CAT 2026 is on 29 November 2026, about five weeks from now. With this little time, focus on mocks, accuracy and your strongest topics instead of trying to learn every topic from scratch.
First, know the timeline
As of 23 October 2026, CAT 2026 is scheduled for 29 November 2026—about five weeks away. Published CAT 2026 schedule updates report that registration closed on 22 September 2026 and the admit card is scheduled for 4 November 2026. If you have already registered, use the remaining time for focused practice rather than trying to learn every topic from scratch. If you have not registered, check the official CAT website for any official update; do not assume a late application is possible.
| Event | Published date / detail |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 exam date | 29 November 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 22 September 2026 (reported closed) |
| Admit card | Scheduled for 4 November 2026 |
| Exam format | Computer-based test; three timed sections |
CAT 2026 exam pattern at a glance
| Section | Questions (reported pattern) | Section time |
|---|---|---|
| VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 24 | 40 minutes |
| DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 22 | 40 minutes |
| QA — Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 120 minutes |
Commonly reported marking scheme: +3 for a correct answer, −1 for an incorrect MCQ, and no negative marking for TITA/non-MCQ questions. Confirm the final instructions in the official CAT 2026 bulletin and admit card. The IIMs do not prescribe a fixed topic-by-topic syllabus; topic lists are inferred from previous papers.
The right strategy when only about five weeks remain
- 1Take one full-length diagnostic mock immediately if you have not done one recently. Do not wait to finish every topic.
- 2Analyse the mock carefully: identify high-impact concept gaps, avoidable mistakes, time sinks and question types you should skip.
- 3Prioritise familiar, high-return topics and accuracy. Do not spend days trying to master a low-confidence topic from zero.
- 4Solve previous CAT questions under timed conditions; review the solution and redo incorrect questions later.
- 5Take full mocks regularly, but leave enough time to analyse them and revise. More mocks without review are not a strategy.
- 6Protect sleep and consistency. A realistic plan followed daily is better than an extreme schedule that causes burnout.
Five-week preparation roadmap
| Week | Primary goal | Mock / test plan | Review output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1: 23–29 Oct | Diagnostic; identify weak areas; revise core arithmetic, RC approach and basic DILR structures. | 1 full mock + 2–3 sectional tests | Error log with top 5 weaknesses. |
| Week 2: 30 Oct–5 Nov | Repair the most common errors; practise selected past-paper questions. | 1–2 full mocks if review time allows | Short list of topics to revise; check admit-card release. |
| Week 3: 6–12 Nov | Timed section practice; improve DILR set selection and QA question selection. | 2 full mocks + sectional drills | Compare accuracy and time use with Week 1. |
| Week 4: 13–19 Nov | Exam simulation; practise your planned section approach; revise recurring mistakes. | 2 full mocks, spaced apart | Stable attempt strategy; no constant strategy changes. |
| Week 5: 20–28 Nov | Consolidation, light timed practice, formula/error-log revision and rest. | 1–2 mocks early in week only if useful; avoid exhausting last-day tests | Exam-day checklist and sleep routine. |
This is a flexible plan, not a compulsory number of mocks. If you are a beginner or have major concept gaps, reduce full mocks and use more time for targeted learning. If you are already scoring consistently, focus on precision and execution.
If you can study 5–6 hours per day
| Block | Suggested work |
|---|---|
| 90 minutes | QA concepts and timed practice |
| 75 minutes | VARC: 2–3 RC passages or RC plus verbal ability |
| 90 minutes | DILR: 2 timed sets, followed by review |
| 60 minutes | Previous-year questions or a sectional test |
| 30–45 minutes | Error log, formulas and revision |
If you work or study full-time (2–3 hours per day)
- Weekdays: 45 minutes QA, 40 minutes VARC, 40 minutes DILR, and 15–20 minutes reviewing errors. Rotate the longer block based on your weakest section.
- Weekend: one full mock under exam conditions, followed by detailed analysis. If the analysis cannot fit into one day, finish it the next day.
- Use short gaps for formula recall, vocabulary in context, mental maths and reviewing previously missed questions—not for endlessly collecting new resources.
VARC — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
Main work: reading comprehension, para summary, para-jumbles and odd-sentence-out questions where included in recent papers.
- Read 2–3 dense passages daily from varied subjects such as economics, science, society, philosophy and culture.
- After each passage, summarise its main point, author’s tone, argument structure and role of each paragraph.
