CAT 2026 Section-Wise Preparation Plan: Quant, VARC and DILR Weekly Roadmap with the November 15 Lock-In

 

CATKing is a Mumbai-based MBA entrance exam coaching company founded by Sumit Singh, offering preparation for CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP, CET, GMAT, and GRE through online and offline classes. CAT 2026 is on November 29, 2026, about 37 days from today. A five-week plan still fits in the time you have left. This guide gives you CATKing's section-wise roadmap: the Quant weekly plan, the VARC daily routine, the DILR split between traditional and newer-style sets, and the key dates that frame your last weeks.

What Is the Section-Wise Preparation Plan for CAT 2026?

The plan runs over five weeks, with fixed daily targets for each section. The table gives the full picture at a glance.

 

Note: This is CATKing's section-wise framework for the final weeks. See also our CAT 2026 last 45 days strategy, CAT 2026 40-question strategy and DILR score vs percentile guide.

What Is the 5-Week Roadmap for CAT 2026?

 

Daily VARC practice of 2 RCs and Verbal Ability runs through all five weeks until November 29.

How Should You Prepare Quant for CAT 2026?

Why does the 16 out of 22 rule matter?

Arithmetic and Algebra together account for 16 of the 22 questions in CAT Quant. That makes them your first priority. Solve 15 to 20 questions every day so that you build a bank of about 100 unique questions.

Week 1: Arithmetic

• Topics: Time, Speed and Distance, Time and Work, and Mixtures and Alligations.

• Target: 15 to 20 questions a day, 100 unique questions in all.

• Start date: start on a Monday morning or a Sunday night, whenever suits you, but do not wait for next Monday.

Week 2: Algebra

Pick up Algebra after Arithmetic. Together the two topics give you 16 of the 22 Quant questions.

Week 3: Admit card week

Your admit card arrives on November 4. The hours of your slot are your most important time, since this is when your mind should be at its sharpest. Train your routine around those hours.

Week 4: Geometry, Number Systems and Modern Maths

• One week only: finish all three topics in a single week, since you are revising.

• Geometry: revise the variants of Triangles and Circles.

• Number Systems: HCF and LCM rarely come. Cover the Remainder theorem, Fermat's theorem and Euler's theorem.

• Modern Maths: only one or two questions appear, mostly from Permutations and Combinations rather than Probability. A question on Bayes' theorem came two years ago.

Week 5: Revision and the November 15 lock-in

Your lock-in date is November 15. After that, do not start anything new. Revise, revise and revise, and take mocks at the same time.

How Should You Prepare VARC for CAT 2026?

VARC rewards daily habits. CAT has 24 VARC questions: 16 from Reading Comprehension (4 passages) and 8 from Verbal Ability.

 

For reading sources, see our guides on how to solve Aeon essays for CAT VARC and the best free RC sources.

What video support does CATKing give for Verbal Ability?

CATKing students taking the mocks receive video lectures in which the important Verbal questions from 2020 to 2025 are solved. Watch them with your headphones on, and treat each as a live class.

How Should You Prepare DILR for CAT 2026?

DILR has about 22 questions across four or five sets. CATKing splits the syllabus into two parts, so that it is easy to plan.

 

• Week by week: alternate. Traditional DILR in one week, newer-style in the next, then traditional again, then newer-style.

• Pair it with Quant: in week 1, take a targeted approach to traditional DILR alongside Arithmetic.

• Consistent pattern: over the last ten years, one of Games and Tournaments, Scheduling or Routes and Networks has come in CAT every year, so this preparation is essential.

• Note the question types: keep notes on the kinds of questions asked and you will see the patterns repeat.

What Do CATKing Students Say About the Preparation?

A CATKing student who scored 99.20 percentile in CAT shared that watching CATKing's videos kept her energy and motivation high enough to believe she could do it. She also said that the CATKing mock interface is just like the real CAT.

CAT 2026 Section-Wise Roadmap: Quick-Reference Rules

 

What Should CAT 2026 Aspirants Do Now?

• Today: start Arithmetic with 15 to 20 questions and pick your RC source.

• Every day: solve 2 RCs and practise Verbal Ability questions.

• Every week: alternate between traditional and newer-style DILR.

• On November 4: download your admit card and set your routine around your slot.

• By November 15: finish all topics and shift fully to revision and mocks.

• Stay on track: join CATKing's mentor-led preparation, including mocks and video solutions of past Verbal questions.

Frequently Asked Questions About the CAT 2026 Section-Wise Roadmap

Which topics make up most of CAT Quant?

Arithmetic and Algebra together account for 16 of the 22 Quant questions. Start with Time, Speed and Distance, Time and Work, and Mixtures and Alligations in Arithmetic, and then move to Algebra.

How many Quant questions should I solve daily for CAT 2026?

CATKing recommends 15 to 20 questions a day, so that you build a bank of about 100 unique questions across the core Arithmetic topics.

What is the CAT 2026 lock-in date?

November 15 is your lock-in date. After it, do not start anything new. Spend the remaining days on revision and mocks at the same time.

Why is the admit card date so important for CAT 2026 preparation?

The admit card arrives on November 4, which falls in week 3 of the plan, and it shows your slot. CATKing calls the hours of your slot your most important time, because your mind needs to be fully active exactly then, so schedule your practice and mocks accordingly.

What should I study in week 4 of the CAT 2026 plan?

Week 4 is for Geometry, Number Systems and Modern Maths. Finish all three in one week, since you are revising. Cover the variants of Triangles and Circles, and keep the rest of the week for the other two.

Which Number Systems and Modern Maths topics should I focus on?

HCF and LCM questions rarely come. In Number Systems, focus on the Remainder theorem, Fermat's theorem and Euler's theorem. In Modern Maths, only one or two questions appear, mostly from Permutations and Combinations rather than Probability. A question on Bayes' theorem came two years ago.

How many Reading Comprehension passages should I solve daily?

Solve two RCs every day until November 29, using a trusted source of reading. CATKing also recommends Aeon essays as a reading source for CAT-style passages.

What accuracy should I aim for in Verbal Ability?

Aim for 4 or even 5 correct answers out of the 8 Verbal Ability questions (Para Jumbles, Para Summary and Para Completion). CATKing suggests taking out all the Para Jumbles and practising them over two weekends.

How is the DILR section divided for CAT 2026?

CATKing splits the DILR syllabus into two parts. Of about 22 questions in four or five sets, roughly two to two and a half sets come from traditional DILR, such as pie charts, bar graphs, mixed charts and caselets, and about two sets come from Routes and Networks, Games and Tournaments and Scheduling.

How should I schedule DILR practice week by week?

Alternate week by week. Give one week to traditional DILR, which you can pair with your Arithmetic week, then one week to newer-style sets, then traditional again, then newer-style. Over the last ten years, one of Games and Tournaments, Scheduling or Routes and Networks has appeared in CAT every year.

Does CATKing provide video solutions for past Verbal questions?

Yes. CATKing students taking the mocks receive video lectures in which the important Verbal questions from 2020 to 2025 are solved.