Best free CAT mock tests in 2027: where to practise

A free CAT mock test is available from the IIMs themselves and from several portals. The official CAT 2026 mock, linked from iimcat.ac.in, uses selected questions from earlier CAT papers and runs 120 minutes with 40 minutes per section. MBA One Stop's CAT Compass is a free 25-minute check. CAT 2026 is on Sunday, 29 November 2026, 18 days after 11 November 2026.

Last updated: 11 November 2026.

Is there an official free CAT mock test?

Yes. The CAT 2026 home page on iimcat.ac.in lists a "CAT 2026 Mock Test Link" under its Quick Tour, beside a calculator usage guideline and a registration guide. The notice behind the link says the mock contains selected questions from previous years' CAT papers, to familiarise candidates with MCQ and non-MCQ questions and the exam interface.

The notice also lists its limits. The mock lasts 120 minutes for non-PwBD candidates, with 40 minutes for each of three sections, based on last year's pattern, and the notice says the number, type and pattern of questions and the sequence and timing of sections are only indicative. In the mock, a Submit button lets a candidate move to the next section before 40 minutes, but in the actual exam a candidate can go to the next section only after 40 minutes. The IIMs' home page also says there is no other website for CAT, so the mock should be opened from iimcat.ac.in and not from a forwarded link.

What can a mock percentile tell you, and what can it not?

A mock percentile is a rough position estimate and not a forecast of the real result. MBA One Stop's CAT Compass page states the limit directly: its percentile band comes from net marks as a share of the maximum, it is a rough indicator, and real percentiles depend on the year's paper and the test-takers, so it is for tracking progress.

The CAT 2026 Information Bulletin says results are likely in the first week of January 2027. Until then, no mock can produce the official percentile. InsideIIM's Ayana page makes the same point in its FAQ: official percentiles are declared only by the CAT conducting body.

A mock does show three things reliably: whether the time split across sections works, which topics lose marks, and whether the attempt strategy holds under +3 and -1 marking. For the review itself, the MBA One Stop notes and PDFs page lists a Mock Test Analysis Guide that describes a 90-minute review with an error log, and free notes from several sources are covered in free MBA entrance notes and PDFs.

Which free CAT mocks can you take before CAT 2026?

Seven places offer free CAT mocks or free past papers: MBA One Stop, the IIMs, MBAUniverse, Collegedunia, Shiksha, CollegeDekho and Careers360. Each was opened on 11 November 2026, free as stated refers to what the page says, and the order is not a ranking.

MBA One Stop CAT Compass

CAT Compass is a free mock on MBA One Stop with 20 questions in 25 minutes, or a 36 question extended paper in 50 minutes, marked +3 and -1 across VARC, DILR and QA. The page says it draws from a bank of 144 original questions, and after the test it gives a score, a percentile band, a topic-wise report, every solution and a four-week plan. It suits a candidate who wants a short diagnostic in the last weeks. The CAT Compass mock page names its limits: the test is shorter than the real CAT, allows moving between sections, which the real exam does not, and asks for a name, mobile number and email before showing the result.

Official CAT 2026 mock on iimcat.ac.in

The official mock is run by the IIMs on the CAT site and has versions for PwBD candidates, including blindness and low vision. The notice says it is meant to familiarise candidates with the exam interface, and it links the on-screen calculator used in the exam. It suits the first week of final preparation, to learn the interface and the sectional timer. Its limit is stated in the notice: the questions come from previous years' papers, the pattern is only indicative, and the mock lets candidates leave a section early.

The main link opens on a demo sign-in screen with a sample candidate name and filled-in fields, and the notice still labels that link "CAT 2025 Mock Test Link" while the PwBD versions carry the 2026 label.

MBAUniverse free CAT mocks

MBAUniverse's CAT mock page, updated on 11 November 2026, says it offers 10 free CAT mock tests online, each based on a recent CAT paper, with three 40-minute sections and 3 marks for a correct answer and 1 deducted for a wrong MCQ. It also offers PDFs with answers and solutions, plus sectional mocks. A candidate who prefers to print a paper can use the PDFs. The limit is that the page says a free registration window opens before an online test starts, and only mocks 1 to 3 are listed with PDFs, while mocks 4 to 10 are online only.

Collegedunia CAT mock series

Collegedunia's page lists 10 full syllabus CAT mocks on the latest pattern, 52 sectional tests and 18 previous year CAT question papers. Each full mock is 120 minutes, 68 questions and 204 marks, with a PDF option. It suits a candidate who wants a topic-level or chapter-level drill. The limit is dates: the page says official CAT registration closed on 15 September 2026, the date in the July information bulletin, but the IIMs extended registration to 22 September 2026 in a media release dated 15 September 2026, and iimcat.ac.in now shows 22 September. Take all dates from the official site.

Shiksha CAT mocks

Shiksha's CAT mock page, updated on 7 November 2026, lists six practice mocks from CAT Mock 1 to 6, with solutions, and says they are based on official CAT question papers. It also links the CAT 2025 and CAT 2024 question papers. It suits someone who wants past papers and a few mocks on one page. The page recommends at least 40 to 50 mocks, which is Shiksha's advice and not an official rule.

CollegeDekho CAT mocks

CollegeDekho's CAT mock page lists CAT Mock Test 1, 2 and 3, prepared on previous year papers. A candidate gives a name, email address and phone number to attempt one, and the timer runs for 2 hours. The limit is the cycle: the page is titled for CAT 2025, so its text about the official mock refers to the previous year.