- For every option, ask whether it is directly supported, contradicted, too broad, too narrow or an outside assumption.
- Practise verbal ability in short timed sets. Do not memorise isolated vocabulary lists at the expense of comprehension.
DILR — Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Practise tables, charts, caselets, arrangements, grouping, games/tournaments, selection and distribution, Venn diagrams and multi-condition puzzles.
- Solve 2–3 sets per day, but review the setup and reasoning rather than only the final answer.
- Spend the first few minutes scanning sets and selecting the most approachable ones.
- Build a clean table, grid or diagram before calculating. Write down all conditions and eliminate contradictions.
- If there is no progress after a reasonable time, move on. Return only if time remains.
QA — Quantitative Aptitude
Prioritise arithmetic and algebra fundamentals, then revise geometry/mensuration, number properties, modern maths and other topics based on your error log.
- Arithmetic: percentages, ratios, averages, profit and loss, mixtures, time and work, time-speed-distance and interest.
- Algebra: equations, inequalities, functions and sequences where relevant to your preparation.
- Geometry and mensuration: triangles, circles, quadrilaterals, areas and volumes.
- Practise choosing questions: secure the solvable questions first and do not let one difficult problem consume the section.
Mock-test strategy for the final month
- 1Take a mock in a quiet setting with a strict 120-minute timer and no interruptions.
- 2After the test, review every wrong answer, every guess and every question you skipped despite knowing the concept.
- 3Track score, attempts, accuracy, time spent and errors separately for all three sections.
- 4Classify errors as concept gap, misread, calculation, poor selection, rushed guess or time management.
- 5Redo selected errors after 24–48 hours without viewing the solution.
- 6Use comparable mocks to identify trends; raw scores can vary with difficulty, so do not overreact to a single result.
What not to do now
- Do not attempt to learn every syllabus topic from scratch in the final weeks.
- Do not take a full mock every day if it leaves no time for analysis or recovery.
- Do not change your attempt strategy after each test; make changes only when repeated evidence supports them.
- Do not ignore one section entirely because another section is strong.
- Do not trust guaranteed-percentile claims or unofficial predictions of the exact CAT paper.
- Do not sacrifice sleep to increase study hours.
Final 7-day checklist
- Revise your own formula sheet and error log.
- Redo representative questions you previously got wrong.
- Practise light VARC reading and a small number of DILR/QA questions to stay sharp.
- Confirm exam date, test centre, reporting time and permitted items from the admit card.
- Keep the required ID and admit-card instructions ready; follow the official rules exactly.
- Avoid trying to learn many new topics on the final day.
- Sleep on a regular schedule and plan travel to the test centre in advance.
Sources and verification
- Official CAT website — notices, bulletin and admit-card instructions: iimcat.ac.in/
- Careers360 — CAT 2026 preparation guide (updated September 2026): careers360.com/mba/articles/how-prepare-for-cat
- Jagran Josh — CAT 2026 exam date, pattern and preparation information (updated October 2026): jagranjosh.com/exams/cat
- AglaSem — CAT 2026 syllabus and pattern overview (updated October 2026): admission.aglasem.com/cat-syllabus/
Accuracy note: Exam dates and pattern details are based on published information available at the time this guide was prepared (23 October 2026). The official CAT portal and the candidate's admit card take precedence if any information changes.
CAT 2026 Last 5 Weeks Plan FAQs
Can I still improve in five weeks?+
Yes. The most realistic gains come from improving question selection, reducing repeated errors, strengthening familiar topics and reviewing mocks properly. Results vary by starting level.
How many mocks should I take?+
For this short remaining window, a reasonable starting target is about 5–8 full mocks if your schedule allows thorough review. Fewer may be better if you have major concept gaps or limited study time.
Should I complete the whole syllabus first?+
No. Take a diagnostic and prioritise topics where learning or revision can improve your performance. Keep practising all three sections.
Is there an official CAT syllabus?+
The IIMs do not publish a fixed exhaustive topic-by-topic syllabus. Previous papers are a practical guide to recurring question types.
Can this plan guarantee a percentile?+
No. A plan can organise preparation but cannot guarantee a score, percentile, admission or cutoff.
More on CAT 2026
Source & Disclaimer
Official source: iimcat.ac.in
Information on this page is compiled from the official CAT notification at iimcat.ac.in and trends from earlier cycles. Dates marked Expected are estimates, not official announcements. Please confirm all details on the official website.