Which documents are required for filling CAT application form?

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.

What is the application fee for CAT exam?

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.

For how long is CAT form correction window usually open?

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

Who will conduct CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore. The institute had last conducted the exam in 2020. Six of the older IIMs, including Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Khozikode, and Indore, conducts CAT exam on a rotational basis.

What is the age limit to appear for CAT?

There is no age limit to appear for CAT. The CAT exam is open for fresh graduates as well as working professionals. Since CAT is accepted by over 1300 B-schools across India for their full-time as well as executive MBA or online professional courses, a lot of working professionals appear for the CAT to pursue such courses. CAT score is accepted by Iims for full time MBA, executive MBA and FPM programmes. Other top MBA colleges in India also shortlist candidates for executive MBA or part-time MBA on the basis of CAT score. The minimum age limit for has to be 20 years as the minimum qualification for CAT exam graduation. Any candidate who has completed Graduation with 50 per cent aggregate (45 per cent for SC/ST candidates). Any candidate in final year of Bachelor's degree course can appear in CAT exam. Any candidate having a professional degree like CA/CS/ICWAI with a minimum of 50 per cent in aggregate.

From where can I download CAT question papers?

CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Response sheet hosts CAT exam questions and answers.

What is the CAT 2026 exam date?

CAT 2026 exam will be held on November 29, 2026 in three slots. Candidates will find their CAT 2026 slot time in the admit card.

Are six months enough to prepare for CAT?

While it is advised to dedicate at least 9 months to CAT preparation, six months of dedicated study can also help you crack the exam. You will need daily, weekly and monthly plan for syllabus coverage. Practice a good number of mock tests and study for about 8 hours daily.

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

What is the process of CAT result download?

Check below how to download CAT result cum scorecard: Open iimcat.ac.in Click on tab indicating CAT scorecard Enter your application number and password Click on the tab indicating scorecard Download it and save in PDF format

How would I know my CAT exam centre?

CAT exam centre address and location is mentioned on the admit card. The test centre is allotted in the city of first preference as mentioned in the CAT application form.

In how many cities is CAT exam held?

CAT exam is held in about 170 cities across India. Candidates can choose up to six cities as their preferred test location. The list of test cities for CAT is available in application form. Candidates should choose the test city carefully as the request to change the test city later may or may not be accepted due to non-availability of seats at the centres in that particular city. Given below are the cities where CAT exam is usually held.

What is the process to select CAT test city for exam centre allotment?

There are over 170 cities where CAT exam is held. These 170 cities are spread across India consist of metropolitan cities, capital cities, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Candidate can select up to five cities for allotment of test centre. The process of test city selection is a part of CAT application process. In the CAT application form, there is a field in which candidates have to select the cities. They need to select the city of preference in order of 1 to 5. The examination authorities will try to allot the test centre in the city of first preference. Thus, candidates must fill all the five cities carefully. They must choose their home city of city of current residence as the first preference. The test city option can only be changed during the form correction window. After that, the request for change of the city will not be accepted by the exam authorities.

How many times is CAT exam conducted?

CAT exam conducted only once a year in the month of November. It is conducted in three shifts on a single day.

What is the IIM WAT/PI process?

Written Ability Test or WAT is a 30-minute essay-writing test on topics from fields like socio-political, economic and business affairs, sports, etc. PI refers to Personal Interview held on the same day as WAT. The WAT-PI round of all IIMs is conducted after CAT result declaration. The shortlisting for WAT-PI is done on the basis of CAT cut off, which is fixed by the institutes. The IIM cut offs range between 95-100 percentile, which means candidates scoring in this range get shortlisted for WAT-PI. The CAT cut offs for Reserved category students are lower. In the WAT round, candidate has to write a short essay of about 250 words on a given topic. The topics can be from any field. For example, one candidate at IIM Ahmedabad got 'writer was facing some health issues, he got cured because of laughing' as a WAT topic this year. The purpose of Written Ability Test is to assess the candidate's general awareness, clarity of ideas and ability to make a convincing argument. The Personal Interview or PI is all about personality assessment. In PI, a panel of professors and admission officials meet the candidates one by one. They assess the on their knowledge, confidence, communication skills, managerial skills and leadership qualities, etc.

What after CAT result declaration?

