CAT Preparation 2026: Get Free Study Material, Prep Strategy & Tips from Toppers

Updated on Jan 14, 2026 18:11 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CAT Preparation 2026 is do be done phase wise. One need to start early. The preparation requires dedication and hardword as the CAT syllabus is vast and competition is high. Every year, more than 2.5 lakh candidates appear for the exam, so it is tough to score 99+ percentie. Quick preparation is a complete no-no for CAT. If you are planning to appear for CAT 2026, you must start exam preparation latest by March. It is recommended to start early so that one can cover the CAT syllabus comprehensively and have ample time for practice of various types of questions and numerous types of scenarios. Shared below are key tips on how to prepare for CAT exam.

Table of contents

CAT Preparation Strategy 2026
CAT Preparation: Understand CAT Syllabus and Pattern
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Preparation Tips and Strategy
CAT VARC Preparation Tips and Strategy
CAT DILR Preparation Tips and Strategy
CAT Preparation with Mock Tests and Previous Years' Question Papers
CAT Preparation Tips That Will Enhance Your Performance

CAT Preparation Strategy 2026

Candidates can choose to join a coaching or do self study. Both have their own benefits but the following are common. The basics of CAT exam preparation are:

Understand CAT syllabus and CAT exam pattern
Get CAT books recommended by experts and other study material
Join online MBA study groups and YouTube channels
Make a daily, weekly and monthly time table
Set short term and achievable targets
Note your progress regularly and work on weak areas
Make sure to do regular practice and revision.
Stick to your CAT prep strategy.

CAT Preparation Highlights

Commonly asked questions

Q: Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?

There is no pattern to which CAT question paper can be the toughest. The CAT question paper of every slot has unique questions. The examination body strives to maintain the same difficulty level of the paper across all slots but it may happen that a question can be more difficult from another. It is seen that, to keep the uniqueness of the question paper intact, the examination authority also changes the topic wise weightage a little bit across the exam slots. In most of the previous years, it is seen that the morning slot of the CAT exam is tougher than the rest two. However, candidates must not worry about the difficulty level of the slots as, the scores of all the candidates are normalised on a common scale to root out the possibility of advantage or disadvantage to any student due to difference in difficulty level. To know how the CAT scores are normalised, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.

Q: Is CAT exam tough for an average student?

CAT is a speed-based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or Commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advanced-level problems.

However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.

Hope it was helpful!!!

Q: How many CAT mock tests to practice to score 99 percentile?

Experts recommend that aspirants must practice at least 40 CAT mock tests to score above 99 percentile well in the exam. Most of the CAT test takers take up to 50 mock tests of various types and difficulty level. CAT toppers in previous years have practiced even up to 80 mock tests during their preparation. However, candidates must decide the number of CAT mock tests depending on their control and confidence on topics as the exam day comes closer. Mock tests are the best way to judge your performance viz. The important topics of CAT. The more one practices CAT mock tests, the more accurate they get in solving questions from all subjects. It is very important to know which formula to apply to which type question to solve the problem accurately. Mock tests help candidates in this aspect which is why practicing mock tests is most important in CAT preparation.

CAT Preparation: Understand CAT Syllabus and Pattern

The most important aspect of CAT preparation is knowing every topic of CAT syllabus thoroughly. CAT Quantitative Aptitude includes advance level Mathematics topics studied in Class 9-10. So, if you have strong base in Maths, CAT quantitative aptitude will not be a challenge in preparation. You will only need revision and a good amount of practice. Infact, it is CAT VARC, that a majoriy of aspirants find tough to crack as the RC passages are long, dense and inference based. If you study in a time bound manner, you will be able to cover the CAT syllabus properly, irrespective of your educational background. Practicing sample questions regularly, will help you in cracking tough topics. Check important topics of CAT syllabus 2026 in the table below:

