Trending CAT 2026 Exam Discussion Group: 
CAT 2026 Official Discussion Group

CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29, 2026, by IIM Indore. The official CAT 2026 notification has been released, confirming the exam date, registration schedule, and other important details. The exam will be held in computer-based test (CBT) mode at test centres across India.

The CAT 2026 registration process commenced on August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) and remain open until September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM). Eligible candidates can complete the online application process through the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in. Candidates are advised to register well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

What is Common Aptitude Test (CAT)?

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a widely recognised entrance exam for MBA aspirants, which is conducted at the national level for admission to Top IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) and numerous other renowned management colleges. The CAT scores are accepted by approximately 1200 management colleges for admission into MBA programs.

CAT 2026 Highlights

CAT 2026 Important Dates

CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29, 2026, by IIM Indore. The official CAT 2026 notification has been released, confirming the exam date, registration schedule, and other important details. The exam will be held in computer-based test (CBT) mode at test centres across India. The exam will be conducted in three slots across 170+ cities in India. The CAT 2026 registration process commenced on August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) and remain open until September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM). Eligible candidates can complete the online application process through the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in.

For reference, CAT 2025 was conducted on November 30, 2025, and the results were declared on December 24, 2025. The PI rounds and admission process for the 2026 batch through CAT scores are currently underway at IIMs and other leading B-schools.

CAT 2026 Important Dates

Stay updated with the key dates for CAT 2026 by referring to the table below:

Eligibility Criteria for CAT 2026

Candidates seeking admission through CAT 2026 must satisfy the eligibility conditions specified by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements allows candidates to apply for CAT; however, it does not guarantee shortlisting or admission to any IIM. Each IIM has its own admission policy and selection criteria.

Educational Qualification

A candidate must possess a Bachelor’s Degree awarded by:

• A university or educational institution established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature in India; or
• A deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956; or
• An institution offering an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Minimum Marks Required

To be eligible for CAT 2026, candidates must have obtained:

Final-Year Students

Candidates appearing for the final year of their Bachelor’s degree or those who have completed all degree requirements but are awaiting their final results are also eligible to apply for CAT 2026.

However, if selected by an IIM, such candidates will be granted provisional admission only after submitting a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of their University or Institution (issued on or before the date specified by the respective IIM). The certificate must confirm that the candidate has completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification on the date of issue.

Professional Degree Holders

Candidates with any of the following professional qualifications are also eligible to apply, provided they have secured the required minimum percentage:

• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Company Secretary (CS)
• Cost and Management Accountant (CMA/ICWA)
• Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)

Eligibility Conditions

Applicants must satisfy any one of the following conditions:

• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks.
• Have completed a professional degree (CA/CS/CMA/FIAI) with the required percentage.
• Be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree programme with the required percentage criteria.

CGPA to Percentage Conversion

For candidates whose universities award CGPA or grades instead of percentage marks:

• The percentage will be calculated according to the conversion formula certified by the respective university or institution.
• If the university does not provide any conversion method, the equivalent percentage will be calculated using the following formula:

Equivalent Percentage = (Candidate’s CGPA ÷ Maximum Possible CGPA) × 100

Verification of Eligibility

The IIMs may verify a candidate’s eligibility at various stages of the admission process. Therefore, candidates must ensure that all information provided in the CAT application form is accurate and supported by valid documents.

Important Points

• Merely fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria does not ensure consideration for shortlisting by the IIMs.
• Every participating IIM has its own admission policy, academic cut-offs, and selection process.
• Candidates are advised to check the admission policy of each IIM before applying.
• Applicants must maintain a valid and unique email ID and mobile number throughout the CAT 2026 admission process, as all important communications will be sent through these channels.

Registration: CAT 2026

The CAT 2026 registration process will be conducted entirely in online mode through the official CAT website. The registration window will open on August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM, and close on September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Candidates are advised to complete the registration well before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues. Detailed instructions for filling out the application form will be provided in the official CAT Registration Guide.

CAT 2026 Registration Dates

CAT 2026 Registration Fee

Candidates must pay the registration fee online while submitting the application form.

Important Points

• The registration fee is payable only once, irrespective of the number of IIMs or participating institutes the candidate wishes to apply to.
• The registration fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.
• SC, ST, and PwBD candidates must upload valid category certificates while registering.

