Last updated: August 6, 2026
CAT 2026 registration is now open. IIM Indore opened the online application window at 10:00 a.m. on August 3, 2026, and candidates can submit the form until 5:00 p.m. on September 15, 2026. The examination will be held on November 29, 2026, in three sessions across test centres in around 170 cities.
This guide explains the eligibility criteria, registration fee, documents and information to keep ready, form-filling process, test-city selection, common mistakes and current status of the CAT 2026 correction window.
Reviewed by Kaushik Kapoor
Co-founder and Director of Erudite, a premium MBA entrance coaching institute headquartered in Kolkata. An alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, with over 25 years of experience in MBA entrance preparation, test-prep strategy, academic training and student mentoring.
| Particular | CAT 2026 Details |
|---|---|
| Registration status | Open |
| Conducting institute | IIM Indore |
| Registration opening date | August 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. |
| Registration last date | September 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. |
| Admit-card download | November 4–29, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 exam date | November 29, 2026 |
| Exam mode | Computer-based test |
| Number of sessions | Three |
| Test cities | Around 170 |
| Test-city preferences | Five |
| General/EWS/NC-OBC fee | ₹2,700 |
| SC/ST/PwBD fee | ₹1,350 |
| Result date | First week of January 2027, tentatively |
The registration fee is paid once, irrespective of the number of IIM programmes selected in the CAT form. However, candidates must separately check whether they satisfy the eligibility rules of every programme they choose.
A candidate must satisfy at least one of the following conditions:
The minimum marks are:
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| General, EWS and NC-OBC | 50% or equivalent CGPA |
| SC, ST and PwBD | 45% or equivalent CGPA |
The degree must be awarded by an eligible university or educational institution established or recognized under the applicable Indian higher-education framework.
Final-year bachelor’s degree students and candidates awaiting results may register for CAT 2026. Admission, however, remains provisional until the candidate meets the degree-completion and document-submission deadlines prescribed by the admitting IIM.
Keep the CAT-prescribed final-year certificate ready if it is requested during registration. The certificate should be completed and authenticated by the competent authority specified in the official format.
Candidates with CA, CS, ICWA/CMA or FIAI qualifications may apply if they meet the prescribed marks requirement.
CAT does not prescribe an upper age limit or a fixed number of attempts. A candidate may appear in multiple admission cycles as long as the applicable eligibility conditions are satisfied.
Meeting the minimum CAT eligibility criteria only permits a candidate to take the examination. Each IIM follows its own programme eligibility, academic cut-offs, shortlisting weights and selection process.
A candidate should therefore review the official admission policy of every selected IIM programme before submitting the form.
Reservation applies to admission at the IIMs and other eligible institutions; CAT itself is an entrance examination and does not allot seats.
The commonly applicable IIM admission reservation proportions include:
Candidates claiming a reserved category must use the prescribed CAT certificate format and meet the validity conditions displayed on the official portal. NC-OBC applicants must also ensure that their community appears in the applicable Central Government list.
Not every academic document is necessarily uploaded with the CAT form. Some documents are needed only to enter accurate information.
Candidates should maintain a valid, unique email account and mobile number throughout the selection process.
| File | Typical Requirement |
|---|---|
| Photograph | Recent colour photograph with a plain white background |
| Signature | Clear signature in black or dark-blue ink on white paper |
| NC-OBC/EWS/SC/ST certificate | Prescribed format, where applicable |
| PwBD certificate | Applicable official disability-certificate format |
| Final-year certificate | Where requested for a final-year candidate |
| Scribe or supporting documents | Where applicable |
| Upload | Format and Specification |
|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG/JPEG, 1200 × 1200 pixels, up to 80 KB, with the required resolution |
| Signature | JPG/JPEG, 80 mm × 35 mm, up to 80 KB, with the required resolution |
| Category/PwBD certificates | PDF in the format and size shown on the portal |
Use a recent photograph in which the face is clearly visible. Avoid filters, shadows, casual backgrounds, cropped signatures or mobile-camera images that appear blurred.
Use the official conversion method prescribed by your university or institution.
Where the institution has not provided a conversion method, the commonly stated CAT calculation is:
A candidate has a CGPA of 7.8 on a 10-point scale:
Retain the university’s conversion certificate or regulation in case it is requested during IIM document verification.
| Category | Registration Fee |
|---|---|
| General, EWS and NC-OBC | ₹2,700 |
| SC, ST and PwBD | ₹1,350 |
The CAT registration fee is non-refundable. It is payable once, regardless of the number of IIM programmes selected in the application.
