CAT Exam 2026 Apply Online, Notification, Registration, Exam Date

CAT Exam 2026 registration has started for candidates seeking admission to various postgraduate and doctoral management programmes offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other participating institutions. The CAT 2026 Application Form can be submitted online through the official CAT website.

The CAT 2026 registration process started on 03 August 2026 and the last date to submit the application form is 15 September 2026. The Common Admission Test 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on 29 November 2026 in three sessions.

Candidates who are interested in pursuing MBA, management and related postgraduate programmes should read the CAT 2026 notification carefully before applying online.

CAT Exam 2026 – Important Dates

The registration and examination dates are based on the current CAT 2026 information available on the CAT admission portal.

CAT 2026 Application Fee

Candidates are required to pay the application fee online while submitting the CAT 2026 application form.

The fee can be paid through available online payment methods such as debit card, credit card, internet banking, UPI and other permitted modes.

CAT Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates should check the eligibility requirements before submitting the application form.

A candidate must have a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA from a recognized university or institution. For candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories, the minimum requirement is 45% marks or equivalent CGPA.

Candidates who are currently in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree can also apply, subject to the conditions mentioned in the CAT 2026 notification.

Candidates holding certain professional qualifications such as CA, CS, ICWA or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) may also be eligible if they meet the prescribed requirements.

CAT 2026 Eligibility – Quick View

Note: Eligibility for admission may vary between individual IIMs. Candidates should also check the admission policy of the IIM or programme they are interested in.

CAT 2026 Apply Online

Candidates can submit the CAT 2026 Application Form online through the official CAT website.

How to Apply for CAT 2026

1. Visit the official CAT website.
2. Open the CAT 2026 Registration section.
3. Register using your valid mobile number and email ID.
4. Verify the registration details through OTP.
5. Generate your CAT User ID and Password.
6. Login to the CAT application portal.
7. Enter your personal and academic details.
8. Add work experience details, if applicable.
9. Select the required programmes.
10. Select your preferred test cities.
11. Upload the photograph, signature and required certificates.
12. Pay the application fee online.
13. Check the complete application form carefully.
14. Submit the application form.
15. Download and save the final application confirmation page.

Candidates do not necessarily have to complete the application in one sitting. The application can be saved and completed later before final submission. However, after payment and final submission, changes may not be allowed, so candidates should check all details carefully.

CAT 2026 Notification PDF

The CAT 2026 Notification contains important information regarding registration, eligibility, examination schedule, application fee, test centres, examination pattern and admission-related instructions.

Candidates should read the complete notification before submitting the application form.

CAT 2026 Notification: Available on the official CAT portal.

CAT 2026 – Important Links

For the latest application and notification links, candidates should use the official CAT website.

CAT 2026 Exam – Overview

CAT 2026 Admission Process

CAT is an important component of the admission process for IIM programmes, but qualifying the examination does not automatically guarantee admission.

Individual IIMs may consider several factors while shortlisting candidates. These can include CAT performance, previous academic performance, work experience and other institute-specific criteria.

The broad process is:

CAT Registration → CAT Exam → Result/Percentile → IIM Shortlisting → Further Selection Process → Final Admission

Each IIM can have its own admission and shortlisting policy, so candidates should check the official admission policy of the respective institute.

CAT 2026 Syllabus and Test Pattern

The CAT 2026 examination will have three sections:

1. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
3. Quantitative Ability (QA)

The total examination duration is 120 minutes, with 40 minutes allotted to each section. Candidates cannot switch between sections while attempting a particular section.

CAT 2026 Test Pattern

CAT 2026 Syllabus – Major Topics

VARC

• Reading Comprehension
• Para Jumbles
• Para Summary
• Sentence Completion
• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• Verbal Reasoning

DILR

• Data Interpretation
• Tables and Charts
• Graphs
• Caselets
• Logical Puzzles
• Seating Arrangement
• Data Sufficiency
• Logical Reasoning

Quantitative Ability

• Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Number System
• Percentages
• Profit and Loss
• Ratio and Proportion
• Averages
• Time and Work
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Interest
• Modern Mathematics

CAT 2026 PGP and Management Programmes

CAT scores are used for admission consideration across various management programmes offered by IIMs. Programmes vary by institute and may include MBA, PGP, specialised management programmes and executive programmes.

Some participating IIMs include:

Programme availability and admission criteria can differ between institutes. Candidates should visit the respective IIM websites for programme-specific information.

CAT 2026 Admit Card

The CAT 2026 Admit Card is scheduled to be available from 04 November 2026. Candidates whose application has been successfully submitted will be able to log in using their registered credentials and download their admit card.

The admit card will contain important details such as:

• Candidate Name
• CAT Registration Number
• Photograph
• Exam Date
• Exam Time
• Test Centre
• Exam-Day Instructions

Candidates should download the admit card well before the examination date and carefully check all details.

CAT 2026 Test Centres

CAT 2026 is scheduled to be conducted in around 170 cities. Candidates can select their preferred test cities during the application process.

The final test centre will be mentioned on the admit card. The examination authority may make changes to test cities or centres when required.

CAT 2026 Image Uploading Instructions

Candidates need to upload their photograph, signature and applicable certificates during the application process.

Photograph and Signature

Applicable EWS, NC-OBC, SC/ST and PwD certificates may need to be uploaded in PDF format as specified in the application instructions.

CAT 2026 Result and Score Card

The CAT 2026 Result is expected to be declared in the first week of January 2027.

Candidates will be able to access their CAT scorecards through the official CAT website. The scorecard will provide the candidate’s CAT performance and percentile details.

After the result, individual IIMs will release their respective shortlisting information according to their admission policies.

How to Prepare for CAT 2026?

Candidates preparing for CAT should focus on all three sections instead of depending on only one subject.

A simple preparation strategy is:

• Build strong fundamentals in Quantitative Ability.
• Read newspapers, editorials and quality articles for VARC.
• Practise different types of DILR sets.
• Solve previous CAT-level questions.
• Take regular mock tests.
• Analyse mistakes after every mock test.
• Improve speed and accuracy gradually.
• Prepare a revision plan for the final weeks.

Consistent practice is more useful than studying for long hours without analysing performance.

CAT 2026 Contact Details

For application-related queries, candidates should use the official CAT 2026 helpdesk details provided in the notification.

CAT 2026 Helpline: 18002100175
Email: cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in

FAQs – CAT Exam 2026

Conclusion

CAT Exam 2026 is an important entrance examination for candidates planning to pursue management programmes at IIMs and other participating institutions. The CAT 2026 application process has started, and eligible candidates should submit their forms before the 15 September 2026 deadline.

Before applying, candidates should carefully check the eligibility requirements, application fee, document specifications, test city choices and other instructions. Candidates should also remember that individual IIMs may have different admission criteria even after the CAT examination.

For authentic updates, candidates should always verify the latest information through the official CAT portal.