Careers360 CAT papers download

Careers360's download page is marked Free Download and offers the past 10 years' CAT question papers with solutions as an ebook, beside free practice packs on quant, DILR and reading comprehension. It suits a candidate who wants to solve past papers on paper or with a stopwatch. It is not an online timed test with a score report, and the page's "20 sets" title does not match the ebook it describes, so treat it as past-paper practice.

Which free mocks suit other MBA exams?

GMAC offers free official practice for GMAT Focus and NMAT, and the XAT site links past papers, which matters for candidates writing more than one exam.

GMAT Official Starter Kit

GMAC's GMAT Official Starter Kit on mba.com is marked free and gives access to two full-length official adaptive practice exams and 70+ official questions across Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights, with score reports and custom practice sets. It suits a candidate aiming at GMAT Focus for schools that accept it. It is not a CAT mock, and the page sells other official question sets separately.

NMAT by GMAC free practice exam

GMAC's NMAT by GMAC official prep page offers a free practice exam of 108 questions in the same structure as the actual exam, with a score report. The page headline says two free practice exams, while the registration button names Practice Exam 1 as the free one, so check which applies. Two further exams are sold as a bundle. It suits an NMAT candidate and is not relevant for CAT.

XAT official question papers

The official XAT site run by XLRI Jamshedpur, xatonline.in, lists XAT 2027 on 3 January 2027 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and links question papers for 2018 to 2024 as PDF files under its exam resources. It suits a CAT candidate who also writes XAT, since the site lists a Decision Making section that CAT does not have. These are papers to time yourself on, not an online mock, and the site offers the XAT 2025 and 2026 papers with answer keys only to aspirants who complete the XAT 2027 application by 11 November 2026.

How do the ten compare?

The table shows each source's format, whether it gives a percentile estimate and its main limit.

The table records format as each page states it. It says nothing about difficulty, which no page can show matches the real paper.

How many CAT mocks should you take, and how should you use them?

The number of mocks matters less than what each one changes. No official source sets a figure, and Shiksha's page advises 40 to 50 mocks over a long preparation period, which is advice and not a rule. With 18 days left, a practical sequence uses the official mock first for interface practice, then full-length mocks at the real session time, each followed by a review.

• Take the official mock early, to learn the layout and the calculator.
• Take a mock at the time of day of the real session, then review it the same day.
• Log every lost mark by topic and by cause, such as concept, speed or misreading.
• Use sectional tests for the weakest section, and keep the last day for rest.

A candidate who wants a short diagnostic can run CAT Compass and pass the band to a predictor as a range, as described in best MBA college predictor tools. The rupee and loan side of the decision is in how to work out MBA payback and break-even, and a percentile result becomes a list in turning a CAT percentile into a college shortlist.

What are the limits of free mocks?

Free mocks differ in difficulty and in how closely they match the real paper, and none can be shown to match it. The official mock itself says its questions are from earlier years and its pattern is only indicative. Portal pages are written for different cycles: CollegeDekho's is titled for 2025, and Collegedunia's carries the registration close date from before the IIMs extended it.

Some pages ask for a name, mobile number and email before showing a result, as CAT Compass does, and CollegeDekho asks for a name, email and phone number. A candidate should decide beforehand which details to share. A score on one site cannot be compared with a score on another, because difficulty and scoring differ.

Where does an executive MBA fit in this?

CAT mocks serve the entrance-test route. Executive MBA Technology is a postgraduate management degree from IIT Jodhpur for working professionals, taught in live online sessions by IIT Jodhpur faculty with on-campus immersions, covering core management, AI in business, and specialisation pathways in Analytics and AI or Digital Product Management. Its programme page lists its own entrance exam of 60 multiple choice questions in 120 minutes covering logical reasoning, verbal ability and numerical ability, so CAT mocks are not its preparation.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free CAT mock test?

Yes. The IIMs link an official CAT 2026 mock from iimcat.ac.in, and MBA One Stop's CAT Compass, MBAUniverse, Collegedunia, Shiksha and CollegeDekho each describe free CAT mocks on their pages. Some ask for registration or contact details first, so check the page before starting.

How accurate are mock test percentiles?

Mock percentiles are rough indicators. MBA One Stop's CAT Compass page says its percentile band is a rough indicator because real percentiles depend on the year's paper and the test-takers. The CAT 2026 Information Bulletin says results are likely in the first week of January 2027, and only that official result gives the percentile.

How many CAT mocks should you take?

No official source gives a number. Shiksha's CAT mock page advises at least 40 to 50 mocks during the whole preparation phase, which is its own advice. With only 18 days before CAT 2026, quality of review matters more: take the official mock, a few full mocks at the real session time, and analyse each.

Is the official CAT mock the same as the real paper?

No. The official notice says the mock has selected questions from previous years' CAT papers and that its question number, type, pattern and section timing are only indicative. CAT 2026 itself has 120 minutes with 40 minutes per section for non-PwBD candidates, and the exam does not allow leaving a section early.

Can a free mock predict the CAT percentile?

A free mock cannot predict the CAT percentile. It shows accuracy, timing and weak topics, and a percentile band from a mock is a rough guide. CAT percentiles are declared only by the CAT conducting body after the exam, and the IIMs' bulletin says results are likely in the first week of January 2027.

Next step

Take the official mock this week, a full mock at the real session time after that, and review each one before the next. Working professionals who would rather weigh a programme with its own entrance exam can read the Executive MBA Technology page for the eligibility and curriculum.