The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore has released the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 notification on 25 July 2026 and the online registration opened on 03 August 2026 at 10:00 AM at the official CAT portal iimcat.ac.in. The last date to register and pay the fee is 15 September 2026 at 5:00 PM. CAT 2026 will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) on 29 November 2026 (Sunday) in three sessions across approximately 170 test cities in India. This is the fifth time IIM Indore is conducting CAT, having previously done so in 2020 and 2023. CAT 2026 scores will be accepted for admission to 22 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and more than 1,000 participating B-schools across India for the 2027-29 academic session in MBA/PGP/PGDM and equivalent programmes. The application fee is Rs. 2,700 for General/OBC/EWS candidates and Rs. 1,350 for SC/ST/PwD candidates. No major changes have been made to the CAT 2026 exam pattern or syllabus.
Important Note: Three things every CAT 2026 aspirant must act on before 15 September 2026. First, the registration deadline is 15 September 2026 at 5:00 PM – this is a hard deadline with no exceptions historically. Do not wait until the final week; technical issues and high portal traffic are common near the last date. Apply early. Second, session allotment (morning, afternoon or evening) is done through a computerised process and cannot be chosen manually – only test city preferences (up to 5) can be selected during registration. The actual session and exam centre are printed on the admit card, available from 4 November 2026. Third, final-year graduation students are eligible to apply even if results are not yet declared – however, they must meet the 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) criterion at the time of admission if shortlisted.
CAT 2026 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore |
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 |
| Notification Released | 25 July 2026 |
| Registration Opens | 03 August 2026, 10:00 AM |
| Last Date to Register and Pay Fee | 15 September 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Exam Date | 29 November 2026 (Sunday) |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Number of Sessions | 3 (Morning, Afternoon, Evening) |
| Test Cities | Approximately 170 cities across India |
| Programmes Covered | MBA / PGP / PGDM and equivalent management programmes |
| Accepting Institutions | 22 IIMs + 1,000+ B-schools |
| Academic Session | 2027-29 |
| Application Fee – General/OBC/EWS | Rs. 2,700/- |
| Application Fee – SC/ST/PwD | Rs. 1,350/- |
| Admit Card | 4 November 2026 to 29 November 2026 |
| Result (Expected) | Second week of January 2027 |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date / Time |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 Notification Released | 25 July 2026 |
| Registration Opens | 03 August 2026, 10:00 AM |
| Last Date to Register and Pay Fee | 15 September 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Admit Card Download Opens | 4 November 2026 |
| Admit Card Download Closes | 29 November 2026 (exam day) |
| CAT 2026 Exam | 29 November 2026 (Sunday) |
| CAT 2026 Result (Expected) | Second week of January 2027 |
Eligibility Criteria
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline from a recognized university |
| Minimum Marks – General/OBC/EWS | Minimum 50% aggregate marks in graduation |
| Minimum Marks – SC/ST/PwD | Minimum 45% aggregate marks in graduation |
| Final Year Students | Eligible to apply; must meet the minimum marks criterion at the time of joining if shortlisted |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| Work Experience | Not mandatory; experience can be an advantage during IIM admission processes |
| Stream | Any discipline; no stream restriction |
| Nationality | Indian citizens and specified foreign nationals as per CAT policy |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | Rs. 2,700/- |
| SC / ST / PwD | Rs. 1,350/- |
Fee payment through Credit Card, Debit Card or Net Banking via the official CAT portal iimcat.ac.in. The fee is non-refundable.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
The CAT 2026 exam pattern follows the post-2020 format – no major changes have been announced in the 2026 notification.
| Section | Questions (Approx.) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 66 | 120 minutes |
Marking Scheme
| Answer Type | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct MCQ Answer | +3 marks |
| Wrong MCQ Answer | -1 mark (negative marking) |
| Correct TITA (Type In The Answer) | +3 marks |
| Wrong / Blank TITA | 0 marks (no negative marking) |
| Unattempted MCQ | 0 marks |
TITA questions require candidates to type the answer directly without options – no negative marking applies to these. MCQ questions carry negative marking of 1 mark per wrong answer.
Test City Selection
- Candidates can select up to 5 preferred test cities in order of priority during registration.
- The exam authority makes every effort to allot a city from the candidate’s preference list.
- Session (Morning/Afternoon/Evening) is allotted by a computerised process and cannot be manually selected – it will be printed on the admit card.
- CAT 2026 is conducted across approximately 170 cities in India.
