How many questions should you attempt in CAT 2026 to target the 99 percentile? The answer depends on the difficulty level of the paper and your accuracy.
In the last six years, the number of correct-answer equivalents corresponding to the 99 percentile has ranged from 25 to 34 questions at the overall level.
The year-wise trend shows why there is no fixed attempt number for 99 percentile. Candidates should focus on getting the maximum questions correct instead of trying to reach a fixed attempt count.
How Many Questions Are Required for 99 Percentile in CAT?
The number of correct-answer equivalents required for the 99 percentile has changed across different CAT years.
| Year | Questions for 99 Percentile |
| 2025 | 28 |
| 2024 | 32 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2021 | 33 |
| 2020 | 34 |
The lowest figure in this period was 25 questions in 2023, while the highest was 34 questions in 2020. In 2025, the figure stood at 28 questions.
This variation is mainly important for understanding that the required score level can change from one CAT paper to another.
Therefore, CAT 2026 aspirants should not treat 30 attempts as a guaranteed 99 percentile target.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
CAT 2026 is expected to have 68 questions divided into three sections. Candidates will get 40 minutes for each section and 120 minutes for the complete test.
| Section | Number of Questions | Duration |
| VARC | 24 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | 22 | 40 minutes |
| QA | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 120 minutes |
A correct answer carries 3 marks. An incorrect MCQ leads to a deduction of 1 mark, while Non-MCQs do not have negative marking.
Because of this marking scheme, attempting more questions is useful only when accuracy remains under control.
CAT 99 Percentile: Section-Wise Number of Questions
The overall target becomes easier to understand when the three sections are considered separately.
The historical number of correct-answer equivalents for the 99 percentile has varied across VARC, DILR and QA.
| Year | VARC | DILR | QA |
| 2025 | 14 | 10 | 9 |
| 2024 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
| 2023 | 13 | 9 | 8 |
| 2022 | 13 | 10 | 11 |
| 2021 | 15 | 11 | 12 |
| 2020 | 14 | 11 | 14 |
The section-wise numbers do not remain constant.
For example, QA ranged from 8 to 14 questions, while DILR varied between 9 and 13 questions. VARC showed a narrower range of 13 to 15 questions. This makes it more useful to prepare for a score range.
How Many Questions to Attempt in VARC for 99 Percentile?
For VARC, the historical requirement has stayed between 13 and 15 correct-answer equivalents for the 99 percentile.
| Year | VARC Questions |
| 2025 | 14 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2020 | 14 |
With 24 questions in the CAT 2026 VARC section, candidates do not need to solve the entire section to reach the historical 99 percentile benchmark.
The priority should be selecting questions that can be answered accurately within the 40-minute limit.
How Many Questions to Attempt in DILR for 99 Percentile?
The DILR requirement has shown greater variation. The historical range is 9 to 13 correct-answer equivalents.
| Year | DILR Questions |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2020 | 11 |
DILR has 22 questions in CAT 2026. Since the number of questions needed has varied substantially across years, candidates should focus on selecting the right sets. A strong set selection can make a bigger difference.
How Many Questions to Attempt in QA for 99 Percentile?
QA has recorded the widest section-wise range in the historical figures, from 8 to 14 correct-answer equivalents.
| Year | QA Questions |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2020 | 14 |
CAT 2026 will have 22 QA questions.
Candidates should therefore identify questions from concepts they are comfortable with and avoid spending too much time on calculations.
Does Attempting 30 Questions Guarantee 99 Percentile?
No. The number of attempts by itself does not determine the percentile. Suppose two candidates attempt 30 questions.
If one gets 28 correct and the other gets 24 correct, their scores will be different even though both have the same number of attempts.
For example:
| Attempts | Correct | Incorrect MCQs | Net Score |
| 30 | 28 | 2 | 82 |
| 30 | 27 | 3 | 78 |
| 30 | 26 | 4 | 74 |
| 30 | 25 | 5 | 70 |
This is why candidates targeting 99 percentile should track accuracy along with attempts during mock tests.
How Many Attempts Should You Target in CAT 2026?
There should not be one compulsory attempt target for every candidate. A better target is the number of questions you can solve with high accuracy.
The historical figures suggest that a candidate may need around 25-34 correct-answer equivalents overall for the 99 percentile. But the actual number of attempts can be higher when some attempted questions are incorrect.
For example, a candidate who attempts 35 questions does not necessarily have an advantage over someone attempting 30.
If the additional five attempts result in several wrong MCQs, the extra attempts may not improve the final score.
Your mock-test analysis should therefore track three numbers:
- Total attempts
- Correct answers
- Incorrect MCQs
This will help you identify the attempt level at which your accuracy starts falling.
What Is the Best Attempt Strategy for 99 Percentile in CAT 2026?
A section-wise approach can help candidates avoid unnecessary attempts.
VARC: Start with questions where the passage and options are easier to evaluate. Do not spend excessive time on one difficult RC question when other questions are still available.
DILR: Spend the initial part of the section identifying manageable sets. Once a set appears feasible, solve its questions together rather than moving randomly between sets.
QA: Begin with questions based on concepts you know well. If a question requires lengthy calculations without a clear route to the answer, move ahead and return to it later if time permits.
Across all three sections, avoid converting the attempt target into a rule such as “I must attempt 30 questions.” The target should be flexible enough to accommodate the difficulty of the actual CAT 2026 paper.
Conclusion
A strong CAT 2026 preparation plan should combine concept building, regular practice and mock-test analysis. The MBA Karo CAT 2026 Course can help candidates structure their preparation across VARC, DILR and QA while working towards their target percentile.
For a 99 percentile goal, the focus should remain on improving the number of questions you can solve correctly under the 120-minute exam conditions.
Use your mock-test performance to determine the attempt level at which your accuracy remains strong.
