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    How to Tackle TITA Questions in CAT 2026: Tips & Strategies

    How to Tackle TITA Questions in CAT 2026: Tips & Strategies

    Hitesh SahuUpdated on 12 Aug 2026, 08:32 PM IST

    CAT 2026 exam will be conducted on November 29, 2026, that is, the last Sunday of November. This leaves candidates with limited time to prepare for the TITA strategy. In CAT 2025, candidates had to answer 23 TITA questions, including VARC, DILR, and QA. Although TITA questions are tricky, they have no options and do not award negative marks. As a result, even if a candidate leaves them blank, they will not be penalised; however, every correct answer will improve their score. Therefore, go through some interesting facts about CAT TITA questions and strategies to deal with them.

    This Story also Contains

    1. What are TITA Questions in CAT?
    2. CAT TITA Questions: Previous Year Trends: (2015-2025)
    3. CAT Exam TITA vs MCQ
    4. Tips to Improve Accuracy in CAT 2026 TITA Questions
    5. CAT 2026 TITA Time Management Tips: How to Save Time?
    6. CAT TITA Strategy 2026: How to Score Better?
    7. Methods to Solve TITA Questions In CAT 2026
    8. Types of TITA Questions in CAT 2026
    9. CAT TITA Sample Questions
    10. Should You Attempt Every TITA Question in CAT 2026?
    11. CAT TITA Strategy 2026
    12. Common Mistakes to Avoid in CAT TITA Questions
    13. CAT Ebooks 2026 by Careers360
    How to Tackle TITA Questions in CAT 2026: Tips & Strategies
    CAT 2026 TITA questions

    What are TITA Questions in CAT?

    TITA (Type In The Answer) questions are non-MCQ questions in which candidates must enter the answer themselves instead of selecting an option. They can appear in VARC, DILR and QA. Unlike incorrect MCQs, TITA questions do not carry negative marking.

    CAT TITA Questions: Previous Year Trends: (2015-2025)

    The candidates can go through the CAT TITA question trends of previous years, provided below, to have an estimate before appearing in the CAT exam slot 2.

    CAT Exam YearVARC TITADILR TITAQA TITATotal TITA Questions
    CAT 2025411823
    CAT 202446818
    CAT 202357517
    CAT 202236817
    CAT 202158518
    CAT 202085821
    CAT 2019108725
    CAT 2018781227
    CAT 201776720
    CAT 2016108725
    CAT 20151081432

    CAT has had a significant number of TITA questions in recent years, with no definite pattern in VARC, DILR and QA.

    CAT Exam TITA vs MCQ

    The major difference between CAT TITA and MCQ comes from the method of answering - while the latter offers options and hence helps one to an extent in narrowing down on the correct answer, the former is free-response based. This makes it even more critical to know concepts thoroughly and not make calculation errors in attempting TITA questions in CAT.

    FactorMCQTITA
    Answer formatChoose from optionsType the answer
    Negative markingYes, for incorrect answersNo negative marking
    EliminationPossibleNot possible
    Key skillAccuracy + option eliminationConceptual clarity + calculation accuracy
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    Tips to Improve Accuracy in CAT 2026 TITA Questions

    The TITA questions in CAT 2026 require extensive calculations and conceptual application as there are no options provided to cross-verify the answer. Accuracy can be achieved by focusing on estimations, verifications and correct answer entry.

    Check the Answer Range

    Estimate whether the answer should be an integer, decimal and/or lie within a range to avoid calculation errors or unit conversion errors.

    Verify Your Answer

    Plug in the answer in the given equations or conditions wherever applicable, especially in Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry problems.

    Use Easy Values Wherever Possible

    Use easy values like 10, 20, 100 etc. while solving questions involving percentage, ratios, mixtures etc., wherever the question can accept this approach.

    Track TITA Mistakes

    Check which type of errors (conceptual, calculation, interpretation, entry) you generally commit in TITA questions to improve accuracy in CAT 2026.

    Practise TITA Answer

    Use CAT mock tests to improve your entry accuracy for integers, decimals, fractions etc. Also ensure to check the required format for decimal places, 0s, fractions etc.

    CAT 2026 TITA Time Management Tips: How to Save Time?

