• Updated on 17 Aug, 2026 by Tiyasa Khanra
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CAT Exam Pattern 2026 has been officially released by IIM Indore in the CAT 2026 press release on the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in. CAT exam 2026 will be conducted in the Computer-Based Test mode in 3 slots. The CAT exam paper 2026 will have 3 major sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The duration of the CAT exam 2026 will be 120 minutes. The total number of questions in the CAT 2026 paper can be expected to range from 66 to 68. A mock exam will be made available on the CAT official website to help the candidates understand the exam format of CAT 2026.
Table of Contents
CAT Exam Pattern 2026
CAT exam pattern 2026 indicates that the exam will be conducted in the CBT mode over 2 hours with 66-68 questions in total. While answering questions in a section, candidates will not be allowed to switch from one CAT section to another. The overall difficulty level of the CAT exam 2026 is expected to range from moderate to high.
- The CAT exam duration 2026 is 2 hours or 120 minutes. The Morning slot will be conducted from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, the Afternoon slot from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and the Evening slot from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
- There will be a sectional time limit of 40 minutes per CAT section.
- The CAT Question Paper 2026 will be divided into 3 main sections, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (Section I), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (Section II), and Quantitative Ability (Section III).
- There will be a total of 68 questions, with 24 questions from VARC, 22 questions from DILR, and 22 questions from QA.
- The CAT Total Marks 2026 is expected to be 204.
- The CAT Exam Pattern for MBA 2026 will comprise both Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions. In case of TITA questions, candidates must type their answers using the keyboard, as they cannot select the right option.
- Each correct answer will be awarded +3 marks, and each incorrect MCQ will lead to a deduction of 1 mark.
The major highlights of the CAT exam pattern 2026 are provided in the table below.
Know more:
- The Most Neglected Topics in CAT That Appear Every Year
- Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT 2026
- How many questions to attempt in CAT to score 99+ percentile
Section-wise CAT Exam Pattern 2026
CAT exam pattern 2026 section-wise includes the total number of questions, number of MCQs with negative marking, and number of TITA questions with no negative marking in each section and the weightage of each section in the CAT exam paper 2026. According to the previous year CAT papers, the highest weightage will be allotted to the VARC section among all the other sections, i.e., 72 marks out of 204 marks. The detailed section-wise weightage and mark distribution are mentioned below:
CAT Exam Pattern 2026 for VARC
CAT exam pattern 2026 for VARC is expected to be similar to that of the previous years. VARC is the first section of the CAT exam paper 2026, which is divided into two parts—Reading Comprehension (RC) and Verbal Ability (VA). The candidates’ reading comprehension, critical reasoning, analytical thinking, logical sequencing, and vocabulary skills, including grammar awareness and the ability to draw inferences, are evaluated in this section.
- 24 questions in total are expected to be asked from VARC, of which 20 will be MCQs and 4 will be TITA questions.
- The total marks of the CAT VARC section will be 72.
- CAT VARC important topics include Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out, and Sentence Completion/Inference.
- The time allotted for CAT VARC is 40 Minutes (53 Minutes 20 Seconds for PwD candidates with scribe).
The detailed CAT exam pattern 2026 for the VARC section is provided below.
CAT Exam Pattern 2026 for DILR
CAT exam pattern 2026 for DILR indicates that it is the second section of the CAT exam paper 2026, consisting of set-based questions combining analytical reasoning with data interpretation. Candidates must learn how to identify the easiest sets in the first 3-5 minutes and solve them accurately within a limited time, as only time management and set selection can help them secure a high percentile. Solve 2–3 easy sets first that you are confident about before attempting difficult ones.
- CAT DILR comprises 22 questions carrying a maximum of 66 marks.
- CAT DILR questions are generally distributed across 4 to 5 sets, with each set comprising 4 to 6 questions.
- Based on the recent CAT previous year papers, it is expected that mixed or hybrid sets will be featured in this section, where Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning concepts are integrated into a single problem set instead of standalone DI or LR questions where they are tested separately.
The detailed CAT exam pattern 2026 for the DILR section is provided below.
CAT Exam Pattern 2026 for QA
CAT exam pattern 2026 for QA indicates that Quantitative Aptitude (QA) is the third and final section of the CAT exam paper 2026 covering Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System and Modern Mathematics. The candidates’ mathematical conceptual clarity, numerical ability, problem-solving skills and application of formulas will be evaluated in this section. The ideal strategy is to solve easy and moderate questions first that require 2-3 minutes and avoid spending too much time on questions that are unfamiliar or require lengthy calculations. Candidates must cover all major CAT Maths syllabus topics to achieve a high percentile.
- CAT QA comprises 22 questions carrying a maximum of 66 marks.
- Both MCQs and Type in the Answer (TITA) questions will be asked from CAT QA.
- Based on recent CAT previous year papers, Arithmetic and Algebra are expected to carry the highest weightage in the QA section, followed by Geometry, Number System and Modern Mathematics.
The detailed CAT exam pattern 2026 for the QA section is provided below.
CAT Total Marks 2026
CAT total marks 2026 is expected to be 204, based on CAT 2024 & 2025. The CAT total marks and number of questions have changed multiple times from 2014 to 2025. From CAT 2021-2023, 66 questions were asked, carrying 198 marks. The total marks for CAT 2020 were 228. From CAT 2014-2019, the total marks stood at 300. The total section-wise CAT 2026 marks along with the overall marks are provided in the table below based on previous-year trends.
