CAT 2026
Important Dates
About CAT 2026
CAT (Common Admission Test) is India's most prestigious MBA entrance exam, conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. CAT 2026 is being conducted by IIM Indore.
The exam is the gateway to all 21 IIMs and over 1,000 other top B-schools in India including FMS Delhi, IITs (for MBA), MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, and IMT Ghaziabad.
CAT tests Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The exam is computer-based with a duration of 2 hours.
For Bihar students aspiring for MBA, CAT is the most important exam. A good CAT score can open doors to the top B-schools in India, and Career Villa provides free counselling for CAT preparation and college selection.
Quick Facts
Eligibility Criteria
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD) |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| Minimum Percentage | 50% in graduation (45% for SC/ST/PwD) |
| Attempts | No limit on number of attempts |
| Category Relaxation | 5% relaxation for SC/ST/PwD in graduation |
Exam Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 72 |
| DILR | 20 | 60 |
| QA | 22 | 66 |
Syllabus
Cutoff Trends (Last 3 Years)
| Year | General | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 95 | 75 | 55 | 40 | 90 |
| 2023 | 95 | 75 | 55 | 40 | 90 |
| 2022 | 95 | 75 | 55 | 40 | 90 |
Top Colleges Accepting CAT
Preparation Tips for Bihar Students
Focus on Arithmetic in QA — it carries the highest weightage (40-50% of QA section)
Practice Reading Comprehension daily — VARC is the first section and sets the tone
Take 30-40 full-length mock tests to build stamina and identify weak areas
For Bihar students, Career Villa provides free CAT counselling and college prediction
Target 95+ percentile for IIM calls (general category) — 75+ for OBC, 55+ for SC
Work on speed — 40 minutes per section with 20-24 questions requires quick decision-making
Important Links
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