The CAT is a premier computer-based management aptitude test administered annually by one of the prestigious IIMs on a rotational basis. While the conducting IIM does not officially prescribe a rigid syllabus, most exam questions are derived from foundational middle school mathematics and English comprehension concepts. This comprehensive guide outlines the core topics frequently tested in the CAT examination, based on a thorough analysis of previous years' trends.
CAT Exam Syllabus 2026
Aspirants preparing for this competitive management entrance exam must thoroughly understand the test structure and master each topic to achieve absolute conceptual clarity. In this guide, we break down the CAT Exam 2026 syllabus for MBA programs—covering VARC, DILR, and QA—along with the latest exam pattern. The CAT exam comprises a total of 66 questions carrying 198 marks, with a total duration of 2 hours (120 minutes).
| CAT Syllabus 2026- Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT 2026) |
| Examination Mode | Online Computer-Based Test |
| Courses Offered | Post Graduate and Fellow/Doctorate programmes |
| Name of the Section |
|
| CATE Exam Date 2026 | 29th November 2026 |
| Duration of the CAT Exam | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Section-wise Duration | 40 Minutes for Each Section (VARC, DILR, QA). 53 Minutes 20 Seconds for PwD candidates for each section. |
| Slot-wise Session |
|
| Number of Questions | 66 Questions |
| CAT exam total marks | 198 marks |
| Marking Scheme |
|
| Validity of CAT score | 1 year |
CAT Exam Pattern 2026
Before diving deep into the subject-wise CAT syllabus, let us review the official CAT Exam Pattern. Review the summary table below for the key structural highlights of the CAT exam.
| CAT Exam Pattern 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Number of sections | 3 |
| Duration of exam | 40 minutes per section |
| Number of questions | 66 |
| Total marks | 198 |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Number of answer choices | 4 |
CAT Section-Wise Exam Pattern
Review the section-wise exam structure and question breakdown of the CAT examination in the table provided below:
| CAT Section | Questions | Maximum Marks |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 22 | 66 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 60 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 24 | 72 |
| Total | 66 | 198 |
CAT Exam Syllabus 2026
Once you are familiar with the overall test format, you can explore the detailed section-wise CAT exam syllabus outlined below. The CAT curriculum is broadly categorized into Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Aptitude.
CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2026
This core section is divided into two primary segments: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.
| CAT VARC Syllabus 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fill in the blanks | Para Completion and inference | Verbal Logic |
| Verbal Reasoning | Subject-verb agreement | Para jumbles |
| Sentence completion | Foreign language words used in English | Different usage of the same word |
| Grammar | Reading Comprehension | Idioms |
| Syllogisms | Analogies | Antonyms |
| Jumbled paragraphs | Sentence correction | One word substitution |
| Parts of speech | Preposition | Types of Clauses |
| Phrases Modifiers | Errors in tenses | Articles usage |
The topic-wise questions in CAT VACR are given in the table below.
| Topics | Number of questions expected |
| Para-Jumbles | 2-4 |
| Sentence Completion & Correction | 2-3 |
| Odd Sentences | 1-2 |
| Others (Fill in the blanks, Vocabulary Based, etc.) | 1-2 |
CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus 2026
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) forms the critical second section of the CAT question paper. This section is divided into two sub-sections: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Examine the high-weightage topics for this section below.
| CAT DILR Syllabus 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Blood Relations | Clocks and Calendars | Syllogism |
| Series | Statements | Venn Diagram |
| Proposition | Data Arrangement | Data Structures |
| Direction Sense | Family Tree | Tables |
| Coding-Decoding | Binary Logic | Pie Charts |
| Assumptions | Seating Arrangement | Data Sufficiency |
| Puzzles | Sets & Caselets | Bars & Line Graphs |
The number of expected questions from the topics in the CAT DILR Section is given below:
| Topics | Total Number of Questions |
| Graph, Bar diagram | 6-8 |
| Tables & Charts | 5-8 |
| Graphs, Charts | 7-10 |
| Tables, Pie chart | 4-5 |
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026
Quantitative Aptitude is the final section of the CAT question paper, designed to be tackled in the closing 40 minutes of the test. Explore the essential topics and key scoring strategies for this section.
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Ratios and Proportions | Inequalities |
| Trigonometry | Inequalities, Quadratic and linear equations | Work and Time |
| Algebra | Surds and Indices | Percentages |
| Mensuration | Time-Speed-Distance | Logarithms |
| Partnership (Accounts) | Number System | Square Root and Cube Root |
| Profit & Loss | Geometric Progression | Probability |
| Mean, mode, median | Binomial theorem | Simple interest and compound interest |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Topics | Sub Topics |
| Arithmetic |
|
| Algebra |
|
| Number System |
|
| Geometry |
|
| Modern Maths |
|
The number of topics and expected questions in CAT QA Section
| Topics | Total Number of Questions |
| Arithmetic Questions | 10-12 |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 7-8 |
| Algebra | 6-7 |
| Number System | 4-5 |
| Others | 2-3 |
CAT Exam Pattern 2026 - Click to Check
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 - Click to Check
CAT Syllabus 2026: FAQs
The CAT exam consists of three core sections: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).
Candidates are allotted a strict sectional time limit of 40 minutes per section. Once the 40-minute timer expires, candidates automatically transition away from that section.
The CAT question paper contains a total of 66 questions, distributed across sections as follows: VARC has 24 questions, DILR has 20 questions, and QA has 22 questions.
The maximum possible score for the CAT examination is 198 marks, distributed section-wise as follows: VARC carries 72 marks, DILR carries 60 marks, and QA carries 66 marks.
The CAT Exam 2026 is officially scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026.
Scorecards generated from the CAT exam remain valid for exactly one year from the date of result announcement.
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