line Charts & Pie Chart
- Connectives & Sequence
QUANTITATIVE ABILITY
- Trigonometry
- Coordinate Geometry and Mensuration
- Profit, Loss and Discount
- Averages
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Permutation & Combination
- LCM & HCF
- Number Systems
- Surds&Indices
- Set Theory
- Mixtures & Allegations
- Inequalities
- Logarithm
- Complex Numbers
- Quadratic & Linear Equations
- Time & work,
- Ratio & Proportion
- Speed Time & Distance
- Sequences & Series
- Percentages
VERBAL ABILITY & READING COMPREHENSION
- Jumbled paragraph and Close Passage
- Analogies and Reverse Analogies
- Verbal Reasoning
- Facts Inferences Judgements
- Verbal Reasoning
- Summary Questions
- Reading Comprehension
- Para Completion
CAT PREPARATION BOOKS
Planning to give CAT exam 2026?
But don’t know how to start?
Which are the best books for preparation?
From where will to get the right CAT study material?
Online books or the hard copy, which will work best?
Huh, lots of questions. Lot of confusion.
Yes, we understand. Selecting the best books for CAT preparation is a very crucial part. Why won’t it be? If an aspirant wish to score well in CAT exam, then of course source or the study material should be correct.
Best Books For CAT Preparation
Before hunting for books, aspirants should have a thorough knowledge of the CAT syllabus and the exam pattern. Comparing to the past, there have not been many changes in the pattern though. Total three sections will be ask in CAT 2026: Quantitative Ability, Verbal ability and reading comprehension, Data interpretation and logical reasoning.
Aspirants preparing through a coaching classes get the right study material from the institute itself curated by the faculties themselves whereas aspirants preparing themselves have to hunt for the right material to enhance their skills.
Aspirants whether opting for coaching classes or self-preparation, you should consider following parameters while choosing the best books for CAT preparation:
- Accurate & easy to understand: Books which cover almost all the topics and is in easy language help aspirant understand each subject easily and covers the syllabus too.
- Latest edition: Referring the book from the latest addition is always beneficial as it has the add-ons of the new topics too based on the latest exam pattern.
- Credible Author: Aspirant should check the books they select are from the credible authors or not.
- ADD-ONS: Further, look for the following points while considering books for different sections:
Best CAT Books For QA
QA is considered to be one of the toughest sections out of three. It needs well-versed preparation. Thus,
- Books should cover all the necessary topics as per the latest CAT 2026 curriculum.
- Should have good and elaborative examples.
Best CAT Books For VARC
As this section is divided into two, one is reading comprehension (RC), the other is Verbal Ability (VA). Thus, RC checks the way an aspirant concludes and answer questions whereas VA checks the aspirant’s vocabulary, grammar etc.
Thus,
- Topic wise segregation is provided in the book.
- Improves vocabulary.
- Have passages for preparation.
- Explains correct usage of words.
Best CAT Books For LRDI
A lot of practice is required for this section as the aspirants are tested on logic and calculation. Thus,
- Book should have lot of exercises to boost thinking in a logical manner.
- Numerous examples for better explanation.
But remember, not just the books, along with that, your focus and determination will help you adept CAT 2026 exam with flying colours.
USING EKOCHING STUDY PLANNER AND SCHEDULER
Approximately 1 year (45-54 weeks) is optimum for CAT preparation. However, aspirant should understand the CAT syllabus and divide the preparation time into various phases to enhance your speed and accuracy.
Considering the dedication towards learning along with the convenience, Ekoching has come up with study planner and scheduler.
It is basically a customized study planner, different for each aspirant. Ekoching study planner and scheduler, formulates a preparation strategy. For instance, in how many days a topic should be completed or sets a reminder when the aspirant will have to appear for mock test.
CAT QUESTION PAPERS
Best source to prepare for CAT 2026 is to solve CAT question papers. One should always inculcate a time slot for solving question papers in the preparation strategy. CAT previous year papers give an idea about
- the CAT exam pattern,
- the types of questions asked
- review the most important and frequent topics
- the marking scheme
- helps you formulate new problem-solving techniques.
When to start practicing CAT previous years Question papers?
If you wish to solve before CAT preparation, then solve the papers after preparation too so that you get to know where you stand and your preparation level.
CAT SAMPLE PAPERS
Aspirants who wish to score well in CAT exam and a spot in the prestigious IIMs or any other top B-school, they need to have a well-thought study plan that includes focused study and lots of practice.
Just learning the subjects will not be of any use until and unless you practice. So, when you start solving CAT sample papers, you actually use your concepts. This in turn, helps you understand where you stand, further offering room for improvement.
CAT 2026: Benefits of solving sample papers
Solving CAT sample papers have numerous benefits that help you enhance your score in a systematic way:
- Consider CAT sample papers as a mirror. It will reflect your position compared to others. Compare your performance with others to see what works for you and accordingly develop a comprehensive strategy for the exam.
- Check how well you can perform under given time constraints. This score will let you know your preparation level at any specific stage.
