◆ Execution

The roadmap, today to exam day

Three phases across ~23 weeks (mid-June → late-November 2026). The shape: build → apply → peak.

When did you start preparing for CAT 2026?

Section roadmaps, the detail

This page is the big-picture, all-sections view. For the deep, week-by-week plan of each section, open its dedicated roadmap:

QA Roadmap11 chapters, week-by-week, mapped to your 3 daily Quant blocks.Open → VARC RoadmapReading habit + RC method + VA, around your 10:30 block.Open → DILR RoadmapSet-type rotation + selection drills, around your 4:30 block.Open →

Phase 1 · Foundation & Concept Build~Jun 19 - Aug 31 · 11 weeksGoal: every concept learned

Aim: cover the entire syllabus once, lock the daily reading + DILR habit, and take a weekly mock from week one (low scores are fine, they're diagnostic).

Wk 1-4

QA: finish arithmetic kits (Percentages → P&L → Ratio → Averages → SI/CI). VARC: 2-3 articles + 1-2 RC daily; learn all VA types. DILR: 2 sets/day, learn each LR/DI type. Mock: 1 sectional/week.

Wk 5-8

QA: finish arithmetic (TSD, Time&Work) + start Algebra (equations, inequalities, functions, logs). VARC: timed RC, all VA. DILR: 3 sets/day, all types. Mock: 1 sectional + first full mock by week 6.

Wk 9-11

QA: Numbers, Geometry, Modern Math (standard methods + easy/mod). VARC/DILR: sustain volume. Mock: 1 full mock/week + deep analysis.

Checkpoint (end Aug): entire syllabus covered once · daily reading + DILR habit locked · ~5 full mocks done · baseline percentile known. Worry about coverage and consistency, not score.

Phase 2 · Application & Mock Ramp~Sep 1 - Oct 31 · 9 weeksGoal: concept → score

Aim: mocks become the centre of gravity. Every mock is followed by 3+ hours of analysis that drives the next week's revision. Plug the topic gaps mocks expose.

September

2 full mocks/week + full analysis each. Between mocks: revise weak topics surfaced by errors, drill PYQs by topic, sectional tests on weak areas. Keep daily reading + DILR.

October

2 full mocks/week; push accuracy + selection. Start refining your in-exam strategy (order within a section, time ceilings, skip rules) and test it every mock. Revise formula sheets weekly. Watch the error log shrink.

Checkpoint (end Oct): ~18-22 full mocks total · stable in-exam strategy · error-log patterns mostly closed · mock percentile trending toward 95+. Registration done, admit card downloaded.

Phase 3 · Peak & Taper~Nov 1 - exam day · ~4 weeksGoal: peak, then arrive fresh

Aim: simulate the real thing repeatedly, sharpen temperament, and taper so you arrive rested, not fried.

Wk 1-3

2-3 mocks/week at the real exam slot time, full conditions. Heavy analysis. Revise all formula sheets + error log. No new topics, only reinforcement. Sharpen the skip/selection instinct.

Last 3-4 days

Taper: no full mocks. Light revision of formula sheets, the insight library, and the error log. Sleep on the real schedule. Logistics check. The work is done, stay calm.

Do NOT: take a mock the day before, or learn a new topic in the final week. Both raise anxiety and lower performance. The last week is for consolidation and rest, full stop.

Key dates to watch CAT notification & registration usually open late July / August; the exam is on the last Sunday of November. Set a reminder to register the day the window opens, don't leave it late.