CAT Syllabus	CAT Important Topics
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	Reading Comprehension, Parajumbles, English Grammar, One-word Substitution, Fill in the Blanks, Antonyms-Synonyms, Sentence Correction, Foreign Words, Verbal Ability, etc.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning	Tables, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Bar Charts, Mixed Charts, Series, Coding-Decoding, Data Structures, Blood Relations, Family Tree, Assumptions, etc.
Quantitative Aptitude	Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Partnership (Accounts), Profit & Loss, Ratios and Proportion, In-equations Quadratic and Linear Equations, Surds and Indices, Time-Speed-Distance, Number System, Geometric Progression, Inequalities, Work and Time, Percentages and Logarithms, etc.

Prepare as per Latest CAT Pattern

To make a sound CAT 2026 preparation plan, first understand the exam pattern. It will help you to analyse how much bandwith you would need to cover what part of CAT syllabus. Given below is the table highlighting key aspects of the latest CAT exam pattern.

CAT Exam Features	Details
Number of sections	Three - VARC, DILR, QA (to be answered in the same sequence)
Number of questions	68
Types of question	MCQ
Examination mode	Online
Sectional time-limit	40 minutes (53 minutes for PWD candidates)
Total marks	204
Marks per question	3
Negative marking	-1 (no negative marking for TITA and unattempted questions)
Exam duration	120 minutes

Difficulty Level of CAT Exam

While preparing for CAT 2026, you must also know the difficulty level of the question paper so that you are aware of what are you likely to encounter in the exam. Check the table below for CAT exam difficulty level of past 10 years. You can also read the details by clicking on the links in the third column.

CAT Year	CAT Difficulty Level	CAT Paper Analysis
CAT 2025	Moderate	Read CAT 2025 exam analysis
CAT 2024	Moderate	Read CAT 2024 exam analysis
CAT 2023	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2023 exam analysis
CAT 2022	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2022 exam analysis
CAT 2021	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2021 exam analysis
CAT 2020	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2020 exam analysis
CAT 2019	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2019 exam analysis
CAT 2018	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2018 exam analysis
CAT 2017	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2017 exam analysis
CAT 2016	Moderately difficult	Read CAT 2016 exam analysis

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is it possible to score 99.99 percentile in CAT in first attempt?

Yes, it is possible to score 99.99 percentile in CAT in first attempt. Many toppers of previous years' are such candidates. One must study in a focussed manner and do a lot of mock test practice. Exam day strategy is also crucial for better performance.

Q: What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?

CAT exam is a national level MBA entrance exam conducted by the IIM. Every year, over 2.3 lakh candidates apply for it. Since the last two years, the competition has increased further with oveer 3 lakh candidates applying for the exam.

The CAT score is accepted by the Iims and all top MBA colleges in India. To select the best candidates from over 3 lakh test takers there is a need for stringent criteria. That's why, the CAT exam is tougher than other MBA entrance exams. Even though the syllabus of CAT is same as that of other MBA entrance exams, the question paper set by the IIM faculty always has tough questions. Moreover, CAT has sectional time limit for each section which is not there in any other exam except XAT. Having a time limit for each section adds pressure on candidates to complete solving adequate number of questions in a section within the time limit. If a student is weak in a particular subject, they can't use the time as per their need. CAT's Reading Comprehension passages are long and dense unlike other MBA exams. This is one more reason why most candidates feel CAT is tougher than any other MBA entrance exam.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Preparation Tips and Strategy

Quantitative Aptitude section includes Mathematics topics such as Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Mensuration. To excel in this section of CAT exam you must have thorough knowledge of concepts, formulae and theorems. Having a good command on fundamentals of Arithmetic, Geometry and Algebra will help you immensely. Also, mental calculation plays a major role in scoring well in this section. Although an on screen calculator will be provided in the CAT 2026 exam, mental calculation will save your precious time. Here are some tips for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation:

Get CAT exam study material which has a good number of sample questions on these topics.
Cover the topics end to end. Do not leave out any topic of Arithmetic and Algebra as most of the questions are asked from these two topics.
Break down your CAT Quant preparation into phases. Start with topics, then move to practice questions and then to mock tests.
Start with easy topics and then move to tough ones. Starting with easy topics will give you confidence.
Revise important formulae and theorem every day in the last one month.
Practice sectional mock tests for Quantitative Aptitude to learn how to handle 40 minutes in the exam.