- Do analyse your performance in the sample test papers as it will show your weak areas if you wish to score high in actual exam.
- It also gives you an idea of which questions you should attempt first and which ones later. Include this tip in your strategy. It will help you improve the overall score.
CAT MOCK TESTS
Want to score high percentile in CAT?
Start practicing CAT Mock tests. Once you finish the syllabus or earlier also, you should start with mock tests. This practice helps you know your control over the three sections of the exam paper- QA, DILR and VARC.
Mock tests just not test your knowledge but puts you in a simulated domain of the actual CAT exam. Online CAT mock tests are fabricated like an actual CAT question paper. For instance, applicants will have to login, there will be section-wise MCQs, timer etc. Thus, it creates an actual CAT exam environment preparing applicant to sit for three long hours and attempt the paper under a pressurized environment with complete focus.
Aspirants should rigorously practice CAT mock tests especially when there are less than three months left for the Finals.
How Online CAT Mock Test Will Be Beneficial?
- CAT online mock tests improves your speed and accuracy
- More you practice, more tricks and shortcuts you discover of solving CAT exam
- More online mock tests you practice, you acquaint to solve different types of questions be it difficult, easy, tricky or lengthy.
- Once the admit card for CAT 2026 is issued, you get to know your time slot. Since then start practicing mock tests during that particular time slot only. This helps you retain energy during that period of time on the date of actual exam.
CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM
CAT 2026 Exam will be held on November 2026. According to the official announcement, IIMs will be organizing CAT 2026 and would probably release the CAT official Mock Test a month before the exam date.
KEY FEATURES OF CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM
- CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM is similar to actual exam pattern of CAT.
- CAT Mock Test by IIM is a free official mock test.
- Official CAT Mock Test 2026 cannot be downloaded from the CAT website as it is not in the Pdf form.
- Applicant with high vision gets a separate login link to access the official CAT mock tests for free.
- Applicants with low vision are provided a login link with two icons (in magnifying glass) icons at the top of the screen for CAT 2026 official Mock test.
- There is no limit to practicing official mock test.
- No CAT mock test official solutions are provided with the official CAT mock test.
- To access official CAT 2026 mock tests, applicants need not to enter their CAT login ID or password.
CAT official Mock Test: Structure
Below is the expected sectional structure of CAT 2026
Benefits of official CAT 2026 mock test:
- CAT 2026 mock tests serve as the perfect guide to actual CAT exam.
- Aspirant work out the time management strategy for the D-day.
- Difficulty level for final exam can be determined
- Aspirants get to know if there are any new topics introduced or removed.
- After attempting the official CAT 2026 mock test, aspirants get to know if they need to bring in any changes in their preparation strategy.
CAT EXAM ANALYSIS
‘Analyze, understand and go forth’
CAT is a prestigious exam taken over by several students. By taking turns, CAT is conducted by Indian Institute of Management (IIMs). Attempting CAT exam is a very first step to take admission in the IIMs and various other top management institutes. To adept CAT exam, it is essential to know the exam properly. In order to achieve your goal i.e., to crack CAT exam, you need to analyze previous year’s papers appropriately.
How to analyze CAT exam paper?
Check the changes in the exam pattern by checking the exam duration and the sections. As in the year 2014, there were only 2 sections- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and the duration was 170 minutes. But from the year 2015, CAT introduced the 3rd section- Verbal and Reading comprehension to the exam paper and the duration increased to 180 minutes.
Additionally, watch out for the number of questions asked in each section and from each topic.
Benefits of CAT exam analysis
Though there are several benefits of assessing CAT exam previous year’s papers but below are the vital ones:
- Aspirants get to know the exam pattern
- Aspirants can measure the difficulty level
- Aspirants get to know the topics with more weightage and the topics which are hardly incorporated in the exam paper.
For CAT 2026, QA section may have 22 questions; VARC section may have 24 questions; LR & DI may have 22 questions.
ADMISSION TO MBA PROGRAM THROUGH CAT EXAM SCORE
Aspiring for MBA through top B-schools?
Work towards your goal by scoring high percentile!
Once the CAT results are out, the next step for an aspirant is to look for the best MBA institutes. CAT percentile plays a very important role if an aspirant wish to get a call from the top B-schools.
Additionally, there are various other factors which aspirant will have to check upon such as
- Fees of the institute
- Alumni base
- Placement institute offers
- Institute’s location
- Curriculum
- Faculty
- Extra-curricular activities and much more.
Aspirants are recommended to think and decide which institute will fulfil their needs and will suit their pocket too.
MBA institutes have been bifurcated in different tiers based on CAT percentile they accept.