The payment options displayed on the portal may include credit card, debit card, net banking or UPI. Additional payment-gateway charges may apply.
The portal may group some of the following tasks under the same form tab. Follow the on-screen sequence shown in the CAT 2026 candidate dashboard.
Open the official CAT website and select the new-candidate registration option.
Enter:
Enter your name exactly as it appears in the Class 10 or equivalent certificate. Complete the OTP verification and retain the generated User ID and password securely.
Enter or verify:
Review the category particularly carefully because category changes will not be permitted after registration.
Complete the academic sections in the order shown on the portal:
Use cumulative marks and the calculation rules followed by the board, university or institution. Do not enter only the marks from the final semester unless the portal specifically asks for them.
For an ongoing bachelor’s degree, enter the marks or CGPA available up to the latest completed semester according to the portal instructions.
Include only eligible full-time work experience gained after completing the bachelor’s degree.
Do not include:
Eligible experience is generally entered up to the cut-off date stated in the form. Confirm the applicable cut-off displayed inside your candidate login before completing this section.
Enter employment dates accurately. Keep appointment letters, experience certificates, relieving letters or other proof available for later verification, even if the CAT portal does not ask you to upload them at this stage.
Candidates without eligible experience should enter zero or select the appropriate no-experience option.
Choose the programmes for which you wish to be considered.
Before selecting a programme:
The CAT fee does not increase when multiple IIM programmes are selected. However, selecting a programme does not override its eligibility requirements.
Select five different cities in order of preference.
The administering authority will try to allot one of the selected cities, but allocation depends on capacity and operational requirements.
Choose practical backup cities. Consider:
Upload the photograph, signature and applicable certificates.
Before proceeding:
Use the preview function to review the entire application.
Check:
After verification, accept the declaration and proceed to payment.
After successful payment:
First:
Avoid relying on a fixed refund period unless it is stated by the payment gateway, bank or CAT helpdesk.
In previous CAT cycles, the edit facility has generally been limited to selected fields such as:
The CAT 2026 editable fields and dates will be final only when IIM Indore publishes the official edit-window notice.
Use the name shown on the Class 10 or equivalent certificate. Do not omit a middle name or change the order of names without following the portal’s instructions.
Use the university-certified conversion method. Where no method exists, use the formula prescribed in the CAT instructions and retain supporting evidence.
Category changes will not be entertained after registration. Confirm both eligibility and certificate validity before selection.
Do not count internships, articleship, freelance work, part-time employment or experience gained before graduation unless the portal expressly states otherwise.
A high CAT percentile does not make a candidate eligible for a programme that has additional academic or professional requirements.
A blurred, cropped or incorrectly formatted image can create difficulties during identity verification.
Complete the form early enough to resolve login, upload or payment issues before September 15.
Retain the application PDF, payment receipt, User ID and registered contact details.
Before paying the CAT 2026 registration fee, confirm that:
Yes. Registration opened on August 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. and is scheduled to close on September 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
The fee is ₹2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates and ₹1,350 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates. The fee is paid once and is non-refundable.
Yes. Final-year bachelor’s degree students and candidates awaiting results may apply, subject to fulfilling the degree-completion and document requirements prescribed by the admitting IIM.
No. Fresh graduates and final-year students can apply without work experience. Only eligible full-time experience after graduation should be entered in the work-experience section.
No upper age limit is prescribed. There is also no fixed limit on the number of CAT attempts, provided the candidate meets the eligibility requirements.
Academic details must be entered accurately using the relevant records. The files that must be uploaded are those specifically requested by the portal, such as the photograph, signature and applicable category or supporting certificates.
No. Category changes will not be entertained after CAT registration.
Yes. The CAT registration fee is paid once, irrespective of the number of IIM programmes selected. You must nevertheless satisfy each programme’s eligibility criteria.
A change may be possible only if the official CAT 2026 edit-window notice permits it. Do not assume that the option will be available until IIM Indore publishes the correction details.
Candidates may select five test cities in order of preference. Final allotment depends on availability.
Continue monitoring the official CAT website for edit-window, admit-card and examination updates. Once the form is complete, shift attention back to CAT preparation, sectional practice and mock-test analysis.