CAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme, Sections, Duration, Total Marks

CAT 2026 exam pattern remains unchanged from last year. The exam includes three sections with a total time of 120 minutes. The CAT question paper will contain the following sections:

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning ( DILR)
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

Based on the CAT paper pattern followed in the past two years, the VARC section is likely to consist of 24 questions in total, out of which 16 would be RC based questions, whereas each of the sections DILR and QA would consist of 22 questions. There would be three slots for the CAT exam 2026 on a single day. Candidates can check below to get information regarding the CAT exam pattern.

CAT exam pattern 2026 has been developed keeping in mind the testing of management hopefuls on their verbal, reading comprehension, data interpretation, logical reasoning, and quantitative aptitude capabilities. CAT exam comprises three sections, namely VARC, DILR, and QA. Section-wise question count, markage, and paper structure would be beneficial for aspirants to devise a strategy for attempting the paper. According to the pattern of CAT, VARC holds the maximum number of questions whereas DILR and QA hold the same number of questions and marks.

CAT 2026 exam pattern defines the entire format of the Common Admission Test, which consists of the number and type of questions, section-wise division of questions, marking pattern and other important components of the paper. The CAT 2026 question paper include three sections, totaling 68 questions. Indian Institutes of Management Indore, which conducts the CAT 2026, has made no announcement about changing the exam pattern up until now. The CAT 2026 exam pattern is believed to be following the same format that was followed last year and the year before. CAT exam pattern 2026 can help new candidates who will take the CAT exam for the first time to get an idea of the format and level of difficulty of the exam and the existing candidates to improve on their preparation strategy.

CAT 2026 exam will consist of both Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type In The Answer (TITA) questions. There could be a varying number of MCQs and TITA questions, which cannot be determined in advance. It is essential to have knowledge of the distinction between the two types of questions, especially regarding the method of answering and scoring.

Difference Between MCQ and TITA in CAT Pattern

MCQs provide candidates with multiple answer options, whereas TITA questions require candidates to enter the answer directly without any options. The key differences are given below:

Section-wise Breakdown of MCQ vs TITA Questions

The number of MCQs and TITA questions can differ from one CAT paper to another. Based on previous CAT paper patterns, the indicative section-wise distribution is given below:

Note: Based on previous CAT trends, the question paper has typically included an indicative mix of around 48 MCQs and 20 TITA questions. The actual distribution may vary in CAT 2026.

CAT 2026 exam pattern consists of three sections including VARC, DILR, and QA. Every section has its own unique question format and includes various topics. It is essential for candidates to know the exam pattern of each section along with important topics.

CAT VARC Exam Pattern 2026

CAT VARC 2026 will have a pattern similar to that of the previous CATs. The CAT VARC consists of questions on Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability, where the reading comprehension forms the majority of the questions asked. The following are some important points:

CAT DILR Exam Pattern 2026

CAT DILR 2026 section evaluates the candidate's skills related to information interpretation, pattern identification, and logical reasoning. The questions are usually posed using various sets related to data interpretation and logical reasoning. The key details are as follows:

CAT QA Exam Pattern 2026

CAT QA 2026 section tests candidates’ numerical and mathematical problem-solving skills. Topics covered by CAT QA 2026 are related to Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System and Modern Mathematics. Important aspects of this section are provided below:

CAT 2026 sectional time limit requires candidates to answer the questions within the specified time for each of the 3 sections. The time limit for each section is 40 minutes, and once the candidate reaches the time limit, he/she will be automatically moved to the next section in the test interface. The candidates will not be able to go back to any section once answered.

CAT 2026 marking scheme is such that it awards positive marks for correct answers while imposing negative marking for wrong multiple-choice questions. The students must, therefore, be careful in answering the questions and refrain from taking any wild guesses. As far as TITA type questions go, negative marking does not apply to wrong answers.

Candidates must be concentrating on making a balance between attempting and accuracy rather than attempting all questions. The TITA type of questions does not carry any negative marking but MCQ type should be attempted by the candidate if he or she is sure about the answer.

Candidates appear in CAT exam have to give the test on a computer in the test center allotted. While answering MCQs, candidates have to select an option by using the computer mouse, while for TITA questions, candidates have to type in the answers through the keyboard. There are several ways provided by the CAT interface to candidates to manage their answers. The various options that candidates can use while attempting questions are:

• Save & Next: This saves the chosen response and proceeds to the next question.
  
• Clear Response: This clears the selected response so as to attempt the question once more.
  
• Mark for Review & Next: This allows a question to be marked for review before proceeding to the next question.

Key Points About Marking Answers in the CAT Exam

• Once candidates choose the Save and Next button, they are able to go back to the question and make any necessary changes before the time for the section expires.
  
• The Clear Response button can be used by the candidates when they wish to clear their previous answer selections.
  
• Candidates who are not sure of their answers can make use of the Mark for Review and Next button in order to return to their questions later.
  
• Candidates must go through all the questions they have marked for review within the 40 minutes allotted to the section.
  
• If candidates have selected an answer and marked it for review, the answer will still be scored despite candidates not revisiting or saving the response again.
  
• An unanswered question scores 0 marks.

CAT onscreen calculator is offered for candidates to make calculations while appearing for the examination. The calculator can be very helpful while making complex calculations, calculations with long decimals, square roots, and data interpretation type calculations. However, making simple calculations through the calculator can take more time as candidates need to type the numbers on the calculator screen. Candidates must use the calculator wisely and practice it through similar calculators in mock tests. CAT onscreen calculator is as follows:

Choosing the correct set of questions may have an important role in improving your CAT 2026 score. Instead of trying many questions and scoring less, candidates can try fewer but accurate questions which you are sure that you can answer correctly. The example below shows how controlled attempts can result in a higher score than taking excessive risks.

Note:

• The exam screen locks the particular section automatically once the time allotted for the particular section gets exhausted and then moves the candidate to the next section. Unattempted response is considered unattempted.
  
• The order of CAT sections is predefined and the candidate cannot jump to any section after the exhaustion of time allotted to it.
  
• The sectional time limit is 40 minutes and additional time is provided to the PwD candidates as per the CAT guidelines.
  
• Choice of sets becomes important in case of DILR as spending much time on a particular difficult set would result in less time left for solving other questions.
• Candidates need to go through all the sets quickly and select only those which seem easy.
  
• There is no negative marking in TITA questions; hence candidates can freely solve them without fear of losing marks due to wrong answers.
  
• In case of MCQs, candidates need to be more cautious as they carry negative marking.

CAT exam pattern has changed several times over the years, particularly in terms of exam duration, total questions and section-wise distribution. Understanding such patterns will help candidates get an idea of the evolution in the test pattern. The table below presents the major changes from 2014 to the expected CAT 2026 pattern: