
To crack the CAT 2026 exam, you will need solid 3- 6 hours of daily study, splitting the daily time across 3 sections.
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Key Summary
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Here is the daily schedule and weekly plan to crack the CAT 2026 exam.
| Section | Days / Timeframe | Subject / Activity | Details / Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Schedule | Monday (M) | Quant + DILR | Daily practice plan |
| Tuesday (T) | Quant + DILR | Daily practice plan | |
| Wednesday (W) | Quant + VA | Daily practice plan | |
| Thursday (Th) | Quant + DILR | Daily practice plan | |
| Friday (F) | Quant + VA | Daily practice plan | |
| Weekend Strategy | Saturday (S) | Revision + Mock | Mock test & review |
| Sunday | Mock / Analysis | Mock test analysis | |
| Saturday - Sunday | SNAP + NMAT | Exam-specific preparation | |
| Weekly Plan (120 Days) | Week 1 (W1) | Quant | Arith 1 |
| Week 2 (W2) | Quant | Arith 2 | |
| Week 3 (W3) | Quant | Algebra 1 | |
| Week 4 (W4) | Quant | Algebra 2 | |
| Week 5 (W5) | Quant | Geometry | |
| Week 6 (W6) | Quant | Numbers | |
| Week 7 (W7) | Quant | Special Topics | |
| Week 8 (W8) | Quant / DILR | Modern Math -> Revision (60+60 Days) / DILR Sets |
Source: YouTube
VARC will have 24 questions and total 74 marks. Scoring 40-44 will give you 99+ percentile here.
| Category | Duration / Frequency | Task / Subject |
|---|---|---|
| How to get 99%ile | 12 Days | WPME [NL] (M1) |
| 18 Days | Reading (Anytime) | |
| 15 Days | Editorial (M2) | |
| 15 Days | Aeon, Smithsonian, Guardian, Economist, NY Times, The Atlantic | |
| Daily Practice | Daily | 20 words a day |
| Daily | 45 Mins of Reading | |
| Daily (x 200 Days) | 1 RC Every Day | |
| Alternate Days | Jumble, summary and para completion. | |
| After 30 Days | Mocks / Sectionals |

Source: YouTube
DILR will have 20 questions and total 60 marks. Scoring 27-34 will give you 99+ percentile here.
| Phase / Focus Area | Recommended DILR Topics & Sets | Frequency / Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Days | Data Interpretation: Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Charts, Pie Charts Logical Reasoning: Arrangements (Linear/Circular), Matrix Puzzles | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday |
| Advanced Topics | Games & Tournaments, Venn Diagrams (3-4 Variables), Cubes, Routes & Networks, Binary Logic, Maxima & Minima | Integrated into practice sets |
| Weekend Strategy | Complete DILR Sets, Mock Tests, and Detailed Analysis | Saturday & Sunday |
| Week 8 Onwards | Mixed High-Level DILR Sets (CAT Level) & Sectional Tests | Daily practice (60+60 Days Plan) |

Source: YouTube
QA will have 22 questions and total 66 marks. Scoring 27-30 will give you 99+ percentile here.
| Week / Phase | Main Area | Key Topics Covered | Schedule / Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (W1) | Arithmetic 1 | Percentages, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Averages | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 2 (W2) | Arithmetic 2 | Time, Speed & Distance (TSD), Work & Time, Mixtures & Alligations, Simple/Compound Interest | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 3 (W3) | Algebra 1 | Linear & Quadratic Equations, Polynomials, Inequalities, Modulus | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 4 (W4) | Algebra 2 | Functions & Graphs, Logarithms, Sequence & Series (AP/GP) | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 5 (W5) | Geometry | Triangles, Circles, Polygons, Mensuration 2D/3D, Coordinate Geometry | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 6 (W6) | Number Systems | Divisibility Rules, Remainder Theorems, Factors, LCM & HCF, Base Systems | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 7 (W7) | Special Topics | Trigonometry, Heights & Distances, Miscellaneous Quant Problem Types | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 8 (W8) | Modern Math | Permutation & Combination (P&C), Probability, Set Theory | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri |
| Week 8 Onwards | Revision Phase | Mixed Quant Practice, Sectional Tests, Mock Analysis (60+60 Days Strategy) | Saturdays & Sundays (plus daily practice) |

Source: YouTube
Ques. Can I crack CAT 2026 in 30 days?
Ans. Yes, you can do so. You will need to have a strong foundation before starting to crack CAT 2026 in 30 days. But aiming for 99+ percentile in one go isn't real. If you want to crack it in 30 days, you will have to spend 8-9 hours daily, dividing the time across all 3 sections. Choose chapters that are high-weightage and at your comfort level. Start with sectional mocks and then give full mocks and check your accuracy as well.
Ques. How do I start my VARC study journey for CAT 2026?
Ans. Keep 1-1.5 hours for VARC, with only 45 mins for reading comprehension and solving verbal ability. Learn 20 new words daily with synonyms and antonyms. Mocks / Sectionals are important. Keeping 45 Mins of Reading is important for RC, and practise jumble, summary, and para completion. 1 RC Every Day and mock every day will help you boost marks in VARC.
Ques. How do I start my DILR and QA study journey for CAT 2026?
Ans. Give 2-3 hours to DILR, solving 2-3 data interpretation and logical reasoning arrangements. For Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, start with Tables, Bar Graphs, matrices, and puzzles, followed by mocks. For Saturday & Sunday, complete DILR Sets, Mock Tests, Detailed Analysis, and Daily practice mocks.
Keep 2 hours for QA and make sure to clear your basic concepts first and practise mocks for scoring well in QA. Start with Percentages, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, TSC, SI & CI, Polynomials, Inequalities, Modulus. Complete Mixed Quant Practice, Sectional Tests, Mock Analysis, and time management.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.