How to Fill CAT Application Form at iimcat.ac.in 2026? Step-by-Step Registration Guide

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. 

CAT is a speed-based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or Commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advanced-level problems.

However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.

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Once the CAT application form is submitted, candidates are not allowed to make changes in it. In case, you've made errors, you need to fill a fresh CAT application form and pay the fees again. However, editing of certain fields such as photo, signature and test city preference is allowed during form correction process which starts 2-3 days after the CAT registration process concludes. The form correction window is opened for 3-4 days during which candidates can edit only these three fields. If they have made a mistake in any other field, they cannot edit it. No request for changes is accepted by the examination authorities. Thus, it is very important to fill the CAT application form correctly with valid details. Candidates must keep the important documents such as Aadhaar card, class 10, class 12, graduation certificates, birth Certificate address proof, work experience documents, etc. To cross check the information while filling the form. They must also be very careful in selecting Iims and courses as they will be eligible for only those Iims and courses which they shall have selected in the CAT form.

No, there is no provision of changing the test centre after the CAT admit card has been released. In fact, there is no option to change the test centre allotted at any point of time during the exam cycle. Candidates get only one opportunity to change the test city choice at the time of form correction. Thus, it is very important to select test cities very carefully in the CAT application form. They must choose their first city preference as home town or the city where they are likely to be on the exam day or choose a city which is the closest to their hometown and they can reach there on time on the exam day. Also, to be allotted the desired test city, candidates must fill the CAT application for at the earliest, as the exam slot and test centres are allotted on first cum first served basis. If the seats get filled fore centres in one city, candidates are allotted a centre in the second city of their preference. Moreover, the CAT admit card is released a month before the exam so candidates must check the location of their allotted centre much in advance and make arrangements for reaching there on exam day on time.

The CAT admit card is a main document of identification of the candidate. It is the proof that the candidate has fill the examination form and is eligible to appear in the exam. To help in candidate identification, the following details are mentioned on every candidate's CAT admit card. Candidate's name Candidate's roll number Candidate's gender Candidate's category Candidate's date of birth Candidate's signature Candidate's photo Candidate's address Examination year Examination date Examination slot Examination timings Reporting time Test centre address Google link to locate test centre Along with these details, other information such as exam day guidelines, examination process in the test lab, items to carry, items not to carry, activities prohibited, dress code and entry process are also mentioned on the CAT admit card. 

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.

The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.

Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.

Maximum marks in CAT is 204. There are 68 questions each carrying 3 marks. VARC is of 72 marks and DILR and Quants are of 66 marks each.

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.

CAT application fee is INR 2700 for General candidates and INR 1350 for SC/ST/PwD candidates. The fee amount is to be paid online at the time of application form submission.

To prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, stick to the traditional path of concepts first and practice later. Study English grammar and Verbal Ability first to understand the concept. Then practice a number of sample questions of different kinds to gain confidence, speed and accuracy. For RC passages, develop the habit of reading from early stages. Read books from all walks of life.

Practicing sample Reading Comprehension passages and questions in a crucial part of VARC preparation. This will help you understand the types of questions and RC passages asked in various entrance exams.

As an aspirant, you will be appearing for more than one entrance exam, thus you need to have the practice of different types of RC passages.

The CAT exam pattern and difficulty levels do not change drastically. The core syllabus of Quant, VARC, and DILR typically remains the same.

CAT exam pattern saw a major change in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic demanded a reduction in the exam duration. The exam sections remained the same, while the question count was reduced to 76 from 100, and the exam duration was reduced to 2 hours from 3 hours previously. In 2021, the question count was further reduced to 66. Without an intimation later, candidates found an additional 2 questions starting 2024. in 2024, and 2025, CAT exam has retained 68 questions to be answered within 120 minutes. CAT 2026 pattern is expected to follow the 68 question format.

Also Check: Changes in CAT Exam Pattern in Last 15 Years

Candidates need the following documents while filling the CAT application form:

• A recent passport size photo (color against white background)
• Scanned signature with black pen on white paper
• Any photo ID card like PAN card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Passport 
• Class 10 marksheet 
• Class 12 marksheet 
• Graduation marksheet 
• Permanent address proof 
• Work experience documents Reserved category students need to upload Category Certificate along with the CAT application form. The Certificate is available on the CAT website. Candidates can download, fill it, get it attested by competent authority and upload it as PDF with the CAT application form. 
• The PwD category students also have to fill the PwD form and Scribe affidavit along with the exam application form. This is necessary for getting scribe facility and PwD facility at the test centre. The CAT application form is same for students from all categories. Those belonging to a particular category (SC/ST/PwD) will be required to mention it in the relevant field of the CAT form.

While candidates belonging to Science and Engineering background do have an edge over Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), it is not impossible for students from non-Science background to crack this section of an MBA entrance exam. They do need to prepare harder which includes going back to study fundamentals of Mathematics such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration.

With regular practice and understanding of the question types and topics, candidates, irrespective of the educational background, can crack this section. Aspirants must note that it is important to identify the weak areas and improve on them to get a stronghold on this section. For Logical Reasoning, a good amount of practice of sample questions will be enough.

The CAT form correction window usually opens for 2-3 days. Typically, it opens a day after the last date of CAT registration.

Yes, it is possible to prepare for DILR with self study. To score well in this section is to follow a strategy. First step is to go through previous years question papers and know various topics. Refer top books for DILR preparation. Practice adequate number of DILR questions with the help of mock tests, sample papers and previous years' papers.