The CAT 2026 is scheduled to be held on 29th November 2026, the last Sunday of November, by IIM Indore. CAT total marks for 2026 is 204, and there are 68 questions that need to be answered in 120 minutes. Each section is allotted 40 minutes, and students have to complete it within the time limit.
According to the CAT exam pattern, there are three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
- CAT 2026 total marks for VARC are 72, and it has the highest number of questions, 24.
- The CAT 2026 total marks for DILR and QA are 66 each, and 22 questions in each section.
According to the CAT marking scheme, each correct answer fetches +3 marks, and an incorrect answer deducts 1 mark for MCQ, with no negative marking for TITA questions.
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Key Summary
- The CAT 2026 registration process will be available in the first week of August 2026 on the official portal.
- After the CAT registration closes around September, you can download the CAT 2026 admit card around the second week of November, based on previous years' trends.
- Based on past years' trends, Arithmetic and Algebra have contributed to 45- 50% of Quantitative Aptitude questions, while Reading Comprehension forms about 70% of the VARC section.
- For preparation, candidates should focus on concept clarity, regular practice, and mock tests and mock analysis to perform well in CAT 2026.
| Table of Contents |
CAT 2026 Total Marks: Key Highlights
The table below summarizes the important details for CAT 2026:
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Questions in CAT 2026 | 68 (MCQ and TITA) |
| CAT total marks | 204 |
| CAT marking scheme |
|
| Total Time | 120 minutes (40 minutes for each section) |
Check out Collegedunia’s CAT Mock Test Papers:
- Best CAT Mock Test Series 2026: Free PDF Download, Solutions and Performance Analysis
- CAT QA Mock Test: Free Mock Test Series, Topic, Sectional, Full CAT Mock Tests
- CAT VARC Mock Test: Free Mock Test Series, Topic, Sectional, Full CAT Mock Tests
- CAT DILR Mock Test: Free Mock Test Series, Topic, Sectional, Full CAT Mock Tests
Ques. What are the CAT total marks 2026?
Ans. The CAT total marks 2026 is 204, which comprises 68 questions that need to be answered in 120 minutes. The sectional time limit is 40 minutes per section.
CAT Total Marks 2026 and Sectional Time Limit
Just knowing the CAT total marks is not enough. You need to know the CAT sectional marks along with the exam pattern to excel in CAT 2026.
| Sections | CAT Sectional Marks | Marks | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 72 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| QA | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 204 | 120 minutes |
Source: iimcat.ac.in
Also Read:
CAT Total Marks Trend Analysis
The year 2020 witnessed a change in CAT exam pattern due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The question count was reduced to 76 and exam duration to 120 minutes.
| CAT Exam Year | Sections | Total Questions in CAT | Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | QA, DILR, VARC | 66 | 120 minutes |
| 2021 | QA, DILR, VARC | 66 | 120 minutes |
| 2020 | QA, DILR, VARC | 76 | 120 minutes |
| 2019 | QA, DILR, VARC | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2018 | QA, DILR, VARC | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2017 | QA, DILR, VARC | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2016 | QA, DILR, VARC | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2015 | QA, DILR, VARC | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2014 | QA & DI, LR & VARC | 100 | 170 minutes |
| 2013 | QA & DI, LR & VARC | 60 | 140 minutes |
| 2012 | QA & DI, LR & VARC | 60 | 140 minutes |
| 2011 | QA & DI, LR & VARC | 60 | 140 minutes |
| 2010 | QA, DILR, VARC | 60 | 150 minutes |
Related Articles:
- CAT QA Syllabus 2026: Topic-Wise List, Weightage and Important Chapters
- CAT DILR Syllabus 2026: Topic-Wise List, Set Types and Important Topics
- CAT Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2026, CAT VARC Syllabus Topic-wise Weightage
Ques. What is CAT marks per question?
Ans. In CAT exam, each question carries + 3 marks for a correct answer and - 1 for an incorrect answer for MCQs. In TITA, there is no negative marking.
CAT Total Marks 2026 Marking Scheme for MCQs
According to the CAT marking scheme, there is -1 for an incorrect answer in an MCQ. Check out the marking scheme tabulated below:
| CAT 2026 Marking Scheme | MCQ |
|---|---|
| Every Correct Answer Marks | +3 |
| Every Incorrect Answer Mark | -1 |
| Unattempted question | No negative marking |
Source:iimcat.ac.in
Related Article: CAT 2026 5 month Preparation Strategy
Ques. What is the expected number of TITA questions in CAT 2026?
Ans. In CAT 2026, you can expect a total of 17 to 20 questions in TITA out of 68 questions. You are advised to answer all the TITA questions as there is no negative marking.
