CAT 2026 Sections and Time Limit

CAT has three sections in a fixed order: VARC, DILR and QA. Each section has 40 minutes. You cannot transfer unused time from one section to another or choose to begin with Quantitative Aptitude. The computer moves you through the prescribed sequence.

The examination is computer-based and takes place on 29 November 2026 in three sessions. Your assigned session and centre appear on the CAT admit card. The session is an allotment, not a choice of three attempts.

Within the active section, work through its questions before that section ends. Completing VARC early does not give you extra DILR time. This matters when practising full papers: a single unrestricted two-hour timer does not reproduce CAT's sectional constraint.

How Many Questions and Marks Are There?

The current CAT 2026 bulletin and FAQ do not specify a final total question count or a fixed MCQ/non-MCQ split. The 2025 paper had 68 questions for 204 raw marks. Its section distribution is useful for past-paper practice, but is not a confirmed 2026 announcement.

A 66-question, 198-mark table does not describe the 2025 papers. Equally, labelling the 68-question structure as an officially confirmed 2026 pattern goes beyond the information released so far.

The CAT 2025 question papers contain 24 VARC questions and 22 each in DILR and QA. The official FAQ says the number of non-MCQ questions varies and is not disclosed. Do not build a current section table with guessed MCQ and typed-answer counts.

CAT Marking Scheme: MCQs and TITA

CAT awards 3 marks for every correct answer. An incorrect MCQ costs 1 mark. A wrong non-MCQ answer has no negative marking. Non-MCQs are commonly called TITA questions because you type the answer instead of selecting an option.

Raw score = 3 x all correct answers - incorrect MCQs. Wrong TITA answers and blanks do not reduce the score. The type of question, not whether it belongs to VARC, DILR or QA, determines the wrong-answer penalty.

For example, suppose a practice section has 10 correct MCQs, 3 wrong MCQs, 2 correct TITA answers and 1 wrong TITA answer. Its raw score is 3 x 12 - 3 = 33. The wrong TITA response contributes zero, not minus one. The example illustrates marking; it does not prescribe the number of questions in a section.

No-negative-marking does not mean every typed answer earns marks. A wrong typed response earns zero. For a detailed breakdown of raw and reported scores, see CAT score calculation.

Question Formats and Computer-Based Test Controls

MCQs provide answer choices. Non-MCQs require you to enter an answer in the supplied field. Follow the response format in the individual question: a numeric calculation and a paragraph-order sequence are different tasks.

CAT provides an on-screen calculator; you cannot bring your own calculator. A scribble pad and pen are supplied for rough work. Return the pad after the test and do not write calculations on the admit card.

The official mock link is scheduled for 12 November 2026. It is useful for learning the test screen and question formats. A mock interface is not a guarantee that the real paper will repeat its questions or topic distribution. The CAT mock-test page also distinguishes interface practice from scored preparation tests.

If the system develops a technical problem, inform the invigilator. The FAQ states that the timer is paused during an authorised system change. An emergency or medical bio-break is different: the time taken is not compensated, and re-frisking applies.

CAT Exam Duration for PwBD Candidates

PwBD candidates receive 20 extra minutes per hour, or 40 additional minutes for CAT's two-hour test. This applies with or without a scribe. The extra time is shared equally across the three sections.

For visually impaired candidates, the official FAQ describes a paper without charts, graphs or diagrams and an inbuilt magnification facility. This is an accessibility arrangement, not a change to the section names for all candidates.

A candidate who needs a scribe arranges one and carries the prescribed affidavit. The scribe's qualification must be one step below the candidate's; the scribe brings valid ID and a passport-size photograph and signs the educational-qualification declaration at the venue. The CAT reservation and PwBD guide covers certification separately.

Raw Marks, Scaled Score and Percentile

Raw marks come from the marking scheme. CAT uses normalization across sessions before reporting scaled scores and percentiles. A percentile describes relative performance; it is not the percentage of maximum marks obtained.

For the 2025 structure, 102 out of 204 raw marks is mathematically 50% of the maximum. It does not establish the 50th percentile. An exact percentile cannot be calculated from that fraction alone.

Sectional performance also matters in admission. IIM programmes can apply their own sectional and overall thresholds, followed by other selection conditions. A raw-score example is therefore not an interview or admission prediction. Historical comparisons on the CAT score-versus-percentile page need their year and data scope retained.

1. Section Order and Timers
2. 2025 Questions and Marks
3. Marking and a Worked Score

1. Test Screen and Rough Work
2. PwBD Time and Assistance
3. What Each Score Means