CAT Preparation - McGraw Hill Edge
Sale Ends Today
Get 15% OFF on all Coursewares
Offer Expires In
04:50:19

Elevate Your CAT Preparation with a Proven Edge

Rigorous CAT preparation resources, built by leading domain experts in quantitative aptitude, verbal ability, and logical reasoning.

India's best-selling coursewares with interactive eBooks
Conceptual video lessons by top authors
Live interactive sessions with authors
Previous year questions with detailed solutions
Full-length practice and mock tests
Arun Sharma - McGraw Hill Edge

Know About CAT

CAT Examination Overview

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based test conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to their MBA programs and other top business schools in India.

Examination Structure:

  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): 24 questions in 40 minutes
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): 20 questions in 40 minutes
  • Quantitative Ability (QA): 22 questions in 40 minutes

CAT is conducted in three sessions on a single day, with a total duration of 2 hours. The exam tests analytical and logical reasoning rather than subject knowledge, making it accessible to students from all academic backgrounds.

Key Details:

  • Computer-based test with no breaks between sections
  • Negative marking: -1 for wrong MCQs, no negative marking for TITA questions
  • Gateway to 20 IIMs and 1000+ other top B-schools
  • Percentile-based scoring system

CAT Syllabus & Pattern

Examination Pattern:

  • Total Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Number of Sections: 3 sections with separate time limits
  • Total Questions: 66 questions
  • Question Types: MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) and TITA (Type In The Answer)
  • Marking Scheme: +3 marks for correct answer, -1 for wrong MCQ, 0 for TITA
  • Total Marks: 198 marks

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC):

  • Reading Comprehension: Passages from various domains with 3-4 questions each
  • Verbal Ability: Para jumbles, Para completion, Odd sentence out, Summary questions
  • Key Skills: Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, logical reasoning

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR):

  • Data Interpretation: Tables, Bar graphs, Line charts, Pie charts, Caselets
  • Logical Reasoning: Arrangements, Blood relations, Directions, Syllogisms, Puzzles
  • Key Skills: Analytical thinking, pattern recognition, logical deduction

Quantitative Ability (QA):

  • Arithmetic: Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Speed & Distance
  • Algebra: Linear equations, Quadratic equations, Functions, Logarithms
  • Geometry: Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, Mensuration
  • Number System: HCF, LCM, Remainders, Factors, Prime numbers

Eligibility Criteria & Cut-offs

Educational Qualification:

Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) from a recognized university.

Age Limit:

No age limit for appearing in CAT examination.

Attempt Limits:

No restriction on the number of attempts for CAT.

CAT Cut-offs (IIM Calls):

  • IIM Ahmedabad: 80+ percentile (General), 70+ (OBC), 60+ (SC/ST)
  • IIM Bangalore: 85+ percentile (General), 75+ (OBC), 70+ (SC/ST)
  • IIM Calcutta: 85+ percentile (General), 75+ (OBC), 65+ (SC/ST)
  • Other IIMs: 90-95+ percentile for top IIMs, 80+ for newer IIMs

Sectional Cut-offs:

Most IIMs have sectional cut-offs ranging from 70-80 percentile for each section (VARC, DILR, QA).

Latest CAT Updates

January 2026
CAT 2025 Results Declared
IIM Kozhikode has officially declared CAT 2025 results. Candidates can now download scorecards and check sectional and overall percentiles on the official website. Know more →
January–February 2026
IIM Shortlisting & PI-WAT Process Begins (2026–28)
IIMs begin shortlisting candidates based on CAT 2025 scores for the 2026–28 MBA/PGP batch. PI-WAT rounds are scheduled from January to April 2026. Know more →
July 2026 (Expected)
CAT 2026 Notification Expected
CAT 2026 official notification is expected in July 2026, announcing exam date, eligibility, application schedule, and test pattern. Know more →
December 16, 2025
CAT 2025 Result Expected Soon
IIM Kozhikode is expected to announce the CAT 2025 results imminently — likely by late December 2025 or early January 2026. Know more →
December 10, 2025
CAT 2025 Answer Key Objection Window Closed
The answer key challenge window for CAT 2025 closed, after which final evaluation begins. Know more →
December 4, 2025
Provisional CAT 2025 Answer Key Released
The provisional answer key for CAT 2025 was published allowing candidates to calculate expected scores. Know more →
December 1, 2025
CAT 2025 Exam Analysis & Difficulty
Session-wise analysis including difficulty level, memory-based questions, and expected cut-offs released post-exam. Know more →
November 30, 2025
CAT 2025 Exam Conducted
CAT 2025 was conducted successfully in three sessions across multiple test centres in India. Know more →
November 12, 2025
CAT 2025 Admit Card Released
CAT 2025 admit cards were released on the official website with exam centre, slot, and reporting instructions. Know more →
August 1, 2025
CAT 2025 Registration Opens
CAT 2025 registrations opened with the last date in mid-September 2025. Exam scheduled for November 30, 2025. Know more →
July 2025
CAT 2025 Notification Released
Official CAT 2025 notification released detailing exam pattern, eligibility, fee structure, and important dates. Know more →
December 2024
CAT 2024 Results Declared
IIM Calcutta declared CAT 2024 results. Candidates accessed scorecards and percentiles online. Know more →
December 2024
IIM Admission Process 2025–27 Begins
All IIMs initiated admissions for the 2025–27 batch, including shortlisting and PI-WAT rounds. Know more →

