CAT Exam Pattern 2026: Sections, Marking and Timing

The CAT exam pattern decides how you should prepare and how you should attempt the paper. CAT 2026 will be a 120-minute computer-based test with three sections, each with a fixed 40-minute limit. It will be held on 29 November 2026 in three sessions, conducted by IIM Indore.

This guide explains the CAT 2026 exam pattern in detail: section-wise questions, MCQ and TITA split, marking scheme, section order, session timings, rules for PwBD candidates, scoring and normalisation, and how the pattern has changed over the years. Official rules are taken from the CAT 2026 Information Bulletin, press release and FAQs on iimcat.ac.in. Question counts are from CAT 2025, since the IIMs do not announce them in advance.

Table of Contents

CAT Exam Pattern 2026: Overview

Section-wise CAT Exam Pattern

The MCQ and TITA split is based on CAT 2025 analysis by leading coaching institutes. The official FAQs say the number of non-MCQ questions "varies and cannot be disclosed", so the CAT 2026 split may differ slightly.

MCQ and TITA Questions Explained

CAT has two question formats:

• MCQ (multiple-choice questions): You choose one answer from four options by clicking on it. A wrong MCQ answer costs 1 mark.

• TITA (type in the answer): No options are given. You type your answer, usually a number, using the on-screen keypad. In VARC, para jumble answers are typed as a sequence such as 3142. A wrong TITA answer does not reduce your score.

TITA questions are often thought of as harder because you cannot eliminate options. In practice, many TITA questions in DILR and QA are no harder than MCQs. Since they carry no penalty, strong candidates rarely leave a TITA question blank if they have worked on it.

CAT Marking Scheme

The marking scheme is the same for all three sections and is set out in the official FAQs.

What this means in practice:

• A wrong MCQ costs one-third of what a correct one earns. Random guessing among four options gains nothing on average.

• TITA questions have no negative marking. If you have a reasonable approach, it is worth typing an answer.

• All questions carry equal marks, whether easy or hard. Solving easy questions first is the best way to maximise your score.

Section Order and Sectional Time Limit

CAT follows a fixed order that is the same for every candidate:

1. Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

2. Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

3. Section III: Quantitative Ability

Each section has exactly 40 minutes. When the timer ends, the next section opens automatically. You cannot go back to an earlier section or move ahead early, and unused time in one section does not carry over.

What Each Section Contains

VARC (24 Questions)

In CAT 2025, VARC had 4 reading comprehension passages with 4 questions each (16 MCQs). The remaining 8 questions were verbal ability: 2 para summary and 2 para completion (MCQs), plus 2 para jumbles and 2 odd sentence out (TITA).

DILR (22 Questions)

CAT 2025 had five DILR sets: two sets of five questions and three sets of four. Half the questions (11) were TITA. Sets included bar graphs, circular arrangements, tables with missing values, games and tournaments, and quant-based reasoning.

QA (22 Questions)

QA had 14 MCQs and 8 TITA questions in CAT 2025. Arithmetic contributed 7–8 questions in each slot and Algebra 4–5. The rest came from Geometry, Modern Maths and Number System. See our CAT syllabus guide for the full topic list.

CAT 2026 Session Timings

The official FAQs confirm three sessions on 29 November 2026: forenoon, afternoon and evening. Each candidate gets one session based on test city preference and availability. Candidates cannot choose their session, and appearing in more than one session is treated as fraud.

Exact timings will be printed on the admit card, which can be downloaded from 4 November 2026. For reference, CAT 2025 sessions ran from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Rules for PwBD Candidates

As per the official FAQs:

• PwBD candidates get 20 extra minutes per hour, or 40 extra minutes for the 2-hour test.

• The extra time is split equally across the three sections (about 53 minutes 20 seconds per section).

• The question paper for visually impaired candidates has no graphs, charts or diagrams.

• Visually impaired candidates can use two levels of screen magnification.

• Candidates who need a scribe must arrange one themselves and carry the Scribe Affidavit available on the CAT website.

On-screen Calculator, Scribble Pad and Exam-Day Rules

• Calculator: A basic on-screen calculator is available throughout the test. Physical calculators are not allowed.

• Rough work: One scribble pad and pen are given at the centre. Writing anywhere else, including on the admit card, is treated as unfair means. The pad is collected at the end.

• Technical issues: If the system fails, inform the invigilator. You will be moved to a new system and the timer is paused during the shift.

• Bio-breaks: Not allowed except in emergencies. Time lost during a bio-break is not compensated.

How CAT Scores and Percentiles Are Calculated

Because CAT is held in three sessions with different question papers, raw scores are normalised across sessions to keep the comparison fair. The CAT 2026 scorecard will show a scaled score and a percentile for each section and for the overall test.

IIMs shortlist candidates on percentiles, not raw marks. Most IIMs also set minimum sectional percentiles, so a strong overall score cannot make up for a very weak section. This is one reason the fixed 40-minute sections matter so much.

Changes in the CAT Exam Pattern Over the Years

The biggest change came in 2020, when the test was shortened from three hours to two, with 40 minutes per section. Since 2024, DILR has had 22 questions instead of 20. The CAT 2026 press release confirms the same 120-minute, three-section structure.

Exam Strategy Based on the CAT Pattern

• Plan each section separately. Since you cannot switch sections, set a target number of attempts for each one.

• VARC: Start with the RC passages you find easiest. Attempt the TITA verbal questions, as they carry no penalty.

• DILR: Spend the first 3–4 minutes scanning all five sets. Choose two or three and solve them fully.

• QA: Do a quick first round of easy questions, then return to the harder ones. Skip lengthy calculations early.

• Accuracy over attempts: With –1 for every wrong MCQ, 15 correct answers and 3 wrong MCQs give 42 marks (45 − 3). Attempting more, with 15 correct and 7 wrong, gives only 38 (45 − 7). Aim for 80% accuracy or higher.

Suggested Time Plan Within Each Section

Treat these as starting points. Adjust them after each mock test based on where you lose time.

How Difficult Was the CAT 2025 Pattern?

Coaching institute analyses rated CAT 2025 as moderate overall, with the afternoon session considered the toughest of the three. The number of questions and the marking scheme stayed the same across all slots. Differences in difficulty between sessions are handled through normalisation, so candidates in a harder session are not at a disadvantage.

CAT Exam Day: What to Carry

• A printed copy of the CAT 2026 admit card, with the same photograph you uploaded

• A valid original photo ID

• For PwBD candidates: the PwBD certificate and, if using a scribe, the Scribe Affidavit

• Any permission letter for essential medicines, obtained in advance using the Authorization Form on the CAT website

Report at the time printed on the admit card. Candidates go through frisking and biometric checks before entering the exam lab.

Practise the CAT Pattern with Mock Tests

Knowing the pattern is not enough. You need to practise it. Take full-length mock tests with the same 40-minute sectional timer, and 40-minute sectional tests for each section. The official CAT mock will be available on iimcat.ac.in from 12 November 2026.

On Testkart, you can practise CAT-pattern full-length mocks and sectional tests for VARC, DILR and QA, with MCQ and TITA questions and the same marking scheme.

The CAT exam pattern 2026 follows the familiar format: 120 minutes, three sections of 40 minutes each in a fixed order, a mix of MCQ and TITA questions, and +3/–1 marking for MCQs. Plan each section on its own, focus on accuracy, and practise under real timing conditions before 29 November 2026.