In short
CAT tests three sections: VARC, DILR and Quant. The IIMs do not publish an official syllabus, so these topics are drawn from recent CAT papers. Quant stays at school level, VARC is mostly reading comprehension, and there is no general knowledge.
In short: CAT tests three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The IIMs do not publish an official syllabus, so the topics below are drawn from recent CAT papers. Quant stays at school level, VARC is mostly reading comprehension, and there is no general knowledge.
Taking CAT 2026? Start with our CAT 2026 admit card guide: how to download it and what to check on it.
What is the CAT exam pattern?
CAT is a computer-based test of 120 minutes, with 40 minutes for each section. You cannot move between sections. A correct answer earns +3 and a wrong multiple-choice answer costs −1; typed-answer (TITA) questions carry no negative marking.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 min |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 40 min |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 40 min |
| Total | 68 | 120 min |
Is there an official CAT syllabus?
No. The IIMs describe the three sections but do not publish a topic list, and the topics can shift a little from year to year. Every CAT syllabus you see online, including this one, is built from past papers. Use it as a map of what has been asked, not as a promise of what will be asked.
What is in the CAT VARC syllabus?
VARC has 24 questions. Most of them are reading comprehension, so reading speed and accuracy matter far more than grammar rules.
- Reading comprehension: several passages on topics such as philosophy, economics, science, psychology, history and culture, each followed by questions on the main idea, inference, tone and specific detail.
- Para jumbles: put a group of jumbled sentences in a logical order (typed answer).
- Para summary: pick the option that best captures a short paragraph.
- Odd sentence out: find the sentence that does not belong in a group (typed answer).
- Sentence placement or completion: place a sentence where it fits in a paragraph.
Grammar, vocabulary and fill-in-the-blanks are not asked as separate question types in recent papers. They help indirectly, through reading.
What is in the CAT DILR syllabus?
DILR has 22 questions, asked in sets, with several questions on one shared caselet. You do not need formulas here; you need to organise information quickly and choose which sets to attempt.
- Data interpretation: tables, bar and line graphs, pie charts and mixed charts, often with missing data you have to work out.
- Arrangements: linear and circular seating, and grids with several conditions.
- Games and tournaments: league tables, knockouts and scoring rules.
- Scheduling and routes: timetables, networks and paths.
- Distribution and selection: who gets what, under a set of constraints.
- Venn diagrams and set theory: overlapping groups.
- Quant-based reasoning sets: puzzles that need averages, percentages or basic counting.
What is in the CAT Quant syllabus?
QA has 22 questions. The maths stays at Class 8–10 level; what makes it hard is the speed and the way concepts are combined.
| Topic group | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Percentages, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, ratio and proportion, mixtures and alligations, averages, time and work, time, speed and distance |
| Algebra | Linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions and graphs, logarithms, progressions (AP, GP) |
| Geometry and mensuration | Triangles, circles, polygons, coordinate geometry basics, areas and volumes |
| Number system | Divisibility, factors, remainders, HCF and LCM, base systems |
| Modern maths | Permutations and combinations, probability, set theory |
What is not in the CAT syllabus?
- General knowledge and current affairs: not in CAT. (XAT has a GK section; see the XAT exam guide.)
- Calculus, matrices and higher trigonometry: not asked. Basic trigonometric ratios can appear inside a geometry question.
- Separate grammar or vocabulary questions: not asked in recent papers.
- Essay writing: not part of CAT. Some IIMs hold a written ability test after the CAT shortlist.
Which CAT topics should you start with?
Start with the topics that come up every year and also build the skills other topics depend on. This is the order our faculty use with new students:
| Section | Start here | Then |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | Daily reading and reading comprehension | Para summary, para jumbles, odd sentence out |
| DILR | Tables and charts; arrangement sets | Games and tournaments, scheduling, distribution |
| QA | Arithmetic and algebra | Number system, geometry, then modern maths |
Plan the syllabus around full mocks rather than finishing topics in isolation, and review each mock against your target colleges. At Route99 that review is the monthly one-to-one MAPs session (My Assessment and Planning). See the CAT coaching programme or live online CAT coaching.
Frequently asked questions
No. The IIMs describe the three CAT sections, VARC, DILR and QA, but do not publish a topic list. Every CAT syllabus online is built from past papers, so treat it as a map of what has been asked rather than a fixed list.
The three sections and the types of questions have stayed the same in recent years. The number of questions per section can change slightly from one year to the next, so check the CAT exam guide for the latest pattern before the test.
No. CAT has no general knowledge or current affairs section, so you do not need to follow the news for the exam itself. Reading widely still helps, because reading comprehension passages come from subjects such as economics, science, history and philosophy, and familiarity makes them faster to read.
Calculus is not asked in CAT, and neither are matrices. Trigonometry beyond basic ratios is rare; when it appears, it is usually inside a geometry question about heights, distances or triangles. Spend your Quant time on arithmetic, algebra and geometry instead, which appear in every paper.
Mostly, yes. CAT Quant uses Class 8 to 10 concepts such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry and number system, plus some permutations, combinations and probability. The difficulty comes from speed and from combining concepts, not from advanced maths.
Not in recent papers. VARC is mainly reading comprehension, with para jumbles, para summary, odd sentence out and sentence placement questions. Grammar and vocabulary help you read accurately and eliminate options, but they are not tested as separate questions, so daily reading matters more than grammar drills.
Most students cover the full syllabus in about six to eight months of steady study alongside college or work, then spend the last months on mocks and analysis. Starting with arithmetic, algebra and daily reading builds the base for everything else.
The IIMs do not publish an official syllabus PDF, so any PDF you find is a coaching or publisher compilation. You can print this page as your topic checklist instead. The topics are grouped the way CAT asks them, section by section, with a suggested order to start in.
Sources
- CAT official website (IIMs), FAQs and exam pattern, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Topics compiled by Route99 faculty from recent CAT papers.
Reviewed by Gaurav Sir (Quant and DILR) and Sachin Sir (VARC), Route99 faculty.