Best CAT Classes

Best CAT Classes 2026

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 is India’s most prestigious and competitive national-level entrance exam for admission to MBA, PGDM, and other postgraduate management programs at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and over 1,300+ top B-schools (including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, IITs’ MBA programs, and many others).

CAT is conducted annually by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis. For CAT 2026, the conducting IIM is expected to be IIM Kozhikode (based on trends), though official confirmation will come with the notification.

Key Highlights of CAT 2026

• Purpose: Gateway to 21 IIMs and hundreds of non-IIM B-schools for the 2027-29 batch.
• Exam Mode: Computer-based test (CBT), online, held in three slots on the same day.
• Difficulty Level: High (considered one of the toughest MBA entrance exams in India).
• Annual Applicants: ~2.5–3 lakh candidates appear every year.
• Official Website: iimcat.ac.in (the only authentic site; avoid fakes).

Important Dates for CAT 2026 (Tentative/Expected)

These are based on consistent trends from the last 20+ years (exam always on the last Sunday of November) and recent reports:

• Official Notification Release: Last week of July 2026 (likely July 26–31).
• Online Registration Starts: First week of August 2026 (likely August 1–5).
• Registration Ends: Third/fourth week of September 2026 (likely September 20–25).
• Application Correction Window: Late September 2026.
• Admit Card Download: First week of November 2026 (likely November 5–10).
• Exam Date: November 29, 2026 (Sunday) — last Sunday of November (three slots: morning, afternoon, evening).
• Provisional Answer Key Release: First week of December 2026.
• Final Answer Key & Result Declaration: Second/third week of December 2026 (likely December 19–28).
• IIM Shortlist & Calls: January 2027 onwards.

These are highly reliable projections; the official notification (PDF) will confirm exact dates in July 2026.

Eligibility Criteria for CAT 2026

• Bachelor’s Degree: Any discipline from a recognized university (UGC/AIU approved).
• Minimum Marks:
  • General/EWS/NC-OBC: 50% aggregate or equivalent CGPA.
  • SC/ST/PwD: 45% aggregate or equivalent CGPA.
• Final-Year Students: Eligible to apply provisionally (must complete degree requirements by June 30, 2027, with proof by December 31, 2027).
• Professional Degrees: CA/CS/ICWA/FIAI holders are eligible.
• No Age Limit or attempt restrictions.
• Reservation: Follows Government of India norms (SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NC 27%, EWS 10%, PwD 5%).

No changes expected in eligibility for 2026.

Exam Pattern for CAT 2026 (Expected – Likely Unchanged)

• Total Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours).
• Sections: 3 (strict sectional time limit of 40 minutes each; no switching between sections).
• Total Questions: 66–68 (based on recent patterns., 68 in CAT 2025).
• Question Types: MCQs (with negative marking) + TITA (Type In The Answer – no negative marking).
• Marking Scheme: +3 for correct answer; -1 for incorrect MCQ; 0 for unattempted/TITA wrong.
• Total Marks: 198–204.
• Sections & Expected Breakdown:
  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): 24 questions (~72 marks) — RC passages (4–5), para jumbles, odd sentence, summary, VA questions.
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): 20–22 questions (~60–66 marks) — Sets (tables, graphs, puzzles, arrangements, games/tournaments).
  • Quantitative Ability (QA): 22 questions (~66 marks) — Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Modern Math.

The pattern has been stable since 2021 (post-COVID reduction); no major changes anticipated.

CAT 2026 Syllabus Overview

CAT has no official syllabus, but it’s based on Class 10–12 level concepts with emphasis on application, speed, and accuracy:

• VARC: Reading Comprehension (dominant), Verbal Reasoning (para jumbles, summary, odd one out), Grammar/Vocabulary inference.
• DILR: Data Interpretation (charts, graphs, tables), Logical Reasoning (seating, blood relations, puzzles, Venn diagrams, quantitative reasoning).
• QA: Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, profit/loss, time-speed-distance), Algebra (equations, inequalities, functions), Geometry & Mensuration, Number Theory, Modern Math (permutations, probability, logarithms).

Focus on conceptual clarity + practice (no rote learning).

Registration Process for CAT 2026

• Fee: ₹2,500 (General/EWS/NC-OBC); ₹1,250 (SC/ST/PwD).
• Mode: Online only on iimcat.ac.in.
• Steps:
  1. Register → Get login ID/password.
  2. Fill form (personal, academic, work ex, programs/IIMs selection).
  3. Upload photo/signature/ documents.
  4. Pay fee.
  5. Submit & save confirmation.
• Select up to 6 test cities.

Preparation Tips for CAT 2026

• Start early (ideally now — 9+ months prep ideal).
• Focus on basics first → mocks (30–40) → analysis.
• Daily practice: VARC (reading), QA (speed), DILR (sets).
• Best resources: Arun Sharma books, past papers, coaching (iQuanta, Cracku, TIME, IMS, etc.).
• Target 99+ percentile for top IIM calls.