CAT 2026: Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Admit Card, Cutoff
Course: MBA
CAT 2026 (Common Admission Test) is a national-level management entrance exam conducted by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis for admission to MBA and other postgraduate management programs in top B-schools across India.
CAT is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams and is accepted by all IIMs and over 1000+ top management institutes in India including FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, and IITs.
📅 Exam Date (Expected 2026)
- November 2026 (Last Sunday)
📝 Eligibility Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree with minimum 50% marks (45% for reserved categories)
- Final year students can also apply
- No age limit
📚 Syllabus
CAT does not have a fixed syllabus, but questions are based on:
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Important Topics:
- VARC: Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Vocabulary
- DILR: Graphs, Tables, Seating Arrangement, Puzzles
- QA: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System
🧠 Exam Pattern
- Mode: Online (Computer-Based Test)
- Duration: 2 Hours (120 Minutes)
- Total Questions: ~66
Section-wise:
- VARC: 24 questions (40 min)
- DILR: 20 questions (40 min)
- QA: 22 questions (40 min)
🧮 Marking Scheme
- +3 for correct answer
- -1 for incorrect MCQ
- No negative marking for non-MCQs
🎟️ Admit Card
- Released in October 2026
- Available on official CAT website
📊 Result & Cutoff
- Result declared in percentile format
- Top IIMs require 98–99+ percentile
- Other top colleges accept 85–95 percentile
🏫 Colleges Accepting CAT
- Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
- FMS Delhi
- SPJIMR Mumbai
- MDI Gurgaon
- IITs (MBA programs)
- 1000+ B-Schools in India
🔗 Related Exams:
XAT 2027, NMAT 2026, SNAP 2026, CMAT 2026