CAT 90-Day Study Plan: Week-by-Week Tables, Daily Hours and Mock Cadence
A 13-week CAT plan in tables: daily hours for students and working aspirants, week-by-week topics, mock cadence and the analysis routine.
12 min read · updated 2026-11
How the plan is built
The plan counts back 90 days from exam day. CAT 2026 is on Sunday, 29 November 2026, held in three sessions, so day 1 of this plan was 1 September 2026. The test is 120 minutes: three sections of exactly 40 minutes each. Admit cards can be downloaded from 6 to 29 November 2026. CAT 2026 registration is closed; for a later cycle, count back 90 days from the date in the official notice.
Plan weeks are 7-day blocks from day 1, so every week holds five weekdays and two weekend days. Week 13 is the last six days. Results are likely in the first week of January 2027, per the official bulletin.
If you are starting late, join at the week that matches your days left. Days left = exam date minus today.
| Days left | Plan day | Join at | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 1 | Week 1 | Follow the whole plan |
| 60 | 30 | Week 5 | Revise weeks 1 to 4 from the formula sheet; take a diagnostic mock this week |
| 45 | 45 | Week 7 | Cover only your weakest topics; start weekly full mocks now |
| 30 | 60 | Week 9 | No new chapters; mocks and error log only |
| 23 (6 Nov 2026) | 67 | Week 10 | Two full mocks a week, plus the error-log topics |
| 14 | 76 | Week 11 | Mocks, error log and set-selection drills |
| 7 | 83 | Week 12 | Light mock work, then the last-six-days checklist |
- Plan day = 90 - 37 = 53. For CAT 2026 that is 23 October.
- Weeks are 7-day blocks: day 53 falls in days 50 to 56, which is week 8.
- Week 8 is the last build week. Join there, cover counting and probability in QA, and start two full mocks a week from the next week.
Answer: Week 8 (20 to 26 October on the CAT 2026 run)
Daily hours by phase
Two tracks: a student or full-time aspirant, and someone working a job. Weekday hours apply on five days, weekend hours on two.
| Phase | Weeks | Student weekday / weekend day | Working weekday / weekend day | Student hours a week | Working hours a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Foundation | 1 to 4 | 3 h / 5 h | 2 h / 4 h | 25 | 18 |
| 2 Build | 5 to 8 | 4 h / 6 h | 2.5 h / 5 h | 32 | 22.5 |
| 3 Mock-heavy | 9 to 12 | 4 h / 7 h | 3 h / 6 h | 34 | 27 |
| 4 Taper | 13 (6 days) | 2 h on each of 5 days | 1.5 h on each of 5 days | 10 | 7.5 |
Over the 90 days that adds up to 374 hours on the student track and 277.5 hours on the working track. Exam day itself carries no study. If you can only do the working track, keep the mock cadence and cut new-topic time instead.
- Weekly hours: 5 weekdays × 2 h + 2 weekend days × 4 h = 18 in phase 1. Phase 2: 5 × 2.5 + 2 × 5 = 22.5. Phase 3: 5 × 3 + 2 × 6 = 27.
- Four weeks each: 4 × 18 = 72, 4 × 22.5 = 90, 4 × 27 = 108.
- Add the taper week: 5 × 1.5 = 7.5.
- Total = 72 + 90 + 108 + 7.5 = 277.5.
