CAT 2026 — MBA Entrance Exam: Common Admission Test — the gateway to 20 IIMs and 1,200+ MBA colleges. India's most prestigious management entrance exam..Exam: Nov 2026. Applicants: 2.5+ Lakh. IIM Seats: ~6,000. Fee: ₹2,400.CAT (Common Admission Test) is conducted annually by one of the 20 IIMs (on rotation) for admission to their MBA/PGDM programs and 1,200+ other B-schools that accept CAT scores. It's a computer-based test with 3 sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Total 66 questions in 120 minutes.
Registration OpenUpdated: March 2026
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CAT 2026 — MBA Entrance Exam
Common Admission Test — the gateway to 20 IIMs and 1,200+ MBA colleges. India's most prestigious management entrance exam.
Exam
Nov 2026
Applicants
2.5+ Lakh
IIM Seats
~6,000
Fee
₹2,400
📋Key Details
Conducting BodyIIMs (rotating — one IIM hosts each year)
EducationBachelor's degree with 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD). Final year students can apply.
Age LimitNo age limit
Exam ModeComputer Based Test at designated centers
Duration120 minutes (40 min per section, cannot switch)
Questions66 questions: VARC (24) + DILR (20) + QA (22)
Marking+3 for correct MCQ, -1 for wrong. Non-MCQ (TITA): +3, no negative.
📝CAT Paper (120 minutes — 3 sections)
Each section has a 40-minute time limit. You cannot switch between sections. Mix of MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.
VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension24 Qs · 72 marks
DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning20 Qs · 60 marks
QA — Quantitative Ability22 Qs · 66 marks
Total66 Qs · 198 marks · 120 minutes (40+40+40)
⚠️ Negative marking: MCQs: -1 for wrong. TITA: No negative marking.
💰Posts & Salary
MBA from IIM A/B/C(IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta)
₹2.3-2.9 lakh/month medianMBA from IIM L/I/K(IIM Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode)
₹1.8-2.3 lakh/monthMBA from newer IIMs(IIM Trichy, Ranchi, Raipur, etc.)
₹1.2-1.7 lakh/month📅Important Dates
RegistrationAugust 2026 (expected)
Exam DateNovember 2026 (last Sunday)
ResultsJanuary 2027
IIM InterviewsFebruary-April 2027
📚Preparation Strategy
1.Start with a diagnostic mock test to identify your strengths/weaknesses. Most people are strong in one section and weak in one. Allocate preparation time inversely — more time on weak sections.
2.Reading Comprehension is 70% of VARC (16-18 out of 24 questions). Read 1 long article daily (The Economist, Aeon, LiveMint Opinion) and practice summarizing the main argument in 2 sentences. Speed reading is the #1 skill for VARC.
3.DILR is the most unpredictable section — practice diverse set types. Puzzles, games, data tables, charts. Don't spend more than 8 minutes on any single set. If stuck, move on. Solving 3 sets accurately is better than attempting 5 poorly.
4.For QA, focus on: Arithmetic (30% weightage), Algebra (25%), Geometry (20%), and Number System (15%). These 4 topics cover 90% of QA. If you're weak in Geometry, it's ok to skip those questions and focus on Arithmetic + Algebra for a 95+ percentile in QA.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
🔗Related Exams
CAT Official
iimcat.ac.in