CAT 2026 Syllabus: Every Chapter You Need to Cover

The CAT 2026 syllabus splits across three sections: VARC, DILR and Quant. Quant carries the most chapters, DILR the widest variety, VARC the fewest but the deepest. Here's the full chapter list for each. Plus a free way to turn it into a week-by-week plan that fits your timeline.

CAT 2026 Syllabus at a Glance

Two quick notes before the lists. First, the smarter move is to cover the high-frequency chapters first, then widen out from there. Second, a list isn't a plan. Knowing what to study is different from knowing what to study this week, which is where the Study Plan tool further down comes in.

VARC Syllabus: 4 Chapters, One That Rules Them All

VARC has the fewest chapters, but it's the section people underestimate. Reading Comprehension carries most of the marks here, so it deserves most of your practice time. The other three reward pattern recognition more than knowledge. Odd One Out, Para Summary and Para Jumbles are quick to learn and quick to score, so don't save them for the final week.

DILR Syllabus: 14 Chapters Across Data and Logic

DILR is the most varied section by far. It blends data interpretation, like tables and charts, with pure logic, like arrangements and puzzles. The real skill isn't any one chapter. It's reading a set and knowing which approach it needs.

Quant Syllabus: 22 Chapters, the Biggest to Cover

Quant has the longest list, which is why it needs the most planning. The arithmetic topics near the top, things like averages, percentages, ratios and time and work, are the friendliest place to start. Algebra, number system and geometry build from there. If you're short on time, clear the high-frequency arithmetic and number-system chapters before the rest.

Turn the Syllabus Into a Plan: the Study Plan Tool

A chapter list is useful, but staring at 40 chapters can be its own kind of paralysis. That's what the Study Plan button on Percentyl is for. You give it two dates, your start point and your target exam date. It then builds a complete week-by-week schedule that fits the time you have.

The plan back-calculates from exam day. Someone starting in June with five months left gets a lighter weekly load than someone starting in September with eight weeks. Both get a sequenced path instead of a scramble. Each week tells you what to cover across VARC, DILR and Quant, so the daily question is never "what should I do today?". It's already answered.

Here's why this matters most if you're preparing alone. The biggest reason free prep fails isn't a shortage of material. It's a shortage of pacing. A plan that bends to your timeline lifts the planning burden off your shoulders. That's the exact thing coaching institutes charge for, handed back to you free.

Pair it with the Daily RC habit and the two cover each other. The study plan sets the week's direction. Daily RC keeps the daily streak alive.

The Bottom Line

That's the full CAT 2026 syllabus: 4 chapters in VARC, 14 in DILR, 22 in Quant. Knowing the list is step one. Turning it into a weekly plan you can follow is step two. Percentyl handles that part for you, free.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many chapters are in the CAT 2026 syllabus?

Forty in total: 4 in VARC, 14 in DILR and 22 in Quant. Quant is the largest section by chapter count, VARC the smallest.

What is the CAT 2026 Quant syllabus?

Quant has 22 chapters, the most of any section. They cover arithmetic, algebra, the number system, geometry, coordinate geometry and the counting topics like probability and permutations. The full list is in the Quant table above.

What is the CAT 2026 VARC syllabus?

VARC has four chapters: Reading Comprehension, Odd One Out, Para Summary and Para Jumbles. Reading Comprehension is by far the largest, so it deserves the most practice.

Does the CAT syllabus change every year?

Not really. CAT doesn't publish an official syllabus, but the chapters have stayed stable for years. This list reflects what consistently shows up, so it's a safe base for CAT 2026.

How do I turn the syllabus into a study plan?

Use the Study Plan tool on Percentyl. Enter your start date and your target exam date. It builds a week-by-week schedule across all three sections that fits your timeline.