Answer: 277.5 hours
Week-by-week plan
| Week | Dates (CAT 2026 run) | QA | DILR | VARC | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 to 7 Sep | Percentages, profit and loss, ratio | Tables and charts | RC method; daily reading starts | 1 sectional |
| 2 | 8 to 14 Sep | Averages, mixtures, time-speed-distance | Linear arrangements | RC practice; vocabulary log | 1 sectional |
| 3 | 15 to 21 Sep | Time and work, interest, factors | Circular arrangements, grouping | Para-jumbles | 1 sectional |
| 4 | 22 to 28 Sep | Remainders, HCF-LCM, equations | Tournaments | Summary, odd-one-out | Diagnostic full mock, 1 sectional |
| 5 | 29 Sep to 5 Oct | Inequalities, functions, logs, progressions | Routes and networks | RC on economics and science | 1 full mock, 1 sectional |
| 6 | 6 to 12 Oct | Triangles and circles | Caselets with constraints | Inference and tone questions | 1 full mock, 1 sectional |
| 7 | 13 to 19 Oct | Mensuration, coordinate geometry | Mixed sets, 12-minute limit | Mixed verbal sets | 1 full mock, 1 sectional |
| 8 | 20 to 26 Oct | Counting, probability, sets | Mixed sets | Timed VARC practice | 1 full mock, 1 sectional |
| 9 | 27 Oct to 2 Nov | Three weakest topics from the error log | Set-selection drills | RC speed work | 2 full mocks, 1 sectional |
| 10 | 3 to 9 Nov | Mixed timed sets | Weakest set type | Weakest question type | 2 full mocks, 1 sectional |
| 11 | 10 to 16 Nov | Error-log topics, shortcuts | Mixed sets | Mixed practice | 2 full mocks, 1 sectional |
| 12 | 17 to 23 Nov | Formula sheet, weak topics | Light sets | Light RC and verbal | 2 full mocks, 1 sectional |
| 13 | 24 to 29 Nov | Formula sheet only | One easy set a day | Reading only | No mocks |
That is 13 full mocks and 12 sectionals. A full mock matches the real test at 120 minutes.
A sample weekday
A phase 2 weekday for each track, in minutes.
| Block | Student (4 h) | Working (2.5 h) |
|---|---|---|
| Quant: topic study and problems | 90 | 60 |
| DILR set (alternate with VARC practice on working days) | 60 | 60 |
| Reading and vocabulary | 75 | 20 |
| Error log | 15 | 10 |
| Total | 240 | 150 |
Mock cadence and the analysis routine
| Weeks | Full mocks a week | Sectionals a week | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 0 | 1 | Sectional on the section you studied most |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Diagnostic mock; do not judge the score |
| 5 to 8 | 1 | 1 | Mock at the weekend, review the next day |
| 9 to 12 | 2 | 1 | Space them at least two days apart; sectional on your weakest section |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | Revise your error log only |
Every full mock gets a 90-minute review the same or the next day, using the routine in the mock-analysis-guide note. In weeks 9 to 12 that is two mocks of 2 hours plus two reviews of 1.5 hours: 7 hours of mock work in a week, inside the weekly hours above. A mock you do not analyse is wasted practice.
- Each mock is 2 hours of test plus a 1.5-hour review = 3.5 hours.
- Two mocks = 7 hours.
- Student track: 7 / 34 = 20.6%. Working track: 7 / 27 = 25.9%.
Answer: 7 hours: about 21% of the student week and 26% of the working week
If you fall behind on topics, do not stretch the plan. Drop the lowest-yield chapter in that week, keep the mock, and carry the topic into the error-log slot of weeks 9 and 10.
The last six days
- ☐ Download your admit card and read the instructions printed on it. It is available from 6 to 29 November 2026.
- ☐ Find out the route and travel time to your test centre. Know your reporting details from the admit card.
- ☐ Learn nothing new. Revisit the error log and the formula sheet.
- ☐ Keep one easy DILR set a day, to stay warm without tiring yourself.
- ☐ No mock on the last two days. A bad score now helps nobody.
- ☐ Sleep on a fixed schedule. Pack ID and admit card the night before.
- ☐ On the day, remember the marking: 3 for a correct answer, -1 for a wrong MCQ, no negative for non-MCQ questions.
Common questions
Can I prepare for CAT in 90 days?
Many aspirants do, if they have school-level maths and can keep the hours in this plan: about 374 hours on the student track or 277.5 on the working track. What decides it is daily consistency and mock analysis.
How many mocks should I give before CAT?
This plan schedules 13 full mocks and 12 sectionals. A smaller number of well-analysed mocks beats many that are never reviewed.
I have only 30 days left. Where do I join the plan?
Join at week 9. Skip new chapters and spend the time on two full mocks a week, 90-minute reviews and your error log.
How many hours a day should I study for CAT while working?
The working track uses 2 to 3 hours on weekdays and 4 to 6 hours on each weekend day, depending on the phase. Keep the mock cadence even if you cut new-topic time.