IIM CAT 2026 Admission Registration | Apply Online Form

IIM CAT 2026 Admission Registration | Apply Online Form

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore has released the official notification for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026. The registration process commenced on 03 August 2026 and will remain open until 15 September 2026. CAT is the national-level entrance examination for admission to Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP) at 22 IIMs and over 1000 leading B-schools including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, IITs, and IIFT. Candidates with a Bachelor's Degree and the required minimum marks are eligible to apply. The CAT 2026 examination is scheduled for 29 November 2026.

Quick Highlights

Opportunity Overview

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's premier entrance examination for admission to Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP) at the 22 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and over 1,000 other leading business schools, including Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi, S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) .

The CAT 2026 notification was officially released on 26 July 2026, with the registration process commencing on 03 August 2026 at 10:00 AM . The last date to submit applications is 15 September 2026 at 5:00 PM. The examination will be conducted on 29 November 2026 in three sessions across 170+ test cities in India .

This year, IIM Indore is the convenor of CAT 2026, responsible for conducting the examination and managing the admission process . Candidates are advised to carefully read the official Information Bulletin before filling out the application form .

Important Dates

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Age Limit

There is no upper age limit to appear for the CAT 2026 examination . Candidates of any age can apply.

Nationality

Indian and foreign nationals are eligible to apply, subject to the eligibility criteria of the respective IIMs.

Application Fee

Payment Mode: Online via Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI, IMPS, or Mobile Wallet . The fee is non-refundable and must be paid only once, regardless of the number of IIM programmes selected .

Exam Pattern

The CAT 2026 examination will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) with a total of 68 questions . The exam duration is 2 hours (120 minutes), with a strict 40-minute sectional time limit for each section .

Key Points:

• Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT) conducted in 3 sessions

• Question Type: Approximately 70% Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and 30% Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions

• Negative Marking: 1 mark deducted for incorrect MCQ answers; no negative marking for TITA questions

• Candidates cannot switch between sections during the exam

• Score validity: CAT 2026 scores are valid until 31 December 2027

How to Apply

Follow these steps to submit your application online :

Step 1: Visit the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in.

Step 2: Click on the "New Candidate Registration" link.

Step 3: Enter your personal details (Name, Date of Birth, Email ID, Mobile Number, Country) and click "Generate OTP". Verify the OTP sent to your registered email and mobile number to complete registration .

Step 4: Log in using the generated User ID and Password sent via email and SMS .

Step 5: Fill in the online application form with the following details:

• Personal details

• Academic qualifications (Class 10 onwards)

• Work experience (if applicable)

• IIM programmes you wish to apply for

Step 6: Select up to six preferred CAT 2026 test cities in order of preference . The authorities will allot one city based on availability .

Step 7: Upload required documents in the prescribed format :

• Recent passport-size photograph (1200 x 1200 pixels, .jpg/.jpeg, up to 80 KB, white background)

• Scanned signature (80mm x 35mm, clear signature on white paper with black pen)

• Category certificate (if applicable)

• PwBD certificate (if applicable)

Step 8: Review the entire application form carefully. Note: After paying the application fee and submitting the form, changes cannot be made .

Step 9: Pay the application fee online through the integrated payment gateway using Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI, or Mobile Wallet .

Step 10: Submit the final application form and download/save the confirmation page for future reference .

Important Links

FAQs

1. When did the CAT 2026 registration start?

The registration process started on 03 August 2026 at 10:00 AM .

2. What is the last date to apply for CAT 2026?

The last date to submit the online application is 15 September 2026 at 5:00 PM .

3. What is the educational qualification required?

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) .

4. Is there an age limit for CAT 2026?

No, there is no minimum or maximum age limit to appear for the CAT 2026 examination .

5. What is the application fee?

• General/EWS/OBC: ₹2,700

• SC/ST/PwD: ₹1,350

6. What is the exam pattern for CAT 2026?

The exam consists of 68 questions divided into 3 sections: VARC (24), DILR (22), and QA (22). Total duration is 120 minutes (40 minutes per section) .

7. When will the CAT 2026 exam be conducted?

The examination will be held on 29 November 2026 (Sunday) in three sessions across 170+ test cities .

8. When will the admit card be released?

Admit cards will be available for download from 04 November 2026 until the day of the examination .

9. When will the results be declared?

The CAT 2026 result is expected to be announced in the first week of January 2027 .

10. Can final-year students apply?

Yes, candidates in the final year of their Bachelor's degree or awaiting results are eligible to apply, subject to completing the degree within the deadlines set by the IIMs .

Best Opportunity For

Competition Level

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• CareerFlora Expert Insight

• The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 is the gateway to India's most prestigious management programmes at the 22 IIMs and over 1,000 other top B-schools. With the registration window now open, candidates should complete their applications well before the 15 September deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

• The exam pattern remains consistent with previous years, with 68 questions across three sections and strict 40-minute sectional time limits. The negative marking of 1 mark for wrong MCQ answers emphasizes the importance of accuracy over random guessing. With scores valid until December 2027, candidates can plan their MBA admissions strategy accordingly.

• Competition Level: Very High (Over 2 lakh candidates appear annually)
  Selection Difficulty: High
  Application Complexity: Medium