Best Time to Start CAT Preparation | Month-wise Guide for All Profiles
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
CAT 2026 admit card download
4 Nov '26 - 29 Nov '26
Not sure when to start CAT preparation? Get the timeline for CAT preparation below based on profile - fresher, working professional, or repeater, with a month-wise strategy.
Know What is the Best Time to Start CAT Preparation
Best Time to Start CAT Preparation: The best time to start CAT preparation is 6 - 12 months before the exam. CAT exam is held on the last Sunday of November. Beginners must start CAT preparation by January - March. Candidates who have familiarity with the syllabus can start in June - July. More time for CAT preparation helps build concepts, take mocks, and fix weak areas.
Read this article to deep-dive into the best time to start CAT preparation, along with what experts and toppers have to say about it.
- Why Right Start Time can Make or Break CAT Score?
- Ideal CAT Preparation Duration Based on Your Profile
- Best Time to Start CAT Preparation 2026: What Experts Say?
- Best Time to Start CAT Preparation: What Toppers Say?
- CAT Preparation 2026: Month-Wise Time-Table
- Practice CAT Mock Tests for 99+ Percentile
Why Right Start Time can Make or Break CAT Score?
Common Admission Test or CAT is a highly competitive exam with over 2.5 lakh test takers each year. Of these, only 14-15 candidates secure a 100 percentile in CAT exam. All 22 IIMs accept a CAT score to shortlist candidates for admission. The cutoff score across IIMs closes at asround 95 percentile. Therefore, scoring above 95 percentile becomes crucial for candidates aiming for an IIM. Candidates get 2 hours to solve 68 questions which also includes negative marking, and TITA questions. For a good score in CAT exam, one requires months of structured preparation.
Due to the high competitiveness and desire for a good score, the primary query of all MBA aspirants in India is 'when to start CAT preparation?', including
- "What is the best time to start CAT preparation 2026?"
- "Is February too early to start CAT preparation?"
- "Is it ok to start CAT preparation in June?"
Real prep plan shared by CAT toppers who scored 99.9+ to 100 percentile:
- 2025 CAT Topper Anmol Gupta (99.96%): Solved 5 DILR sets in under 35 mins.
- 2024 CAT Topper Vagish Nangia (100%): Mastered VARC using a 7-8 min RC drill and prioritised sectional mocks.
- 2025 CAT Topper Pranshav Shah (99.80%): Followed daily timed routine of 4 RCs, 4 DILR sets, 30-40 Quant questions.
Commonly asked questions
Yes CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.
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!!!
Maximum marks in CAT is 204. There are 68 questions each carrying 3 marks. VARC is of 72 marks and DILR and Quants are of 66 marks each.
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.
Ideal CAT Preparation Duration Based on Your Profile
There is no right or wrong time to start CAT preparation. The right time to start preparing for CAT exam depends on each candidate's skills, abilities and the amount of time he/she can devote daily. Some start as early as January-February, while some start as late as August.
| Profile | Recommended Start Time for CAT Prep | Prep Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Beginners / Non-Quant background | January - February | 12+ months |
| First time aspirant / Average in Quant skills | March - April | 9 - 10 months |
| Engineering / Quant strong student | June - July | 6 - 8 months |
| CAT preparation with a full-time job | 9 - 12 months before exam | Start as soon as possible with small daily prep slots |
| CAT repeater | 6 - 7 months | The entire prep duration must be devoted to exam strategy and brushing up the weak areas |
The CAT 2026 exam will be held on November 29, 2026. Candidates having a strong hold on Quantitative Skills and Data Interpretation Skills can complete the CAT prep in 4-5 months. Those who have zero knowledge of how to solve questions in these sections will need 10 - 12 months of dedicated preparation.
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Best Time to Start CAT Preparation 2026: What Experts Say?
According to Parasharan Chari, MBA expert and COO at Endeavour Careers, "Candidates should look at finishing the entire CAT syllabus by August. Thus, candidates should start latest by May. Do not stretch the course till the very end. In June, July and August – candidates should try and complete the entire core CAT syllabus. The primary sections of CAT syllabus are: Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Quantitative Aptitude. Thereafter, candidates can start focusing on speed-building, accuracy building and later on move to full-length mock tests," adds Parasharan Chari.
Also Read: CAT Preparation - Coaching vs Self Study
Best Time to Start CAT Preparation: What Toppers Say?
Every candidate has different skills and capacities so they start CAT preparation accordingly. Here are some previous years' CAT toppers sharing their preparation journey.
Harsh Khudania, 99.93 percentile, CAT 2025
"I started my full-fledged CAT preparations in mid August. My preparation strategy was to practice and nothing more. I practiced till I started getting the desired scores. I also analysed the topics where I was making mistakes and gave extra hours to that topic to eradicate the errors." Read Harsh's interview
Vagish Nangia, 100 percentile, CAT 2024
"I started considering CAT seriously in July 2024. Given the responsibilities and workload of the 7th semester, including placements, academics, extra-curricular activities, and projects, I couldn't devote much prep time. However, I focused on understanding the CAT exam, practicing questions for each section, and doing sectional and full-length mock tests." Read Vagish's interview
Kartik Bhageria, 99.99 percentile, CAT 2023
"I began my CAT preparation around July 2023. Being an engineering student, I did not spend a lot of time learning new concepts in the Quant and DILR sections. I spent most of my time giving mocks to practice and try to increase my attempted questions with better accuracy in each attempt." Read Kartik Bhageria's interview
Risshi Agrawal, 99.99 percentile, CAT 2022
"I started preparing in the month of July. Since I had already taken the exam last year, I was familiar with the pattern. For the first two months I focused on revising the concepts while in the later stages I devoted my time towards solving mocks (average of 1 per day)....Mocks play a crucial role while preparing for CAT. It helps you determine the strategy which suits you the best." Read Risshi's interview
Commonly asked questions
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.