    TITA questions can be time-consuming as there are no options to cross-verify the answer. It is advised to skip complex TITA questions and return to them after solving other questions in the section. Additionally, the following time-saving methods can be applied to TITA questions:

    Prioritise Easy TITA Questions

    Prioritise easy questions with direct answers or lesser calculation steps first in TITA questions.

    Set Time Limits

    Set time limits for TITA questions while giving the CAT mock tests. Try to maintain an approximate time-per-question benchmark across all TITA questions in each section.

    Apply Reverse Calculation

    In numerical CAT Quant TITA questions, apply reverse calculations to verify your answer wherever possible.

    Practise with Time Limits

    Use the on-screen answer entry system while practising under time limits to improve your calculation and entry speeds.

    CAT TITA Strategy 2026: How to Score Better?

    The absence of negative marking in TITA questions can often be an advantage to score better in CAT 2026. However, it is not advised to make random attempts in TITA questions as they can lead to loss of marks due to penalty. The following preparation strategies can help to score better with TITA questions in CAT 2026.

    Focus on Accuracy-Based Questions

    Focus on Accuracy-Based Questions in Arithmetic, Algebra and DILR

    Practice Without MCQ Options

    Practice solving questions without the help of Multiple Choice Options to improve accuracy. It will help you develop confidence in solving questions and arrive at the correct answer.

    Secure Easy MCQs First

    Save the easy MCQs for later, and secure the high-scoring, high-confidence questions first. In addition, do not let TITA questions affect your overall MCQ strategy.

    Check the Required Answer Entry Format

    Before entering the answer, double-check decimals, zeroes, fractions and other special instructions mentioned in the question to ensure that you have entered the answer correctly.

    Avoid Spending Too Much Time on One Question

    In case you are not able to figure out how to approach a specific TITA question or the calculation is getting too cumbersome, leave that question for the time being and move on to the next one.

    Methods to Solve TITA Questions In CAT 2026

    TITA (type-in-the-answer) questions test a student’s conceptual and mathematical ability. Here are some methods to solve TITA questions in CAT 2026:

    Check The Type of Question

    First of all, check what type of question it is, be it Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Probability, Permutation & Combination or DILR based.

    Extract Important Values

    Extract important values from the question and note down the units if any.

    Apply The Conceptual Formula

    Apply the relevant conceptual formula and avoid assumptions

    Break Down Long Calculation Steps

    Break down long calculation steps. Try to avoid calculating large equations in your mind.

    Verify Final Answer Against Conditions

    Verify the final answer against all the conditions/specifications mentioned in the question. Wherever possible, apply approximation techniques to check if the answer is correct.

    Types of TITA Questions in CAT 2026

    The TITA questions can appear in various forms in the CAT 2026. The most common type of TITA questions are listed below:

    Arithmetic-Based TITA Questions

    The percentage, ratio, average, time-speed-distance, work, time, interest, and other basic arithmetic topics are included in this category. Questions in this category require calculation intensive approaches with accurate estimations

    Algebra & Sequence TITA Questions

    This category includes a wide range of questions that include equations, sequences and inequalities.

    Geometry & Mensuration TITA Questions

    This category has area, perimeter, volume, coordinate and 3-D geometry problems that need extensive use of arithmetic and conceptual knowledge.

    Permutation, Combination & Probability TITA Questions

    This category requires in-depth knowledge of permutation, combination and probability.

    Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation TITA Questions

    This category includes puzzles, sets, tabular data and other questions based on logical reasoning and data interpretation.

    CAT TITA Sample Questions

    These CAT TITA sample questions are taken from the CAT 2025 question papers across the VARC, DILR, and QA sections. They provide a practical look at the type and difficulty of TITA questions asked in the actual exam.

