CAT 2026: Exam Date and a 30-Day Final Preparation Plan

CAT 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, 29 November 2026, as a computer-based test in three sessions, with admit cards due from 4 November 2026 on the official site, iimcat.ac.in. That leaves about 30 days from the end of October. This guide gives you a week-by-week 30-day plan, a mock test and analysis routine, section-wise priorities for VARC, DILR and QA, and an exam-day checklist, so you spend the last month sharpening what you know instead of chasing new topics.

Updated October 2026. Dates below are from the CAT 2026 schedule as published by the IIMs and reported by education news sites. Always confirm on the official CAT website before acting, because timings and instructions are announced there and on your admit card.

CAT 2026 key dates at a glance

Event	Date	Status
Notification released	Late July 2026	Done
Registration window	3 August to September 2026 (deadline was extended; sources give 15 or 22 September)	Closed
Admit card download	From 4 November 2026	Scheduled
CAT 2026 exam	Sunday, 29 November 2026, three sessions	Scheduled
Answer key and objections	After the exam; dates not yet announced	Not announced
Result	Expected around the first week of January 2027 (not officially fixed)	Not announced

Reports name IIM Indore as the institute conducting CAT 2026. Session timings and reporting times will be printed on your admit card; we have not listed them here because we could not confirm them from the official site. A schedule summary is also available on Careers360, but treat iimcat.ac.in as final.

Exam pattern to plan around

The table shows the pattern used in CAT 2024 and CAT 2025. Use it for planning, and check the instructions on the CAT website and the screen on exam day in case anything changes for 2026.

Section	Questions (2024 and 2025)	Time	What it tests
VARC: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	24 (mostly RC, plus verbal ability)	40 minutes	Reading speed, inference, para-jumbles, summaries, odd sentence out
DILR: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning	22 (in sets)	40 minutes	Set selection, structured thinking, calculation under pressure
QA: Quantitative Ability	22	40 minutes	Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems, modern maths
Total	68	120 minutes

Marking in recent years has been +3 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong multiple-choice answer, with no negative marking for TITA (type-in-the-answer) questions. You cannot switch sections once the 40 minutes for a section start. An on-screen calculator is provided.

Your 30-day CAT 2026 plan, week by week

This plan assumes you have covered most of the syllabus and have about 5 to 6 hours a day, more on weekends. Working professionals can scale it down to one mock a week plus focused weekday revision.

Week 1 (30 October to 5 November): diagnose

• Take two full-length mocks, ideally at the same time of day as your likely slot.
• Analyse each mock for 4 to 5 hours (see the method below).
• List your weakest 5 topics in QA, and the DILR set types you avoid.
• Download your admit card once it is available (scheduled from 4 November). Check name, photo, test centre and session.
• VARC: read two RC-level articles daily and summarise each in two lines.

Week 2 (6 to 12 November): fix the gaps

• Two full mocks plus two sectional tests for your weakest section.
• QA: revise formulas and concepts for your 5 weak topics. Do 20 to 25 questions per topic from past CAT papers, not new material.
• DILR: practise set selection. Spend the first 4 to 5 minutes scanning all sets before committing.
• VARC: one timed RC set daily. Track accuracy by question type.

Week 3 (13 to 19 November): sharpen strategy

• Two full mocks. Fix your section strategy: the order of questions you attempt, when you skip, and your target attempts.
• Revise from your error log, not from new books.
• Solve one past-year CAT paper section a day in exam conditions.
• Visit or map your test centre. Work out travel time for a Sunday morning.

Week 4 (20 to 26 November): consolidate

• One or two full mocks early in the week, then stop taking new full mocks by about 25 November.
• Light revision: formula sheet, your error log, and a few easy-to-moderate sets to keep your speed.
• Sleep at the same time every night and wake up early enough for your slot.

27 and 28 November: rest and prepare

• No new topics and no full mocks. One short revision session per day is enough.
• Print the admit card, keep your photo ID ready, and lay out what you will carry.
• Sleep well. A rested brain reads RC passages faster.

If you are working full time

For example, a software engineer in Pune with a 9-to-6 job can still follow a lighter version of this plan:

• Weekdays: 2 hours a day. Alternate days between one sectional test with analysis and revision from your error log.
• Saturdays: one full mock in the morning, analysis in the afternoon.
• Sundays: finish the analysis, revise formulas, and do one past-year section in exam conditions.
• Leave: if you can, take two or three days off in the last week rather than spreading leave across the month.

How to take and analyse mocks properly

Most aspirants take too many mocks and analyse too few. In the last month, the analysis is where your score improves.

During the mock

• Sit it in one go, timed, with no phone, exactly like the real exam.
• Use the rough sheet the way you will in the centre.
• Mark questions you skipped and why, as you go.

