{"id":8589,"date":"2025-11-18T07:12:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T07:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/?p=8589"},"modified":"2025-11-18T07:12:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T07:12:49","slug":"cat-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/2025\/11\/18\/cat-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"CAT 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <strong>Common Admission Test (CAT)<\/strong> is India\u2019s most important and competitive entrance exam for MBA\/PGDM admissions. Conducted by the <strong>Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)<\/strong> on a rotational basis, CAT scores are accepted by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>21 IIMs<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IITs (Management Departments)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI, IMT, TAPMI<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1200+ top B-Schools across India<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>CAT tests a candidate\u2019s <strong>analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, reasoning skills, and comprehension ability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is considered one of the most prestigious management entrance exams in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a2ce383caa8973d08f7fc75ba7217acf\">Exam Overview <\/h1>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Details<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Exam Name<\/strong><\/td><td>Common Admission Test (CAT)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Conducting Body<\/strong><\/td><td>Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Exam Level<\/strong><\/td><td>National Level<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Mode of Exam<\/strong><\/td><td>Computer-Based Test (CBT)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Frequency<\/strong><\/td><td>Once a year<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Duration<\/strong><\/td><td>120 minutes (2 hours)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Sections<\/strong><\/td><td>VARC, DILR, QA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Total Questions<\/strong><\/td><td>~66 Questions (varies each year)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Type of Questions<\/strong><\/td><td>MCQ + TITA (non-MCQ)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Negative Marking<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes (MCQs), No (TITA)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Difficulty Level<\/strong><\/td><td>Moderate to High<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Accepted By<\/strong><\/td><td>1200+ MBA Colleges<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0dcdff5b24f11dc4d65e5403d28efa62\">IMPORTANT DATES(Tentative)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Event<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Expected Date<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Registration Begins<\/td><td>AUG 1, 2025, Friday10:00 AM (IST)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Registration Ends<\/td><td>SEP 20, 2025, Saturday 5:00 PM (IST)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Admit Card Release<\/td><td>Nov 12, 2025, Wednesday<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CAT 2026 Exam Date<\/td><td>Nov 30, 2025, Sunday<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Result Declaration<\/td><td>First Week of January 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-05f08cbc7503536927939fb16d4cf50a\">Eligibility Criteria<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Educational Qualification<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Bachelor\u2019s degree from a recognized university<br>\u2714 Minimum <strong>50% marks<\/strong> (45% for SC\/ST\/PwD category)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final-Year Students<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Eligible to apply (must provide proof later)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Age Limit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 No age limit<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Work Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Not mandatory (freshers can apply)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-566b4967c8462d09a21dc3fc72c76efb\">Exam Pattern <\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>CAT consists of <strong>3 sections<\/strong>, each with a separate time limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Section<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Estimated Questions<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Time Allotted<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Difficulty<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>VARC (Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension)<\/td><td>24<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DILR (Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning)<\/td><td>20<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><td>High<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>QA (Quantitative Aptitude)<\/td><td>22<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><td>Moderate\u2013High<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Total<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>66 (approx.)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>120 minutes<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Marking Scheme<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>+3 marks<\/strong> for correct answer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u20131 mark<\/strong> for incorrect MCQ<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>0 negative<\/strong> for TITA (non-MCQ)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f20208de967afea1dd3f1095d6017f95\">Syllabus <\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VARC<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reading Comprehension (long &amp; short-passages)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Para-jumbles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Para-summary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Odd-sentence out<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grammar basics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Critical reasoning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">DILR<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Puzzles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seating arrangements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Venn diagrams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bar\/Line\/Pie charts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data sufficiency<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Caselets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Logical reasoning sets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quantitative Aptitude<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Arithmetic (Percentages, Ratio, Profit-Loss)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Algebra (Equations, Inequalities)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Geometry &amp; Mensuration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Number System<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Modern Math (Permutation, Probability)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a6c1a574ef517d7c4f526351fdf3e585\"><strong>Application Process (Step-by-Step)<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit <strong>iimcat.ac.in<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Register with email &amp; mobile<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fill personal, academic &amp; work experience details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upload photo, signature, caste certificate (if applicable)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select preferred <strong>test cities<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay application fee online<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit the form &amp; download confirmation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Application Fee (Expected 2026)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\u20b92,400<\/strong> (General\/OBC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u20b91,200<\/strong> (SC\/ST\/PwD)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-054f7d577e09505497ab816e553c3899\">Preparation Strategy for CAT 2026<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understand the Exam Pattern<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Know which section is your strength &amp; weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start with Basics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Build strong fundamentals in QA and LR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read Daily<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Improve VARC with newspapers, editorials, RC practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solve 30\u201340 Full-Length Mocks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Analyze each mock in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sectional Tests<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Daily practice for individual sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revision Plan (Last 2 Months)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Practice high-level DILR sets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Work on speed math<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve RC accuracy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time Management<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Each section is <strong>time-restricted<\/strong>\u2014practice must be section-wise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1b8b6b8ea9e3fbe3a59ec936cc6f46a6\">Top Colleges Accepting CAT Score<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Top IIMs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>IIM Ahmedabad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Bangalore<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Calcutta<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Lucknow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Kozhikode<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Indore<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other Premium Colleges<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>FMS Delhi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SPJIMR Mumbai<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MDI Gurgaon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIT Delhi &amp; IIT Bombay (Management)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IMT Ghaziabad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NITIE (IIM Mumbai)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>TAPMI<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Over 1200+ Colleges Accept CAT Score<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-06a285c4b1c66e8374d25af543e15b68\">Final Tip<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CAT is not about knowledge; it\u2019s about strategy.<\/strong><br>Consistency, practice, mock analysis, and a strong hold on fundamentals are the keys to scoring above <strong>95\u201399 percentile<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-54c4328914bed8526991293da587ed89\">Conclusion<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>CAT is considered India\u2019s most challenging yet rewarding MBA entrance exam.<br>With structured preparation, disciplined practice, and regular mock tests, any student\u2014whether fresher or experienced\u2014can achieve a top percentile and secure admission to prestigious IIMs or other top-tier B-Schools.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India\u2019s most important and competitive entrance exam for MBA\/PGDM admissions. Conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis, CAT scores are accepted by: CAT tests a candidate\u2019s analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, reasoning skills, and comprehension ability. It is considered one of the most prestigious management [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[3592,3593,3595,3594,3596],"class_list":["post-8589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exams","tag-cat","tag-cat2026","tag-common-admission-test","tag-common-admission-test-cat","tag-mba-entrance-exam"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8589\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topcollegeadmission.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}