Test City Selection

During registration, candidates are required to select five preferred test cities from the list available on the CAT application portal.

• Candidates should carefully choose their preferred cities in order of preference.
• After the registration period closes, one of the selected cities will be allotted based on availability.
• If none of the preferred cities can be allotted due to capacity constraints, a nearby test city may be assigned by the CAT authorities.

Test Centres

• CAT 2026 will be conducted in approximately 170 test cities across India.
• The complete list of test cities will be published on the official CAT website.
• The exact test centre name and address will be mentioned on the candidate’s admit card.
• The IIMs reserve the right to add, remove, change, or cancel any test centre or test city and may also change the examination date or session if required.

Category Certificate Requirements

Candidates claiming reservation under NC-OBC or EWS categories must ensure that their certificates meet the prescribed validity requirements.

• NC-OBC certificate: Must be issued on or after April 1, 2026.
• EWS certificate: Must be valid for the 2026–27 financial year and assessed for FY 2025–26.

If candidates have applied for a valid NC-OBC or EWS certificate but have not received it before registration, they may still complete the CAT application by uploading a single PDF containing:

1. A duly filled Undertaking for NC-OBC/EWS Certificate (available on the CAT website).
2. The previously issued NC-OBC/EWS certificate (issued before April 1, 2026).
3. The acknowledgement, communication, or screenshot confirming submission of the application for the new certificate.

Failure to upload all the required documents may result in disqualification from the admission process.

Important Instructions

• Candidates should register only after ensuring they satisfy the CAT 2026 eligibility criteria.
• No change in the candidate’s category will be permitted after the CAT registration process is completed.
• Candidates should retain a copy of their application and payment confirmation for future reference.

Exam pattern: CAT 2026

The CAT 2026 question paper will consist of three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

The exam will have a total duration of 120 minutes, with a sectional time limit of 40 minutes per section. Below are the key highlights of the CAT 2026 exam pattern:

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

Tips for CAT preparation

Scoring more than 95 percentile requires sheer determination and continuous hard work. A systematic approach along with the preparation tips may prove to be fruitful for beginners as well as intermediates.

How to start CAT preparation?

• An analysis of the previous year’s papers proves to be a great source to determine the trend of exam patterns. Since the CAT examination does not have any prescribed syllabus, the candidates thus count upon the previous year’s papers for the difficulty level, paper pattern, time limit, etc.
• Once the candidates solve a decent number of previous papers, they are advised to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

How to make the timetable?

• Preparation for the CAT examination requires discipline. Making a timetable to strengthen the strengths as well as weaknesses would help the candidates.
• All sections need equal practice and attention for scoring very good marks. Thus aspirants should not ignore the strong section.
• Practicing questions should be done regularly.
• The candidates must turn their weaknesses into their strengths.

How many mocks should be taken?

• Practicing questions regularly is a must. However, aspirants should also take the mock tests for understanding their level of preparation. They are also advised to attempt sectional mock tests.
• The number of mock tests solely depends upon the level of preparation. On average five to six mock tests are taken by the aspirants. Some also take more than 20 mock tests.

Joining coaching institute for CAT

• Joining a coaching institute surely helps for proper preparation for CAT. Nevertheless, they can attempt a mock test for understanding their preparation and decide afterward.
• Aspirants can also opt for online methods for CAT preparation.

Books for CAT Preparation

Choosing the best books helps the aspirants to prepare for their overall development. Candidates can also find out a guide in some of the following best books for preparing for the CAT exam. A list of the best books is given below.

Mock Test

Is there any official mock test for CAT?

Candidates registering for the CAT exam are provided with mock tests on the official website of CAT. One can simply log in to the website and attempt the mock test on the respective dates announced for mock. The mock test gives applicants an idea of the pattern of the exam, marking scheme, and other aspects. It also makes an aspirant used to giving the CBT model of CAT examination. Mock tests are just like the main examination whose duration is 2 hours.

Best mock test series for CAT

There are three most popular mock test series taken by the candidates. One can opt from the IMS SimCATs, Career launcher test series, and AIMCAT test series from TIME.

Free mock tests for CAT

several coaching institutes offer free mock tests. One can also take the help of the online free test series for the CAT examination. The previous year’s papers could also be given as mock tests. Given below are the free mock tests available to the candidates preparing for CAT.