After the mock: a 5-step analysis

1. Re-attempt without time limits. Retry every question you got wrong or skipped. If you solve it now, the problem was time or selection, not knowledge.
2. Classify every mistake. Use four labels: concept gap, calculation error, misread question, or poor selection (should have skipped).
3. Check the time spent. Flag any question that took more than 3 minutes, whether you got it right or not.
4. Learn faster methods. Read the solution for every question, including ones you got right, and note shortcuts.
5. Update your error log. Write one line per lesson: “In TSD, I misread relative speed direction. Draw it first.”

Tracking sheet example

Mock	VARC (attempts / accuracy)	DILR (sets attempted)	QA (attempts / accuracy)	Main lesson
Mock 1	18 / 72%	2 sets	12 / 66%	Spent 12 minutes on one DILR set before quitting
Mock 2	19 / 78%	2.5 sets	13 / 76%	Skipped geometry too late
Mock 3	20 / 80%	3 sets	14 / 78%	Better selection in DILR

These numbers are illustrative. What matters is the trend in your own sheet: rising accuracy and better selection, not a single high score.

Section-wise priorities for the final month

VARC

• RC carries most of the section. Practise reading for the author’s main argument and tone, not every detail.
• For para-jumbles and odd-one-out (often TITA), look for linking words, pronouns and the opening sentence that introduces the topic.
• Do not reread a whole passage for one question. Go to the paragraph that the question points to.

DILR

• Selection is half the battle. In the first few minutes, rank sets as easy, doable or skip.
• Draw a clean table or grid before you start. Messy rough work causes most DILR errors.
• If you are stuck for 6 to 7 minutes with no progress, move on. Getting two sets fully right beats four sets half-done.

QA

• Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, profit and loss, time-speed-distance, time and work) and algebra are the core of most QA preparation. Make sure these are strong before polishing rarer topics.
• Do a first pass for direct questions, then a second pass for longer ones.
• Use options to eliminate where you can on MCQs, and be careful with TITA, where there are no options to check against.

Your one-page revision sheet

By the end of week 3, condense everything into a single sheet you can read in 15 minutes on the morning of the exam:

• Key QA formulas: percentage-fraction equivalents, compound interest, mixtures and alligation, averages, progressions, logarithm rules, basic geometry results
• Your five most repeated mistakes, written as instructions to yourself
• Your section plan: target attempts, the point at which you skip, and the order you scan questions
• DILR set types you will attempt first, and the ones you will leave unless time remains

Looking after yourself in the last month

Your preparation is only useful if you can think clearly for two hours on exam day. A few habits help:

• Fix your body clock. If your session is likely to be in the morning, take mocks in the morning so your brain is used to peak focus at that time.
• Do not compare mock percentiles on social media. Different test series have different difficulty levels. Compare yourself only with your own earlier mocks.
• Move every day. A 20 to 30 minute walk clears your head after long study blocks.
• Protect your sleep. Seven to eight hours matters more than one extra hour of late-night practice.
• Talk to someone if anxiety is affecting your sleep or appetite. A friend, family member, mentor or doctor can help.

Exam-day checklist

Carry

• Printed admit card (check the official instructions on paper size and photo)
• Original valid photo ID as specified on the admit card, with a photocopy if required
• Any document the instructions ask for, such as a category or PwD certificate if applicable
• A transparent water bottle if allowed, and nothing the admit card lists as prohibited

Leave at home or outside

• Mobile phone, smartwatch, calculator, notes and electronic devices
• Bags you cannot leave safely outside the centre

Timeline for the day

1. Wake up at least two to three hours before reporting time.
2. Eat a light, familiar meal. Avoid trying anything new.
3. Reach the centre well before the reporting time printed on your admit card. Late entry is not allowed after the gate closes.
4. Read the on-screen instructions carefully in the first few minutes. Confirm the section order and the timer.
5. Treat each section as a fresh start. A tough VARC does not mean a tough DILR.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, 29 November 2026, as a computer-based test in three sessions. Confirm session timings on your admit card and on iimcat.ac.in.

When will the CAT 2026 admit card be released?

The admit card is scheduled to be available for download from 4 November 2026 on the official CAT website. Download it early and check all details.

How many mocks should I take in the last month?

Around 6 to 8 full mocks is enough for most aspirants, with serious analysis after each one. Taking a mock every day without analysis usually adds fatigue, not marks.

Should I start new topics in the last 30 days?

Only if a topic is high-frequency and you can learn the basics quickly. Otherwise, use the time to strengthen topics you already know and improve accuracy and selection.

Is the CAT 2026 pattern the same as last year?

CAT 2024 and 2025 used 68 questions in 120 minutes with a 40-minute limit per section. The IIMs have not, in what we could verify, announced a change for 2026, but always check the official instructions and the exam screen.

When will the CAT 2026 result come out?

No official result date had been announced when this guide was updated. Reports expect it around the first week of January 2027. Watch iimcat.ac.in for the answer key, objection window and result.

Thirty days is enough to move your score

You cannot learn the whole syllabus again in a month, and you do not need to. Take regular mocks, analyse them honestly, fix the same few mistakes, and arrive on 29 November rested and calm. Check iimcat.ac.in regularly for the admit card and any notices, and follow the instructions printed on your admit card on exam day.