One month from now you will be sitting CAT 2026, on Sunday, November 29. Registration closed on September 22, so if you are reading this you are registered and the syllabus is behind you. Every day from here counts.
Official dates, the admit card and exam-day instructions are on the CAT website: iimcat.ac.in. Check it before you build your calendar.
What is left is the part that decides percentiles: how you spend your last 30 days CAT preparation window. Most aspirants get this month wrong in one of two ways. They take a mock every day and never look at it again, or they keep opening new topics and never test them. Both feel productive. Neither moves the score.
A sound last 30 days CAT preparation plan is less exciting. It alternates a full mock with a full day of analysis, fixes the same few errors until they stop repeating, and protects your sleep. The plan below does exactly that, and you can use it as your CAT revision plan for the final month.
Five rules for your CAT last month strategy
1. Alternate mock days and analysis days. The mock tells you where you lost marks. The analysis day is where you earn them back. As a rule of thumb from coaching practice, not an official figure, give the analysis at least as much time as the mock.
2. Keep an error log. Tag every wrong or skipped question with one cause: concept gap, calculation slip, selection error (you chose the wrong question or set) or time sink. Patterns show up within three mocks, and each cause needs a different fix.
3. Track three numbers per section: attempts, accuracy and time. One high-percentile mock can be luck. Steady accuracy at a stable attempt count is the real signal.
4. Stop new material by Day 20. After November 18, revise only what you have already studied.
5. Use CAT previous year question papers inside the plan, not beside it. Solve a VARC or DILR section from a past paper on analysis days, first untimed and then timed, and compare. Use legitimate copies, such as those your coaching institute provides.
The four phases of a 30 days CAT plan
Phase 1, audit and patch (Days 1 to 7): collect your last few mocks, build the error log and pick three weak topics per section. Take three mocks to confirm the picture.
Phase 2, build (Days 8 to 20): this is the longest phase. Repair weak topics, practice your section order and skip rules, and watch accuracy settle. New material stops on Day 20.
Phase 3, simulate (Days 21 to 26): take mocks at the slot time on your admit card. Build the routine you will use on exam day, from breakfast to the last five minutes of each section.
Phase 4, taper (Days 27 to 30): no new questions. Light review, logistics and sleep. Day 30 is a rest day.
Your last 30 days CAT preparation: the day-by-day table
Mock days are shaded gold and the rest day is green. If you work full time, swap to a mock every third day and keep the same analysis time after each one.
| Day | Date | Type | What to do |
| 1 | Fri, Oct 30 | Audit | List your last 3 to 5 mock scores by section. Start the error log. Pick 3 weak topics per section. |
| 2 | Sat, Oct 31 | Mock 1 | Full mock with strict sectional timing as per the CAT pattern. Note every guess you make. |
| 3 | Sun, Nov 1 | Analysis | Review Mock 1 line by line. Tag each error: concept, calculation, selection or time. Repair 2 weak QA topics. |
| 4 | Mon, Nov 2 | Mock 2 | Full mock. Test your DILR set-selection order. |
| 5 | Tue, Nov 3 | Analysis | Review Mock 2. Re-solve missed DILR sets untimed. Revise 1 weak QA topic. |
| 6 | Wed, Nov 4 | Mock 3 | Full mock. Admit card is reported out today: download it and check name, photo, slot and center. |
| 7 | Thu, Nov 5 | Analysis | Review Mock 3. Write a one-page list of your top 10 repeat errors so far. |
| 8 | Fri, Nov 6 | Mock 4 | Full mock. Use your planned section order and stick to it. |
| 9 | Sat, Nov 7 | Analysis | Review Mock 4. VARC focus: re-read missed RC passages and note why each wrong option tempted you. |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 8 | Mock 5 | Full mock at the slot time on your admit card. Practice your pre-exam routine. |
| 11 | Mon, Nov 9 | Analysis | Review Mock 5. Revise the arithmetic and algebra mistakes from your error log. |
| 12 | Tue, Nov 10 | Mock 6 | Full mock. Track attempts, accuracy and time per section. |
| 13 | Wed, Nov 11 | Analysis | Review Mock 6. Compare the three numbers with Mock 3. Fix the weakest section first. |
| 14 | Thu, Nov 12 | Mock 7 | Full mock. If the official CAT mock is out (reported for the second week of November), take that one. |
| 15 | Fri, Nov 13 | Analysis | Review Mock 7. Practice the interface: section navigation and mark for review. |
| 16 | Sat, Nov 14 | Mock 8 | Full mock. Practice your DILR skip rule. |
| 17 | Sun, Nov 15 | Analysis | Review Mock 8. Redo 10 missed QA questions from the error log without looking at solutions. |
| 18 | Mon, Nov 16 | Mock 9 | Full mock. Aim for steady accuracy, not a high attempt count. |
| 19 | Tue, Nov 17 | Analysis | Review Mock 9. VARC: 3 untimed RC passages plus a few para-jumble and summary questions. |
| 20 | Wed, Nov 18 | Mock 10 | Full mock. Stop adding new study material from today. |
| 21 | Thu, Nov 19 | Analysis | Review Mock 10. Update the repeat-error list. Re-solve the DILR sets you skipped. |
| 22 | Fri, Nov 20 | Mock 11 | Full mock at slot time. Practice a calm last five minutes in each section. |
| 23 | Sat, Nov 21 | Analysis | Review Mock 11. Trim your formula sheet to one page of things you actually use. |
| 24 | Sun, Nov 22 | Mock 12 | Full mock at slot time. Treat it as a dress rehearsal. |
| 25 | Mon, Nov 23 | Analysis | Review Mock 12. Fix only the errors that repeat. Ignore one-off slips. |
| 26 | Tue, Nov 24 | Mock 13 | Last full mock, five days before CAT. Keep the review light. |
| 27 | Wed, Nov 25 | Light review | Skim Mock 13. Read the repeat-error list and formula sheet once. No new questions. |
| 28 | Thu, Nov 26 | Revision | Two short timed sectional warm-ups at half load, re-solving questions from your error log. Recheck your skip and section-order rules. |
| 29 | Fri, Nov 27 | Prepare | Read the error list once. Check admit card print-out, photo ID and route to the center. Sleep early. |
| 30 | Sat, Nov 28 | Rest day | Rest day before the exam. No mock, no new questions. CAT is tomorrow, November 29. |
Suggested schedule built around CAT on November 29, 2026. It is an editorial plan, not an official timetable. Admit card and official mock dates are as reported by third parties; confirm on iimcat.ac.in.
