The CAT syllabus covers three areas: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA), each tested in its own 40 minute section of a two hour computer based test. The IIMs do not print a formal topic list, so the working syllabus comes from the pattern and the papers of recent years.
Below is the CAT exam paper pattern used in recent cycles, the marking scheme, what each section really tests, the topics that come up most, and a plan to cover them in six to eight months.
Exam at a glance
Conducted by
IIMs, with one IIM acting as convenor each yearMode
Computer based test, in three slots on one day in recent cyclesSections
VARC, DILR, QA, in fixed orderTime
120 minutes, 40 minutes per section (more for PwD candidates)Questions
68 in recent cycles (24 VARC, 22 DILR, 22 QA)Marking
+3 correct; minus 1 for a wrong MCQ; no penalty on TITA questionsEligibility
Bachelor's degree with 50% (45% for SC, ST and PwD); final year students may applyOfficial website
CAT exam paper pattern
| Section | Questions | Maximum marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 24 | 72 | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Ability | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 204 | 120 minutes |
You cannot move between sections. When the 40 minutes of VARC end, the test moves you to DILR, whether or not you have finished. That rule shapes how you practise: each section is a separate sprint.
CAT marking scheme
- Correct answer: +3 marks.
- Wrong answer in an MCQ: minus 1 mark.
- TITA questions (type in the answer, with no options): no negative marking, so always attempt them if you have a reasonable answer.
- Unattempted: 0.
Raw scores are then scaled across the slots, and your scaled score becomes an overall and sectional percentile. The IIMs and other B-schools shortlist on those percentiles, which is why the CAT cut off is always stated in percentiles rather than marks.
Syllabus of CAT exam: VARC
Two thirds of this section is reading comprehension; the rest is verbal ability.
- Reading comprehension: four passages of about 400 to 600 words on economics, philosophy, science, history, art and society, with four questions each. Questions ask for the main idea, inference, tone, the author's likely view, and which statement would weaken or strengthen the argument.
- Para summary: choose the option that best captures a short paragraph.
- Para jumbles: put four or five sentences in order, usually TITA.
- Odd sentence out: find the sentence that does not fit a jumbled paragraph.
Direct grammar and vocabulary questions have not appeared in the last several papers, but your reading speed depends on vocabulary, so read daily.
Syllabus of CAT: DILR
Recent papers have carried about four sets, mostly of five or six questions each. There is no fixed list of topics; sets are puzzles built on data. Types seen in recent papers:
- Data interpretation: tables, bar and line graphs, pie charts, and caselets with numbers hidden in text.
- Logical reasoning: arrangements (linear and circular), scheduling, tournaments and games, selections with conditions, Venn diagrams, routes and networks, and set-based puzzles.
- Hybrid sets that mix data with logic, such as ranking changes over rounds.
The real skill is choosing which two or three sets to solve fully. Spend the first three or four minutes reading every set before committing.
Syllabus of CAT exam for MBA: quantitative ability
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic (the largest share) | Percentages, ratio, mixtures and alligation, averages, discounts and marked price, interest on loans and deposits, gain and loss, work rates, speed and distance |
| Algebra | Linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, logarithms, progressions, surds and indices |
| Geometry and mensuration | Triangles, circles, polygons, coordinate geometry, areas and volumes |
| Number system | Divisibility, remainders, factors, HCF and LCM, base systems |
| Modern maths | Permutations and combinations, probability, set theory |
Arithmetic and algebra together usually make up well over half of QA. The level of school maths needed is roughly class 10, but the questions demand speed and clean thinking.
How to plan for the CAT syllabus over eight months
- Months 1 to 3, foundation: arithmetic and algebra first in QA; one reading comprehension passage a day; two DILR sets daily from the easier types.
- Months 4 to 5, depth: geometry, number system and modern maths; para jumbles and summaries; harder DILR types such as games and scheduling.
- Months 6 to 8, mocks: one full mock a week rising to two, and sectional tests in between. Spend as long analysing each mock as taking it.
Past slot papers are the best final practice; see CAT previous papers.
Books and reading for the syllabus
- Class 8 to 10 NCERT maths books to repair weak basics in arithmetic and geometry.
- One standard quantitative aptitude book and one logical reasoning practice book of your choice; finish them rather than collecting many.
- For VARC, long form reading: opinion pages of national newspapers, essays on philosophy, economics and science, and non-fiction books.
- The official mock test on the CAT website, which shows the real interface and the TITA answer box.
Weighing more than one MBA entrance? Set this list beside with the XAT syllabus and the CMAT syllabus.
CAT ka syllabus kya hai: Hindi summary
कैट परीक्षा दो घंटे की ऑनलाइन परीक्षा है, जिसमें तीन भाग होते हैं: वर्बल एबिलिटी और रीडिंग कॉम्प्रिहेंशन, डेटा इंटरप्रिटेशन और लॉजिकल रीजनिंग, तथा क्वांटिटेटिव एबिलिटी। हर भाग के लिए 40 मिनट मिलते हैं। सही उत्तर पर 3 अंक मिलते हैं और गलत बहुविकल्पी उत्तर पर 1 अंक कटता है। जिन प्रश्नों में उत्तर टाइप करना होता है, उनमें नकारात्मक अंकन नहीं होता। आईआईएम कोई औपचारिक सिलेबस नहीं देते, इसलिए पिछले प्रश्नपत्र ही सबसे अच्छा मार्गदर्शन हैं।
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official CAT syllabus?
No. The IIMs publish the sections, timing and marking scheme but not a topic list. The syllabus used by aspirants is drawn from past papers and stays fairly stable.
What is the question count in CAT?
The last few cycles had 68 questions: 24 in VARC, 22 in DILR and 22 in QA. The count has changed before, so confirm it in the latest bulletin.
Is there negative marking in TITA questions?
No. Only wrong MCQ answers lose 1 mark. TITA questions carry no penalty.
Can I switch between sections in CAT?
No. Each section has a fixed 40 minutes and the test moves you on when time is up. You cannot go back.
Which section of the syllabus is hardest?
For most aspirants, DILR, because sets are new each year and one wrong start can waste many minutes. Many test takers find it the hardest section to score steadily in.
Who can take CAT?
A graduate with at least 50% marks (45% for SC, ST and PwD), or a final year student. There is no age limit.