CAT 2026 - Exam Date (November 29), Eligibility Criteria, Registration, Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Preparation Tips and Top Colleges

It is anticipated that IIM Indore will host the CAT exam in 2026.  The Common Admission Test is alternately administered by the top six IIMs each year.  November 2026 will see the administration of the CAT 2026 exam in three shifts.  The results of the CAT exam are accepted for admission to 21 IIMs, 89 non-IIMs and other top B-schools in India.

The official notification for the CAT exam 2026 will be issued in July 2026 on the official website of the CAT exam at iimcat.ac.in. It is anticipated that the CAT 2026 exam will take place on 29 November 2026 which is the final Sunday of November. August 2026 to September 2026 is when the CAT 2026 application period begins. The CAT exam 2026 results were made public on 24 December 2025.  For the CAT 2026 exam, there are 389 test centres in 170 Indian cities.

Why is the CAT Exam Important? 

Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most widely known and competitive MBA entrance tests for candidates aspiring to join premier MBA & PGDM institutions in India. The CAT is conducted every year and checks candidates' skills in Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability.

The CAT exam is more than just a prerequisite for MBA candidates.  It is a critical factor in deciding the career path and the opportunities that await them in some of the best business colleges of India. Knowing the basics of the exam like eligibility, syllabus, fees, CAT 2026 exam pattern and how to prepare for the CAT exam is crucial for any aspirant planning to take the exam efficiently. Read the content below to get all the information that candidates need to know about the CAT exam 2026. 

Common Admission Test or CAT Exam

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) organises a national-level entrance exam known as the Common Admission Test (CAT) for candidates who want to take admission into the twenty-one IIMs. The IIMs offer admission to the MBA or PGDM programs. Recently, NITIE Mumbai joined the list of the 21 IIMs as IIM Mumbai. 

Out of the 2.95 lakh registered eligible candidates, roughly 2.58 lakh appeared for the CAT2025. The Common Admission Test is organised to check the aspirant’s abilities in reading comprehension, quantitative ability, verbal ability, data interpretation and logical reasoning. The difficulty level of the CAT Exam can vary from moderate to high as it is one of the toughest management exams in India.

Common Admission Test 2026 Highlights 

CAT 2026 Important Exam Dates

Courses Offered by IIMs Through the CAT 2026 Exam 

Here is the list of IIMs that accept CAT scores and the courses offered by them through the CAT Exam - 

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 

Candidates must fulfil the standards established by the organising committee in order to be eligible for the CAT Exam 2026.  Once that is done, the candidates can complete their application form and begin CAT exam preparation. The eligibility criteria for the exam are given below - 

1. Educational Qualification for CAT 2026

Eligible candidates should have a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% aggregate or equivalent CGPA. The minimum aggregate percentage required from candidates from SC, ST and PwD/DA categories is 45%.

2. Final-Year Students 

Of course, students who are awaiting their final results or who are in their final year of graduation are eligible to enrol for CAT 2026.  However, they need to qualify academically based on current semester/year performances.

3. Eligibility for Professional Degree Holders

Those who possess qualifications like CA, CS, ICWA or FCAI with a minimum of 50% marks are also eligible to take the CAT test.

4. Backlogs & Work Experience

• If one is carrying any backlogs, it doesn’t matter provided the candidate passes out from their degree successfully.

• Work experience is not required but IIM may take it into consideration during the selection process.

5. Age Limit

No, CAT exam organising authority has not set any age bar for the aspirants. The candidates may take the test at any phase of their career. CAT results are not only acceptable for the purpose of taking admission to MBA programs but also EPGP, FPM and PhD management courses. The applicants must fulfil all eligibility criteria before applying so that they do not face any problem in the admission procedure.

6. Who is Not Eligible?

• Applicants who have not completed their bachelor's degree but possess a professional degree (CS/CA/ICWA).

• Applicants studying professional and bachelor's but have not completed any of them.

• Graduation with less than 45% for SC/ST/PwD and less than 50% for general.

• Non-recognised degrees by MHRD, AICTE and UGC.

CAT Registration 2026 

Things to Remember Before Filling the CAT Application Form 2026

Applicants are supposed to comply with the instructions provided below before completing the CAT Exam registration form - 

• Before completing the registration form, candidates are supposed to check whether they are eligible or not to appear in the exam. They are supposed to go through the eligibility document that is available on the official CAT website.

• The contact number and email address of the applicant must be active and genuine. The phone number and mail address must be kept active by applicants because all official communications will be made on this number and address until the CAT admission process is completed.

