CAT 2026 Last 45 Days Study Plan: Subject-Wise Strategy for VARC, DILR and QA

With 45 days left for CAT 2026, the most effective move is to stop learning new topics and shift entirely to revision, targeted practice, and full-length mock tests across VARC, DILR, and QA.

CAT 2026 is expected in the last week of November 2026. The mid-October to exam-day window is the most decisive phase of any serious aspirant’s preparation. Concepts learned in this phase rarely convert into marks. What does convert is systematic revision, mock-driven error correction, and building the stamina and speed needed for a 120-minute high-pressure paper. The subject-wise plan below gives you a week-wise roadmap to make the most of every day.

• CAT 2026 is expected in the last week of November 2026, giving you roughly 45 days from mid-October.
• The exam has three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA, each 40 minutes long, totalling 120 minutes.
• Complete full-syllabus revision by Week 3 and switch to intensive full-length mocks from Week 4 onward.
• Target a minimum of 15 full-length mocks in 45 days, with 2–3 hours of post-mock analysis after each.
• TITA questions carry no negative marking — always attempt them when you have a reasonable approach.

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CAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview

Understanding the exam structure helps you allocate your 45 days correctly. The table below reflects the expected pattern based on CAT 2023–24 trends.

Sections are individually timed and you cannot switch between them during the exam. This makes within-section time management a skill that must be drilled in every mock you take.

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45-Day Weekly Roadmap

The plan runs across three phases: Revision (Weeks 1–3), Intensive Mocks (Weeks 4–5), and Final Sprint (Week 6 plus the last 3 days). Follow this week-wise breakdown to stay on track.

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VARC Strategy for Last 45 Days

VARC tests reading speed, comprehension depth, and language intuition — skills that cannot be crammed. In the last 45 days, prioritise RC accuracy and consistent daily reading over vocabulary drills or grammar rules.

Reading Comprehension (RC)

• RC accounts for roughly 16–18 of the 24 VARC questions — it is the highest-weight sub-section by far.
• Practise 3–4 RC passages daily from varied domains: science policy, philosophy, economics, and literary criticism.
• Time every RC set: aim to read and answer a 4-question passage in under 10–12 minutes.
• For inference and main idea questions, eliminate options that are too narrow or too broad relative to the passage’s central argument.

Verbal Ability (VA)

• Para-jumbles, para-summary, and odd-sentence-out are largely TITA in recent CAT papers — always attempt them since there is no negative marking.
• Practise 5–6 para-jumbles per day, focusing on logical connectors, transition words, and paragraph flow signals.
• For summary questions, the correct option nearly always paraphrases the central idea without adding or omitting key details from the passage.
• Read one long-form editorial or essay daily to build reading speed and inference skills naturally.

VARC Score Target

Based on previous-year trends, a scaled score of 75–85 in VARC typically corresponds to the 90th–95th percentile range in this section. Accuracy in RC is more valuable than attempting every VA question under pressure.

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DILR Strategy for Last 45 Days

DILR is the section that most separates top-percentile scorers in CAT. The difference between the 70th and 99th percentile here is almost entirely about set selection and time management — not raw aptitude.

Set Selection Skills

• Every day, scan 5–6 DILR sets for 2 minutes each before deciding which to attempt — this mirrors what you must do in the exam.
• Classify each set as Easy, Medium, or Hard based on the number of variables, constraints, and question types.
• In the exam, commit to Easy and Medium sets first. A hard set that takes 20 minutes for 4 marks is a worse trade than a medium set that takes 8 minutes for the same yield.

High-Priority DILR Topics

Important: CAT papers from 2019 onward have moved toward hybrid sets that blend DI and LR in the same problem. Practise exclusively from CAT past papers — coaching institute sets often do not reflect this hybrid format.

DILR Score Target

Based on previous-year trends, accurately solving 3–4 sets (12–16 questions) with 90%+ accuracy is generally enough to cross the 95th percentile in DILR. You do not need to attempt every set.

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QA Strategy for Last 45 Days

QA is the most formula-driven section of CAT. In the last 45 days, do not start new topics. Prioritise the high-yield areas listed below and build speed through daily timed practice.

Topic Priority Matrix

Daily QA Practice Routine

• Spend the first 20 minutes on formula revision — Geometry theorems, Arithmetic shortcuts, and Algebra identities.
• Solve 20–25 QA questions under timed conditions daily, targeting roughly 2 minutes per question.
• Track which topic each error comes from — most students repeatedly lose marks in the same 2–3 areas throughout preparation.
• Use TITA questions in QA strategically: rough estimation often narrows the answer down without requiring full working.

QA Score Target

Based on previous-year percentile data, a scaled score of 70–80 in QA is typically competitive for top-15 IIM calls. If QA is your strongest section, aim for 85+ to offset any underperformance in VARC or DILR.

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Mock Test Schedule and Analysis Tips

Taking mocks without analysing them is the most common and costly mistake in the final stretch of CAT preparation. For every 2 hours you spend taking a mock, spend at least 2–3 hours on analysis.

Recommended Mock Frequency

• Weeks 1–2: 1 full mock per week plus daily sectional tests
• Weeks 3–4: 2–3 full mocks per week
• Weeks 5–6: 3 full mocks per week
• Last 3 days: No full mocks — rest, light review, and exam-day logistics only

Post-Mock Analysis Framework

• Time audit: Were you spending too long on individual questions or sets? Identify over-invested attempts.
• Accuracy audit: Of all questions you attempted, what percentage were correct? Low accuracy means over-attempting.
• Skipped questions review: Go through every question you did not attempt — could you have solved it with more time?
• Error log: Record every wrong answer with its reason — concept gap, calculation error, or misread question.
• Percentile tracking: Track section-wise and overall percentiles across mocks to identify which sections are improving and which need attention.

Use official CAT mock tests from the IIM CAT official portal and supplement with mocks from reputed test platforms. Always simulate real exam conditions — no phone, no breaks, full 120 minutes, same time of day as your actual exam slot.

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