How many questions are there in CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 is expected to follow similar pattern to that of CAT 2025. It will have 68 questions in total, 24 in VARC, 22 in DILR, and 22 in QA. The exam carries 204 marks, with 3 marks awarded for every correct answer.

Does CAT have negative marking?

Yes, but only for MCQ questions; 1 mark is deducted for every wrong MCQ answer. TITA (Type In The Answer) questions carry zero negative marking, so you can attempt them without any risk.

How much time do you get per section in CAT?

Each section gets exactly 40 minutes, VARC first, then DILR, then QA. You cannot carry over unused time from one section to the next, and you cannot go back to a previous section once it ends.

How should I use CAT's exam pattern to plan my preparation?

Treat each section as a separate exam. VARC is RC-heavy; 16 of 24 questions are typically Reading Comprehension. DILR is set-based, so set selection matters more than speed. QA is dominated by Arithmetic and Algebra. Since you cannot move between sections, building section-specific accuracy under 40-minute conditions is the most effective way to prepare.

How many times can you attempt CAT?

There is no limit. You can appear every year as long as you hold a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD). Final-year graduation students can also apply.

Does CAT have non-MCQ questions?

Yes. CAT includes TITA questions in which you type your answer directly; no options are provided. The exact number of TITA questions varies each year and is not disclosed in advance. Importantly, wrong TITA answers carry no penalty, making them safer to attempt than MCQs.

Which topics dominate CAT Quantitative Aptitude?

Arithmetic and Algebra together account for roughly 12â15 of the 22 QA questions, based on CAT papers from the last several years. Geometry and Number Systems make up the rest. The IIMs do not publish an official syllabus or topic-wise weightage.

Is calculator allowed in CAT?

No physical or scientific calculator is allowed. However, an on-screen digital calculator is available within the exam interface. Practice using a basic digital calculator from early in your preparation, it saves meaningful time during the actual exam.

CAT Exam Pattern 2026 (Latest): Marking Scheme, Total Questions Expected and Total Marks

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern - Key Highlights (Expected)

The CAT exam pattern 2026 is expected to be similar to the CAT 2025. Thus, it is the perfect time for all the CAT 2026 aspirants to kickstart their CAT 2026 preparation if they want to land in their dream B-schools. Some of the major points to keep in mind concerning the CAT 2026 paper pattern are:

Key Components	Details
Exam Conducting Body	IIMs (on a rotational basis)
Official website	iimcat.ac.in
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test
No. of Questions	68 (expected)
Number of Sections	3
Total Sections	VARC, DILR and QA
Total Marks	204
CAT 2026 Exam Duration	2 hours
CAT 2026 Sectional Time Limit	40 minutes
CAT Exam Slots 2026	Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Medium of Instruction	English
Difficulty Level	Moderate To High
Exam Frequency	Once a year
Test Cities	150+ across India
Types of Questions	MCQ and TITA
CAT Marking Scheme	+3 for every right answer -1 for every wrong answer TITA has no negative marking

Also Check: CAT Eligibility

What is CAT 2026 Paper Pattern?

CAT exam pattern helps candidates understand the CAT exam syllabus and prepare a strategy.

CAT exam pattern 2026 provides plenty of details, helping candidates analyse and prepare accordingly.

We have shared below the CAT exam pattern and sectional weightage based on the CAT exam pattern of last year.

CAT Exam Sections: There are 3 key sections in the CAT exam, VARC, DILR and QA

Total Number Of Questions: There are a total of 68 questions divided into 3 sections.

Number of questions in Each Section: 24 questions in VARC, 22 questions in DILR, 22 questions in QA

Total Marks: CAT exam is worth a total of 204 Marks.

Sectional weightage: 72 marks in VARC, 66 marks in DILR and 66 marks in QA.

If you are a CAT 2026 aspirant, then it's time for you to buckle up with your CAT preparation. You can boost your preparation with our CAT previous year papers and free CAT mocks.