• Prior to filling out the form, applicants are advised to gather all the details required to complete the form. To complete the form accurately, applicants need to verify these six fields carefully - Personal Details, Academics, Work Experience, Programs, Test City and Payment.

• In the application form, applicants need to upload scanned versions of their passport-sized photo and signature. The photo background must be white.

Note - Applicants must produce the same photograph in printed format on the CAT exam day.

• Mozilla Firefox (version 94 to 112), Google Chrome (version 88 to 113) and Microsoft Edge (version 88 to 113) are suggested browsers for filling out the application form. 

CAT Registration/Application Process 2026

The CAT 2026 application cum registration process will happen in three stages. These are as follows - 

1. Register for the CAT 2026 Exam Form

To register online for the CAT exam, candidates can proceed as follows- 

• Candidates must go to iimcat.ac.in, the CAT exam's official website. iimcat.ac.in

• Then they need to click on the 'Register' tab.

• Now they need to provide their name, nationality, email address, mobile number and DOB.

• Upon choosing the 'Generate OTP' option, an OTP would be sent to the applicant's contact number upon successful registration.

• Now, applicants are required to register for CAT 2026 and validate the same by feeding the OTP.

• Last but not least, following the registration process the applicants will be issued a User ID and Password by which they can log in and complete the CAT Application Form 2026.

2. Completing the CAT 2026 Application Form

Candidates can start completing their CAT application form by logging in with their user ID and password. The CAT form has six components that need to be filled with proper information by the candidate. The six sections of the CAT 2026 exam application form are listed below - 

• Personal Details - Here, the applicants are required to provide their proper personal details- their name, date of birth, father's name, category, gender, and nationality along with contact information.

• Academic Details - Class 10th & 12th marks, details of their bachelor's degree, their mark sheet and any other professional course details (if applicable).

• Work Experience Relevant - If there is relevant work experience then the candidate must provide information on the organisation, their tenure of service, their title etc in this section.

• Programs - In this place, the candidate must select which IIM campuses and which MBA programs they wish to join.

• Test City - Candidates can choose a maximum of six cities in their CAT application form.

• Payment - Candidates can pay the CAT exam fee by using credit/debit cards, internet banking or Paytm/PayU mobile wallets.

3. CAT Entrance Exam Payment

Through credit/debit cards, internet banking or Paytm/PayU mobile wallets the candidates are able to make the CAT exam application payment. After the candidate has completed filling the first five sections of the form he/she will have to click on 'save and continue' to encounter the fee payment window.

CAT 2026 Registration Fee 

Transaction Fees for the CAT Exam Application Form 2026

Mistakes to Avoid During the CAT Registration 2026

While registering for the CAT 2026 exam candidates should not commit the following mistakes - 

• All the asterisk (*) fields need to be filled with details by the candidate.

• Candidates are required to double-check every single field for spelling or other errors as some fields cannot be amended once registered.

• Applicants should complete their CAT 2026 application form on the browsers indicated. (Mozilla Firefox (versions 94 to 112), Google Chrome (versions 88 to 113) and Microsoft Edge (versions 88 to 113)).

• Candidates should double-check all the information they have provided with their documents before submitting the CAT 2026 application form.

CAT Syllabus 2026

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026 Highlights 

CAT Exam Pattern 2026 

It is anticipated that the Common Admission Test 2026 will be administered in computer-based form for a total of 120 minutes. The paper is likely to include three sections with a mix of MCQ and TITA (Type in the Answer) questions. Each section will have a set time limit and candidates are not allowed to move between portions while taking the test. 

CAT Exam 2026 Sectional Weightage 

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026 - Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Section

The RC-VA portion of the CAT 2026 syllabus has questions testing candidates' proficiency in the English language and their ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Year by year the difficulty level of the VARC section is growing. 

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026 - Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (DILR) Section

Generally, the CAT DILR syllabus is segregated into two sub-segments which are Logical Reasoning (LR) and Data Interpretation (DI). Students should enhance their speed as well as accuracy to finish this section.

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026 - Quantitative Ability Section

For non-mathematics majors, this CAT exam section proves to be difficult. A total of 22 questions have to be attempted in forty minutes under the CAT exam. So they must attempt the CAT quant section with the correct strategy or otherwise they will be unable to complete this section.

CAT 2026 Preparation Tips

• Practice CAT mock test papers to increase speed and accuracy.

• Regularly revise to develop strong concepts and learn important formulae.

• Improve mental calculations to save time in the CAT examination.

• Develop a strong foundation for Quantitative Aptitude and understand essential formulae.

• Practice DILR through sectional test papers to improve your analysis ability.

• Know the shortcut tricks to solve questions quickly.

