The CAT Syllabus 2026 is divided into VARC, DILR, and QA with 68 questions in total. Based on previous year CAT question papers and the CAT 2025 syllabus, the CAT RC section is 67% of VARC, while Arithmetic and Algebra together consist of 72% of QA.

As mentioned in the CAT 2026 notification, the CAT 2026 exam will follow the same format as CAT 2025. It will have 68 questions and a 120-minute duration. Each section will have a 40-minute time limit.

• Candidates will get 24 questions in VARC, including 16 Reading Comprehension and 8 Verbal Ability questions.

• The CAT VARC section comprises topics like Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out and Para Completion.

• For the DILR section, candidates will get 22 questions. Based on 2021–2025 CAT exam trends, DILR is divided into around 55% Logical Reasoning and 45% Data Interpretation.

• In QA, Arithmetic accounts for about 38% of questions, followed by Algebra at 34%, Geometry & Mensuration at 15%, Number Systems at 8%, and Modern Mathematics at 5%.

Note: IIMs do not release a detailed chapter-wise syllabus, so the CAT Syllabus 2026 topics and weightages are based on previous years' question papers.

Latest Changes in CAT Syllabus 2026

There is no major change expected in the CAT syllabus for 2026 compared with CAT 2025. The CAT syllabus continues to cover three major sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). 

Based on the latest exam pattern,

Note:

• No new subject or major topic has been officially added to the CAT syllabus for 2026.

• Candidates should continue preparing the core topics covered in CAT 2025 and previous CAT papers.

• The question difficulty, topic weightage and question types may vary from one year or slot to another.

CAT Syllabus 2026 PDF Download: Section-wise Topics & Weightage

Candidates can download the complete CAT Syllabus 2026 PDF covering VARC, DILR and QA with topic-wise weightage based on previous year trends

The CAT 2026 syllabus PDF covers:

• CAT QA syllabus 2026

• CAT VARC syllabus 2026

• CAT DILR syllabus 2026

• CAT syllabus 2026 topics

• Important CAT topics

• Topic-wise preparation priorities

CAT 2026 VARC Syllabus: Reading Comprehension Weightage & Important Topics

The CAT 2026 VARC syllabus tests the verbal and reading ability of the students. As per the previous years' exams, the candidates have faced long and complex questions from this section, especially in Reading Comprehension.

• Reading Comprehension (RC) dominates VARC, contributing 65 -70% weightage with around 16 questions.

• The remaining 30 -35% comes from Verbal Ability topics, which have low individual weightage but together impact the overall score.

CAT 2026 Reading Comprehension (RC) Important Topics: Expected

• CAT 2026 RC important topics are broad, with Science & Technology, Environment, Social Science, Arts and Economics among the recurring areas seen in previous CAT papers.

• Candidates should focus less on memorising subject matter and more on main idea, inference, tone, logical structure and author's viewpoint, as these skills apply across different CAT RC topics.

CAT 2026 Verbal Ability (VA) Important Topics: Expected

• Para Summary and Para Jumbles are among the key CAT 2026 VA topics, while Odd One Out and Paragraph Completion should also be included in regular practice.

• Since VA questions test logical flow and comprehension, candidates should practise sentence sequencing, paragraph structure, central idea and contextual interpretation instead of relying only on vocabulary or grammar preparation.

CAT 2025 VARC Slot-Wise Question Distribution

• Reading Comprehension should be your top priority for CAT 2026 preparation. It made up two-thirds of the VARC questions in all three 2025 slots.

• The CAT 2026 VARC syllabus should be prepared because the 2025 RC passages ranged from AI and science to economics, environment, literature and culture.

• For VA, candidates should focus on Para Summary, Paragraph Completion, Para Jumbles, and Odd Sentence questions. Pay close attention to both MCQ and TITA formats.

• The consistency across all three slots makes this CAT 2025 VARC analysis useful for identifying the question distribution candidates should expect while preparing for CAT 2026.

CAT QA Syllabus 2026: Arithmetic, Algebra & Geometry Chapter-wise Weightage

Arithmetic and Algebra together form around 72% of the CAT QA syllabus 2026, making them the highest-priority areas for preparation

• Algebra contributes 30-32% of Quant questions.

• Quadratic equations and inequalities are among the most frequently asked problems.

CAT 2026 Quantitative Aptitude (QA) Important Topics: Expected

• Arithmetic and Algebra are the most important areas in the CAT 2026 QA syllabus, together.