CAT VARC Preparation Tips and Strategy

The CAT VARC section is broadly divided into Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. To prepare for this section of CAT exam, candidates need to have a separate approach for each part. For example, preparation of Reading Comprehension should begin in early months of the year as it all about developing and cultivating the habit of reading. CAT Verbal Ability can be tackled by practicing sample questions and can be done in lesser time. However, the CAT VARC is mostly about RC, parajumbles, odd sentence out and para completion, you need to focus on practice of exercises based on these.

Although there is no direct English Grammar or Vocabulary questions, candidates must study these too as the very basis of correct interpretation of Language comprehension and Verbal Ability are word meanings and Grammar.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many RC questions does CAT have?

The CAT VARC section is dominated by RC questions. Out of 24 questions about 14-16 are based on Reading Comprehension passages and the rest of them are based on parajumbles, para completion, etc.

CAT has about 12-16 RC question. Since, it is not mandatory to solve all the questions, candidates can maximize their scores by leaving out the questions related to the passage they find the toughest. There is negative marking in CAT so candidates must ensure that they mark only the correct options or do not mark any option at all.

Q: What is the best preparation strategy for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension?

To prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, stick to the traditional path of concepts first and practice later. Study English grammar and Verbal Ability first to understand the concept. Then practice a number of sample questions of different kinds to gain confidence, speed and accuracy. For RC passages, develop the habit of reading from early stages. Read books from all walks of life.

Practicing sample Reading Comprehension passages and questions in a crucial part of VARC preparation. This will help you understand the types of questions and RC passages asked in various entrance exams.

As an aspirant, you will be appearing for more than one entrance exam, thus you need to have the practice of different types of RC passages.

CAT DILR Preparation Tips and Strategy

To score well in CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning or DILR, the most important thing is to have clarity of basic concepts. Since the questions in this section are data and logic based, candidates need to develop sharp observation and eye for detail. Also, there are no formulas or theorems in DILR, so your preparation majorly depends on practice of sample questions. Major topics to study for DILR are Tables, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Bar Charts, Mixed Charts. Strengthen your Mathematical calculation ability for DILR. Get hold of CAT study material having a good number of sample questions on these topics.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is it possible to prepare for DILR by self-study?

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.

Q: Is it necessary to have Maths background to perform well in DILR?

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.

CAT Preparation with Mock Tests and Previous Years' Question Papers

It is recommended that candidates must practice about 40-45 CAT mock tests during the preparation phase. The aim of a CAT mock test is to improve application, accuracy and speed. If you have reached a stage where you're consistently performing well in the mock tests (high difficulty level) you can slow down. It is not mandatory for all candidates to solve 40-45 mock tests. You can be prepared equally well by solving lesser number of mock tests. Judge your capacity.

Aspirants must start practicing CAT mock test after they have completed the syllabus. They must dedicate the second half of CAT preparation phase to it. The key here is to analyse each mock test result to see where you stand and how much more practice you need. One tip you should follow is to not practice mock tests continuously till the exam day. In the last week of CAT preparation 2025, attempt only one mock test for confidence. Irrespective of the result of that CAT mock test, you will score well in the exam.

CAT Mock Test by Shiksha

IIMCAT releases official CAT mock test a month before the exam to help candidates prepare themselves for the actual exam. The official CAT mock test is replica of the exam and provides an insight of the exam pattern for that year. The official mock test provides a sneak peek of the final CAT exam. Every candidate must attempt the official CAT mock test, which can be accessed online on the official IIMCAT website.

