The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 notification has been released on the official website, iimcat.ac.in. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will start the CAT 2026 registration process from 10 AM on August 3, 2026. Eligible candidates can submit their application forms till 5:00 PM on 15th September 2026.CAT is the national entrance exam for admission to the 21 IIMs and several other leading business schools, including College of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
The detailed CAT 2026 notification is available on the official website for candidates to check.
CAT 2026 exam date and the admission card
The CAT 2026 exam will be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026, in three sessions in nearly 170 test cities across the country.The admit card will be issued online on 4th November 2026. Candidates can download their hall tickets from the official website till the exam day.According to the official notification, the result of CAT 2026 is expected to be released in the first week of January 2027. The score of CAT 2026 will remain valid till 31 December 2027.
CAT 2026 eligibility criteria
Candidates applying for CAT 2026 must:
- Be in possession of a high school diploma with at least 50 percent marks from a recognized university or institution.
- Candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories must have at least 45 percent marks.
- Final degree students can also apply.
- There is no age limit for the exam.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern is expected to be the same as CAT 2025.The question paper will have 68 questions divided into three sections:
- Verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC): 24 questions
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): 22 questions
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA): 22 questions
Each section will have a time limit of 40 minutes and candidates will not be allowed to switch between sections during the exam.About 70 percent of the questions will be multiple choice questions (MCQs), while the remaining 30 percent will be type-in-answer (TITA) questions. Negative marking of one mark will be applied to incorrect MCQ answers only.
CAT 2026 registration fee
The application fee is:
- ₹2,700 for general category candidates.
- ₹1,350 for SC, ST and PwD category candidates.
Candidates are advised to keep checking the CAT official website for the latest updates regarding the examination and admission process.