• Candidates should prioritise these topics before moving to Geometry, Number Systems and Modern Mathematics.

• Candidates should focus on percentages, ratios, averages, profit and loss, time and work, equations, inequalities, functions and progressions, while also practising Geometry and Number Systems regularly.

CAT 2025 Quant Slot-Wise Question Distribution

• Arithmetic and Algebra were the dominant areas in CAT 2025 QA, together accounting for 14 questions in Slot 1, 16 in Slot 2 and 15 in Slot 3.

• The CAT Quant syllabus 2026 should therefore give strong priority to Arithmetic topics such as Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Ratio and Mixtures, along with Algebra topics such as Functions, Equations, Logarithms and Maxima & Minima.

• Number System contributed 3 questions in each CAT 2025 slot, showing a consistent presence across the three papers.

• Geometry and Mensuration appeared in every slot, while Modern Mathematics had fewer questions and varied from 0 to 1 question across the slots.

CAT DILR Syllabus 2026: Logical Reasoning vs Data Interpretation Split

The DILR section tests the analytical and logical thinking ability of the students. In CAT 2025, this section was considered one of the most unpredictable, with a mix of data-based and logic-driven sets that require careful selection and time management.

• The CAT DILR syllabus 2026 typically splits into approximately 55% Logical Reasoning and 45% Data Interpretation sets, though the exact distribution varies across slots

• Mixed LRDI sets form about 20% of the section (4 -6 questions), combining both logic and data interpretation.

CAT 2026 Data Interpretation (DI) Important Topics: Expected

• CAT 2026 DI important topics include tables, bar graphs, line graphs, mixed graphs, caselets and data sets involving percentages, ratios, averages and comparisons.

• Candidates should also practise logical DI and calculation-intensive sets, as recent CAT papers included data sets that required both numerical interpretation and logical deduction.

CAT 2026 Logical Reasoning (LR) Important Topics: Expected

• CAT 2026 LR important topics include seating arrangements, puzzles, rankings, grouping, sequencing and other constraint-based sets that require candidates to establish relationships before answering questions.

• The CAT LR syllabus 2026 should be prepared through set-based practice, with emphasis on arrangement, selection, ordering and deduction rather than isolated formula-based questions.

CAT 2025 DILR Slot-Wise Question Distribution

• The CAT 2025 DILR analysis shows that each slot had 22 questions across five sets, with a mix of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning sets.

• DI sets included tables, graphs, weighted averages, currency exchange and trade data, while LR sets included arrangements, rankings, calling patterns and logical conditions.

• The question format varied across sets, with both MCQ and TITA questions appearing in all three slots.

• The distribution across slots shows why candidates preparing the CAT DILR syllabus 2026 should practise different set formats rather than focusing on only one type of DI or LR question.

CAT Syllabus: Year-wise Important Topics and Questions

The following tables summarise the major topics and the distribution of questions across CAT 2020–2024. This gives candidates a quick view of how the syllabus has been tested across different slots.

CAT VARC: Year-wise Slot-wise Topics

The RC topics above are condensed from the individual passage topics reported for each year. CAT 2021–2024 had 16 RC questions per slot, while CAT 2020 had 18 RC questions.

CAT DILR: Year-wise Slot-wise Topics

The 2024 set distribution is confirmed as three 4-question and two 5-question sets, while the 2021–2023 papers had four 5/4/6-question set combinations depending on the year.

CAT QA: Year-wise Slot-wise Topics

Arithmetic and Algebra remained the strongest QA areas across these years. For example, CAT 2024 had 9–8 Arithmetic questions and 6–7 Algebra questions across the three slots.

CAT Syllabus Overlap with XAT, SNAP & NMAT 2026

• Preparing for CAT cover 70% to 80% of the syllabus for XAT, SNAP and NMAT.

• All four exams test core Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability.

• CAT's core preparation in Arithmetic, Algebra, Number System and Geometry can help for XAT and SNAP, while NMAT also overlaps in Arithmetic, Algebra and Number Properties.

• CAT's 24-question VARC section, including 16 RC questions and 8 VA questions, provides a strong base for the English sections of XAT, SNAP and NMAT.

• CAT preparation in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is directly useful for all three exams, although the exact section structure and question mix differ.

Note: XAT requires the most syllabus-specific addition because of Decision Making and General Knowledge, which are not tested in CAT.