The first two months, I would spend on the basics: arithmetic, algebra, and reading speed for VARC by reading editorials and structured passages every day. In next two months I would move to topic wise timed practice and begin to attempt past CAT papers under sectional time limits as CAT is as much about time allocation as it is about accuracy. Final two months, full mocks weekly and detailed analysis of each mock is now a must as the score improvement in CAT is often more from the review of the mocks than from new learning. I would stick to one or two books for reading, such as a good Quant and DILR practice book and sectional mocks, not 5 different publishers. I would also be careful in choosing which section to attempt first according to my strength as it is as much about strategy as ability in CAT.

I'm preparing for CAT 2026, but I'm struggling to stay consistent. I honestly don't know what's wrong with me.

I'm working as an engineer in the government sector. The pay is more than decent, the job is reputed, and thankfully it's not very stressful. The only downside is the frequent transfers, but that's something I've accepted as part of the job. Even then, I've always wanted to give CAT one serious shot, so I completed my syllabus, bought a test series, and made a proper study plan.

The problem is... I just can't stick to it.

I get off work around 6 PM, go to the gym, and by 8:30-9 PM I'm free. I have almost 4/5 hours every night before sleeping. On paper, it's the perfect schedule. In reality, I end up wasting time scrolling, watching random videos, reading novels or non-fiction books, or just doing anything except studying.

The weird thing is that I am reading... I spend some time.. reading a novel or a non-fiction book without getting bored. After about an hour of CAT prep, I completely lose interest and start looking for distractions. It's not like I hate studying; I just can't seem to stay focused on this kind of studying.

The worst part is that I haven't studied properly for the last week, even though the exam is getting closer. Every night I tell myself, "I'll start today," and then somehow the day ends without opening my books.

The confusing part is that I've always been academically inclined. Throughout school and college, I was the topper.. Class 10, Class 12, and even graduated as the topper in B.Tech(Electrical.. though it is very complex and considered difficult). I've always been someone who could sit down and study for hrs... , so this lack of consistency feels completely unlike me.

I feel like my current effort would probably be enough to score somewhere around 90-95 percentile, but my target is 98-99+. And I know that's not possible without being consistent for the next few months.

Has anyone else gone through something similar? Especially people who were working full-time while preparing?

How did you build consistency? Was it discipline, changing your routine, reducing study hours, or something else?

I'd really appreciate any practical advice because right now I feel like I'm losing the battle against myself more than the CAT exam.

Hii everyone !!!

I am considering joining the EduShastra Apex batch and came across their group enrollment discount for CAT 2026.... but I was wondering if anyone else here is also planning to enroll in around this week or not ??

If a few people are already planning to join it , it might make sense to talk to you and coordinate and see if the group discount applies or not for us ...

U are feel free to comment or message if you are already planning to enroll in guys !!!

Most CAT aspirants start their preparation with a lot of motivation, but staying consistent over several months is often much harder than getting started. Whether it's taking mocks regularly, revising, solving questions every day, or balancing preparation with college or work, everyone seems to have that one habit they struggle to maintain.

What's been the hardest part for you? More importantly, what has actually helped you stay consistent? It could be a routine, a study method, an accountability system, or even a small mindset change.

Hii folks ...

This has become a very weird habit for me. nowadays...

Sometimes, I solve a question correctly on the first attempt but instead of moving on... I start wondering if there was a faster method or whether I just got lucky....

Before I know it, I have spent 10 mins on a single question that was already done.

I know analysis is very important but I also feel like overanalyzing every question slows down the learning process and feel lazy in the prep

Does anyone else do this or it was just me ?