CAT Total Marks 2026: Marking Scheme for TITA Questions
Based on CAT marking scheme 2026, there is no negative marking for an incorrect answer in TITA questions in CAT 2026:
| CAT 2026 Marking Scheme | TITA |
|---|---|
| Every Correct Answer Marks | +3 |
| Every Incorrect Answer Mark | No negative marking |
| Unattempted question | No negative marking |
Source: iimcat.ac.in
What are TITA Questions in CAT 2026?
TITA questions in CAT stand for Type in the Answer and not a MCQ. In these types of questions, you need to solve the problem and write the numerical option or text without choosing it from the options. Unlike MCQs, TITA questions in CAT 2026 do not have negative marking.
Related Article: CAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Sections, Marking Scheme, TITA & Normalisation
CAT Total Marks 2026: MCQ vs TITA Questions
Candidates should not leave any questions unanswered for TITA as it imposes no negative marking:
| CAT 2026 Marking Scheme | MCQ | TITA |
|---|---|---|
| Every Correct Answer Marks | +3 | +3 |
| Every Incorrect Answer Mark | -1 | No negative marking |
| Unattempted question | No negative marking | No negative marking |
Related Article: How to Crack CAT 2026 for FREE: Best Study Material, Mock Test and 99+ Percentile Strategy
Ques. How many questions do I need to answer to score 99 percentile in CAT 2026?
Ans. Based on past years' trends, candidates need to answer around 28 to 30+ questions in CAT to score 99 percentile.
CAT Total Marks 2026 Good Attempt
The following table shows the overall CAT total marks 2026 required to score an outstanding percentile for 2026, based on previous years' analysis:
| CAT Percentile 2026 | Total number of Correct Questions in CAT 2026 |
|---|---|
| 99.9 | 34- 40+ |
| 99.5 | 31- 35 |
| 99 | 28- 30 |
| 97 | 24- 30 |
| 95 | 20- 25 |
| 90 | 15- 19 |
| 85 | 13- 15 |
| 80 | 11- 13 |
Source: YouTube
Related Articles:
- CAT Cutoff 2026: Check Category-wise Cutoff for IIMs and Top MBA Colleges, Marks vs Percentile, Good Score
- CAT Score Vs Percentile: Check Section-Wise, Slot-Wise & Previous-Year Detailed Analysis
Ques. Can I switch between sections during the CAT exam?
Ans. No, CAT follows a fixed order where candidates progress through sections sequentially: VARC, DILR, and QA.
CAT Total Marks 2026 vs Section Wise Good Attempt
The section-wise good attempt for CAT total marks 2026 is tabulated below based on the difficulty level in previous years' trends:
| CAT Percentile 2026 | CAT 2026 Number of Correct Questions in Quant | CAT 2026 Number of Correct Questions in VARC | CAT 2026 Number of Correct Questions in LRDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9 | 12- 13 | 17- 18 | 13- 15 |
| 99.5 | 10- 11 | 15 | 11- 14 |
| 99 | 9- 10 | 13- 14 | 10- 13 |
| 97 | 7- 8 | 11- 12 | 9- 10 |
| 95 | 6- 7 | 10- 11 | 8- 9 |
| 90 | 5- 6 | 8- 9 | 6- 8 |
| 85 | 4- 5 | 7 | 5- 7 |
| 80 | 3- 4 | 6 | 4- 5 |
Source: Youtube
Related Articles:
- CAT 2026 Score Calculation, Marking Scheme, Percentile, and Raw vs Scaled Score Explained
- CAT College Predictor 2026: Predict your admission chances at IIMs and Top MBA Colleges
- CAT Percentile Predictor 2026: Check Your CAT Percentile Based on CAT Score, IIM & Non-IIM Call Predictor and Score Calculator
Ques. How can I effectively manage my time during the CAT exam?
Ans. Since each section has a fixed time limit, it's crucial to allocate time wisely. Regular practice and mock tests can help refine time management skills.
CAT Total Marks 2026: Reddit Discussion
According to a Reddit post, a user said that scoring 90 percentile in CAT is considered a safe score. Focus on scoring around 25 in each section and 35+ in the section that you think is your strongest section to be safe for CAT 2026.
Another user also suggested that the safe score changes with the difficulty level of the paper every year.
Source: Reddit
Related Article: IIM Admission Process 2026-28: Check Admission Process for IIM, MBA Eligibility Criteria for IIM, CAT Cut off
Ques. What is the significance of CAT percentiles in B-school admissions?
Ans. CAT percentiles reflect a candidate's performance relative to others and play a crucial role in shortlisting candidates for admission to top business schools.
Ques. Do unattempted questions have a penalty in CAT 2026?
Ans. As per the CAT marking scheme, unattempted questions have no negative marking.
Ques. Do TITA questions in CAT have negative marking?
Ans. No, TITA questions in CAT do not carry any negative marking, so you should attempt all.
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