CAT 2026 Preparation: Complete Guide for Beginners

Overview CAT 2026 Exam Overview 6-Month Preparation Plan (June to November)Best Books and Resources Tips for Working Professionals Common Mistakes to Avoid Sources and Verification FAQs

Overview

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is taken by over 2.5 lakh candidates annually for admission to IIMs and top B-schools. If you are a beginner planning to appear for CAT 2026, this guide gives you a complete roadmap from understanding the exam to achieving a high percentile.

This section tests your reading speed, comprehension, and command over English. It carries 24 questions.

This section has 20 questions in 4-5 sets. It tests analytical ability and speed.

CAT 2026 Exam Overview

Parameter	Detail
Conducting Body	IIM (rotational)
Exam Date	Last Sunday of November 2026
Mode	Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration	120 minutes (40 min per section)
Sections	VARC, DILR, QA
Total Questions	66
Marking	+3 correct, -1 wrong (MCQ only)

6-Month Preparation Plan (June to November)

Month	Focus Areas	Key Activities
June-July	Basics of all 3 sections	NCERT Maths (Class 8-10), build reading habit, learn LR basics
August	Intermediate-level practice	Solve Arun Sharma QA/DILR, take sectional practice tests
September	Advanced topics + practice tests	Start full-length practice tests (1/week), focus on weak areas
October	Intensive mock phase	2-3 practice tests/week, detailed analysis, revision of shortcuts
November	Final revision + practice tests	1 mock every 2 days, formula revision, speed drills

Best Books and Resources

QA: How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude by Arun Sharma; Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma
DILR: How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma; CAT previous year DILR sets
VARC: Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis; daily reading from quality publications
Mock Platforms: IMS SimCAT, TIME AIMCAT, Career Launcher, 2IIM free practice tests

Tips for Working Professionals

Dedicate 2-3 hours on weekdays and 5-6 hours on weekends
Use commute time for reading (VARC improvement)
Take practice tests on weekends under timed conditions
Focus on smart preparation: prioritise high-ROI topics like Arithmetic and RC

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring VARC or DILR and focusing only on Quant
Not taking enough practice tests (minimum 25-30 full practice tests needed)
Not analysing practice tests thoroughly after taking them
Spending too much time on difficult questions in the actual exam
Neglecting accuracy for speed

VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

This section tests your reading speed, comprehension, and command over English. It carries 24 questions.

Reading Comprehension (16 questions): Read 2-3 editorials daily from The Hindu, Economic Times, or Aeon. Practice inference-based questions
Verbal Ability (8 questions): Focus on Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Odd Sentence Out. These are TITA (non-MCQ) with no negative marking
Target: 36-42 marks out of 72 for a 90+ sectional percentile

DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)

This section has 20 questions in 4-5 sets. It tests analytical ability and speed.

Data Interpretation: Practice tables, bar graphs, pie charts, and caselets. Speed in calculations is key
Logical Reasoning: Focus on arrangements, grouping, games and tournaments, and network diagrams
Strategy: Identify easy sets first (spend 2 minutes scanning all sets), then solve 3 out of 4-5 sets well
Target: 30-36 marks out of 60 for 90+ sectional percentile

QA (Quantitative Ability)

This section has 22 questions covering arithmetic, algebra, number theory, geometry, and modern maths.

Arithmetic (40% weightage): Ratios, Percentages, Profit-Loss, Time-Work, Time-Speed-Distance, Mixtures
Algebra (25%): Equations, Inequalities, Functions, Logarithms
Geometry and Mensuration (20%): Triangles, Circles, Coordinate Geometry
Number Systems and Modern Maths (15%): Factors, Remainders, P&C, Probability
Target: 36-42 marks out of 66 for 90+ sectional percentile

Sources and Verification

Information last reviewed on 24 Jun 2026.

Fees, cutoffs, admission steps, placements, and programme details can change. Always cross-check the latest institutional or authority notice before acting.

FAQs

It is possible if you have a strong academic foundation. Focus on practice tests, high-weightage topics, and VARC reading practice. Many 99-percentilers have prepared in 3-4 months.

Not essential. Self-study with good materials and practice tests is sufficient. However, coaching provides structured practice tests and peer benchmarking. Online platforms like Unacademy and 2IIM offer affordable options.

Old IIMs (ABC): 99+ percentile. New IIMs: 95-98 percentile. Other top B-schools (XLRI, FMS, MDI): 95-99 percentile.

Yes, -1 for incorrect MCQ answers. Non-MCQ (TITA) questions have no negative marking, so always attempt those.