FAQ's
CAT TEST SERIES 2026
VARC: 24 questions to be solved over 40 minutes
DILR: 22 questions to be solved over 40 minutes
QA: 22 questions to be solved over 40 minutes
Overall, there will be 66-68 questions to be solved in 120 minutes. The sections are presented in the order mentioned and a candidate can go from one section to the next only after finishing the previous one. There are two types of questions that are found at the CAT: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) that have four options, out of which one is the right answer, and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions that have no options and require numerical input from the candidate. For each correct answer, the candidate gets 3 marks, and for each incorrect answer to an MCQ, the candidate gets a penalty of 1 mark. For the TITA questions, incorrect answers do not invite any penalty. There is an online calculator to help candidates with basic calculations in the DILR and QA sections.
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Top B-Schools
Top International colleges accepting CAT scores
EDHEC Business School
Asian Institute of Management- Washington Sycip Graduate School of Business
ESCP Business School
ESSEC Business School
EMLYON Business School
SKEMA Business School
Yes! In addition to the CAT, the other tests that can be taken are:
- XAT: This test is conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur and happens typically on the first/second Sunday of January every year. The test consists of Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision-making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation. There is also an Essay and a General Knowledge section that needs to be completed. The test is considered by institutes including XLRI, XIMB, GIM, KJ Somaiya, Great Lakes Institute of Management, IMI, IMT, Praxis Business School, and SPJIMR.
- NMAT: The test is conducted by NMIMS and is conducted over a window of 75 days typically between October and December. The test consists of Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning and is an adaptive test with a maximum possible score of 360. The colleges that accept the NMAT include NMIMS, XIMB, SDA Bocconi, KJ Somaiya, TAPMI, and IBS, among others.
- SNAP: The test is conducted for admission to the post-graduation programs offered by the Symbiosis University institutes and typically happens thrice around the months of December-January. The test consists of three sections, namely: General English, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency, and there are 60 questions to be solved in 60 minutes with a maximum possible score of 60 marks. The colleges that accept the SNAP score include SIBM, SCMHRD, SIIB, SIOM, SSBF, SIMS, and SSSS, among others.
- MICAT: MICA conducts its own test for admissions to its PGDM (C) program. The sections at the MICAT include VA (Verbal Ability), General Awareness, QA and DI (Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation), Psychometric Test, Descriptive Test and DCR (Divergent and Convergent thinking), and the test typically happens twice in the months of December and February
- PGDBA: The Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA) exam is jointly conducted by IIM Calcutta, IIT Kharagpur, and ISI Kolkata in India. The exam usually takes place in the months of February and March and consists of multiple-choice questions on Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (20 questions), Data Interpretation and Data Visualization (5 questions), and Quantitative Aptitude (25 questions). The overall score is out of 150 marks.
- MAH MBA/MMS CET: The Maharashtra MBA Common Entrance Test (CET) is a state-level entrance test conducted by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Government of Maharashtra, for admission to various MBA and MMS programs in institutes across the state of Maharashtra. The test is usually held in the month of March. The test consists of multiple-choice questions on various topics, including logical reasoning, abstract reasoning, quantitative aptitude, and verbal ability. The test duration is 150 minutes, and the total number of questions is 200. The test is conducted online, and candidates who qualify are eligible for admission to MBA/MMS courses in various colleges and universities across Maharashtra.
- CMAT: CMAT stands for Common Management Admission Test. It is a national-level entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to MBA/PGDM programs in various management institutes across India. The test is conducted in January every year, and the application process usually starts in November. The test consists of multiple-choice questions on various topics, including quantitative techniques and data interpretation, logical reasoning, language comprehension, and general awareness. The test duration is three hours and there are 100 questions in total. The test is conducted online, and candidates who qualify are eligible for admission to MBA/PGDM programs in various colleges and universities across India, including JBIMS, Mumbai, KJ Somaiya, Welingkar, Great Lakes Institute of Management, IMT, GIM and NL Dalmia.