• Practice RC passages regularly to excel in the VARC section.

• Attend online practice sessions to discover new approaches and exam strategies.

A combination of mock practice, revision and consistent preparation can help candidates improve their CAT 2026 performance and achieve a higher percentile.

CAT Admit Card 2026

Steps to Download the CAT Admit Card 2026

The candidates can download the CAT 2026 admit card by following the steps mentioned below - 

• Step 1 - The candidates must visit the website of the CAT exam and log in. 

• Step 2 - Then the candidate must locate the tab titled "Registered Candidate Login."

• Step 3 - Candidates now need to provide their login credentials which are their CAT 2026 user ID and password.

• Step 4 - On clicking the link, the candidates can download their CAT admit card 2026.

Mistakes to Examine in the CAT 2026 Admit Card 

The following are some of the errors that the candidate should verify in their CAT 2026 admit card - 

• Name and spelling of the candidate printed on the CAT admit card should be the same as mentioned in their application form.

• The registration number provided on the admit card should be similar to the CAT User ID of the candidate.

• The candidate must check whether the DOB mentioned in the admit card is accurate or not.

• Candidates should verify their signature and photo on their CAT admit card 2026.

• The candidate's reservation category should be mentioned clearly on their admit card.

How to Correct Errors in the CAT Admit Card?

If the candidates notice any errors in their CAT admit card, they should report the same to the exam authorities at once. They can contact the authority by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1800-2108-720 which is available Monday through Saturday between 9 AM and 6 PM. 

CAT Exam Centres 2026

CAT 2026 is likely to be held in more than 300 testing centres in nearly 170 different cities of India. While filling the form, candidates can select any five cities of their choice where the exam will take place in order of preference.

The centre assigned to the candidate will be decided once the registration process is over and will depend on the availability of seats at the chosen centres. Candidates are advised to choose their preferred cities carefully and complete registration early for better chances of getting their preferred centre.

Documents to Carry to the CAT Exam Centre 2026 

For verification at the CAT 2026 exam centre the candidates are required to carry one of the following photo IDs at the test centres - 

• Aadhaar Card

• PAN Card

• Voter ID

• Driving License

• Ration Card

• Passport

• Identification Affidavit along with the Admit Card

CAT Exam Day Instructions

There are some instructions that should be remembered and followed by candidates. Some of these instructions are mentioned below -  

• Candidates need to bring two copies of their CAT 2026 exam admit card printout to the exam centre.

• Candidates need to verify their exam venue prior to the exam date by clicking on the Google link provided on their e-admit card.

• No requests for any changes due to any circumstances in the CAT Exam centre will be entertained.

• Candidate's IRIS and photographs will be taken at the entrance of the CAT exam centre by the authority.

• The CAT admit card needs to have the candidate's signature and photo printed on it.

• Before presenting the admit card for verification at the test centre candidates should ensure that their photograph is pasted on their admit card.

• Every candidate should carry two ordinary pens and any required documents to the exam centre. Any other object will not be allowed within the CAT exam centre.

• A writing pad for making rough calculations will be given to every candidate which they must return after completion of the test.

• Family members and friends are not permitted in the CAT Exam test centre.

• Candidates must return the writing pad to the invigilator with all of the pages intact after finishing the exam. 

• Applicants with a pacemaker, metal implant or other medical device must present the required medical documentation to the exam centre.

• Candidates must return properly signed CAT admit cards to the invigilator upon completion of the exam.

Workflow for the Candidates on the CAT Exam Day 2026

Shift Wise Activities on the Day of the CAT Exam Day 2026

Things Prohibited Inside the CAT Exam Hall 

• Cell Phones

• Camera

• Smart Watches

• Bluetooth Devices

• Headphones/Earphones

• Bags

• Sunspecs

• Eatables

• Calculators

• Jewellery

• Other types of Electronic Devices 

• Fitness Bands

Dress Code for the CAT Exam 2025

Candidates must adhere to the CAT dress codes which are governed by the exam conducting agencies.  They are listed below - 

• According to the CAT exam dress code, candidates are not allowed to wear any type of thick-soled footwear to the exam centre.

• Female candidates are requested not to apply mehendi on their hands or any form of body art. They must apply very light makeup to the exam centre.

• Apparel with such a large number of pockets should be avoided by the candidate. Two or three pockets are allowed but they will be searched very carefully by the examiners.

• Female candidates should dress modestly. They should not come to the exam centre wearing any form of jewellery. If they are found to be wearing them, they will be requested to take them off.