Accepting Institutions
CAT 2026 scores are accepted by:
- All 22 IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) across India
- FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IRMA, NITIE Mumbai
- MBA programmes at several IITs
- More than 1,000 participating B-schools across India
Each institution conducts its own shortlisting and selection process (Written Ability Test, Group Discussion, Personal Interview) after the CAT result using their own cutoff scores, academic record, work experience and other criteria.
How to Apply for CAT 2026
- Visit the official CAT 2026 portal – Click Here
- Click on “Register” and enter your name, date of birth, nationality, phone number and email ID to create an account.
- Log in with the credentials sent to your registered email.
- Fill in all personal and academic details accurately.
- Upload a recent passport-size photograph and scanned signature in the prescribed format.
- Select preferred IIMs and courses you wish to apply to.
- Select up to 5 preferred test city options in order of priority.
- Pay the application fee – Rs. 2,700 (General/OBC/EWS) or Rs. 1,350 (SC/ST/PwD) via Credit/Debit Card or Net Banking.
- Submit the form and download the confirmation page.
Important Instructions
- Apply only through iimcat.ac.in – do not use unofficial apps or third-party portals claiming priority registration or faster submission.
- The fee is non-refundable – verify all eligibility conditions before paying.
- Session allotment is by computer – do not believe any claim that a particular session can be chosen or guaranteed.
- Keep your registered email ID and password safe – you will need them for admit card download and result checking.
- Monitor iimcat.ac.in for any corrigendum, correction window announcements or updates.
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 Registration – Apply Online | Click Here |
| CAT 2026 Official Notification PDF | Click Here |
| CAT 2026 Official Website | Click Here |
CAT 2026 – FAQs
Q1. What is CAT 2026 and who is conducting it?
✅ CAT 2026 is the Common Admission Test – a national-level management entrance exam for admission to MBA/PGP/PGDM programmes at 22 IIMs and 1,000+ B-schools across India for the 2027-29 academic session. IIM Indore is the conducting body for CAT 2026, as announced in the official notification released on 25 July 2026 at iimcat.ac.in.
Q2. When is the CAT 2026 registration last date?
✅ The last date to register and pay the application fee is 15 September 2026 at 5:00 PM. Registration opened on 03 August 2026 at 10:00 AM at iimcat.ac.in.
Q3. When is the CAT 2026 exam?
✅ CAT 2026 will be conducted on 29 November 2026 (Sunday) in three CBT sessions across approximately 170 test cities in India.
Q4. What is the CAT 2026 application fee?
✅ Rs. 2,700/- for General, OBC and EWS candidates; Rs. 1,350/- for SC, ST and PwD candidates. The fee is non-refundable and paid through Credit/Debit Card or Net Banking at iimcat.ac.in.
Q5. What is the eligibility for CAT 2026?
✅ A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with minimum 50% aggregate marks from a recognized university (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). There is no age limit, no work experience requirement and no stream restriction. Final-year graduation students are also eligible to apply.
Q6. What is the CAT 2026 exam pattern?
✅ CAT 2026 has 3 sections – VARC (24 questions, 40 minutes), DILR (20 questions, 40 minutes) and QA (22 questions, 40 minutes) – for a total of approximately 66 questions in 120 minutes. Marking: +3 for correct MCQ, -1 for wrong MCQ; no negative marking for TITA questions.
Q7. Can I choose my exam session (morning/afternoon/evening) in CAT 2026?
✅ No. Session allotment is done through a computerised random process and cannot be chosen manually. Candidates can only select up to 5 preferred test cities during registration. The assigned session and exact test centre will be printed on the admit card, available from 4 November 2026.
Q8. When is the CAT 2026 admit card?
✅ The CAT 2026 admit card will be available for download from 4 November 2026 to 29 November 2026 (exam day). Download it by logging in with your registered user ID and password at iimcat.ac.in.
Q9. When will the CAT 2026 result be declared?
✅ The CAT 2026 result is expected in the second week of January 2027, based on established patterns from previous years.
Q10. Which B-schools accept CAT 2026 scores besides IIMs?
✅ Apart from all 22 IIMs, top institutions accepting CAT scores include FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IRMA, NITIE Mumbai, and MBA programmes at several IITs. More than 1,000 B-schools across India participate in CAT-based admissions.
Disclaimer
The information above is compiled from the official CAT 2026 notification released on 25 July 2026 by IIM Indore on the official CAT portal iimcat.ac.in. Candidates are strongly advised to download and read the complete official CAT 2026 notification and information bulletin from iimcat.ac.in before registering, as individual IIM admission processes, cutoffs and selection criteria vary and are announced separately by each institution. All links above lead only to the official CAT/IIM portal iimcat.ac.in.
