CAT 2026 — Exam Date, Registration, Eligibility, Pattern & Complete Guide

Here's the complete timeline for CAT 2026:

CAT eligibility is fairly straightforward:

Key points:

• You can appear for CAT even if your final year results are pending
• Distance/correspondence graduates are eligible (as long as the university is UGC recognized)
• There's no restriction on the number of attempts — many successful candidates take CAT 2–3 times
• Work experience isn't mandatory for the exam, but IIMs give weightage to it during admission (especially IIM-A, B, C)

Registration is entirely online at iimcat.ac.in. Here's exactly how to do it:

Step 1: Create Your Account

Visit iimcat.ac.in and click "New Candidate Registration." Enter your name, email ID, and mobile number. You'll receive a User ID and Password via email — save these carefully.

Step 2: Fill the Application Form

Log in and fill in:

• Personal details (name, DOB, category, address)
• Academic qualifications (10th, 12th, graduation marks/CGPA)
• Work experience (if any)
• Select 6 preferred exam cities (choose wisely — your test centre will be in one of these)
• Select IIM programmes you want to apply to

Step 3: Upload Documents

• Recent passport-sized photograph (as per prescribed format on the website)
• Digital signature
• Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PWD — if applicable)

Step 4: Pay the Application Fee

Payment via debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI. The fee is non-refundable.

Step 5: Download Confirmation

After successful payment, download and save the confirmation page. Take a printout for your records.

Helpline: 1800-210-8720 (toll-free) | Email: cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in

CAT 2026 follows the same pattern as recent years — 3 sections, 68 questions, 120 minutes total.

Marking Scheme

• Correct MCQ answer: +3 marks
• Incorrect MCQ answer: -1 mark (negative marking)
• Correct TITA (Type In The Answer): +3 marks
• Incorrect/unattempted TITA: 0 marks (no negative marking for TITA)

Exam Slots

CAT 2026 will be conducted in 3 slots:

• Slot 1: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
• Slot 2: 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
• Slot 3: 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Important: You cannot switch between sections during the exam. Each section is individually timed at 40 minutes. Once the time for a section ends, you automatically move to the next one. This means you need to manage time within each section — you can't "save time" from VARC to use in QA.

CAT doesn't have a fixed syllabus, but based on previous years, here's what you should prepare:

VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)

• Reading Comprehension (16–18 questions): Passages from economics, philosophy, science, social issues, history. 4–5 passages with 3–4 questions each.
• Verbal Ability (6–8 questions): Para jumbles, para summary, odd sentence out, sentence completion. Mostly TITA (no negative marking).

DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)

• Data Interpretation: Tables, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, caselets with multiple data sets
• Logical Reasoning: Seating arrangements (circular/linear), puzzles, blood relations, syllogisms, binary logic, scheduling
• Questions come in sets of 4–5 questions based on a single passage/caselet

QA (Quantitative Ability)

• Arithmetic: Percentages, profit-loss, SI/CI, ratio-proportion, time-speed-distance, time-work, mixtures
• Algebra: Linear/quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, logarithms
• Geometry: Triangles, circles, coordinate geometry, mensuration
• Number Systems: Divisibility, remainders, HCF/LCM, factorial
• Modern Math: Permutations, combinations, probability, set theory

Download official CAT previous year question papers (2017-2024) with solutions. All PDFs hosted on Padhaao for instant, free download — no login required.

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CAT 2017 Question Papers

Your CAT score is accepted by all 21 IIMs plus 1,200+ B-schools across India. Here are the IIMs:

Beyond IIMs, top B-schools accepting CAT scores include FMS Delhi (Rs 28+ LPA, fees just Rs 2L), MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, XLRI Jamshedpur (also takes XAT), IIT B-schools, and NITIE Mumbai.

Realistic advice: If your target is IIM A/B/C, you need 99+ percentile. But 90–97 percentile gets you into excellent IIMs like Shillong, Trichy, Ranchi, Kashipur — where average packages are Rs 15–22 LPA. Even 80–90 percentile opens doors to 100+ solid B-schools. Don't think of CAT as "IIM ABC or nothing."

With the exam on November 29 and it being August now, you have roughly 4 months. That's enough time if you're focused. Here's a practical plan:

August–September: Build Foundations

• QA: Cover all arithmetic topics, algebra basics, and geometry fundamentals. Solve 20–30 problems daily.
• VARC: Start reading 2–3 articles daily (The Hindu editorial, Aeon, The Atlantic). Practice 1 RC passage daily.
• DILR: Solve 1 set daily from previous year CAT papers. Focus on understanding set structures.

October: Practice & Mock Tests

• Start taking full-length mocks — 1 per week minimum, 2 if possible
• Analyze every mock thoroughly — spend 2–3 hours on analysis per mock
• Identify weak areas and target them specifically
• Time yourself strictly — 40 minutes per section, no extensions

November 1–28: Revision & Peak Performance

• 2–3 mocks per week
• Revise formulas, shortcuts, and frequently tested concepts
• Focus on accuracy over attempts — attempting 45 out of 68 with 85% accuracy beats attempting 60 with 60% accuracy
• Practice TITA questions — no negative marking makes them valuable

Free Resources

• Previous year papers: Available on iimcat.ac.in (last 3 years)
• Mocks: IMS, Career Launcher, TIME, and Cracku offer free mock tests
• YouTube: Rodha (QA), GradeUp CAT, Unacademy CAT channels

CAT is just the exam — the real decision is which B-school to join, which specialization to pick, and whether an MBA is even the right path for you right now.

Padhaao's counsellors help MBA aspirants with:

• College shortlisting — Based on your expected percentile, profile, and career goals
• IIM vs non-IIM decisions — FMS, MDI, SPJIMR sometimes offer better ROI than newer IIMs
• Online MBA alternatives — If full-time MBA isn't feasible, we compare online/distance options
• Career planning — Which MBA specialization aligns with your 5-year goals

Free, unbiased advice. No coaching institute commissions.