The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have officially announced the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 notification on July 26, 2026. This national-level entrance exam is set to take place on Sunday, November 29, 2026, and will be held in three sessions across around 170 test cities throughout the country.
Online applications will open at 10:00 AM on August 3, 2026, and close at 5:00 PM on September 15, 2026. Those eligible for admission to post-graduate management programs at 22 IIMs and over 1,000 top business schools, including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, and MDI Gurgaon, can find the detailed information bulletin at iimcat.ac.in.
CAT 2026: Official Schedule & Key Dates
Event | Official Date & Time |
Release of CAT 2026 Notification | July 26, 2026 |
Online Registration Starts | August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) |
Last Date For Application Submission | September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM) |
Application Form Correction Window | Late September 2026 |
Admit Card Download Starts | November 4, 2026 (5:00 PM onwards) |
CAT 2026 Examination Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday) |
Declaration Of Results | First week of January 2027 |
CAT 2026: Eligibility And Fee Details
To qualify, candidates should hold a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, or 45 per cent for SC, ST, and PwD candidates, with final-year undergraduate students also eligible to apply. The registration fee is Rs 2,700 for General, EWS, and NC-OBC category applicants, while SC, ST, and PwD applicants must pay Rs 1,350.
Candidates with professional credentials such as CA, CS, ICWA/CMA, or FIAI are also eligible, provided they meet the equivalent minimum percentage requirement.
CAT 2026: Exam Pattern
The exam will feature 68 questions divided into three sections- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) - to be completed in 120 minutes across three sectionally timed modules of 40 minutes each.
The marking scheme awards +3 for each correct answer, -1 for an incorrect answer, and 0 marks for unanswered questions, taking the total marks to 204.
How To Apply For CAT 2026?
Candidates are advised to follow the steps mentioned below once registration starts:
1. Go to iimcat.ac.in and click on "New Candidate Registration."
2. Fill in your Name, Date of Birth, Email ID, and Mobile Number to create your login credentials.
3. Log in with your User ID and Password.
4. Provide personal details, work experience (if any), and academic scores from undergraduate, 10th, and 12th grades.
5. Pick your preferred IIM postgraduate programs and choose six test city preferences.
6. Upload a scanned passport-size photo, signature, and category/PwD certificates if applicable, ensuring they meet the required dimensions.
7. Pay the application fee through the online payment options and submit your form.
8. Save and print the confirmation page for your records.