CAT Answer Key and Result 2026 

Following the CAT Exam, IIM Indore will be publishing the official 2026 CAT Answer key slot-wise and the CAT Response Sheet in PDF format. The candidates can verify their CAT exam results. Then, the candidates can also challenge the official CAT Answer Key by sending their objections with clear evidence within the specified time through the CAT Objection Window.

Steps to Download the CAT Answer Key 2026

The procedures to download the CAT Answer Key 2026 shift-wise are as follows - 

• Go to the official website of the CAT exam https://iimcat.ac.in.

• Then, choose the option of "Candidate Login."

• After filling in the password and CAT registration ID, candidates need to click on the submit option. Then choose the option for the candidate's login.

• Now, the candidates are able to download the CAT Answer Key in PDF format.

• Likewise, download the response sheet.

Ways to Object to the CAT 2026 Provisional Answer Key?

• The official CAT 2026 website must be visited by the competitors.

• Then choose the candidate's login option.

• Fill up the candidate's personal information page, then they can choose the "Objection Form" option.

• Candidates can then select the question number, section and kind of objection. 

• No answer is right among the four options provided.

• Multiple correct answers are provided.

• The released answer key is solely false.

• Additionally, candidates may submit a 500 word statement.

• Objection to every question will be ₹1200. GST and bank charges are not included.

• Finally, the candidates can now turn in their form of objection.

Note - Candidates can object to N number of questions as there is no limit.

How to Download the CAT Result 2026?

The following are the steps the candidate can take to download the CAT exam result - 

• The official CAT 2026 website must be visited by applicants.

• Next, choose the option for candidate login.

• Once the password and CAT registration ID are entered, the candidate's scorecard will appear.

• At last, the candidate can save and download their CAT exam result.

CAT Cutoff 2026 

IIMs CAT Exam Cut off 2026 

IITs CAT Exam Cut-off 2026 

CAT 2026 Admission Process

CAT Selection Process 2026

The prerequisites for admission will be posted on the IIMs' official website. Non-IIMs will also disclose their requirements. Candidates can view these requirements and then they can apply for admission to their desired IIM or any other B-school. The Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) shortlists applicants for their interview round based on their selection criteria. 

But the CAT score remains a significant parameter for selection in the IIMs, IITs as well as the other top private management institutes in India. The candidate's past academic history, range of qualifications, gender etc are also considered while selecting the candidates. The candidate's composite scores across all rounds are used to decide whether they will be admitted to the IIMs or not. The selection processes used by the various IIMs vary.  Applicants can visit the official site of the IIMs to know more about the CAT selection process.

The Selection Process of the IIMs through the CAT Exam

The IIMs' selection process via the CAT exam consists of three rounds. They are as follows - 

• CAT exam results and shortlisting of the candidates by IIMs.

• Writing Ability Test Round and Personal Interview Round. (WA, PI & GD)

• Verification and Final Selection of the candidate.

Round 1 - CAT 2026 Exam Results and shortlisting of the candidates by IIMs

The IIMs will release the CAT 2026 results first. IIM Indore which is organising the CAT exam 2026 will declare exam results. The CAT exam result will be announced in December 2026. Once the CAT exam results are declared, the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) will shortlist the candidates for their PI and WAT rounds. Their registered email address will receive the invitation. 

Round 2 - Personal Interview Round and Writing Ability Test Round (WAT, PI & GD)

The second phase of the IIMs selection process includes a Personal Interview round and a Writing Ability Test round. The Group Discussion round is also taken by some institutes for the selection of the candidates. Candidates are tested for their general knowledge, communication skills, performance in earlier rounds and critical thinking ability. For GD-WAT-PI rounds the following are some parameters that are considered by IIMs - 

• Scores of the CAT Exam

• Gender Diversity Parameter

• Work Experience Parameter

• Diversity of the Academic Profile

Round 3 - Verification and the Final Selection of the candidate. 

After verifying that the candidate meets all the requirements they are admitted based on several factors. The factors for the final selection of IIMs are given below - 

• CAT Score

• High School 

• Gender Diversity

• Work Experience

• Intermediate 

• Graduation

• Personal Interview 

• Writing Ability Test 

Note - These parameters may vary based on different IIM selection criteria.

Top MBA Colleges CAT 2026 Scores

CAT 2026 scores are acknowledged by all 21 IIMs along with leading MBA programs at IITs and several top private business schools across India. Apart from IIMs, the other prominent colleges that accept CAT scores include FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, IIFT Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI Manipal, Great Lakes, K J Somaiya and many more B-schools.

IIMs Accepting CAT 2026 Exam Scores 

IITs Accepting CAT 2026 Scores

Top B-Schools Accepting CAT Exam 2026