Where can I apply for CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 registration and application link will be available at iimcat.ac.in website. Candidates will have to apply for the exam by visiting the exam website.

Will CAT exam 2026 be conducted in three shifts?

Yes, CAT 2026 exam will be conducted in three shifts. Exam timing of each slot will be: First shift: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM Second shift: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and Third shift: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Can I pay the fee of CAT 2026 application form in cash?

There is no option to pay the fee of CAT 2026 application form in cash. The only mode of fee payment is online which includes debit card, credit card, net banking, UPI.

Is the CAT syllabus difficult?

Yes CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.

What is the marking scheme of CAT?

CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.

Who will conduct CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 may be conducted by IIM Indore. The institute had last conducted the exam in 2020, Since the top six IIMs - BLACKI are given the responsibility to convene on rotation basis exam every five year, this year, it could be IIM Indore. Official announcement will be made most likely in May.

What is the CAT admission process for non-IIMs?

CAT admission process for non-IIMs includes Written Ability Test (WAT) or Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). For admission the institutes also take into consideration candidate's academic record and work experience. Overall, the admission process of all CAT accepting colleges is same where selection is based on candidate's overall personality, communication ability and consistency in academics.

Which IIMs accept the CAT score of 85 percentile?

There are a very few IIMs which have CAT cutoff of 85 percentile. These are IIM Nagpur, IIM Amritsar and IIM Bodh Gaya. Since these IIMs have been launched in the last decade, the cut offs are low for admission to MBA/PGP courses. Reserved category students can apply with 85 percentile in most of the IIMs as the cut off for them is much lower in comparison to General category candidates.

How many candidates scored 100 percentile in CAT 2025?

In CAT 2025, the number of 100 percentilers was 12. Check state wise data: Overall Percentile Total Gender and Discipline State wise distribution 100 12 Female - 2 Male - 10 Engineering - 3 Non-Engineering - 9 Uttar Pradesh 1 Karnataka 1 Maharashtra 1 Delhi 3 Haryana 2 Gujarat 2 Jharkhand 1 Odisha 1

Can I fill the CAT registration form before, and submit the fee later?

Yes, candidates can fill out the CAT application form on one day and pay the fee on another day, as it is not mandatory to register for the CAT exam, fill out the application form, or pay the fee in one go. The registration and application window will remain open for candidates who have registered for the exam and created an ID until the last date of form submission. The applicant can log in and check/fill/edit the CAT application form anytime during the form-filling period. Only the phone number and email ID will not be editable once registration is complete. However, candidates need to submit the CAT form and application fee before the deadline to be eligible to appear for the exam. The CAT application form will not be submitted until the fee payment is completed. The fee can be paid via debit card, credit card, net banking, and UPI wallet.

Will CAT exam 2025 also be conducted in three shifts?

Yes, CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts. The exam was earlier conducted in 2 shifts, but since 2020, the CAT is conducted in three shifts - morning, afternoon and evening. In CAT 2025 too, there will be three slots which will be allotted to applicants in no particular order. CAT exam slot timings will be - First shift: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, Second shift: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and Third shift: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

What are the important topics of CAT syllabus from which maximum questions are asked?

CAT lays a lot of emphasis on analytical skills so the questions are asked mostly from those topics which require deep learning and practice. The three sections of CAT question paper are designed in such a way that candidates have to use their ability of minute observation and fast calculation. Shared below are the section wise main topics from which questions are asked in CAT. Verbal Ability: Parajumbles, Parasummary, Sentence Completion and Inferences Reading Comprehension: Questions based on passages, Para meaning, Order of sentences Data Interpretation: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Data Sufficiency Logical Reasoning: Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Sets and Caselets, Family Tree, Assumptions Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, Algebra Number System Modern Math, Arithmetic, Mensuration The difficulty level of CAT questions is usually moderate to high. Only a few questions are easy and quick to solve. To crack the CAT exam, one needs to pay attention to the abovementioned topics.

What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?

CAT exam is a national level MBA entrance exam conducted by the IIM. Every year, over 2.3 lakh candidates apply for it. Since the last two years, the competition has increased further with oveer 3 lakh candidates applying for the exam. The CAT score is accepted by the Iims and all top MBA colleges in India. To select the best candidates from over 3 lakh test takers there is a need for stringent criteria. That's why, the CAT exam is tougher than other MBA entrance exams. Even though the syllabus of CAT is same as that of other MBA entrance exams, the question paper set by the IIM faculty always has tough questions. Moreover, CAT has sectional time limit for each section which is not there in any other exam except XAT. Having a time limit for each section adds pressure on candidates to complete solving adequate number of questions in a section within the time limit. If a student is weak in a particular subject, they can't use the time as per their need. CAT's Reading Comprehension passages are long and dense unlike other MBA exams. This is one more reason why most candidates feel CAT is tougher than any other MBA entrance exam.

Where can I get official CAT mock test?

CAT official mock test is released every year about a week or two before the exam date. Candidates can access it at the official website of the exam.

What is the CAT answer key challenge fee?

CAT answer key challenge fee was earlier INR 1200 per question. It was increased to INR 1500 in 2025. The fee amount will be refunded to only those candidates whose objections have been found to be valid.

Can I download CAT answer key after result is announced?

The provisional CAT answer key will not be available for download after result, the final answer key will be available. The provisional answer key can be downloaded within the objection window duration only.

