CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Score 26+ Marks & Get 95+ Percentile
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
CAT 2026 admit card download
4 Nov '26 - 29 Nov '26
CAT 2026 preparation for DILR requires strategic planning and focussed execution as both DI and LR carry equal weightage in the exam. Moreover, if you need a good overall CAT score, you need a minimum of 95 percentile in DILR. So, you need toprepare for it in a strategic manner. Read here how to score 26+ marks & get 95+ percentile in CAT DILR.
Tips to score high in CAT DILR
CAT DILR is the second section of the question paper. Having handled dense VARC passages, candidates can feel bogged down by another set of mentally taxing questions. Yes, CAT Data Interpretation questions sets are data heavy and require a clear head. So are the Logical Reasoning sets. The biggest challenge of CAT DILR is that both sub sections have equal number of questions (11 each) thus; you cannot ignore one for another.
To handle 22 DILR questions, you need to master a varied range of questions. CAT 2026 exam is scheduled on November 29. Most of you must have completed the CAT DILR syllabus or must be on the verge of completing it, as this one month should be dedicated for extensive practice of mock tests and practice questions. It is time to start practicing 22-question CAT DILR sets to get into the practice of sclving the section within 40 minutes.
- CAT DILR Preparation 2026
- CAT 2026 DILR Topics
- CAT Data Interpretation
- CAT Logical Reasoning
- CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Score 26+ Marks
- CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Get 95+ Percentile
CAT DILR Preparation 2026
In the whole journey you need to practice over 1500 DILR questions for CAT exam, if you wish to score above 95 percentile. Each of the three sections will require detailed study and practice. CAT DILR will require special emphasis as there are no formulae or theorems. It is entirely based on practice. Here is a suggested CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Score 26+ Marks & Get 95+ Percentile.
CAT 2026 DILR Topics
First of all understand the dominance of topics in this section. CAT syllabus includes multiple topics, but questions are not asked from all of them. We have shared in below table, DILR and VARC topics of CAT 2025. This will help you in analysing dominant topics and patterns. Your
| CAT 2025 Slot 1 – DILR questions |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Set Description |
No. of Questions |
Doable |
Difficulty Level |
| DILR - Ticket based |
5 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Circular arrangement |
4 |
1-2 |
Difficult |
| Radar graph- Import/Export |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| DILR - Taps |
4 |
2 |
Moderate to Difficult |
| AR based arrangement |
5 |
2-3 |
Moderate |
| CAT 2025 Slot 2 – DILR questions |
|||
| Set – Topic/ Area |
No of Questions |
Doable |
Difficulty Level |
| Point Graph (Sustainability Index) |
4 |
2-3 |
Easy -Moderate |
| LRDI: Bar Graph (Set Theory) |
5 |
2 |
Difficult |
| Hoops and Balls (Arrangement Based) |
4 |
2-3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Training Based (Ordering & Scheduling) |
4 |
1 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Pollution Index (AQI Based) |
5 |
1-2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| CAT 2025 Slot 3 – DILR questions |
|||
| Set – Topic/ Area |
No of Questions |
Doable |
Difficulty Level |
| Export Import Trade Based(P,X,C Row ) |
5 (3 TITA) |
2 |
Moderate - Difficult |
| Currency, Travel (4 Countries) |
5 (3 TITA) |
0 |
Difficult |
| Step Graph |
4 |
2-3 |
Easy |
| Table Based (6 Friends - Calls in a Math) |
4 TITA |
2 -3 |
Moderate |
| AR Circular Arrangement (Game Passing the Back) |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
CAT Data Interpretation
Tables, graphs and pie charts are often based on percentage, ratio, routes and networks, comparisons, etc. The CAT DI questions may require a lot of calculation. Most of the questions are in a set of 4-5 questions and each may require you to find value of a different entity. So, your approach towards DI during CAT 2026 preparation phase should be to have complete control on quick calculation. This can be achieved by memorizing Mathematical tables, Square, Square roots, Cube, Cube roots, etc.
Download: Last 5 year’ CAT question papers
CAT Logical Reasoning
Blood Relations, Number Series, Syllogism, Direction Sense, Coding-Decoding and Assumptions are the most common topics of CAT Logical Reasoning. Preparation for this section is entirely based on practice. The more puzzles you will solve, the better you’ll get at CAT LR. Lately, CAT has moved to comprehension based reasoning questions. Which means you need have good English comprehension skill to understand the question. So, again, the solution is practice.
CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Score 26+ Marks
CAT DILR section has 22 questions, which make a total of 66 marks. About 10-12 attempts with maximum accuracy is considered good in this section. So, you target should be a minimum of 8-10 attempts with 100 % accuracy to score 95+ marks. Despite rigorous preparation and n number of mock test practice, some questions in the CAT 2026 may still look daunting. Stay away from those.
Out of total DILR sets (usually 5-6), select the ones you can solve correctly. It is not necessary to attempt all the questions of a given set. Solve only those which you can accurately. Meaning, if you can solve only 2 out of 4 questions of a DI set, solve those only. Don’t waste time on questions which you are not sure of and move to the next set. There is sectional time limit of 40 minutes, so keep a check on the timer.
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CAT 2026 DILR Strategy to Get 95+ Percentile
- Practice DILR sets of previous years’ CAT exams for best results. The questions in CAT 2026 can be similar.