    VARC TITA Questions

    1. Five jumbled sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence out and key in the number of that sentence as your answer.
      1. Developments both technological and sociocultural have afforded us far greater freedom over death than we had in the past, and while we are still adapting ourselves to that freedom, we now appreciate the moral importance of this freedom.
      2. But I believe that a type of freedom we can call freedom over death - that is, a freedom in which we shape the timing and circumstances of how we die - should be central to this conversation.
      3. Legalising assisted dying is but a further step in realising this freedom over death.
      4. Many people endorse, through their opinions or their choices, our freedom over death, encompassing a right to medical assistance in hastening our deaths.
      5. Freedom is a notoriously complex and contested philosophical notion, and I won’t pretend to settle any of the big controversies it raises.
        (CAT 2025 Slot 1)
    2. The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4) given below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer.
      1. It can in fact be integrated into any function (education, medical treatment, production, punishment); it can increase the effect of this function, by being linked closely with it; it can constitute a mixed mechanism in which relations of power (and of knowledge) may be precisely adjusted, in the smallest detail, to the processes that are to be supervised; it can establish a direct proportion between 'surplus power' and 'surplus production'.
      2. It's a case of 'it's easy once you've thought of it' in the political sphere.
      3. The panoptic mechanism is not simply a hinge, a point of exchange between a mechanism of power and a function; it is a way of making power relations function in a function, and of making a function function through these power relations.
      4. In short, it arranges things in such a way that the exercise of power is not added on from the outside, like a rigid, heavy constraint, to the functions it invests, but is so subtly present in them as to increase their efficiency by itself increasing its own points of contact.
        (CAT 2025 Slot 1)
    3. The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4) given below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer.
      1. ‘Literature on screen' suggests something more capacious and defining than citation: the possibility that literary adaptations are at once cinema and literature.
      2. Even though a growing number of films eligible for Academy Awards for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium borrow that material from print journalism, franchise characters, television series, comic books, video games and toys, academic studies of adaptation remain stubbornly attached to literature as cinema's natural progenitor.
      3. It is as if adaptation studies, by borrowing the cultural cachet of literature, sought to claim its institutional respectability and gravitas even while insuring adaptation's enduring aesthetic and methodological subordination to literature proper.
      4. Beneath this contradictory notion of film adaptations as not merely hybrid texts but texts holding dual citizenship in two modes of presentation is an even more pervasive legacy that haunts adaptation studies: the assumption that the primary context within which adaptations are to be studied is literature.
        (CAT 2025 Slot 2)
    4. Five jumbled sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence out and key in the number of that sentence as your answer.
      1. The profound emotional impact of music has inspired ongoing research into its relationship with emotions.
      2. Music is a universal phenomenon that utilizes a myriad brain resources.
      3. This inherent connection to musical expression is deeply intertwined with human identity and experience.
      4. The proclivity to create and appreciate music is ubiquitous among humans, permeating daily life across diverse societies.
      5. Engaging with music is among the most cognitively demanding tasks a human can undergo, and it is identified across cultures.
        (CAT 2025 Slot 3)
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    DILR TITA Questions

    1. What was Eklavya’s score at the end of Quarter 2?
      (CAT 2025 Slot 1)
    2. What was the total number of two-author and three-author papers written by Brajen?
      (CAT 2025 Slot 2)
    3. If Devon wrote more than one two-author papers, then how many two-author papers did Chintan write?
      (CAT 2025 Slot 2)
    4. How many minutes did Suranjan take to solve the third visual puzzle in the competition?
      (CAT 2025 Slot 3)
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    QA TITA Questions

    1. Stocks A, B and C are priced at rupees 120, 90 and 150 per share, respectively. A trader holds a portfolio consisting of 10 shares of stock A, and 20 shares of stocks B and C put together. If the total value of her portfolio is rupees 3300, then the number of shares of stock B that she holds, is
      (CAT 2025 Slot 1)
    2. The average number of copies of a book sold per day by a shopkeeper is 60 in the initial seven days and 63 in the initial eight days, after the book launch. On the ninth day, she sells 11 copies less than the eighth day, and the average number of copies sold per day from second day to ninth day becomes 66. The number of copies sold on the first day of the book launch is
      (CAT 2025 Slot 2)
    3. A triangle ABC is formed with AB = AC = 50 cm and BC = 80 cm. Then, the sum of the lengths, in cm, of all three altitudes of the triangle ABC is
      (CAT 2025 Slot 3)
    4. Vessels A and B contain 60 litres of alcohol and 60 litres of water, respectively. A certain volume is taken out from A and poured into B. After stirring, the same volume is taken out from B and poured into A. If the resultant ratio of alcohol and water in A is 15 : 4, then the volume, in litres, initially taken out from A is
      (CAT 2025 Slot 3)

    Should You Attempt Every TITA Question in CAT 2026?

