CAT 2026 Syllabus (VARC, DILR & Quant): Check Topics-wise Weightage
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
Registration - To be notified
CAT exam syllabus 2026 will require detailed study. The topic pool is large with varied types of questions to master. Be it VA, RC, DI, LR or QA, all these require deep understanding and a lot of practice. Check below CAT 2026 syllabus for exam preparation.
CAT syllabus for MBA
CAT 2026 syllabus includes Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. These subjects are included in the CAT syllabus by the IIMs to evaluate MBA aspirant’s communication, reasoning and analytical skills.
Eversince the inception of CAT exam, the syllabus has remained the same. Those planning to appear for CAT 2026 exam must start preparation latest by May, so that they have atleast 3 months to complete the entire CAT syllabus. CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29, 2026. Read below topics included in CAT syllabus 2026, topic wise weightage and books to refer.
Download: Last 5-Year CAT Question Papers PDFs
- CAT 2026 Syllabus Highlights
- CAT VARC Syllabus 2026
- CAT DILR Syllabus 2026
- CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026
- CAT 2026 Syllabus PDF Download
- Best Books to Cover CAT Syllabus 2026
- CAT 2026 Syllabus: Number of good attempts section wise
- Download CAT Question Paper PDFs
CAT 2026 Syllabus Highlights
CAT is a high difficulty level exam. The syllabus includes a lot of topics. The key to crack it is to know what and how much to study. Check below key highlights of CAT syllabus 2026:
| CAT exam particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| Number of sections |
|
| Questions per section |
VARC - 24 DILR - 22 Quantitative Aptitude -22 |
| Marks per section |
VARC - 72 DILR - 66 Quantitative Aptitude -66 |
| Question type |
MCQ and TITA |
Also Read:
CAT exam pattern
CAT VARC Syllabus 2026
CAT VARC is passage heavy section. There are no direct grammar or spelling questions. Candidates would be required to do a lot of reading and practice for both verbal ability and reading comprehension.
| Section |
Topics |
No. of Questions out of 24 |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
RC questions are usually of the following types: Inference based Specific details Application/purpose based Logic based |
16 |
67% |
| Parajumbles |
Rearranging a set of sentence to make a meaningful paragraph |
3 |
12.5% |
| Parasummary |
Identifying a sentence indicating the core theme or meaning of a para |
3 |
12.5% |
| Odd Sentence |
Finding the sentence that does not belong to the set |
2 |
8.3% |
CAT DILR Syllabus 2026
CAT DILR section is equally divided into 11-11 questions. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning both sub sections usually have set based questions in the exam. Check the below table to know important topics of DILR.
| Data Interpretation |
Logical Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Caselets and Data Interpretation based on Percentages and Ratios, Averages and Weighted Averages, Profit and Loss, Growth Rates, Data Comparison, Venn Diagrams, Tables-Based DI, Routes and Networks, Mathematical Puzzles, Graphs |
Seating Arrangements, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Syllogisms, Clocks and Calendars, Coding-Decoding, Number Series, Logical Sequences, Puzzles, Games and Tournaments |
Also Read:
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2026
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus is broadly divided into 5 main Maths topics, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math and Numbers. Check below topics and weightage for CAT 2026 quantitative aptitude preparation:
| Section |
Topics |
No. of Questions out of 22 |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic |
Ratio and Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Averages and Mixtures, Profit, Loss, Discount, Time-Speed-Distance, Time-Work, Percentages, Pipes and Cisterns, Boats and Streams, Partnerships |
8-10 |
40% |
| Algebra |
Functions, Logarithms, Sequences and Series, Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Progressions (AP, GP, HP), Maxima and Minima, Polynomials |
5-7 |
30% |
| Geometry |
Triangles, Circles, Quadrilaterals, Lines and Angles, Polygons, Mensuration (2D and 3D), Coordinate, Trigonometry |
1-3 |
15% |
| Numbers |
Number System, Natural Numbers, Whole Numbers, Integers, Rational and Irrational Numbers, Real Numbers, Divisibility and Remainders, Factors and Multiples, HCF and LCM, Prime and Composite Numbers, Cyclicity and Factorials, Base System, Surds and Indices |
1-2 |
5%-7% |
| Modern Math |
Probability, Permutations and Combinations, Set Theory, Venn Diagrams, Binomial Theorem, Functions and Graphs |
2-4 |
5%-7% |
Explore colleges based on CAT
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Also Read:
- CAT Total Marks and Number of Questions
- CAT VARC: Strategy to Improve VARC Accuracy
- How Many CAT Mock Tests to Take and When to Start
CAT 2026 Syllabus PDF Download
Get here free PDF of CAT 2026 syllabus having detailed description of topics and their weightage that you need to study for the exam.
| CAT 2026 Syllabus PDF |
Best Books to Cover CAT Syllabus 2026
For syllabus coverage, the basic requirement is recommended CAT books. Listed below are section wise best books for CAT that have proven success rate of over decades.
| CAT Books for VARC |
CAT Books for DILR |
CAT Books for Quantitative Aptitude |
|---|---|---|
| How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay |
A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Agarwal How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma |
NCERT Mathematics books (Class 9-10)
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha |
Also Read:
- 32 best books for CAT 2026 preparation
- CAT 2026 preparation- Key tips and strategy
- What is the best time to start CAT 2026 preparation?
- How to prepare for CAT in six months?