• Career launcher ● IMS India

Syllabus for CAT 2026

There is not a proper specification of the syllabus for the CAT exam in the official notification issued. Thus a variety of questions are made from the three sections. Experts have suggested the syllabus of the examination after seeing the paper pattern of the previous few years.

The Common Aptitude Test is taken to check the basic aptitude of the candidates from the three areas. The prescribed syllabus for the three sections are given below.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) 

• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Fill in the blanks
• Analogies
• Para jumble
• Reverse analogies
• Sentence correction
• Summary questions
• Reading Comprehension
• Verbal reasoning
• Facts and interferences 

 Quantitative Ability (QA) 

• Profit and loss
• Number system
• Speed distance and time
• Geometry
• Mensuration
• Time and work
• Ratio and proportion
• Surds and Indices
• Trigonometry
• Alligation and Surds
• Logarithm
• Mixtures and Alligations
• Averages
• Equations 

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) 

• Tables
• Graphs
• Venn diagram
• Series
• Binary
• Logic
• Blood relations
• Caselets
• Seating arrangement

Admit card for CAT 2026

The CAT 2026 Admit Card will be released online on November 4, 2026, by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Only candidates who successfully complete the CAT 2026 registration process and submit the application fee will be able to download their admit cards from the official CAT website. The admit card is a mandatory document for appearing in the examination and will remain available for download until the exam day, November 29, 2026.

CAT 2026 Admit Card Dates

How to Download CAT 2026 Admit Card?

Candidates can download the CAT 2026 admit card by following these steps:

1. Visit the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in.
2. Click on the ‘Login’ tab.
3. Enter your User ID and Password created during registration.
4. Click on ‘Admit Card’.
5. Download the CAT 2026 admit card PDF.
6. Take at least two to three printouts for future reference.

Details Mentioned on the CAT 2026 Admit Card

Candidates should carefully verify the following information printed on the admit card:

• Candidate’s Name
• CAT Registration Number/User ID
• Roll Number
• Photograph and Signature
• Category
• Date of Birth
• Exam Date
• Exam Slot and Reporting Time
• Test Centre Name and Complete Address
• Google Map Link (if provided)
• Important Exam Day Instructions

In case of any discrepancy, candidates should immediately contact the CAT Help Desk before the examination.

Documents to Carry with CAT 2026 Admit Card

Candidates must carry the following documents to the examination centre:

• Printed copy of the CAT 2026 Admit Card
• Original valid photo identity proof such as:
  • Aadhaar Card
  • PAN Card
  • Passport
  • Voter ID
  • Driving Licence
  • College ID (if accepted)
• PwBD certificate (where applicable)

Candidates without a valid admit card and photo ID will not be allowed to appear for the examination.

CAT 2026 Exam Day Guidelines

• Reach the examination centre well before the reporting time.
• Carry only the permitted documents to the test centre.
• Follow all instructions issued by the examination authorities and invigilators.
• Electronic devices, calculators, smartwatches, mobile phones, study material, and other prohibited items are not allowed inside the examination hall.
• Verify your allotted seat and complete the biometric verification process before the examination begins.

Forgot CAT Login Password?

If candidates forget their login password, they can retrieve it by using the “Forgot Password” option available on the CAT login portal. A password reset link or OTP will be sent to the registered email address or mobile number.

Important Instructions

• The CAT 2026 admit card will not be sent by post or email.
• Download the admit card only from the official CAT website.
• Keep the admit card safe until the completion of the admission process, as it may be required during counselling and document verification.

CAT 2026 Result

The CAT 2026 result is expected to be declared in the First week of January, 2027 on the official CAT website. Candidates can download their scorecards by logging in with their User ID and Password. The scorecard will display both the sectional and overall scaled scores and percentiles, which are used by IIMs and other participating B-schools for shortlisting candidates.

CAT 2026 Result Date

Note: The result date will be updated once the conducting IIM announces the official CAT 2026 schedule.

How to Check CAT 2026 Result?

Candidates can access their CAT 2026 result online by following these steps:

1. Visit the official CAT website.
2. Click on the ‘CAT 2026 Scorecard’ link.
3. Log in using your User ID and Password.
4. Your CAT 2026 scorecard will appear on the screen.
5. Download and save the scorecard for future admission rounds.