The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.
Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.
In the last month of CAT preparation, focus on revision with sample papers, previous years' question papers and practice sessions.
Chirag Gupta, 100 percentile, CAT 2021
“I started preparing in March 2021. I focused mainly on giving mock tests and analysing them. I used to work on my weaknesses by watching various CAT preparation YouTube videos on various topics.” Read Chirag Gupta's interview
Ekansh Agarwal, 99.98 percentile, CAT 2020
Ekansh Agarwal started his CAT preparations approximately 11 months before the CAT 2020 exam. According to him," mock tests are the most important part of CAT preparation. Attempt as many CAT mock tests as possible. 40-50 mock tests are good enough. Focus on the areas you are weak at and accordingly attempt the mock tests. Another piece of advice would be, if you think that you are weak in any section, then try maximizing the other two whilst working on the first." Read Ekansh's interview
Also Read:
CAT Preparation 2026: Month-Wise Time-Table
Here's a quick time-line of CAT exam preparation. This is a broad distribution of CAT preparation time frame into phases. You can alter the time-table according to your need.
| CAT Preparation Months |
Target |
|---|---|
| March-August |
Complete core CAT syllabus |
| August-end to mid-September |
Experiment with exam strategy, take timed sectional tests, practice question selection & prioritisation, focus on accuracy building |
| Mid-September to mid-October |
Start solving full-length mock tests |
| October onwards |
Focus on revision & mock tests |
Practice CAT Mock Tests for 99+ Percentile
Candidates must practise as many mock tests as possible to secure a 99 percentile in CAT exam. Find full-length CAT mock tests with solutions below. These CAT sample papers are curated in line with the difficulty standards of the actual exam
| CAT Mock Test by Shiksha | Direct Link for CAT Mock Test |
|---|---|
| Mock Test 1 | Practice CAT Mock Test |
| Mock Test 2 | Practice CAT Mock Test |
| Mock Test 3 | Practice CAT Mock Test |
| Mock Test 4 | Practice CAT Mock Test |
| Mock Test 5 | Practice CAT Mock Test |
Commonly asked questions
CAT Quantitative Aptitude has the potential of 100 percentile if you prepare well. The Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT are advance level Mathematic topics from Class 9 and 10. So, for any candidate, the foundation is already there, they only need to work on it further.
The important topics of CAT Quantitative Aptitude include Geometry, Ratios and Proportion, Inequalities, Trigonometry, In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Work and Time, Algebra, Surds and Indices, Percentages, Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance, Logarithms, Partnership (Accounts), Number System, Square Root and Cube Root, Profit & Loss, Geometric Progression, Probability, Mean-Mode-Median, Binomial theorem, Simple interest and compound interest.
Maximum questions are asked from Arithmetic and Geometry so keep the main focus on these two topic. Understand and memorise the formulas and theorems well, and practice enough questions to be thorough with their application.
Yes, you can crack CAT through self study but it will require a lot of discipline and consistency on daily basis. You will need the most recommended books, best mock test series and online practice sessions. Join YouTube channels for online tutorial. Give yourself 9 months and study for 8 hours daily.
While it is not mandatory to attempt all sections in CAT, the IIMs and all top B School consider sectional percentiles too for selecting candidates for admission. Thus, you cannot afford to skip a CAT section all together. You can skip some questions though.
CAT DILR preparation is completely based on practice papers and mock tests. You should obtain recommended CAT DILR sample papers and mock test series. Make sure to cover all types of question. Also practice DILR questions of past year with the help of CAT question papers.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 22 hours ago
Yes. Most CAT time, speed, distance questions can be solved faster using inverse and direct proportionality ratios
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 22 hours ago
CAT frequently tests concepts based on relative speed, linear and circular races, trains passing platforms or other trains, boats and streams, and escalators.
V
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 22 hours ago
Typically, 1 to 3 questions are asked from Time, Speed, and Distance in the Quant section of CAT exam. It is one of the high weightage topics within Arithmetic.
L
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Some frequent traps in CAT exam are:
- Confusing the counts of original and new members in replacement vs. inclusion problems.
- Weighting by values instead of quantities or frequencies in weighted average setups.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Yes. Most CAT-level problems involving replacements, group additions, or combinations are designed to test logical shortcuts rather than heavy calculations.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Direct questions on Averages typically range from 1 to 2 per slot in the CAT exam. However, the concept appears across several other topics, including Mixtures & Alligations, etc.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Candidates can refer to How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma and DILR for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Routes and Networks is an important topic for CAT DILR. It tests logical thinking, visualisation and the ability to analyse connections and pathways.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
CAT does not have a fixed number of questions from Routes and Networks. The topic may appear as part of a DILR set, usually comprising 4-5 questions.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Candidates should spend no more than 1.5 to 2 minutes on an Odd One Out question.
Contributor-Level 10
Can I solve CAT TSD questions without complex algebraic equations?