The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 registration process is expected to start soon on the official website, iimcat.ac.in. The official notification for the entrance exam is likely to be released by the end of this month by the participating Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), while the application process is expected to begin in August 2026.CAT is the national entrance examination conducted for admission to Master of Business Administration (MBA) and other management programs offered by participating IIMs and various other business schools across the country.
CAT 2026: Eligibility criteria
Candidates applying for CAT 2026 must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with at least 50% marks or equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).For candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories, the minimum marks required is 45%.Students in their last year of high school can also apply, provided they meet the required eligibility conditions. Candidates holding professional qualifications such as Chartered Accountants (CA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Company Secretary (CS) of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Cost and Management Accountant (CMA) of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) are also eligible to appear for the examination.
How to apply for CAT 2026
Once the registration window opens, candidates can complete the application process by following these steps:
- Visit the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in.
- Click the “New Registration” link on the home page.
- Create your login credentials by entering the required details and verify them with your one-time password (OTP).
- Fill in your personal and academic details.
- Upload the required documents and pay the application fee.
- Select your preferred test cities, participating IIMs and courses. Candidates can also add their work experience, if applicable.
- Submit the application form.
- Download and save the confirmation page for future reference.
CAT 2026: Exam Pattern
The CAT 2026 exam is expected to take 120 minutes. The question paper will probably be divided into the following three sections:
- Verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
CAT 2026: Application fee
The application fee for CAT 2026 is expected to be:
- 1300 rupees for candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories.
- 2,600 rupees for candidates from all other categories.
Tuition will be payable only once, regardless of the number of participating institutes selected during the application process.Candidates are advised to stay tuned to the official website for release of CAT 2026 notification and opening of registration window. Once the application process has started, eligible candidates should complete their registration before the deadline to avoid last minute hassles.