CAT 2026 scheduled for November 29 across 170 test cities

The Indian Institute of Management will conduct the CAT Exam 2026 on November 29 across test centres spread in about 170 cities. The exam features 68 questions divided into three sections with a total duration of two hours. Candidates get 40 minutes for each section without permission to switch between them during the test.

Exam Details

Section I tests Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Section II covers Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Section III contains Quantitative Ability. Correct answers fetch three marks, while incorrect responses result in a one-mark deduction. The admit card for the exam releases this week on the official website.

Preparation Strategy

Rahul Bathla, Academic Director at MBA Wallah, PhysicsWallah, advises students to shift from broad syllabus coverage to focused preparation as the exam is 25 days away. Aspirants should consolidate past studies rather than trying to finish the entire syllabus. Arithmetic and Algebra need special attention in Quant, while Reading Comprehension remains dominant in VARC. For DILR, solving previous years sets helps with familiarity of structures.

Scoring And Mocks

Target scores of around 25 in VARC, 17 in DILR, and 15 in Quant may correspond to the 90th percentile, though actual mappings vary. Mocks require careful analysis rather than just score tracking. Aspirants should align their sleep routine with their test slot at least a week prior and practise using A5-sized rough-work pads.

Context

The Common Admission Test is a primary entrance gateway for management programmes in India, highly competitive due to the large volume of applicants relative to available seats in premier business schools. Proper time management across sections is a central challenge for test-takers given the strict sectional time limits.