Shiksha has also created CAT mock tests for candidates to practice and strengthen their preparation. Given below are two CAT mock tests you can practice for free.

CAT Mock Test 1	CAT Mock Test 1 Solutions
CAT Mock Test 2	CAT Mock Test 2 Solutions

CAT Previous Years Papers

To further strengthen CAT preparation, candidates must attempt previous years' CAT question papers to understand the latest question type and topic wise weightage. For example, if Arithmetic dominates Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT, which type of Arithmetic questions are there. Practicing actual CAT questions from previous years will boost your confidence. Check here CAT question papers of previous years and download PDF.

Download CAT Previous Year Papers PDF

Download CAT question papers of last five years from the below table to know the type and difficulty level of questions asked:

CAT 2025 question paper Slot 1	CAT 2025 question paper Slot 2
CAT 2024 Question Paper Slot 3	CAT 2018 Question Paper
CAT 2023 Question Paper Slot 1	CAT 2023 Question Paper Slot 3
CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 1	CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 3
CAT 2021 Question Paper	CAT 2019 Question Paper
CAT 2020 Question Paper	CAT 2017 Question Paper

CAT Preparation Tips That Will Enhance Your Performance

Download MBA preparation mobile apps to prepare for CAT exam anywhere and anytime.
Practice CAT question papers and mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.
Measure your performance after each CAT mock test. Analyse strengths and weaknesses and work upon them.
Solve each CAT practice question at least thrice, because in the first attempt, you will understand it, in the second attempt you will solve it faster, and in the third attempt you may discover a shortcut.
CAT exam has sectional time limit. So practice questions in time bound manner. Opt for CAT sectional mock tests.
Solve CAT questions of various types and varied difficulty levels. By the CAT 2026 exam day, you should be able to solve easy, moderate as well as tough questions.
CAT exam has negative marking. For each wrong answer 1 mark is deducted. To avoid this, understand your strong areas and learn how to pick the right question to solve.
Do not do speed reading in RC. Nor should you go for reverse reading, i.e. reading the questions first and passage later. Read the RC passage and note down important points in the rough sheet. This way you will be able to address the questions easily.
CAT has sectional cut off limit, so do not ignore any topic. The sectional cut off directly affects the overall CAT percentile and selection in WAT-GD/PI.
Practice time-bound CAT mock tests as part of your CAT prep strategy. It will help you to develop time management skills.
Keep your CAT 2026 preparation optimum but do not over do anything. If you have prepared certain topics already. Do not work on them again and again. Focus on topics that are still your pain points.
Memorise tables up to 20, square, square roots, cubes, cube roots, etc. These will help you in mental calculation during the CAT exam.
Revise all the concepts of VA and LR and formulae of QA every day for one hour. You should be so well versed with these that on the exam day, you can recall them without wasting a single moment.
In the last phase, focus completely on mock tests and revision. This is the crucial time when you can take your CAT score from 95 to 99 percentile.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many students score 100 percentile in CAT every year?

Every year, over 2 Lacs candidates appear for the CAT exam and about 10-14 test takers score 100 percentile. In CAT 2024, the number of 100 percentiler was 11, and in CAT 2023 the number of 100 percentilers was 14. In CAT 2022, the number of 100 percentilers was 11. In CAT 2021, only 9 candidates scored 100 percentile.

Q: Is it mandatory to attempt all the questions in CAT?

No, it is not mandatory to attempt all the questions in CAT. Candidates can choose to attempt questions as per their preparation. It is not possible also to attempt all the questions due to time limitation and difficulty level. Reading dense RC passages often take up a lot of time. In DILR and QA too, some questions are time taking and calculation intensive due to which not much time is left in hand to attempt all questions. The aim of every test taker should be to attempt about 2/3rd of the total questions in all the sections of CAT.

Q: What is the marking scheme of CAT?

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.

Q: What is the sectional time limit in CAT?

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.