To further advance academic excellence, IIRF has expanded its reach through diverse initiatives, including ICOSA for school accreditation, study abroad programs, and specialized online courses.
CAT
As per the previous trends, the CAT 2026 exam will be conducted in the last week of November, on a Sunday. Based on the CAT exam trends over the past few years, CAT will most likely be held on 29th November 2026. CAT is conducted by IIM; it is a national-level MBA entrance exam that is organized for candidates to seek admission to over 1200+ B-Schools across India. There are 400 test centers across India where the CAT exam is conducted online.
The question paper of the CAT exam consists of 100 questions in total, which include MCQ and non-MCQ formats. The questions are related to Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Due to the pandemic, the CAT 2020 examination timings were decreased from 180 minutes to 120 minutes, but now, as per the CAT's recent updates, the examination timings will be back to 180 minutes.
Scope of the CAT exam
The aspiring candidates who are looking forward to building their career in the management field, or want to be the future entrepreneur or manager of an MNC, must take admission in IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management). IIMs are one of the top B-schools across India; you need to get a good score on the CAT examination if you want to enter an IIM.
In the premium institute IIM, students are picked up by top companies with lucrative salary packages. If you do an MBA at IIM, then you will have the opportunity to start your venture. An MBA is definitely the best course to opt for, as it enhances your job opportunities, gets you better recognition, and increases your credibility too.
The CAT is undoubtedly one of the toughest exams for MBA admissions! The candidates need an unconventional approach to handling questions and must have good techniques to answer them. You can go for an online CAT preparation course from BYJU's, where you will learn simple and shortcut techniques to solve the CAT exam.
Aspirants! It’s time for you to make your CAT exam worth it by taking offline courses or online courses from CAT scorers. By learning tricks, you can make your final CAT preparation a breeze.
In 2026, the exam pattern for the CAT exam was revised. The duration of the CAT examination has decreased from 180 to 120 minutes. But now, as per the CAT 2026 updates, it is expected that the exam timings will be reverted to 180 patterns. Check out the table for the CAT exam pattern.
The exam will come in both formats of TITA and MCQ’s. The exam will be 120 minutes and computer-based. For more information, check out the highlighted pattern.
| CAT Highlights | Specifications |
| Total exam slots | 3 |
| Total sections | 3 |
| Total time | 120 minutes |
| Section-wise time | 40 minutes |
| Total questions | 68 |
| Total Marks | 204 |
| Marking scheme |
- 1 for the wrong attempt 0 for unanswered questions and incorrect TITA |
CAT 2026 Marking Scheme
CAT Syllabus includes various topics from different subjects.
For further information, read the table below.
| Section | Subjects | Important topics |
| Data adequacy and logical reasoning | Data Interpretation
Logical Reasoning | Bar Graph, Line Graph, Data Sufficiency, a combination of Graphs, Pie Chart, Caselet, and Tables, etc. Matching Puzzles, Binary Logic, Blood relationships, Seating Arrangement, Family trees, Proposition, Clocks and calendars, sets, Syllogism, Venn Diagram, etc. |
| Quantitative Ability | Mathematics | Geometry, Algebra, Arithmetic, Number system, Time and work, Mensuration, Modern Mathematics, Simple interest, Trigonometry, etc |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
English Grammar | Passages fill in the blanks vocab questions, para jumble, para completion, Fact Inference Judgment
Grammar and verbal reasoning like fill in the blanks, sentence correction, Direct-indirect, Active voice, passive voice, Antonyms, Synonyms, and jumbled sentences |
CAT 2026 Recommended Books
What is the most difficult task for students preparing for the CAT? right books for every subject, right? As the market is flooded with books by different authors, it is challenging to select the best book from thousands of options. So we have curated a list of CAT entrance books for every section, which you can prefer.
| Section | Name of the Book | Name of the Publisher/Author |
| Quantitative Ability | Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Common Admission Tests for Admissions into IIMs | Nishit K.Sinha Arun Sharma Sarvesh k. Verma |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT PSC for VA for CAT Exam 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback | Sharma and Upadhyay Nishit Sinha Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster |
| Data adequacy and logical reasoning | Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | Nishit k. Sinha Gautam Puri |
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| General | INR 2600 |
| SC/ST/PWD | INR 1300 |