How to prepare for CAT
Learn the exam first, cover the three sections, practise each one under time, and then take full mocks and study every one of them. How long that takes depends on where you start. Pick the plan below that matches the time you have or your situation. CAT 2026 is on 29 November 2026, and results are expected in the first week of January 2027.
Pick your plan
- CAT preparation in 1 month
A damage-limitation plan. Mocks, analysis and your strongest section.
- CAT preparation in 2 months
Basics in all three sections, then a set of mocks.
- CAT preparation in 3 months
Base, sectional practice, then a month of mocks.
- CAT preparation in 6 months
Room to learn properly and take many mocks. Suits the next CAT.
- CAT preparation for working professionals
10 to 15 hours a week with a fixed routine and a weekend mock.
- CAT preparation for beginners
Learn the exam, then build reading, maths and logic habits.
- CAT preparation without coaching
Self-study with your own structure and a mock every week.
With three weeks to CAT 2026, only the 1-month plan fits this attempt. The longer plans are for CAT 2027, whose dates are not announced yet.
What every plan has in common
The exam
CAT has three sections in a fixed order: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, then Quantitative Ability. Each section is exactly 40 minutes, and you cannot move between sections. MCQs score +3 for a right answer and -1 for a wrong one. Typed-in (TITA) answers score +3 and have no negative marking. The IIMs do not publish a syllabus.
Mock, then analysis
A mock shows you what to fix, and the analysis fixes it. Log each mistake as a concept gap, a calculation slip, a poor choice of question or a time problem, then redo the question. A mock without analysis changes little.
Section-wise practice
Each section is scored separately, so practise each one in a timed 40-minute block. In DILR and QA, choosing what to attempt matters as much as solving.
Previous papers
Use previous papers for section-wise practice. They show the type and level of questions the exam has used.
Take free CAT mock 1 (full length)
Sources
Last checked 8 Nov 2026. Found an error? Tell us and it goes on the errata page.