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.

Is CAT fee refundable?

CAT fee is non-refundable. Candidates must note that under no circumstances will the CAT fee be refunded to any candidate. The fee amount of INR 2600 (INR 1300 for Reserved category students) once paid cannot be claimed for refund.

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.

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.

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.

Is there extra charge for selecting IIM campuses in CAT application form?

Unlike other MBA entrance exams such as SNAP and XAT, there is no extra charge for selecting IIMs in the CAT application form. For overall CAT application form you will need to pay only INR 2500 (INR 1250 for SC/ST/PWD candidates). You can select as many IIM campuses, and courses as you want to.

For how long is CAT form correction window usually open?

The CAT form correction window usually opens for 2-3 days. It opens a day after the last date of CAT registration. For example, if the CAT registration 2025 will end on September 13, the form correction window will open on September 14 and close on September 17, 2025. If the CAT registration window is extended by a week, then th form correction window will open thereafter. Only registered candidates, who shall have paid the application fee will be able to access their CAT 2025 application forms to make changes. CAT form correction is a one-time activity so candidates must not miss the chance of updating their photo, signature and changing test city choices if required.

How many IIMs can I select in CAT application form?

Candidates can select up to 21 IIMs in CAT application form for PI shortlist and admission. There is no cap on selecting campuses. Candidates must however, make an informed choice but first checking CAT cut off, course specialisation and fee of all IIMs and basis that select campuses in the CAT application form. It is best to choose a combination of top IIMs and newer IIMs so that you have wider options for admission.

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.

Is there any fee charged for CAT form correction?

No, the candidates do not have to pay any fee for CAT form correction. The facility is provided to candidates free of cost. However, if they have made an error in a field that will not be available for editing during form correction, then they will have to fill a fresh form before the submission deadline and pay the CAT application fee again. So, candidates must review the CAT application form before submitting to check whether they have filled all the information correctly or not. Once submitted, the form will not be editable but of photo, signature and test city.

Can I edit my CAT application form after submission?

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.

I am in the final year of my Bachelor's degree. Am I eligible to take the CAT exam?

Yes, you are eligible to appear for the exam provided your score in the first two years of the degree course is above 50% (or equivalent). In case you belong to SSC/ST/PwD categories, the minimum aggregate should be 45%. Candidates planning to pursue MBA must make sure that they score minimum of 50 per cent in aggregate in every year of their Bachelor's degree programme, so that overall average too is 50 per cent. Those, in the final year of graduation must take care that if they do not have a minimum of 50 per cent in first two years, they need to score much higher in the final year so that their overall score meets the minimum requirement. To have a better chance of being selected by the Iims, candidates must aim for high scores in graduation and not just 50 per cent as academic record is a significant contributor in shortlisting of candidates for admission.

CAT Registration 2026: Application Dates, Process, Fees, Eligibility

13K Students Q&A

Updated on Jan 26, 2026 14:05 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CAT 2026 registration will commence in the first week of August. Dates will be announced through CAT 2026 notification in the last week of July. The CAT registration cum application proess 2026 will include registration, application form filling, uploading documents and payment of fees. Candidates will be required to choose preferred IIM and MBA course in the CAT 2026 application form, for PI shortlisting. CAT 2026 wil be conducted on November 29, 2026. Read below, all about CAT registration 2026.

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