What is the CAT 2027 exam pattern?

The CAT 2027 exam pattern is expected to have three sections: VARC, DILR and QA. Based on the recent pattern, around 68 questions are expected with a total exam duration of 120 minutes.

How many questions will be there in CAT 2027?

CAT 2027 is expected to have around 68 questions. Based on the recent structure, VARC may have 24 questions, while DILR and QA may have 22 questions each. Cracku's current CAT material also follows the 24+22+22 structure.

What is the CAT 2027 exam duration?

The expected CAT 2027 exam duration is 120 minutes or 2 hours. Each of the three sections is expected to have a separate 40-minute time limit.

What is the CAT 2027 marking scheme?

The expected CAT 2027 marking scheme awards +3 marks for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect MCQ. Incorrect TITA questions are expected to have no negative marking, following the recent CAT format.

How many TITA questions are expected in CAT 2027?

Around 22–23 TITA questions may appear in CAT 2027 if the recent pattern continues. However, the exact number can vary across years and sections.

Is there negative marking in CAT 2027?

Negative marking is expected for MCQs, with 1 mark deducted for an incorrect MCQ. There is expected to be no negative marking for incorrect TITA answers.

What is the CAT 2027 VARC, DILR and QA pattern?

The expected section-wise distribution is 24 questions in VARC, 22 in DILR and 22 in QA. Each section is expected to provide 40 minutes. Recent CAT sectional papers support this 24/22/22 structure.

Can the CAT 2027 exam pattern change?

Yes. The exact CAT 2027 exam pattern will be confirmed through official CAT information and the actual examination format. Previous years show that question counts and MCQ-TITA distributions can change.

CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Questions, Marking Scheme & Duration

Latest Updates:

September 18, 2026: Prepare for CAT 2026 with Cracku’s CAT PYQs, featuring topic-wise previous year questions, PDF downloads, section-wise weightage, and effective preparation tips.Read More
September 18, 2026: Here we have discussed CAT 2027 exam pattern, total questions, VARC, DILR, QA, marking scheme, TITA questions and sectional time limit.Read More

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CAT 2027 Exam Pattern

The CAT 2027 exam pattern is expected to continue with three sections: VARC, DILR and QA, with a total of around 68 questions and 120 minutes of exam time, similar to the previous year.

CAT has changed its paper structure before. The number of DILR questions increased from 20 to 22 in 2024, while the overall 68-question structure continued in 2025. At the same time, the TITA share varied across sections. QA stayed at 8 TITA questions for five consecutive years, while DILR moved from 5 TITA questions in 2021 to 11 in 2025.

Download CAT 2027 Study Plan PDF

Section	Expected Questions	Expected TITA	Expected MCQs	Time
VARC	24	4	20	40 minutes
DILR	22	10–11	11–12	40 minutes
QA	22	8	14	40 minutes
Total	68	22–23	45–46	120 minutes

CAT 2027 Section-Wise Exam Pattern

If you are preparing for CAT 2027, do not prepare only around a fixed question count. Prepare for the format that has remained stable and keep enough flexibility for small changes.

The CAT 2027 examination is likely to be conducted on Sunday, 28 November 2027.

CAT 2027 VARC Exam Pattern

VARC is expected to carry 24 questions. Recent CAT papers have generally maintained this question count, although the exact distribution between Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability can vary.

Parameter	Expected Pattern
Total Questions	24
MCQs	20
TITA	4
Maximum Marks	72
Time Limit	40 minutes

CAT 2027 DILR Exam Pattern

DILR is expected to have 22 questions. The section has undergone a noticeable change in its TITA distribution, moving from 5 TITA questions in 2021 to 11 in 2025. The number of questions also increased from 20 to 22 in 2024.

Parameter	Expected Pattern
Total Questions	22
MCQs	11
TITA	11
Maximum Marks	66
Time Limit	40 minutes

CAT 2027 QA Exam Pattern

QA is the most consistent section in the recent CAT pattern. It has 22 questions: 14 MCQs and 8 TITA questions from 2021 through 2025.

Parameter	Expected Pattern
Total Questions	22
MCQs	14
TITA	8
Maximum Marks	66
Time Limit	40 minutes

Also Read: CAT Exam Syllabus 2026, Section-wise Pattern, Download PDF

How Many Questions Are There in CAT 2027?

Based on the latest pattern, CAT 2027 is expected to have 68 questions. The jump to 68 questions happened in 2024 when DILR increased from 20 to 22 questions. CAT 2025 retained the same 68-question structure.

Section	Questions	Maximum Marks
VARC	24	72
DILR	22	66
QA	22	66
Total	68	204

CAT Question Count: Previous-Year Trend

CAT has already moved from 76 questions in 2020 to 66 and then 68. So, while 68 is the logical expectation for CAT 2027, IIMs can still modify the distribution.

CAT Year	VARC	DILR	QA	Total
2025	24	22	22	68
2024	24	22	22	68
2023	24	20	22	66
2022	24	20	22	66
2021	24	20	22	66
2020	26	24	26	76

Also Read: CAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria: Documents, Marks & Age Limit

CAT 2027 Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

The expected CAT 2027 marking scheme is similar to past years. A wrong MCQ costs one mark, but a wrong TITA does not incur negative marking. This has remained a fundamental part of the CAT format in recent years.

Question Type	Correct	Incorrect	Unattempted
MCQ	+3	-1	0
TITA	+3	0	0

Also Read: Free CAT 2027 Study Material: Best Books, PDFs & Mock Tests

CAT 2027 Sectional Time Limit and Exam Duration

The CAT 2027 exam duration is expected to remain 120 minutes, divided equally across the three sections. CAT is conducted in multiple slots, but candidates get the same sectional time allocation in each slot.

Section	Time Limit
VARC	40 minutes
DILR	40 minutes
QA	40 minutes
Total	120 minutes / 2 hours

So use it to scan the sectional paper within 5 to 6 minutes and go into the confident questions first.

Also Read: CAT 2027 Target Score for IIMs, Expected Score vs Percentile

CAT 2027 MCQ vs TITA Questions

MCQ vs TITA is one of the most important parts of the CAT 2027 exam pattern because the two formats carry different risks.TITA means Type in the Answer. Instead of selecting an option, you enter the numerical or appropriate answer directly.

CAT Year	Total Questions	MCQs	TITA	TITA Share
2027 Expected	68	45–46	22–23	~32–34%
2025	68	45	23	33.8%
2024	68	48–52	16–20	~24–29%
2023	66	47	19	28.8%
2022	66	50	16	24.2%
2021	66	53	13	19.7%

Also Read: Which IIM Will Conduct CAT 2027? Previous IIM Trends

CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Conclusion

The CAT 2027 exam pattern is expected to follow the recent structure with VARC, DILR and QA, around 68 questions and a total duration of 120 minutes. Aspirants should understand the sectional time limits, marking scheme and difference between MCQ and TITA questions rather than preparing around an assumed fixed question distribution.

Since CAT has changed its question count and TITA distribution in previous years, preparation should remain flexible. Practising CAT Previous year papers and full-length mocks in the latest format can help candidates develop better question selection, accuracy and time management.

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