IIM Indore is conducting CAT on Sunday, 29 November 2026. The last time it did, in 2020, the exam was also held on 29 November, in three slots. CAT Admit card 2026 is set to be released on 6th November. Since the same IIM is behind both exams, any pattern that repeated across all three CAT 2020 slots could well carry over to CAT 2026. Below, we break down CAT 2026 Vs CAT 2020 section by section (VARC, DILR and QA) and what each trend could mean for your preparation.
Latest Updates – Check CAT 2026 Exam Analysis on the CAT Exam Day
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Table of Contents
CAT 2020 vs CAT 2026 By IIM Indore
Same IIM, same date, same three-slot format. That is why CAT 2020 is the closest reference you have.
| Feature | CAT 2020 | CAT 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting IIM | IIM Indore | IIM Indore |
| Exam date | Sunday, 29 Nov 2020 | Sunday, 29 Nov 2026 |
| Slots | 3 | 3 |
| Duration | 120 min | 120 min |
| Sectional limit | 40 min | 40 min |
| Total questions | 76 | 68 (expected) |
| VARC / DILR / QA | 26 / 24 / 26 | 24 / 22 / 22 (expected) |
| Marking | +3 / −1 (MCQ); no negative for non-MCQ | +3 / −1 (MCQ); no negative for non-MCQ |
| Test cities | About 159 | About 170 |
Also Read: CAT Cutoffs | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2026
CAT 2020 VARC Analysis: Reading Comprehension Led the Section
What CAT 2020 showed
- 26 questions: 18 RC (four passages, 5+5+4+4) and 8 VA (3 parajumbles, 3 summary, 2 odd-sentence-out)
- Passages of 450–500 words: easy to read, with tricky options
- 5–6 non-MCQs, all in Verbal
- Ideal attempt: three passages and 20–22 questions at about 75% accuracy, worth 40–42 marks for 99 percentile
If it was like this in 2020, expect this in CAT 2026
| CAT 2020 | What it could mean for CAT 2026 |
|---|---|
| RC was 18 of 26 questions | RC likely stays the biggest scoring block |
| Passages of 450–500 words, tricky options | Readable passages, but close answer choices |
| Parajumbles and summary were non-MCQs | Focusing on both parajumbles and summary |
| Three passages were the ideal attempt | A selective attempt may again beat a risky four-passage one |
Also Read: CAT Scaled Score Vs Raw Score
CAT 2020 DILR Analysis
What CAT 2020 showed
There were 24 questions in five sets (6+6+4+4+4), six of them non-MCQs. The 99th-percentile DILR score fell from 32–34 in Slot 1 to 28–30 in Slot 2 and 26–28 in Slot 3.
| Slot | Sets asked |
|---|---|
| 1 | Drivers & Ratings, Students & Exams, Patients, Institutes & Vendors, Musicians |
| 2 | Voters, Revenue & Cost, Parking, Grid filling, Arrangement |
| 3 | HI-LO, People & Area, Venn diagram, Vials & People, Orders |
If it was like this in 2020, expect this in CAT 2026 IIM Indore
| CAT 2020 signal | What it could mean for CAT 2026 |
|---|---|
| Five sets, two of them with 6 questions | If longer sets carry over, a wrong pick costs more |
| DI and LR mixed in every slot | Prepare both; do not bet only on DI |
| Slot 3 sets (HI-LO, People & Area) were difficult | Some sets may be built to be skipped, so budget time to reject |
| Venn diagram and Orders sets were easier | Hunt for the one accessible set first |
Also Read: CAT 2026 Slot timings and Test centre Details
CAT 2020 QA Analysis: Arithmetic and Algebra Ruled
What CAT 2020 showed
QA Section had 26 questions; six of them were non-MCQs.
| Topic | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Algebra | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Number System | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Modern Math | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Coordinate Geometry | 0 | 0 | 3 |
It is important to note that the 99th-percentile QA score was 46–48 in Slot 1 and 40–42 in Slots 2 and 3.
If it was like this in 2020, expect this in CAT 2026 IIM Indore
| CAT 2020 signal | What it could mean for CAT 2026 |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic gave 10 questions in all three slots | Treat Arithmetic as your safest block |
| Algebra ranged from 5 to 8 | Likely the next biggest block |
| Geometry rose from 3 to 5; Modern Math and Coordinate Geometry appeared in one slot each | Expect a few geometry questions and one or two surprise topics |
| Many questions could be solved by eliminating options | Practise option elimination on MCQs |
Attempting 16–19 questions at 80–85% accuracy was the benchmark, so accuracy on the easy block matters more than chasing the last question.
Also Read: CAT 2020 exam analysis Slot 1 | CAT 2020 exam analysis Slot 2 | CAT 2020 exam analysis Slot 3
How to Use CAT 2020 to Prepare for CAT 2026
Final-weeks checklist
- Solve each CAT 2020 slot as a timed paper with 40-minute sectional limits.
- In DILR, scan all sets for 3–4 minutes before committing.
- In VARC, plan three passages and finish every non-MCQ.
- In QA, bank Arithmetic and Algebra before touching Geometry.
- Aim for a raw score of 100–110, the range Career Launcher’s analysis linked to 99 percentile in CAT 2020.
Conclusion
CAT 2026 IIM Indore will be its own paper, but CAT 2020 gives the clearest section-wise evidence of how an IIM Indore paper played out. Practise under real timing and keep attempts selective.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which IIM is conducting CAT 2026?
A: CAT 2026 IIM Indore is set for Sunday 29 November 2026, in three slots across about 170 cities.
2. When did IIM Indore last conduct CAT?
A: IIM Indore conducted CAT 2020, when the exam was cut to 120 minutes with 76 questions.
3. Will CAT 2026 be similar to CAT 2020?
A: Not exactly. In CAT 2026 IIM Indore, question counts are expected to differ, but the section structure, 40-minute sectional limits and marking are similar. Use 2020 as a trend guide to know the patterns, difficulty level, and question format.
4. What was the 99 percentile score in CAT 2020?
A: CL’s experts put it at about 105–110 in Slot 1 and 100–102 in Slot 2, with Slot 3 in the 100–105 range.
5. Does the conducting IIM affect CAT difficulty?
A: It can influence question style, but no IIM guarantees a pattern, so prepare for all three sections.
6. How many questions will CAT 2026 have?
A: As per the previous years, 68 questions are expected (VARC 24, DILR 22, QA 22).
