The CAT exam is the dream of lakhs of aspirants who want to shape their careers in the top management roles because it is the main gateway for almost 1200+ B-schools in India, including all 22 IIMs. But today we are discussing some important pointers which are really important for CAT 2026 aspirants to understand.
We are now almost completing the month of July, and approximately 4 months are left for the CAT exam 2026. This year, it is expected that IIM Indore is going to conduct the exam paper on a rotational basis. Last time, IIM Indore conducted the CAT exam paper in 2020 with an overall difficulty level of moderate to difficult.
This blog covers the detailed analysis of the CAT 2020 paper conducted by IIM Indore and analyses a few pointers which are expected to be focused on in the CAT 2026 examination.
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CAT 2026: Will the CAT Exam Be Conducted By IIM Indore This Year?
This is the question doing the rounds in every CAT 2026 aspirant’s mind right now. The IIMs rotate conducting duties for the CAT Exam, and going by that rotation, IIM Indore is up next (expected). The institute last conducted the exam in 2020, which makes this year’s CAT exam its likely return after a gap of several cycles.
Why does this matter so much for CAT 2026 aspirants? Because every conducting IIM tends to leave a small fingerprint on the paper, the way reading comprehension passages are picked, how DILR sets are structured, and the balance between calculation-heavy and logic-heavy questions in QA. If IIM Indore is indeed at the wheel for CAT 2026, its 2020 paper is the closest reference point we have.
CAT 2026 Exam Important Dates
Here are the tentative dates of CAT 2026 exam.
| CAT 2026 Major Events | Specific Timeline (Tentative) |
| CAT 2026 Notification Announcement | July 2026 – Last Week |
| CAT Exam 2026 Application Start Date | August 2026 – First Week |
| CAT 2026 Registration Last Date | September 2026 – Last Week |
| CAT 2026 Correction Window | 2026 September – 3rd or 4th Week |
| Download CAT Exam 2026 Admit Card | November 2026 – First Week |
| Admission Test Score Announcement | December 2026 – 3rd or 4th Week |
| CAT 2026 Answer Key Objection Date | December 2026 |
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern (Expected)
Given below is the tentative CAT 2026 exam pattern.
| Particulars | CAT 2026 Exam Pattern (Expected) |
| Total Number of Questions Asked | 68 |
| Total Marks | 204 |
| Total Duration | 120 minutes |
| Total Sections | 3 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
| Sectional Timing | 40 minutes |
| Type of Questions | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) and TITA (Type In The Answer) |
| Marking Scheme | +3 for Correct Answer -1 for Wrong Answer |
CAT 2026 VARC: Detailed CAT Exam Analysis of CAT 2020 (IIM Indore) Paper
As per the last time when IIM Indore conducted the CAT exam, it is noted that the Reading Comprehension section covers 18 questions, with 8 questions bifurcated among the Verbal Ability (parajumbles) as 3 questions, Verbal Ability (summary) as 3 questions and Verbal Ability (Odd One Out) as 2 questions.
We are not expecting the same pattern for the CAT 2026 exam, but the difficulty level of CAT 2020 VARC can be concluded by the aspirants as per IIM Indore.
| Topic | No. of Questions | Attempts | Genres |
| Reading Comprehension | 18 (5+5+4+4) | 14-16 | International Relations Science & Technology Psychology History Biology Economics, etc. |
| Verbal Ability – Parajumbles | 3 | 3 | |
| Verbal Ability – Summary | 3 | 3 | |
| Verbal Ability – Parajumbles (Odd One Out) | 2 | 2 |
CAT 2026 DILR: Detailed CAT Exam Analysis of CAT 2020 (IIM Indore) Paper
This section covers the detailed CAT exam paper analysis of CAT 2020 of the DILR section, which was conducted by IIM Indore. Aspirants can conclude the same difficulty level in CAT 2026 too.
The CAT exam paper conducted by IIM Indore in 2020 covers various topics in the slot 1 of the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning sections, such as Driver and Rating (DI), Student and Exam (DI), Set on Patients (DI), Institute Vendors (LR) and Musicians (LR).
| CAT DILR (Slot 1) | Topic | No. of Questions | Ideal Attempts |
| Slot 1 | Driver and Rating (DI) | 4 | 4 |
| Slot 1 | Students and Exam (DI) | 6 | 3 |
| Slot 1 | Set on Patients (DI) | 4 | 3 |
| Slot 1 | Institute Vendors (LR) | 6 | 3 |
| Slot 1 | Musicians (LR) | 4 | 4 |
CAT 2026 QA: Detailed CAT Exam Analysis of CAT 2020 (IIM Indore) Paper
The Quant sections are widely categorized in the major sections in the CAT exam, such as Number System, Algebra, Arithmetic, Modern Math, Geometry and Mensuration. In the CAT 2020 paper, it is noticed that 5 questions came in Number System, 8 questions in Algebra, 10 questions in Arithmetic, 0 from Modern Maths and 3 questions from Geometry and Mensuration.