What a non-mock day looks like
An analysis day is not a lighter day. For a five-hour day, a workable split is 90 minutes of mock review, 90 minutes of QA topic repair, 60 minutes of DILR sets and 60 minutes of VARC reading and verbal ability. If you study three hours, scale each block down by the same share rather than dropping a section.
● VARC: read RC passages untimed first, then timed. For each wrong option, write why it tempted you.
● DILR: practice your scan-and-rank order and your skip rule. Re-solve skipped sets without the clock to see what you missed.
● QA: redo error-log questions before touching new ones. Protect marks from topics you already handle well.
When your mock scores are low or falling
Low scores in the final month are normal, and they are information. Before you panic, ask three questions. Is the dip in one section or all three? Is it accuracy, attempts or time? Is it the same error type as last week?
If it is one section and one error type, fix that. Do not change coaching material, section order and strategy all at once. Change one thing per mock so you know what worked. Mock percentiles also vary by platform and test-taker pool, so compare your own trend, not another student’s score.
The last 72 hours
After Day 26 there is no more full mock. Read your repeat-error list and formula sheet once, keep warm-ups short, and check that your admit card print-out, photo ID and route to the center are ready. Sleep matters more than one more set.
CAT rewards the calm, accurate attempt. Follow a structured day-by-day revision plan during the final 30 days before CAT 2026 to strengthen weak areas, analyze mock tests, and improve exam readiness before test day.
If you are also shortlisting PGDM programs alongside your IIM targets, see the FIIB PGDM program.
Comparison Table
The four phases at a glance.
| Phase | Days and dates | Goal | Mocks | Output |
| Audit and patch | Days 1 to 7 (Oct 30 to Nov 5) | Find the real weak spots and start the error log | 3 | Error log and top 10 repeat errors |
| Build | Days 8 to 20 (Nov 6 to Nov 18) | Repair weak topics, stabilize accuracy, stop new material by Day 20 | 7 | One-page formula sheet and skip rules |
| Simulate | Days 21 to 26 (Nov 19 to Nov 24) | Dress rehearsals at your slot time | 3 | Final section order and routine |
| Taper | Days 27 to 30 (Nov 25 to Nov 28) | Protect sleep and confidence | 0 | Admit card, ID and rest |
Total: 13 full mocks on alternate days. Editorial plan, not an official schedule.
FAQs
How many mocks should I take in the last 30 days of CAT preparation?
There is no official number. This plan uses 13 full mocks on alternate days, each followed by a day of analysis. If you work or study full time, a mock every third day with the same analysis time is a better fit. In last 30 days CAT preparation, fewer well-reviewed mocks beat more unreviewed ones.
Should I learn new topics in the CAT last month strategy?
Not after Day 20 (November 18). Use the first three weeks to repair topics you have already studied. A topic met for the first time in the final week rarely turns into marks, while a repaired weak topic often does.
How do I improve accuracy in my CAT revision plan?
Tag every error as concept, calculation, selection or time, then fix the most frequent cause first. Redo missed questions untimed without looking at the solution, then again under time two days later. If your mocks show many negative marks, attempt fewer questions at higher accuracy.
What if my mock scores are low or falling in the last 30 days?
Check whether the dip is in one section, one error type or one mock. Change one thing per mock, not everything at once. Mock percentiles differ across platforms, so track your own trend in attempts, accuracy and time rather than a classmate’s score.
When should I take my last full mock before CAT 2026?
In this 30 days CAT plan the last full mock is on Day 26 (November 24), five days before the exam. After that, do light review only. A heavy mock in the final days can hurt confidence without leaving time to fix what it shows.
How do I use CAT previous year question papers in the last 30 days?
Use them on analysis days, one section at a time. Solve a VARC or DILR section untimed, then timed, and compare the two. Use legitimate copies, such as those provided by your coaching institute.
What should I do on the day before CAT?
Rest. Day 30, November 28, has no mock and no new questions. Read your error list once, check your admit card, photo ID and route to the center, then sleep early.
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