After the declaration of CAT results, IIMs and other top MBA colleges start the candidate shortlisting process. The institutes fix CAT cut offs category wise and invite applicants to appear for Written Ability Test, Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview PI rounds for MBA Admission. In case of IIMs, the institutes release PI shortlist form which the candidates have to fill before a certain deadline. In the PI form, candidates have to mention their personal, academic and professional details along with CAT score. Depending on the application received and the range of CAT scores the institutes the shortlist candidates for What-GD-PI. The What-GD-PI round is conducted by the institutes individually in March and April in online or offline mode. With the result of What-GD-PI and candidates' overall profile, the institutes finalise the list of students for admission. Offer of admission letters to selected candidates are sent via email in May.

IIM CAT 2026 Notification (Released): Download Official PDF

CAT 2026 application submission

3 Aug '26 - 22 Sep '26

Updated on Aug 30, 2026 10:45 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Deputy Manager - MBA & BBA Content

IIM CAT 2026 Notification: IIM Indore has released CAT notification 2026. CAT exam 2026 will be held on November 29 across three slots. CAT 2026 notification contains several details, such as dates, information of conducting IIM, CAT exam duration, and the number of test cities. Check complete details on CAT 2026 notification below.

CAT 2026 Notification Updates

IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2026 exam on November 29.
CAT form fee has been increased to INR 2700 for unreserved categories
IIM CAT 2026 registration fee for reserved category is increased to INR 1350 for reserved categories
CAT 2026 registration will remain active until 5 PM, September 15.

Table of contents

Courses Offered by IIMs Through CAT
CAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
CAT 2026 Registration and Form Fees
CAT Test Centres 2026
CAT 2026 Paper Pattern
FAQs on CAT 2026 Official Notification

Courses Offered by IIMs Through CAT

The official CAT 2026 notification indicates have the list of courses offered by IIMs through CAT. The exam score is valid for not only full-time MBA but also courses like PhD, EMBA, FPM, etc. Here is the list IIM wise courses offered through CAT score.

IIM	Courses Offered Through CAT
IIM Ahmedabad	PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGP, PhD
IIM Amritsar	MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM, PhD
IIM Bangalore	PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA, PhD
IIM Bodh Gaya	PGP, PhD (FPM)
IIM Calcutta	MBA, PhD
IIM Indore	PGP, PGP-HRM, FPM
IIM Jammu	PGP, PhD
IIM Kashipur	MBA, MBA (Analytics), MBA (WX), PhD, EFPM
IIM Kozhikode	PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, PhD, PhD (PT)
IIM Lucknow	PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, FPM
IIM Nagpur	PGP, PhD
IIM Raipur	PGP, FPM/ PhD, EFPM
IIM Ranchi	PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics), PhD, EPhD
IIM Rohtak	PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM, PhD, Part-Time FPM
IIM Sambalpur	MBA, PhD, E PhD
IIM Shillong	PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE, PhD, PhDWP
IIM Sirmaur	MBA, MBA (T&HM), PhD
IIM Tiruchirappalli	PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM, FPM, E-FPM
IIM Udaipur	MBA, PhD
IIM Visakhapatnam	PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM, PhD
IIM Mumbai	MBA, MBA (Operations and Supply Chain Management), MBA (Sustainability Management)
IIM Guwahati	MBA

CAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CAT 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
03 Aug ' 26 - 22 Sep ' 26	CAT 2026 application submission ONGOING
04 Nov ' 26 - 29 Nov ' 26	CAT 2026 admit card download
29 Nov ' 26	CAT 2026 exam date
To Be Notified	CAT 2026 result announcement TENTATIVE

Dates	Past Exam Dates
25 Jul ' 26	CAT 2026 exam notification date

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026

CAT exam is conducted for PG management courses. Check below CAT eligibility criteria as per the official notification:

The candidate must have completed Bachelor’s degree with required percentage from a recognised university
The candidate should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage
The candidate must have completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) with the required percentage
There is no age bar on appearing for CAT. Candidates with work experience or without work experience can apply

CAT Notification 2026: Eligibility Criteria to Apply

Check the table below for category-wise minimum percentage required in graduation to apply for CAT exam 2026:

