IIM Central Level

Common Admission Test

CAT · 2026

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's premier national-level MBA entrance examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). CAT scores are accepted by all participating IIMs and hundreds of leading management institutes across India for admission to MBA, PGP and other postgraduate management programmes. Explore CAT eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, previous papers, admission notifications and preparation resources in one place.

Min. Qual.: Bachelor's Degree

Mode: CBT (Computer-Based)

Level: Central

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Official Website

Qualifications Required

Bachelor's Degree
Final Year Bachelor's Degree

Nationality: Indian

Selection Process

CAT Computer Based Test (CBT)

Appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT), which is the primary entrance examination for MBA and management admissions.

Shortlisting by Institutes

Participating IIMs and other institutes shortlist candidates using CAT scores and their own admission criteria.

Written Ability Test (WAT) (where applicable)

Some institutes conduct a Written Ability Test to evaluate written communication and analytical skills.

Personal Interview (PI)

Shortlisted candidates attend a Personal Interview conducted by the respective institute.

Final Merit List

Institutes prepare the final merit list using CAT score, academic profile, work experience and institute-specific selection criteria.

Admission & Document Verification

Selected candidates complete document verification, fee payment and admission formalities.

Exam Pattern

Mode

CBT (Computer-Based)

Questions

Total Marks

204

Duration

120 Minutes (40 minutes per section)

Section-wise Breakdown

Section	Questions	Marks
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	72
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	66
Quantitative Ability (QA)	22	66
Total	68	204

Marking Scheme

+3 for each correct answer, −1 for each incorrect MCQ.
No negative marking for TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.

Exam Languages

English

Syllabus Overview

The CAT syllabus broadly evaluates candidates in Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The official CAT Information Bulletin does not prescribe a fixed syllabus. Candidates should prepare using previous year question papers, mock tests and the exam pattern followed by the participating IIMs.

View Full Syllabus →