CAT Exam Pattern 2026 & Exam Marks Distribution (Expected)

The CAT Exam is held as a computer-based test (CBT) with a duration of 2 hours. Each section has an individual time limit of 40 minutes. The expected CAT 2026 Exam Pattern and question distribution is given below:

CAT 2026 Exam Sections	No of questions	MCQs	Non - MCQs	Important Topics
VARC	24	20	4	Reading Comprehension 16 Questions: 4 passages of 4 questions Verbal Ability 8 Questions: para jumbles, para completions, para summary and odd sentence out
DILR	22	14	6	Data Interpretation - 2/3 sets Logical Reasoning - 2/3 sets Total 5 sets of 4-5 questions each with areas questioned on Bar Graph, Arrangements, Missing Data and Puzzles (Games)
QA	22	15	7	There are 5 major areas, including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, numbers, and modern maths, which is further dominated by the majority of questions from arithmetic and algebra.
Total	68	49	17

CAT Exam Pattern - Section-Wise Distribution (Expected)

It is very crucial to have a basic understanding of the CAT paper pattern and syllabus before you approach the exam. This approach will boost your confidence for the actual exam and provide you with effective strategies, as well as smart tips and tricks to ace your CAT 2026.

Detailed Section-Wise Analysis of CAT 2026 Paper Pattern

Here is the breakdown of the CAT test pattern 2026 for all the sections separately to give candidates a better idea of what is expected to be asked of them.

VARC - CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The VARC section in CAT comprises 24 questions in total. This section covers 34% of the total CAT exam. In the verbal section, the CAT exam pattern of the past years indicates that the section consists of two primary components, i.e. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.

Reading Comprehension:

This section accounts for over 67% of the questions (16 questions out of 24), as seen in the previous year exam trends
Question Format: MCQs with a few TITA (Type in the Answer) questions
There will be 4 passages comprising 4 questions
Passages are usually 500-600 words each, covering diverse topics.

Verbal Ability:

Relatively small subsection of VARC with only 8 questions
VA questions test logic, not grammar. They focus on arranging sentences (para jumbles), identifying odd sentences, and summarising paragraphs.

DILR - CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is the second section of the CAT Exam. Candidates will be able to attempt it only after they submit the VARC section in the CAT Exam.

It is the most dynamic section in CAT, and new types of questions are introduced almost every year. It is advisable to be very careful when selecting the questions, as your choice can make or break your overall percentile.

Based on the CAT test pattern for DILR, here are the changes as per CAT past year papers :

This section consists of 2-3 sets of both data interpretation and logical reasoning, or it can even be a combination of both.
The section will have 5 sets comprising 4-5 questions each, with each set lending a maximum of 15 marks.
The most common areas questioned include bar graphs, arrangements, missing data, and puzzles (games).
This section covers approximately 40% of the total CAT exam.

Quantitative Aptitude – CAT Paper Pattern 2026

This is the section that most candidates prepare extensively. This is because the CAT exam pattern and syllabus for this section are the most fleshed out among all the other sections. It is the section that can make or break the exam for most candidates.

The quant section has a total of 22 questions.
As the CAT quant exam pattern has no sub-sections, all the questions are focused on the mathematical skills of the candidates.
It is comprised of five major areas, including arithmetic, algebra, modern maths, geometry and number systems.
Based on past trends, the questions are dominated by arithmetic and algebra, including geometry, from which 3-4 questions can be seen every year.
The difficulty level of this section is moderate to hard. This is usually the toughest section for the candidates.

What Is CAT Marking Scheme 2026?

Similar to the previous year's exam pattern, the marking scheme for the MCQ and TITA questions is different. Here is an overview of the marking scheme for CAT 2026:

Type of Question	Correct Response	Incorrect Response
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)	+3	-1
Type in the Answer (TITA)	+3	0

CAT 2026 Marking Scheme

There will be a total of 68 questions, with a total of 204 marks.
Each correct answer will fetch you +3 marks.
For every incorrect answer, there will be a negative marking of 1.
There is no restriction on the number of attempts.
There will be no deduction of marks for skipping questions.
The questions will be either multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and type-in-the-answer (TITA) type questions.

