CAT 2026 preparation will be incomplete without mock test practice. But how many CAT mock tests to attempt for a good score? This is a common question among CAT aspirants. Let’s understand how many and what type of CAT mock tests to practice for scoring high.
CAT mock test practice
CAT Mock Test practice is an integral part of exam preparation. That is why, every CAT 2026 preparation plan that you will come across, will have dedicated time and number for CAT Mocks practice. For a candidate it is critical to master all the topics included in the CAT exam syllabus, not only theoretically but also practically. CAT being a time bound exam, requires aspirants to arrive at the solution quickly. Thus, the need for CAT mock test practice.
Most of the CAT toppers would recommend practicing mock tests in a good number so that you have the experience of all types of questions asked and nothing comes as a surprise to you in the actual exam.
- How Many CAT Mock Tests to Take
- When to Start CAT Mock Series Practice
- CAT Mock Test by Shiksha
- Importance of Practicing CAT Mock Test
- IIMCAT Mock Test
How Many CAT Mock Tests to Take
There is no definite number of CAT mock tests for all candidates. Some of the previous years' toppers practiced 80-100 mocks, while some practiced only 25 to 30. The key is to learn from every mock performance and improve. On an average, practicing about 30-40 CAT mock tests is recommended, but candidates can increase or decrease the number according to their progress. Keep the following in mind, while making CAT mock test plan.
- Try to solve a minimum of 30-34 mock tests for CAT 2026 preparation.
- Every CAT mock test should be followed by detailed analysis to understand strengths and weakness.
- After every mock test, note down the gaps and try to fill them in consecutive attempts.
- Evaluate and analyse your performance to define a number. It can be high or low, depending on how fast your start getting the desired result.
- It is not necessary to practice a large number of CAT exam mock tests. A small number with different difficulty levels can be equally effective.
- The CAT 2026 mock test plan should include sectional mocks as well. Practice a good number of sectional mock tests for VARC, DILR and QA.
- It is critical to attempt CAT mock tests of various difficulty level - easy, medium and high. Start with easy and aim to score 99+ percentile in tough mock tests
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When to Start CAT Mock Series Practice
The ideal time to start CAT mock test practice is after completing the exam syllabus. However, one can attempt a couple of mock tests at the beginning of CAT preparation too, in order to see where they stand vis a vis CAT topics.
- By August, CAT 2026 aspirants should start solving a mock tests to see how much of the theory they understand.
- In September and October 2026, they should practice CAT mock tests every alternate day and analyse the performance to measure progress. These two months are critical for CAT mock series practice. If one doesn’t utilize these two months in mock test practice, they will struggle in November.
- Once you’ve started scoring as per your target score, you can start building on your strengths.
- By November 2026, slow down and focus on getting used to the exam process. Practice mocks at the time same as your CAT session to simulate the actual exam environment.
CAT Mock Test by Shiksha
| Check below CAT Mock Test (Free) by Shiksha | |
| CAT Mock Test 1 | CAT Mock Test 1 Solutions |
| CAT Mock Test 2 | CAT Mock Test 2 Solutions |
Importance of Practicing CAT Mock Test
Practicing CAT mock tests series has several advantages. It not only prepares you for online exam, but also helps you in scoring high without cramming or mugging up. Here’s why you should practice a CAT mock tests of varied difficulty levels.
- Helps you understand application of theory. In LR and RC, there are no formulas to understand and no theorems to remember, so CAT mock test practice is the only way to prepare.
- CAT mock tests practice and performance analysis helps you to track your progress.
- It helps you to improve speed and accuracy in solving MCQs. Time management is critical for a good performance in CAT.
- Practicing CAT mocks help to you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- Since CAT mock tests are replica of actual CAT exam with sectional time limit, test flow and difficulty levels, practicing it in a good number builds confidence and stamina.
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IIMCAT Mock Test
Apart from unofficial CAT mock tests, provided by coaching centres and online platforms, aspirants must attempt the official IIMCAT mock test too, at least once before the exam. The official CAT mock test is released a few days before the exam. Candidates can access it at the iimcat.ac.in website. It is crucial to attempt the official CAT mock test to know the latest CAT pattern and sectional weightage. CAT 2026 mock test will be released by the second week of November. Aspirants must not miss the chance to attempt it.
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Commonly asked questions
Difficulty level in CAT exam is not specific to any of the three slots. The difficulty level across slots may vary every year. Know how the CAT scores are normalised: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.
CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Response sheet hosts CAT exam questions and answers.
In CAT 2025, the following changes were seen:
- The fee amount increased from INR 2,500 to INR 2,600 for General category candidates and from INR 1,250 to INR 1300 for Reserved category candidates.
- In DILR section, number of questions increased from 20 to 22.
- Total marks of CAT DILR section increased from 60 to 66.
- Total marks of CAT exam increased from 198 to 204.
- Candidates can select five cities instead of six.
CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.
Commonly asked questions
In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.
Candidates should practice CAT mock test during the day. Once, CAT admit card is released, they should practice CAT mocks at the same time as their exam slot. This will help them align their mind and body to 2 hours of rigorous test so that they can utilize their time in the CAT exam well. For example, CAT exam starts are early as 8:30 am. So, those who are not used to studying early morning will face difficulty in performing optimally if they get morning slot.
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Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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