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The most widely recommended book is How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma (9th Edition, 2025), which includes 9 new chapters, 2,500+ practice questions, 100+ videos, and solved CAT 2020–24 DI papers. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha is another strong option known for its structured approach and shortcuts.

CAT DILR section has both MCQ and TITA (non-MCQ) questions. MCQ questions carry negative marking of -1 for every wrong answer against +3 for a correct answer. TITA questions carry no negative marking. In CAT 2025, DI sets had a mix of MCQ and TITA questions across all three slots.

CAT 2026 Data Interpretation syllabus covers Data Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Venn Diagrams, Mixed Graphs, Data Sufficiency, and Logical DI sets. There is no fixed official syllabus — the section tests a candidate's ability to analyse, interpret, and draw conclusions from numerical data presented in various formats.

The CAT DILR section has 22 questions in total, broadly divided between Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning sets. Based on CAT 2025, DI questions ranged from 9 to 14 across the three slots, presented in 2 to 3 sets per slot. The exact DI-LR split varies across slots each year.

As advised by CAT toppers, begin by scanning all DILR sets in the first 2 minutes and select the ones you find most approachable. For each LR set, read the problem statement carefully, draw a diagram or table to map constraints visually, and work through conditions systematically. Avoid spending more than 10–12 minutes on a single LR set with 4 questions. Practice is the single most important factor. Solving a wide variety of LR sets from previous CAT papers is essential.

The most widely recommended book is How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma (9th Edition, 2026), which includes new chapters on Scheduling and Crypt Arithmetic, 8 new Abstract Reasoning chapters, 100+ videos, and 32 solved mock papers. A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal and Puzzles to Puzzle You by Shakuntala Devi are also useful for building foundational logical thinking skills.

CAT 2026 Logical Reasoning syllabus covers Seating Arrangements, Puzzles, Blood Relations, Syllogisms, Venn Diagrams and Set Theory, Coding-Decoding, Direction Sense, Input-Output, and Logical Sequences. Candidate should note that there is no fixed official syllabus. Recent CAT papers have focused primarily on arrangement-based, puzzle-based, and constraint-based sets.

Based on CAT 2025, Logical Reasoning questions ranged from 8 to 13 across the three slots, presented in 2 to 3 sets per slot within the 22-question DILR section. The exact LR-DI split varies each year. All LR sets contain a mix of MCQ and TITA question types.

For daily reading, The Hindu editorials, Indian Express Explained, and Business Standard are strongly recommended for Indian context. For international exposure, The Economist and The New York Times are ideal. For long-form reading that closely mirrors CAT passage style, Aeon Essays (aeon.co) is widely regarded as the most CAT-relevant online resource.

Aim to complete each RC passage within 7 to 8 minutes. Since RC carries approximately 66% weightage in the VARC section, effective time management on RC passages directly determines your overall VARC percentile.