CAT Exam Pattern 2026 - Overall and Sectional Time Limit

CAT 2026 will be divided across three slots throughout the day. Candidates will have the slot they must appear for, which is mentioned on their admit cards. Here is the slot-based division of the paper:

CAT Exam Duration 2026

CAT Exam Sections	CAT Sectional Time Limit	Time Limit For PwD Students
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	40 minutes	53 minutes and 20 seconds
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	40 minutes	53 minutes and 20 seconds
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	40 minutes	53 minutes and 20 seconds
Total	120 minutes	160 minutes

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Previous Year Trends

The CAT exam pattern has changed over the years. Check out the tabulated major changes in the CAT exam for your better understanding and exam analysis.

Year	Duration	No. of Questions	Difficulty Level
2025	2 hours	68	Moderate to Difficult
2024	2 hours	68	Easy to Moderate
2021- 2023	2 hours	66	Moderate
2020	2 hours	76	Moderate to Difficult
2019	3 hours	100	Moderate to Difficult
2018	3 hours	100	Moderate to Difficult
2017	3 hours	100	Moderate
2016	3 hours	100	Moderate to Difficult
2015	3 hours	100	Moderate to Difficult
2014	2 hours 50 minutes	100	Easy to Moderate
2013	2 hours 20 minutes	60	Easy to Moderate

Get CAT preparation tips 2026 curated by our CAT MBA mentors. Also read, CAT VARC preparation tips | CAT DILR preparation tips | CAT QA preparation tips

CAT Exam Timings 2026

CAT 2026 will be conducted in three separate time slots throughout the day. Each candidate will have a specific time slot assigned to them.

Here’s the breakdown of the CAT exam slots for your reference:

CAT Exam Slots	CAT Exam Time Duration
Morning	8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Afternoon	12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Evening	4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

CAT Test Pattern 2026: How to Mark Answers In CAT 2026?

As mentioned before, the CAT 2026 exam will be computer-based. Therefore, candidates will be required to input their responses into the computer. Candidates will have to select one of the given options when putting in the answers:

Save and Next: Candidates will select the answer, save it and then move to the next question.
Clear Response: Candidates can delete the response to the question they answered.
Mark for Review and Next: For answers that candidates are unsure about, they can mark it for review, answer it and then go to the next question.

CAT Test Pattern 2026: Important Points to Remember

Candidates cannot choose the order of the sections or move back and forth between sections. The fixed order of the exam is- VARC, followed by DILR and then Quant.
CAT has two types of questions- MCQ-based and TITA (type in the answer). The MCQ type has a negative marking of 1 for every wrong answer. The TITA questions have no negative marking.
In the MCQs, candidates will be given four options; in the Non-MCQs, the answer must be typed.
An on-screen calculator will be provided to the candidates during the exam.
Candidates can check the time with the help of the on-screen clock provided.
A sheet will be provided to the candidates for rough work. Candidates must submit the sheet upon completion of the exam.

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026

The official CAT syllabus for VARC, DILR, and QA hasn't been released by the IIMs. However, by looking at past question papers from the CAT exam, we've been able to identify the key topics that are likely to be included in CAT syllabus 2026. Here are the main topics based on that analysis:

CAT Sections	CAT 2026 Syllabus
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Sentence-Completion, Reading Comprehension, Para-Summary, Inferences
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets, Blood Relation, Venn Diagram, Seating Arrangement and Syllogism
Quantitative Aptitude	Percentages, Profit & Loss, Simple Interest-Compound Interest, Time & Distance, Averages-Mixtures-Alligations, Numbers, Mensuration, Logarithms, Functions & Graphs, Indices & Surds, Quadratic Equations, Special Equations, Statistics

Also read in detail, CAT VARC Syllabus | CAT DILR Syllabus | CAT QA Syllabus

Conclusion

CAT 2026 is a computer-based test (CBT) that consists of three sections with a total of 68 questions: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Each section allows 40 minutes for completion. Familiarising oneself with the CAT paper pattern should be the first step toward preparing for CAT 2026, following the CAT 2026 syllabus and preparing accordingly to ensure effective preparation.