CAT Eligibility Criteria	Category	Percentage
Minimum percentage required in Graduation	General, EWS and NC-OBC	50 per cent
Minimum percentage required in Graduation	SC/ST/PwD	45 per cent
Minimum percentage required in First two years of Graduation	General, EWS and NC-OBC	50 per cent
Minimum percentage required in First two years of Graduation	SC/ST/PwD	45 per cent
Minimum percentage required in CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI	General, EWS and NC-OBC	50 per cent
Minimum percentage required in CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI	SC/ST/PwD	45 per cent

Also Read: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026

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Plan Your Studies with CAT 2026 Preparation Guides

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CAT 2026 Registration and Form Fees

IIM Indore begins CAT 2026 registration on the IIM CAT website. As per the CAT 2026 notification, candidates get 45 to 50 days to fill and submit the exam form. Along with the CAT exam notification, IIM Indore released the registration guide. Check complete details on how to fill CAT 2026 application form below:

Visit the CAT 2026 website and click on 'new registration'
Enter name, nationality, phone number, email ID and date of birth
Authenticate account with OTP received
Log in with user ID and password to fill details in the form
Enter personal details, academic details, preferred test cities and IIIMs
Upload photograph, signature, caste and other certificates (if required)
Pay CAT form fee via debit/credit card, net banking or mobile wallet

Direct Link for CAT 2026 Registration:

New Registration: https://cdn.digialm.com/EForms/configuredHtml/32842/101262/Registration.html
Candidate Login: https://cdn.digialm.com/EForms/configuredHtml/32842/101262/login.html

CAT Application Fees 2026

With the release of the CAT notification 2026, IIM Indore increased the exam fee by INR 100 for unreserved categories and by INR 50 for reserved categories. The table below indicates the updated CAT exam form price 2026.

Category	CAT Application Fee
General and NC-OBC	INR 2,700
SC, ST and PwD	INR 1,350

CAT 2026 Registration Details

Essential Guides for CAT 2026 Application Process

Use the links below to know everything about CAT registration, including photo and signature specifications, documents required to apply for CAT, and more.

📋 CAT Registration Overview 📄 Documents Required 🖼️ Photo & Signature Specs

CAT Test Centres 2026

CAT test centres are allotted to candidates basis their test city preference and the address they fill in the CAT application form. The CAT exam is conducted at over 400 such test centres in 170 cities of India. The exam is administered by the TCS on behalf of IIM.

How is a CAT Exam Centre Allotted?

Candidates have to choose 5 test cities in the CAT application form, in order of preference 1 to 5.
The exam conducting body allots exam centre by taking into consideration candidate’s first preference and address of residence.
The allotment is also based on the availability of seats at a particular test centre in the given city.
Since, allotment is done on a first-come, first-served basis, it is advised that candidates apply as soon as the application open.

Also Read:

CAT 2026 Paper Pattern

IIM Indore did not bring any change in the exam pattern with the issuance of CAT 2026 notification. Find CAT 2026 paper pattern below:

CAT Pattern Details	CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
CAT sections	VARC, DILR and QA
Duration of exam	40 minutes per section (Total 120 minutes)
Total number of questions	66
Section-wise number of questions	VARC - 24 DILR - 22 QA - 22
Total marks	198
Language of question paper	English
Number of answer choices	Four
Type of questions	MCQs and Non-MCQs
CAT marking scheme	3 marks for every right answer Negative marking of 1/3 (-1) for every wrong answer No negative marking for wrong answer in non-MCQ

FAQs on CAT 2026 Official Notification

Check some important FAQs related to CAT notification below:

Q: 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

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

Q: What is the syllabus for CAT exam?

CAT syllabus includes all the important topics of subjects that are relevant for business aptitude. For CAT exam, candidates have to study, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension VARC Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Given below are the key topics included in the CAT syllabus.

VARC topics: Parajumbles, Paracompletion, Parasummary, Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
Quantitative Aptitude topics: Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra Trigonometry Modern Math, Number System and Mensuration.
DILR topics: Puzzles, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Tables and Bar Graphs, etc.

Q: What are the maximum marks in CAT exam?

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.

Q: What are the qualifying CAT cutoffs for all the IIMs?

Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of Iims for Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI are listed below. Candidates who MET the qualifying CAT cut off, were eligible for What-PI round. These qualifying CAT cut offs are for General Category. The cut offs for Reserved category students are lower: