The IIMs do not publish an official CAT 2026 syllabus. The exam on 29 November 2026 has three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The topic lists below are based on what recent CAT papers have asked, which is the best guide to the syllabus.
CAT Syllabus 2026
Section-wise CAT 2026 topics, the exam pattern and marking, and how to prepare.
What is in the CAT 2026 VARC section?
VARC tests reading and reasoning in English, and reading comprehension makes up most of the section.
- Reading comprehension passages on economics, society, science, philosophy and culture
- Para jumbles: arranging sentences into a paragraph (type-in-the-answer)
- Para summary: choosing the best summary of a paragraph
- Odd sentence out: finding the sentence that does not fit (type-in-the-answer)
- Inference, tone and main-idea questions within passages
What is in the CAT 2026 DILR section?
DILR gives you sets of data or logic puzzles, each with four to six questions, so choosing the right sets matters as much as solving them.
- Tables, bar graphs, line charts and pie charts
- Caselets: data given in a paragraph
- Seating and arrangement puzzles (linear, circular and grid)
- Scheduling, matching and ranking puzzles
- Venn diagrams and set-based problems
- Games, tournaments, routes and networks
- Binary logic and truth-teller puzzles
What is in the CAT 2026 Quantitative Ability section?
QA covers school-level maths up to Class 10, with arithmetic and algebra asked most often.
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Percentages, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, ratio and proportion, averages, mixtures, time-speed-distance, time and work |
| Algebra | Linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, logarithms, progressions, surds and indices |
| Geometry and mensuration | Lines and angles, triangles, circles, polygons, coordinate geometry, areas and volumes |
| Number system | Divisibility, HCF and LCM, remainders, factors, base systems |
| Modern maths | Permutations and combinations, probability, set theory |
What is the CAT 2026 exam pattern and marking scheme?
CAT 2026 is a 120-minute computer-based test, with exactly 40 minutes for each of the three sections and no switching between them.
| Section | Questions in CAT 2025 | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 (204 marks) | 120 minutes |
- MCQs: +3 for a correct answer, -1 for a wrong answer.
- Non-MCQ questions, where you type the answer: +3 for a correct answer and no negative marking.
- All questions carry equal marks, and an on-screen calculator is provided.
- The IIMs do not reveal the number of questions or the number of non-MCQs in advance; the counts above are from CAT 2025.
Is there an official CAT 2026 syllabus PDF?
No. The CAT 2026 FAQ on iimcat.ac.in says the exam has no defined syllabus and asks candidates to use the official mock test, which opens on 12 November 2026, to understand the pattern. The information bulletin below confirms the sections and test format.
- PDFCAT 2026 media release: edit window 5 to 6 October 2026 (29 September 2026)Official site · g03.tcsion.comOpen
- PDFCAT 2026 media release: fee payment extended to 24 September 2026 (22 September 2026)Official site · cdn.digialm.comOpen
- PDFCAT 2026 media release: registration extended to 22 September 2026 (15 September 2026)Official site · g03.tcsion.comOpen
- PDFCAT 2026 Information Bulletin (26 July 2026)Official site · cdn.digialm.comOpen
- PDFCAT 2026 eligibility and reservation rules (26 July 2026)Official site · cdn.digialm.comOpen
- PDFCAT 2026 press release (IIM Indore) (26 July 2026)Official site · cdn.digialm.comOpen
- LINKCAT official website (iimcat.ac.in)Official site · iimcat.ac.inOpen
How should I prepare for CAT 2026?
Past CAT papers are the closest guide to the syllabus, so build your preparation around them.
- Revise Class 6 to 10 maths basics for QA, starting with arithmetic and algebra.
- Read long opinion articles daily to build reading speed for VARC.
- Solve two or three DILR sets a day and practise picking the easier sets first.
- Take full 120-minute mock tests with 40-minute sectional timers, and review every mock.
- Solve real CAT previous year question papers from 2017 to 2025 to see the actual level.
Commonly used books include How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, and Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.
Free full-length CAT mock tests with timers and answers.