    No. The absence of negative marking makes TITA lower-risk from a marking perspective, but it does not make every question worth attempting. A lengthy TITA can consume time that could be used on an easier MCQ or another solvable question.

    Then give a simple rule:

    SituationWhat to do
    Answer is clearAttempt
    Short calculation requiredAttempt
    Long calculation but clear approachAttempt if time permits
    Solution approach unclearSkip and return later
    Random number requiredDo not attempt

    CAT TITA Strategy 2026

    Learn how to approach TITA questions with the right balance of accuracy, speed and smart question selection. Use these strategies to avoid calculation and answer-entry errors and maximise your CAT score.

    Build Conceptual Clarity

    Since TITA questions provide no options, understand the underlying concept before attempting advanced problems.

    Practise Without MCQ Options

    Solve previous CAT questions without viewing the answer choices to develop independent problem-solving skills.

    Practise Under Time Limits

    Use CAT mock tests and timed practice sessions to improve calculation speed and accuracy under exam conditions.

    Attempt When the Solution Is Clear

    No negative marking does not mean random attempts are useful. Prioritise TITA questions with a clear solving path and move on from lengthy problems.

    Common Mistakes to Avoid in CAT TITA Questions

    Avoid common errors such as calculation mistakes, misreading questions, spending too much time on one problem and entering the answer incorrectly. These simple mistakes can affect your accuracy and overall CAT score.

    • Skipping rough work: Write important intermediate steps to reduce calculation errors.

    • Spending too long: Move on if the solution path is unclear and return later if time permits.

    • Ignoring answer format: Check decimals, fractions, units and other required formats before submission.

    • Random guessing: Avoid entering arbitrary answers simply because TITA questions have no negative marking.

    • Misreading the question: Carefully distinguish between terms such as average and total or percentage and fraction.

    CAT Ebooks 2026 by Careers360

    CAT Ebooks 2026 by Careers360 are a convenient part of study material for CAT, offering topic-wise theory, solved examples, and practice questions. They cover Quantitative Aptitude, VARC, and Logical Reasoning and help aspirants to study anytime and strengthen concepts efficiently.

    eBook Title

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    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What are TITA questions in CAT?
    A:

    TITA stands for Type In The Answer. These questions do not have options, and candidates must type the correct answer using the keyboard.

    Q: Is there negative marking for TITA questions in CAT 2026?
    A:

    No, there is no negative marking for incorrect TITA answers, but marks are awarded only for correct entries.

    Q: Which topics usually have TITA questions?
    A:

    TITA questions often appear in Quantitative Aptitude topics like Arithmetic, Algebra, Number Systems, and Geometry. Some Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation questions may also be TITA, requiring precise calculation or reasoning.

    Q: Is attempting all TITA questions a good strategy in CAT?
    A:

    Not every TITA is designed to be attempted, many are traps with heavy calculation or ambiguous framing. Prioritise only those TITA questions where data is clean and solvable within 2–3 minutes to maintain a healthy time-to-mark ratio.

    Q: How to solve TITA questions in CAT 2026?
    A:

    To solve TITA (Type In The Answer) questions in CAT 2026, start by carefully reading the question to understand the requirement, as there are no answer options to guide you. Focus on logical reasoning and precise calculations, as these questions often test conceptual clarity. Avoid guesswork since there is no negative marking, but aim to attempt only those questions where you are confident.

    Q: How can I improve speed and accuracy for TITA questions?
    A:

    Practice with previous CAT papers and mock tests specifically for TITA questions. Focus on shortcuts, formula memorisation, and mental calculations to reduce reliance on paper. Time management is essential to attempt all TITA questions correctly.

    Q: In which sections are TITA questions asked in CAT 2026?
    A:

    TITA questions appear in all three sections of the CAT 2026 examination: VARC, DILR, and Quantitative Aptitude.

    Q: How many TITA questions in the CAT?
    A:

    The number of TITA questions in CAT varies each year but usually ranges between 10 to 14 questions across all three sections.

    Q: Are TITA questions more difficult than MCQs?
    A:

    TITA questions may feel harder because there are no options to guess from, and accuracy in calculation and logic is required.

    Q: How should students prepare for CAT 2026 TITA questions?
    A:

    Students should practice calculation-based questions, improve accuracy, and solve previous year CAT TITA questions regularly.

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