Details Mentioned on the CAT 2026 Scorecard

The CAT scorecard contains the following information:

• Candidate’s Name
• CAT Registration Number/User ID
• Category
• Date of Birth
• Photograph
• Test Date and Session
• Section-wise Scaled Scores
• Overall Scaled Score
• Section-wise Percentiles
• Overall Percentile

Candidates should carefully verify all the details on the scorecard. In case of any discrepancy, they should contact the CAT helpdesk immediately.

CAT 2026 Score Validity

What Happens After the CAT 2026 Result?

After the declaration of the CAT result, participating institutes begin their admission process. The next stages generally include:

• Release of institute-wise shortlist
• Personal Interview (PI) calls
• Written Ability Test (WAT), where applicable
• Group Discussion (GD), if conducted by the institute
• Final merit list based on CAT score, academic profile, work experience, diversity, and interview performance

Each institute follows its own selection criteria and admission process.

CAT 2026 Result: Key Points

• Results will be available only in online mode.
• No hard copy of the scorecard will be sent by post.
• Download and keep multiple copies of the scorecard for the admission process.
• Meeting the CAT percentile cutoff does not guarantee admission, as institutes also consider factors such as academics, work experience, diversity, and performance in the interview rounds.

IIM CAT Cut-Offs

Each IIM sets its own category-wise CAT cut-off percentile for admission. The qualifying cut-offs for the General category typically range between 80-90 percentile, while the final cut-offs are significantly higher.

• Top IIMs usually have final cut-offs between 98-100 percentile
• Other IIMs have cut-offs ranging between 90-97 percentile
• PI shortlisting is based on the final CAT cut-offs

Below is a table showing the qualifying CAT cut-off percentiles for 21 IIMs:

Qualifying CAT Cut-Offs for IIMs (General Category)

Note: The above CAT cut-off percentiles are for the General category. Cut-offs for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/EWS categories are lower.

Documents needed for verification

Shortlisted applicants must bring some of the documents required on the Interview Day for verification.

• Marksheets for Matriculation, Intermediate, and Bachelor’s Degree.
• Professional certification (if any)
• Documents to prove work experience (Joining letter, payslips, etc.)
• Caste certification ( if applied for reservations)
• Valid Identification cards like Aadhar, Voter ID, Pan card, etc.
• Scorecard for CAT
• Other documents are required by the colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What is CAT?

Ans. CAT stands for Common Admission Test. It is conducted at the national level to shortlist the candidates for admission into the top management colleges of India. Candidates get a chance to study in the most prestigious Indian Institutes of Management after cracking the CAT exam.

Q. Who is eligible for the CAT exam?

Ans. All the candidates having a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 50% of marks or equivalent CGPA are eligible to apply for the CAT exam. However, those belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or Differently Abled categories require a minimum of 45% marks in the Bachelor’s Degree.

Q. Is the CAT score valid for 2 years?

Ans. The CAT score is valid for a period of one year after the date of result of the examination.

Q. Why is the CAT exam important?

Ans. The CAT examination is a CBT mode of examination conducted by one of the top six IIMs every year. It is done to give admission to the MBA aspirants in the top management colleges. A decent CAT score is also considered by various other B-schools. Thus, CAT proves to have a lot of relevance for MBA aspirants.

Q. How many times does the CAT exam take place in a particular year?

Ans. The CAT (Common Admission Test) exam is conducted only once a year. The CAT exam is held in three sessions. Each session lasts for a duration of 120 minutes. The CAT exam paper is divided into three sections – VARC, DILR, and QA. The total number of questions in the exam is 66

Q. What are the registration fees for different categories?

Ans. The registration fees for the applicants of the open category amount to Rs 2600 whereas for the reserved category the registration fee is Rs 1300.

Q. How many marks does it take to get admission to an Indian Institute of Management?

Ans. The aspirants wishing to get admission specifically in any IIM have to secure more than 70% – 90%. However, for the open category the cutoff to get admission in any IIM is more than 90 percentile.

Q. What is considered as a good score in CAT?

Ans. A good score is what gets an aspirant admission to the IIM colleges. Though it depends on the various Business schools cut off. Usually getting a 90 percentile is considered as a good score in CAT examination.