- Practice sectional CAT mock tests to master DILR questions. Evaluate your strength and weakness with the mock test result.
- Read the questions and calculate how many questions per set will get you to your target score of 26-30 marks. Also check which questions, you can solve quickly and accurately in each set. Divide 40 minutes accordingly.
- Do not risk negative marking. Stay away from the set or questions you have even a slight doubt about.
- To aim for 26+ marks in CAT DILR, target 8-10 questions with maximum accuracy out of 22.
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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.
While candidates belonging to Science and Engineering background do have an edge over Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), it is not impossible for students from non-Science background to crack this section of an MBA entrance exam. They do need to prepare harder which includes going back to study fundamentals of Mathematics such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration.
With regular practice and understanding of the question types and topics, candidates, irrespective of the educational background, can crack this section. Aspirants must note that it is important to identify the weak areas and improve on them to get a stronghold on this section. For Logical Reasoning, a good amount of practice of sample questions will be enough.
Yes, it is possible to prepare for DILR with self study. To score well in this section is to follow a strategy. First step is to go through previous years question papers and know various topics. Refer top books for DILR preparation. Practice adequate number of DILR questions with the help of mock tests, sample papers and previous years' papers.
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Commonly asked questions
Commonly asked questions
Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of Iims for Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI are listed below. Candidates who MET the qualifying CAT cut off, were eligible for What-PI round. These qualifying CAT cut offs are for General Category. The cut offs for Reserved category students are lower:
- IIM Ahmedabad: 95 percentile
- IIM Bangalore: 85 percentile
- IIM Calcutta: 85 percentile
- IIM Lucknow: 90 percentile
- IIM Kozhikode: 85 percentile
- IIM Indore: 90 percentile
- IIM Udaipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Shillong: 75 percentile
- IIM Trichy: 93 percentile
- IIM Visakhapatnam: 80 percentile
- IIM Rohtak: 95 percentile
- 1IIM Nagpur: 85 percentile
- IIM Jammu: 93 percentile
- IIM Ranchi: 90 percentile
- IIM Sirmaur: 92 percentile
- IIM Bodhgaya: 93 percentile
- IIM Sambalpur: 93 percentile
- IIM Kashipur: 94 percentile
- IIM Raipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Amritsar: 90 percentile
For complete details of IIM selection and admission process read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-shortlist-selection-admission-criteria-blogId-18787.
To get 99 percentile and above, candidates must attempt 40-45 out of 68 questions in CAT, with maximum accuracy.
The general category CAT percentile cutoff at IIM Raipur normally lies between 92 and 95%, though it could differ somewhat depending on the category (OBC, SC, ST) and applicant pool. At somewhat lower percentiles, candidates with a solid academic background and pertinent professional experience may be given consideration. A comprehensive review that takes into account the candidate's performance on the Written Ability Test (WAT), academic background, and personal interview (PI) is required for the ultimate selection. The likelihood of being shortlisted for the following round of the selection process increases with higher scores.
On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 4 years:
Exam year | CAT 100 percentilers | State wise numbers |
|---|---|---|
CAT 2025 | 12 | 1- Uttar Pradesh 1- Karnataka 1- Maharashtra 3- Delhi 2- Haryana 2- Gujarat 1- Jharkhand 1- Odisha |
CAT 2024 | 14 | 1- Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2023 | 14 | 1 – Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2022 | 11 | 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, you can join IIM Kashipur without CAT, depending on the desired programme. You can get admission to any of the offered courses except MBA. Check the list below to know which exam is accepted for which programme.
- Executive MBA (EMBA): GMAT, IIM Kashipur EMAT (Executive Management Aptitude Test).
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Candidates must maintain a dedicated formula sheet for properties of polygons, circle theorems, and mensuration formulas. Instead of memorising blindly, candidates must solve 15-20 problems for each sub-topic to understand how and when to apply each formula.
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
It is technically possible to get 99 percentile in CAT Quants if a candidates obtains a perfect score in Arithmetic and Algebra. However, it can be highly risky as CAT exam often has Geometry questions aligned with Algebra or Coordinate systems. Sometimes candidates must know two different concepts
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Triangles (properties, similarity, congruence, and theorems) is the most heavily tested sub-topic in CAT exam. Other high-yield areas include Circles (tangents, chords, and cyclic quadrilaterals), Mensuration (area and volume of 2D/3D shapes), and Coordinate Geometry.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Geometry is a an important topic in the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section. Candidates can typically expect 3 to 5 questions out of the 22 total QA questions, making up roughly 15% to 20% of the section.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates should first understand basic concepts, including divisibility rules, prime factorisation, HCF and LCM, and remainders. They should then solve topic-wise practice questions and previous years' CAT questions to improve accuracy and problem-solving speed.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
There is no fixed number of questions from the Number System in CAT. The number of questions varies across exam slots and years. Candidates should prepare the topic along with other important areas of Quantitative Aptitude.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, the Number System is an important topic for CAT Quantitative Aptitude. Questions may test concepts such as divisibility, remainders, factors, and properties of integers. Candidates should also practise applying these concepts to different question types.
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
The CAT Number System covers topics such as divisibility rules, factors and multiples, prime numbers, HCF and LCM, remainders, unit digits, factorials, integers, rational numbers, and properties of numbers.
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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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