The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based entrance examination designed to assess a candidate's aptitude for management education. Because the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) do not release an official, topic-by-topic syllabus document, the accepted CAT syllabus is a deduplicated coverage map derived from past examination patterns. The test is strictly divided into three timed sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
The CAT 2026 advertisement confirms a three-session test but does not state the detailed question count or sectional timings. Check the CAT 2026 information bulletin and your admit-card instructions for the current format; do not treat prior-year patterns as guaranteed. It is not possible to switch between sections during the test, meaning candidates must structure their exam strategy around these hard boundaries. The overall test combines standard Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), which carry a negative marking penalty, with Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions that carry no penalty for incorrect answers.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
The VARC section develops reading comprehension, inference, author-tone analysis and verbal logic. Practice RC passages alongside parajumbles, para-summaries, odd-sentence-out and paragraph-completion questions. The current CAT advertisement does not prescribe fixed counts for passages, questions or response types, so use these formats as practice rather than a guaranteed CAT 2026 distribution.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Practice data interpretation with tables, charts and caselets, then combine it with logical deduction through arrangements, schedules and constraints. CAT papers can vary in set count and size; the CAT 2026 advertisement does not publish a fixed question count or set layout.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Quantitative practice can cover arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, number systems and selected modern-mathematics concepts. The advertisement does not state a fixed question count or a class-level syllabus boundary; treat this as a preparation map and verify cycle instructions separately.
Topic Weightage and Coverage The CAT 2026 advertisement does not give chapter-wise percentages or a guaranteed topic distribution. Treat the following as a non-exhaustive practice map, not an official syllabus or forecast.
- Arithmetic practice: Percentages, profit and loss, interest, averages, mixtures, time and work, and time-speed-distance.
- Algebra practice: Equations, inequalities, logarithms, functions, and sequences and series.
- Geometry and mensuration practice: Triangles, circles, polygons, coordinate geometry, and three-dimensional mensuration.
- Number systems and modern mathematics practice: Divisibility, remainders, base systems, HCF/LCM, permutations, combinations, probability, and set theory.
Overlap with Other Sections Candidates should note the explicit overlap between QA and DILR. Set theory, basic probability, and rapid percentage calculations are foundational to both sections. A strong grasp of Quantitative Aptitude significantly accelerates data processing in the DILR section.
CAT 2026 Examination Pattern
The CAT 2026 advertisement gives the 29 November test date and says the exam will run in three sessions. It does not state question count, section timings, marking scheme, calculator availability or detailed interface rules. Check the current CAT information bulletin and official mock for those operational details.
Use the CAT 2026 information bulletin and official mock to confirm marking and response-type rules before choosing an attempt strategy. The CAT 2026 advertisement reviewed here does not establish whether a question type carries a penalty, so this page does not recommend attempting or skipping a type on that basis.