- CAT preparation road map: month wise strategy
CAT 2026 Syllabus: Number of good attempts section wise
While preparing for the CAT exam, it is very important to know how many questions it solve in the given time limit, as it is neither mandatory, nor possible to attempt all of them. IIMs and top B-Schools consider sectional scores also for candidate shortlisting, so it is critical to approach CAT exam syllabus keeping in mind what and how much to study for 99+ percentile.
| Section |
Total questions |
Number of good attempts |
|---|---|---|
| VARC |
24 |
14-16 |
| DILR |
22 |
10-11 |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
22 |
10 |
| Total |
68 |
36 |
Read More:
CAT 2026 Quant strategy to score 25 marks and 95+ percentile
CAT 2026 DILR strategy to score 26 marks and 95+ percentile
CAT 2026 VARC strategy to score 30 marks and 95+ percentile
Download CAT Question Paper PDFs
Shiksha has provided below previous years CAT Question Paper PDFs for candidates to download and understand the exam syllabus accurately.
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
12 Jan '26 - 5 Apr '26
SRCC GBO
31 Oct '25 - 12 Apr '26
15 Apr '26
1 Apr '26 - 2 Apr '26
2 Apr '26
24 Mar '26 - 5 Apr '26
23 Mar '26 - 8 Apr '26
MAH CET
15 Apr '26
Commonly asked questions
CAT has three sections – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. XAT has four sections – Verbal and Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Decision Making and General Knowledge. While CAT is Quant heavy, XAT is more tilted towards Reasoning.
CAT lays a lot of emphasis on analytical skills so the questions are asked mostly from those topics which require deep learning and practice. The three sections of CAT question paper are designed in such a way that candidates have to use their ability of minute observation and fast calculation. Shared below are the section wise main topics from which questions are asked in CAT. Verbal Ability: Parajumbles, Parasummary, Sentence Completion and Inferences
- Reading Comprehension: Questions based on passages, Para meaning, Order of sentences
- Data Interpretation: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Data Sufficiency
- Logical Reasoning: Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Sets and Caselets, Family Tree, Assumptions
- Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, Algebra Number System Modern Math, Arithmetic, Mensuration
The difficulty level of CAT questions is usually moderate to high. Only a few questions are easy and quick to solve. To crack the CAT exam, one needs to pay attention to the abovementioned topics.
CAT syllabus includes all the important topics of subjects that are relevant for business aptitude. For CAT exam, candidates have to study, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension VARC Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Given below are the key topics included in the CAT syllabus.
- VARC topics: Parajumbles, Paracompletion, Parasummary, Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
- Quantitative Aptitude topics: Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra Trigonometry Modern Math, Number System and Mensuration.
- DILR topics: Puzzles, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Tables and Bar Graphs, etc.
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jul '26 | XAT 2027 registration dates |
Sep '26 | XAT 2027 mock test |
9 Jan '26 | SNAP 2025 result announcement |
20 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 session 3 |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Registration Window |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
1 Apr '26 - 25 May '26 | MAT May 2026 Registration PBT |
1 Apr '26 - 8 Jun '26 | MAT May 2026 Registration CBT |
Jul '26 | IBSAT 2026 Registration |
Dec '26 | IBSAT 2026 Exam Date |
17 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 result |
31 Jan '26 - 2 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 exam answer key obje... |
7 Apr '26 - 8 Apr '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam |
9 May '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam 2 |
16 Mar '26 - 10 Apr '26 | TANCET registration window |
May '26 | TANCET admit card download |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, students can get admission in Manav Rachna University without CAT. The university considers scores obtained in MAT/ GMAT as well. Alternatively, students can appear for the MRNAT test too.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Candidates who are applying for the Jain University MBA admissions with CAT must score above 50% to apply. The aforementioned score will allow candidates to directly apply for the next selection rounds after JET for MBA admissions.
Candidates who do not have a score above the aforementioned limit nee
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, students can get admission in KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology MBA without CAT. The college instead accepts TSICET scores. Students do not have to appear for CAT or other management exams.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, CAT is not a compulsory entrance exam in order to apply for BITSoM Mumbai MBA admission. Other than CAT, candidates also have the option of applying through a valid score of GMAT, GMAT-GRE or GRE for MBA at BITSoM Mumbai.
Appearing for one of the aforementioned entrance exams is a mandatory requi
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
GIBS Business School's PGDM cutoff is moderate and generally does not reach the high levels of an IIM. The main factors impacting cutoff are your entrance test scores and other criteria.
Cutoff Recent Data:
- CAT: 60-70 Percentile approximately
- XAT: 60-70 Percentile approximately
- MAT: 60-65 Percentile ap
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
The minimum marks or CAT cut off to appear for IIM selection round is different for every institute. Tier 1 colleges select candidates with CAT score above 95 percentile, Tier 2 colleges select candidates with score between 80-90 percentile and Tier 2 colleges select candidates with score lower than
P
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
There is no CAT PI shortlist for IIMs. Candidates have to simply login with their CAT credentials and fill the PI shortlist form.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
There is no minimum qualifying marks for CAT. Anybody scoring above 0 in the exam is eligible for admission, however the B-Schools select candidates on the basis of cut offs which are 60 and above percentile.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
The final CAT cutoff are not released publically. However, candidates can check qualifying cut offs in the admission criteria document released by IIMs and other institute before the exam.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
CAT cut off is prepared by all accepting colleges individually. There is no one authorized body to do so. Even the IIMs determine their admission cut offs separately.
J
Contributor-Level 7
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
Read Full Bio