CAT 2026 Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Latest Details

2 min read

Somdatta Roy

Senior Content Writer | Updated on - Aug 8, 2026

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 will be held by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026, across three test slots. The exam structure is consistent with recent years, while the last major overhaul shifted the exam to 66 questions in 2021, the test has stabilized over the last two years at 68 questions divided in a 24:22:22 ratio. Check more details below.

cat-2026-exam-pattern-syllabus-latest-details

The CAT Exam Paper comprises three sections—VARC, DILR, and Quantitative Ability—each allotted a strict 40-minute time limit. IIM Indore has not published an official detailed syllabus, topics are predicted using historic question trends. However, you should remain prepared for minor exam-day surprises, such as the sudden exclusion or inclusion of specific question types (like Para Completion or Permutations & Combinations), which are only revealed once the test begins.

Overall, IIM Indore has maintained the status quo for the CAT 2026 pattern and syllabus. Focus on core concepts, practice past paper trends, and build flexibility into their strategy to smoothly handle any unexpected question variations on exam day.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview

Here is the table summarizing the CAT 2026 Exam Pattern:

Particulars	Details
Exam Mode	Computer-based test (Online)
Number of Sections	3
CAT Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Number of Questions	68
Exam Duration	120 minutes (40 minutes allotted per section)
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) & Type In The Answer (TITA)
Marking Scheme	•+3 for every correct response -1 for incorrect MCQ responses No negative marking for TITA questions No negative marking for unattempted questions

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