CAT Marking Scheme 2026
CAT marking scheme 2026 is expected to be the same as CAT 2025, which involves negative marking, but only for the Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs). There will be no negative marking for non-MCQs or Type-in-the-Answer (TITA) questions. 68 questions in total may be asked, with each question carrying 3 marks (68 questions × 3 marks) making the total marks for the CAT 2026 exam 204. The CAT marking scheme 2026 has been provided below.
- Marks Awarded for Each Correct Answer: +3 marks for both MCQs & TITA questions
- Marks Deducted for Each Incorrect Answer: -1 mark only for MCQs
- Marks Deducted for Unattempted Questions: No negative marking
Candidates who want to obtain the CAT qualifying cutoffs must answer at least two-thirds of the total number of questions. The section-wise marking system for CAT 2026 is shown in the table below:
CAT Exam Duration 2026
CAT exam duration 2026 is 2 hours or 120 minutes. CAT follows a strict time limit for each section. 40 minutes will be allotted for each section. However, the sectional time limit for PwD students is slightly longer than that of other students (53 minutes 20 seconds). Candidates must attempt the CAT exam paper 2026 in a specific order: VARC, DILR, and QA, respectively. They will not be permitted to choose which section they want to start with or navigate between different sections. They must start with the VARC section and then proceed to DILR and QA. Once the first section is completed, the system will automatically take them to the next section. The section-wise time durations for CAT 2026 are provided in the table below.
CAT Exam Pass Marks 2026
Passing Marks of CAT exam 2026 have not been specified, but the candidates’ overall score must be high to seek MBA/ PGDM admission at the top B-Schools in India. The CAT percentile, derived from the scaled scores of all test takers, will be considered for MBA admissions. Raw scores will be normalized to obtain the CAT scaled score.
- The minimum qualifying scores range from 75 percentile to 95 percentile for IIMs.
- Based on the highest scores in CAT 2025, it can be expected that the maximum CAT score 2026 will be 100 percentile. Candidates must aim for a raw score between 118 and 136 marks out of 204 to obtain this score. 52 – 58 marks in VARC, 38 – 45 marks in DILR, and 42 – 48 marks in QA should be their target sectional scores. 38 to 45 questions must be answered accurately. Candidates can easily get top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta with this CAT score.
- 72 marks can also be regarded as a safe score in CAT 2026 corresponding to a percentile ranging from the 95th to 97th percentile. The target raw scores of the candidates should be 28 – 30 in VARC, 20 – 22 in DILR, and 20 – 22 in QA. IIM Mumbai, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIM Rohtak, IIM Shillong, and non-IIMs like IIFT, MDI Gurgaon, XIMB, and Great Lakes accept 72 marks in CAT.
- Candidates who obtain a raw score of 60 out of 204 will score in the range of 85-93 percentile. They must aim for 22 – 25 marks in VARC, 16 – 18 marks in DILR, and 15 – 17 marks in QA to obtain this score. Admission to newer IIMs like IIM Jammu, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Bodh Gaya, and IIM Nagpur is possible with this score.
CAT Exam Pattern 202 FAQs
What is the total marks of CAT Exam 2026?
The total marks for CAT 2026 are 204. There will be a total of 68 questions, each worth 3 marks.
What is the time duration for CAT exam 2026?
Students will have to solve the CAT exam paper 2026 within 120 minutes. The question paper will consist of 3 sections, and they will get 40 minutes to solve each section.
How many questions will be there from each section for CAT 2026?
The sectional weightage for each section depends on the number of questions coming from each section. Students can expect 24 questions from the VARC section, which holds nearly 36% of the weightage. There will be 22 questions from the other two sections, i.e., DILR and QA.
What are the important topics in the Data Interpretation and Logical Section of CAT 2026?
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning assess students’ problem-solving skills and their ability to interpret data from tables or graphs. Some important topics from this section include Syllogism, Seating Arrangement, Venn Diagram, Tables, Graphs, etc.
Is there any negative marking for incorrect answers in CAT exam 2026?
Yes, if students mark any incorrect answer, -1 will be deducted. However, this rule applies only to the multiple-choice questions. For TITA questions, there will be no negative marking.
Will CAT exam 2026 be conducted in three different time slots?
Yes, CAT exam 2026 will be conducted in three different slots. These slots are: Morning- 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, Afternoon- 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and Evening- 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
What is the Quantitative Aptitude section in CAT 2026?
The Quantitative Aptitude section in CAT 2026 evaluates students’ mathematical skills. It focuses on topics like Algebra, Geometry, Number Systems, Modern Maths, Arithmetic, etc.
Can I change the order of the sections in which I answer in CAT 2026?
Students are not allowed to change the order or the sequence of sections to answer in CAT 2026. They are required to answer in the predefined order already given in the CAT question paper 2026.
How to review the marked answers in CAT 2026 while taking the exam?
Since CAT is a computer-based test, students are unable to go back and re-answer questions once they have moved forward. However, if they are not sure of any answer, after marking it, they can save it for later. Once they are done with the section, they can revisit the question and check their answers.
How to mark answers in CAT 2026?
There is a particular format that students should follow while marking answers in CAT 2026. For each MCQ in CAT, students will receive 4 four options for each question. After selecting the right option, they can either click on save and next, clear response, or mark for review and next.
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