Our CAT Products

Coursewares

Comprehensive digital courses by Arun Sharma and other bestselling authors covering all CAT sections

Free Courses

Tailored essentials package with Full-length Mock Tests, Practice Tests and Previous year papers' for free

Mock Test Series

Full-length CAT mock tests with detailed analysis and performance tracking

Previous Year Papers

Solved CAT previous year papers with detailed explanations and strategies

CAT Courses

CAT Exam Essentials
CAT Exam Essentials
FREE
Enroll Now
Courseware on Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
₹749
Enroll Now
Courseware on Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
Courseware on Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
₹699
Enroll Now
Courseware on Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma
Courseware on Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma
₹599
Enroll Now
Courseware on Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma
Courseware on Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma
₹599
Enroll Now
CAT Mock Test Series 2025
CAT Mock Test Series 2026
₹999
Enroll Now
CAT Previous Years' Papers
CAT Previous Years' Papers
₹299
Enroll Now

Latest CAT Blogs & Insights

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Tips

Analyzing latest CAT Exam Trends and Predictions for CAT 2025!

Prepare for CAT 2025 with insights on evolving exam patterns and how to tackle complex RCs, DILR sets, and application-driven QA questions with strategic focus and efficiency!

Read More →
CAT VARC Preparation

Walk Through CAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria & Key Dates

Gear up for CAT 2025 with essential eligibility criteria, key dates, and reservation details. Secure your spot and excel in your journey to top MBA programs. Stay informed and ahead!

Read More →
CAT Mock Test Strategy

Unwrap CAT Exam with Arun Sharma!

Hear from CAT Exam's seasoned expert "Arun Sharma!" unveil tips to crack VARC, DILR & QA with strategic focus and debunk common misconceptions about CAT.

Read More →

Frequently Asked Questions

McGraw Hill Edge Courseware is an end-to-end learning solution designed to make learning holistic and adaptive to changing examination trends. They are completely digital and device-friendly, inclusive of videos as well as a variety of visual learning elements. It goes beyond traditional exam preparation, breaking the mould to give our learners a better chance at success. It seamlessly blends the traditional strengths of static resources like books with cutting-edge digital learning solutions, including, but not limited to:

  • Conceptual Videos
  • eBook Access
  • Study Aids like Flashcards and Infographics
  • Knowledge Enrichment Content
  • Previous Years' Questions with explanations
  • Mock Tests
  • Performance Analytics
  • Live Interactive Sessions with Authors

Yes, all coursewares include highly interactive 4-color e-Books, designed to enhance your learning experience. These eBooks offer highly interactive features like highlighting, note-making, and bookmarking, while allowing you to personalize the content display. You can adjust font size, line spacing, and much more—all customizable through the settings for a tailored learning experience.

The CAT Essentials course is designed to give you a premium, high-quality preview of our learning ecosystem. Complete with curated content, powerful assessment tools, and essential resources, all at no cost, it is designed to help you experience the quality of our offerings firsthand.

Yes, we conduct multiple live interactive sessions with a variety of leading CAT authors, on our platform. Once you have registered for the event, you can attend it from the comfort of your home and access recordings later, in case you miss it or wish to revise the discussion.

Yes! As the exam approaches, we often hold strategy guidance sessions directly with the authors for CAT aspirants. These are focused on last-minute exam strategy development, especially for the final 30–40 days to help students refine their preparation and boost their exam readiness.