IIMs do not publish an official topic list for CAT. The syllabus below is built from what recent papers have asked in the three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
Use it as a checklist, then spend most of your time on the topics that repeat every year.
Section-wise questions and marks
Recent papers (2024 and 2025) had 68 questions. Each question carries 3 marks, so the paper is out of 204.
CAT 2021 to 2023 had 20 DILR questions (66 in total). Check the official notification for the final pattern of CAT 2026.
VARC syllabus
VARC is the first section. About two-thirds of it is reading comprehension; the rest is verbal ability.
Older CAT papers had grammar, fill in the blanks, idioms and antonyms. These have not appeared in recent papers, so give them little time.
Tip: Read one long article a day on an unfamiliar subject (philosophy, economics, science, history). RC passages in CAT come from all of these.
DILR syllabus
DILR is the second section. Questions come in sets of 4 to 6 questions built on one data table, chart or puzzle, so choosing the right sets matters as much as solving them.
Quantitative Aptitude syllabus
QA is the third section. Arithmetic and algebra together make up most of the paper, so build these first.
| Area | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Percentages; profit and loss; ratio and proportion; averages; mixtures and alligations; simple and compound interest; time and work; time, speed and distance |
| Algebra | Linear and quadratic equations; inequalities; logarithms; functions and graphs; maxima and minima |
| Number system | Divisibility; HCF and LCM; remainders; last digits and trailing zeros; base systems |
| Geometry and mensuration | Lines and angles; triangles; circles; polygons; coordinate geometry; 2D and 3D mensuration; basic trigonometry |
| Modern maths | Sequences and series; permutation and combination; probability; set theory |
Tip: If you are short of time, finish arithmetic and algebra before geometry and modern maths.
How to use this syllabus
- 1Mark each topic as strong, average or weak after one diagnostic mock.
- 2Fix weak topics in arithmetic, algebra and RC first, because they carry the most questions.
- 3Practise DILR as full sets with a timer, not as single questions.
- 4Solve previous year papers to see how each topic is actually asked.
More on CAT 2026
CAT 2026 Syllabus Overview FAQs
Is there an official CAT 2026 syllabus?+
No. IIMs do not release a topic list. The syllabus is based on what recent CAT papers have asked.
Which section has the most questions?+
VARC, with 24 questions. DILR and QA have 22 each in the recent pattern.
Which QA topics are most important for CAT?+
Arithmetic and algebra. Together they make up most of the QA section, followed by geometry and number system.
Is grammar asked in CAT VARC?+
Not in recent papers. VARC now focuses on reading comprehension, para summary, para jumbles, odd sentence out and sentence placement.
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.