Tier 1: 98-100 Percentile
Tier 2: 95-98 Percentile
Tier 3: 80-95 Percentile
Tier 4: 70-80 Percentile
TOP MBA COLLEGES IN INDIA ACCEPTING CAT EXAM SCORE
Let’s begin with the list of 20 IIMs accepting CAT score along with the seat availability for the course:
| College | College |
| MICA Ahmedabad | Christ University Bengaluru |
| SPJIMR, Mumbai | Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon | IMT Nagpur |
| International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi | NIRMA University |
| IMT, Ghaziabad | IMS Ghaziabad |
| XIM-Xavier University Bhubaneswar | Department of Management Studies (IIT Delhi) New Delhi |
| IIT BOMBAY Mumbai | Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) New Delhi |
| Vijay Patil School of Management (VPSM) | BIMTECH, Greater Noida |
| Amrita School of Business Coimbatore | IRMA Anand |
| Great Lakes Institute Of Management, Chennai | Welingkar Mumbai |
| TAPMI Manipal | LBSIM New Delhi |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai | FORE School of Management (FSM) New Delhi |
| GIM Goa |
CAT Answer Key
The CAT answer key will be available soon, and candidates can challenge discrepancies during the CAT answer key objection window.
About CAT 2025 RESULT
The CAT 2025 result has been officially declared, and this year’s exam has shown a competitive yet balanced outcome when compared to previous years. Similar to CAT 2024 and CAT 2023, high percentiles were achieved with strong accuracy rather than attempts alone, highlighting the importance of smart exam strategy. The overall cut-offs for top IIMs remain in a similar range, while sectional performance continues to play a critical role in shortlisting. Candidates with consistent sectional scores and a strong overall percentile are well positioned for the next stages of the MBA admission process, including WAT, GD, and PI rounds.
Our Team
Experience of 10+ years in the Education Industry. Worked with corporate like Manipal Global & Career Launcher – Ahmedabad
8+ years experience in Training and Education industry. He has been Phenomenal in Companies like Career Launcher.
Amrita alumunus,99.9% in CAT, 4+ Years of training experience,
coaching and mentoring students across various domains Viz CAT, GMAT, CLAT, SAT etc
Post graduate, 8+ years experience and mentoring students in selecting right career option through various entrance examinations like CAT CLAT, IPM, CMAT, BANK SSC And Govt. Exams etc.
B.A. LL.B, LL.M ( Criminal Law)
India's first Talkmaster and an educator with 4+ years of experience in training students for CAT, CLAT, IELTS, TOEFL, and GMAT.
99.5 %iler in CAT QA and LRDI sections, Career counsellor (india+overseas) and JEE math faculty with 14+ years experience in teaching.
6+ years of experience in teaching QUANT for competitive exams like Olympiads, CDS, AFCAT, SSC, CLAT, CAT and IPMAT etc.
Verbal Trainer with 99+ percentile in Verbal (XAT 2025), 98.05 overall in XAT, and 99.29 percentile in CMAT 2024.
Experienced VARC trainer with 8+ years in English and aptitude exams, delivering clear, strategic, student-focused instruction.
BA LL.B, LL.M (Corporate Law) with 2+ years of experience in CLAT and Judiciary coaching, and practical courtroom exposure.
VARC/GD-PI Trainer with 10 years of experience in training students for CAT, CLAT, IPMAT, Bank, SSC, and PO exams. 15+ years of overall experience in the education industry.
What our students say
MBA - IIM Bangalore
Post- Urban Company (Product Manager)
Post Graduation - IIM Sambalpur (MBA)
Post-graduation: NITIE, Mumbai (MBA)
Pre MBA workex: Analyst, Accenture
Post MBA workex: Consultant, Optum Advisor
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is CAT exam and who conducts it?
The CAT (Common Admission Test) is an online test conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is designed for students seeking admission to MBA/PGDM programs offered by the IIMs and other prestigious management colleges across India for MBA and PGDM Programs.
When and where will the CAT 2026 Exam be conducted?
The Exam is scheduled in November 2026, and will be conducted at designated exam centers across India. IIM will be notified for conducting the exam this year.
Can preparing for the CAT exam help with other B-School entrance exams?
Yes, preparation for the CAT exam can help students appear for other B-School entrance exams as well. Thus, by preparing for CAT, students can adequately prepare for multiple B-School entrance exams.
Do institutions other than IIMs accept CAT scores for admission?
Yes, apart from IIMs, several other prestigious management institutes accept CAT scores for admission to their MBA/PGDM programs. These include institutions like Management Development Institute (Gurgaon), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), International Management Institute (IMI), and Institute of Management Technology (IMT). Additionally, since 2012, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have also started considering CAT scores for admission to their management programs.
What are the eligibility criteria for the CAT 2026 Exam?
To be eligible for the CAT 2025, candidates must have graduated with a 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students).
What is the exam format and structure for CAT 2026?
It consists of three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. The total duration is 120 minutes, with 68 questions in total. The marking scheme awards 3 marks for each correct answer and deducts 1 mark for each incorrect answer.
How can candidates get updates and assistance regarding the CAT 2026 Exam?
Candidates can get updates and assistance regarding this by visiting the official CAT website at https://iimcat.ac.in or by calling the exam helpdesk at 1-800-210-1088 (Toll-Free).
How many attempts for CAT are allowed?
There is no any restrictions on the upper limit in attempting this Exams. Neither on Age nor on number of attempts.
Which is harder, GMAT or CAT?
GMAT is considered easier than CAT.