Out of all these metrics, it was 3-4 questions were doable in Number System, 5-6 questions in Algebra, 7-8 questions were doable in Arithmetic and 1-2 questions were from Geometry and Mensuration. It is expected that the arithmetic section will carry good weightage in the CAT 2026 exam too. So candidates can focus the high-weightage topics in their CAT exam preparation.
| Section | Topic | No. of Questions | Doable |
| Quantitative Ability | Number System | 5 | 3–4 |
| Quantitative Ability | Algebra | 8 | 5–6 |
| Quantitative Ability | Arithmetic | 10 | 7–8 |
| Quantitative Ability | Modern Math | 0 | – |
| Quantitative Ability | Geometry and Mensuration | 3 | 1–2 |
What to Expect in CAT 2026? Overall Paper Analysis (IIM I CAT 2020 Paper)
Well, if we are analyzing the CAT 2020 exam pattern, it is noticed that the VARC section covers 26 questions with a total of 22 MCQs and 4 non-MCQs, and it was of a moderate-to-difficult level set by IIM Indore in CAT 2020, whereas the DILR section consists of 24 questions with the distribution of 19 MCQs and 5 non-MCQ questions and is remarked as moderate to difficult.
Finally, the Quant section covers a total of 26 questions with the distribution of 18 MCQs and 8 non-MCQs and is remarked as moderate difficulty level.
We can’t expect the same CAT exam pattern in CAT 2026 but can conclude the equivalent difficulty level, so candidates can focus more on the DILR and VARC sections, followed by the Quant.
| Section | Total Questions | Total MCQs | Total Non-MCQs | Remarks |
| VARC | 26 | 22 | 4 | Moderate – Difficult |
| DILR | 24 | 19 | 5 | Moderate–Difficult |
| Quants | 26 | 18 | 8 | Moderate |
| Overall | 76 | 59 | 17 | Moderate to Difficult |
- CAT 2020 by IIM Indore
- 99%ile = 101 marks (44%)
CAT Exam 2026: Last Time IIM Indore Conduct CAT Paper (Section-Wise) Analysis
Here we break down the section-wise analysis of the CAT 2020 paper conducted by IIM Indore so that candidates can conclude the structured CAT 2026 preparation.
CAT Exam VARC Section
| Section | Total Questions | Total MCQs | Total Non-MCQs | Remarks |
| VARC | 26 | 22 | 4 | Moderate – Difficult |
CAT Exam DILR Section
| Section | Total Questions | Total MCQs | Total Non-MCQs | Remarks |
| DILR | 24 | 19 | 5 | Moderate – Difficult |
CAT Exam QA Section
| Section | Total Questions | Total MCQs | Total Non-MCQs | Remarks |
| QA | 26 | 18 | 8 | Moderate |
Will CAT 2026 Exam Paper Difficulty Level Same As CAT 2020?
No one will give you the exact analysis of this question. The difficulty level of the CAT exam paper depends on various parameters such as the number of candidates registered for the exam, slots, which IIM will conduct the exam in, variation in questions and more. Candidates can expect the equivalence in the CAT 2026 paper.
So we can’t exactly predict the difficulty level of the exam paper, but we can expect the equivalence from the past year’s trend of the same IIM when conducting the CAT exam paper.Â
Last time IIM Indore conducted the CAT 2020 exam, and it was concluded that the VARC and DILR sections were both emphasised as moderate to difficult, whereas the Quant section was at a moderate level.Â
In between CAT 2020 and CAT 2025, the exam pattern also changed, which gives the clear sign of the unpredictability of the CAT exam.
How CAT Exam Mocks Helpful in CAT 2026 Preparation?
CAT mock tests is a real asset for the exam preparation because they help you to simulate the pattern, difficulty level of questions and how you will be able to complete the whole paper on time. Among candidates, iQuanta’s iCAT mock test series is widely considered the best CAT mock test due to various features such as:Â
Error Tracker: To Analyze Overall Mistakes
Goal Tracker (Track Your Targeted CAT Percentile)
Detailed Video Solutions With CAT Mocks
Analysis Across All CAT Mock Tests
B-School Predictor
Resume CAT Mocks & User Friendly UI
35 Full length & 45 Sectional CAT Mock Tests
Conclusion: What to Expect in CAT 2026?
While there is no way to say for certain how the CAT 2026 paper will actually play out once exam day arrives, the fact that IIM Indore is expected to conduct it this year based on how the rotation has worked in the past means their 2020 paper becomes a genuinely useful thing to study closely rather than something to just skim through once and forget, especially since that paper had a VARC section that pulled reading comprehension passages from a surprisingly wide range of subjects including psychology and biology and international relations, a DILR section where success depended far more on quickly recognizing which sets were actually solvable within a reasonable time rather than which ones simply looked easy on the surface, and a QA section that ended up favoring Arithmetic and Algebra so heavily that Geometry barely made an appearance and Modern Math did not show up at all that particular year.
Given that there are only about four months left before CAT 2026 actually happens, it makes far more sense to stop spreading preparation thin across every single topic equally and instead direct the bulk of study hours toward the areas the CAT exam has consistently leant on in past years, while also making a habit of reading broadly rather than sticking only to business and economics content since reading comprehension passages in this exam have a habit of showing up from almost anywhere, and ultimately, taking full-length mock tests seriously on a consistent basis and then sitting down afterward to genuinely understand where time or marks were lost is still the single habit most likely to separate someone who enters CAT 2026 with a real strategy from someone who is simply hoping for the best.