What after objection against CAT answer key is accepted?

After any objection against CAT answer key is accepted, the provisional answer key is rectified and released at final answer key. Candidates who have attempted that particular questions will be given marks for it.

What is the minimum score required for IIM admission through CAT?

The minimum academic score required for IIM admission through CAT is 50 percent in Graduation. For SC/ST/PwD categories, the minimum score requirement in 45 percent.

Is CAT score the only criteria for MBA admission?

No, candidates cannot get admission to a full-time MBA programme at a Tier 1 B-School with only the CAT score. They need to appear for and clear the WAT-PI round for admission too.

What is I meet the CAT cut off criteria but not the academic criteria?

If you don't meet the minimum academic criteria for MBA, you will not be selected for the WAT-PI round of any B-School. Meeting the minimum criteria of at least 50% marks in graduation (45% for reserved category candidates), is mandatory for admission.

CAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule (Tentative): Application, Admit Card, Exam & Result

CAT 2026 application

To be notified

Updated on Apr 21, 2026 17:50 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

Overview

CAT 2026 exam will be held on November 29, 2026. It will be held in three slots at over 170 cities across India. Registration process will start in the first week of August 2026 at iimcat.ac.in website. CAT 2026 application form will be available for submission until the third week of September 2026. Official announcement of the exam date along with complete schedule will be made in the last week of July. Check CAT 2026 timeline and dates on this page below.

Table of contents

CAT 2026 Application Dates
CAT 2026 Admit Card Date
CAT 2026 Exam Date
CAT 2026 Answer Key Date
CAT 2026 Result Date
IIM CAT 2026 Counselling Date
FAQs on CAT exam 2026

CAT 2026 Application Dates

CAT 2026 registration process will go on for about 45 days. To fill the application form, candidates will have to create a CAT registration ID at exam website. Candidates will have to mention the city of their preference to appear for CAT exam, in the application form. CAT fee will have to be paid at the time of form submission. After the CAT 2026 form submission process is over, candidates will be given the option to edit photo, signature and test city options. No other section will be editable in the application form. The CAT form correction window will be opened for 2-3 days only.

CAT 2026 Admit Card Date

CAT admit card 2026 will be released in the second week of November. Candidates will have to download their CAT 2026 admit card from the exam website by using their login credentials. It will contain details such as name, photo, signature, category, gender, address, date of birth, exam date, slot, centre, timings and reporting time. The CAT admit card 2026 will available for download till exam day. The hall ticket will be needed for admissions too, so candidates must preserve their CAT 2026 admit card even after the exam.

CAT 2026 Exam Date

CAT 2026 exam will be held at various exam centres across India. It will be conducted in computer based test mode. Timings will be:

Morning slot: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Afternoon slot: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Evening slot: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

There will be 40 minutes sectional time limit per section. PwD candidates will get 13 minutes and 20 seconds extra per section to complete the text.

CAT 2026 Answer Key Date

Official CAT answer key and response sheets of candidates will be released through login. The objection window will be open for 2-3 days for candidates to challenge the official answer key. CAT answer key objection fee is INR 1500 per question. Candidates will have to raise objection against CAT official answer key within a stipulated time. The examination body will then analyse all objections received and if any of the objections is found to be correct, the provisional answer key will be revised.

CAT 2026 Result Date

IIMCAT will release the CAT 2026 result in the third week of December. The link to download CAT scorecard will be made available for download at iimcat.ac.in website. The result cum scorecard will contain candidate's details and their sectional as well as overall scores/percentiles. The CAT percentile will be considered for admission to IIMs and top B-Schools across India. The CAT scorecard remains available for download for a year. CAT 2025 result is available for download until December 31, 2026.

Also Read: CAT Cut Offs (Expected and Previous Years)

CAT Percentile predictor prepared by Shiksha.com helps students to get their predicted CAT percentile on the basis of their expected exam score. So, predict your CAT score by clicking the link below:

Predict CAT Percentile

IIM CAT 2026 Counselling Date

IIM CAT counselling for 2027 batch admission will be conducted in January and February. The institutes will release PI shortlist and candidates who will meet the cut off, will have to apply for the PI round. Every institute including the IIMs will have a separate PI form filling schedule. The PI round will also be conducted on different dates. Final admission list will be released in the month of May.

FAQs on CAT exam 2026

Check below some Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQs) on CAT exam:

Q: What is the overall difficulty level of CAT exam?

Overall difficulty level of CAT exam has always been moderate to high. CAT is of higher difficulty level than all other MBA entrance exams in India.

Q: Are CAT books enough to cover exam syllabus?

CAT books by Arun Sharma, Nishit Sinha, RS Agarwal and Abhijit Guha are good and exhaustive, but you should refer to more study material like sample test papers and mock tests for a complete preparation.

Q: Can I crack CAT exam if I have not studied Maths in 12th?

Yes, you can crack CAT exam even if you haven't studied Maths in class 12. CAT Quant and DI have Mathematical questions of advance level, from the topics studied in Class 9 and 10. You will only need to brush up the basic and practice advance level questions.

Q: Can I crack CAT through self-study?

Yes, you can crack CAT through self study but it will require a lot of discipline and consistency on daily basis. You will need the most recommended books, best mock test series and online practice sessions. Join YouTube channels for online tutorial. Give yourself 9 months and study for 8 hours daily.