CAT 2026 Exam Pattern | Complete Breakdown (Sections, Marks, Timing)

CAT 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore. The exam pattern carries forward unchanged from recent years. No new sections, no format overhaul. If you have been preparing off last year's structure, that preparation still applies directly.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern: The Full Table

Exam duration: 120 minutes total, 40 minutes fixed per section

Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)

Section order: VARC first, then DILR, then QA. Fixed. You cannot switch sections or return to a completed one once its 40 minutes are up.

Question types: MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer)

Marking scheme: +3 for every correct answer. -1 for every incorrect MCQ. No negative marking on TITA questions, correct or incorrect.

Calculator: A basic on-screen calculator is provided during the test.

Why the Sectional Lock Matters

CAT does not let you move between sections. Once your 40 minutes for VARC are up, the system pushes you into DILR automatically, whether you finished or not, and you cannot go back. This single rule shapes your entire test-day strategy more than any topic-level prep does.

It means you cannot borrow time from a section you're strong in to rescue one you're weak in. Each section has to stand on its own within its own clock. Practice under this exact constraint well before test day, not just full-length mocks but section-by-section timed drills, so the lock doesn't catch you off guard in November.

Section-Wise Breakdown

VARC (24 questions, 72 marks) carries the highest question count of the three sections. Reading Comprehension makes up a substantial share of it, so reading speed and comprehension accuracy under time pressure matter more here than anywhere else in the paper.

DILR (22 questions, 66 marks) is generally considered the toughest section by most test-takers. Questions typically come in sets, several questions tied to one shared block of information. Identifying which sets are actually solvable within your remaining time, and skipping the ones that aren't, is often the difference between a good DILR score and an average one.

QA (22 questions, 66 marks) tests speed and accuracy across arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and number systems. Arithmetic has consistently carried the highest weightage inside Quant across recent years of CAT papers, so it's the natural place to build depth first.

Key Dates for CAT 2026

Exam fee: ₹2,700 for General/EWS/NC-OBC candidates, ₹1,350 for SC/ST/PwD candidates. Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Final-year students can apply, but must provide proof of degree completion at the time of admission.

What This Means for Your Prep

Sectional timing is the real syllabus. Content knowledge alone doesn't win CAT. The 40-minute lock per section means your ability to triage questions, skip the ones that will eat your clock, and secure the ones you can solve confidently, matters as much as raw topic mastery.

TITA questions carry no downside. Since incorrect TITA answers don't cost you marks, attempt every TITA question you have a reasonable shot at, even under time pressure. The same is not true for MCQs, where a wrong guess costs you a full mark on top of the mark you didn't gain.

DILR rewards selection over speed. With sets built around shared data blocks, spending your first minute or two scanning all the sets in that section to identify which two or three are actually solvable within your time budget tends to outperform trying to power through in question order.

FAQs

What is the CAT 2026 exam pattern?

CAT 2026 has 3 sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. 68 questions total, 204 marks, across 120 minutes, with a fixed 40 minutes per section.

Can I switch between sections in CAT?

No. Each section has its own 40-minute limit. Once your time for a section ends, you move to the next one automatically and cannot return to a completed section.

What is the marking scheme for CAT 2026?

+3 for every correct answer, -1 for every incorrect MCQ. TITA questions carry no negative marking, whether correct or incorrect.

How many questions are there in each CAT section?

VARC has 24 questions, DILR has 22, and QA has 22, for a total of 68 questions across the paper.

Is there a calculator allowed in CAT?

Yes, a basic on-screen calculator is provided during the exam for the QA section.

When is CAT 2026 being conducted?

CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026, conducted by IIM Indore. Results are expected in early January 2027.

Why This Page Will Stay Updated

CAT's format has stayed stable for the past few years, but IIM Indore, like every conducting IIM, reserves the right to modify section structure, question count, or marking scheme without much advance notice. We're keeping this page as the single source of truth for CAT 2026's pattern. Check back here if IIM Indore issues any clarification or amendment between now and exam day.

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