CAT 2026 Registration Open: Apply Online at iimcat.ac.in Before September 15, Check Complete Details

CAT 2026 Registration Open: The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026, India’s most prestigious MBA entrance examination, has officially opened its registration process. Conducted by IIM Indore on behalf of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), CAT serves as the gateway to admission into 21 IIMs and hundreds of leading business schools across the country.

Candidates can now submit their applications online through the official CAT portal. The examination is scheduled to be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026, in three sessions across more than 170 test cities in India.

According to the official CAT 2026 Registration Guide, the application window opens at 10:00 AM on August 3, 2026, and closes at 5:00 PM on September 15, 2026.

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REGISTRATION GUIDE

CAT 2026 Important Dates

What is CAT?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level computer-based entrance examination accepted by:

• All 21 IIMs
• FMS Delhi
• SPJIMR Mumbai
• MDI Gurgaon
• IIT MBA programmes
• IIFT
• IMI
• IMT
• TAPMI
• Great Lakes
• and several other reputed B-Schools.

A high CAT percentile significantly increases the chances of admission to India’s top MBA and PGDM programmes.

Related Article: IBPS Clerk Notification 2026: 11,403 Vacancies Announced, Two Major Changes Introduced for Aspirants

CAT 2026 Registration Window

The official registration portal becomes active from:

• Opening: 3 August 2026 (10 AM)
• Closing: 15 September 2026 (5 PM)

Candidates are advised not to wait until the last day because heavy traffic may slow down the website or delay online payment processing.

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

A candidate is eligible if he/she has:

• Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 50% marks (General/EWS/OBC)
• 45% marks for SC/ST/PwBD candidates

Candidates in the final year of graduation can also apply.

Applicants holding professional qualifications such as:

• CA
• CS
• CMA (ICWA)
• FIAI

are also eligible, provided they satisfy the required percentage criteria.

CAT 2026 Registration Fee

This year, the registration fee has been revised.

The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online during application submission.

Step-by-Step CAT 2026 Registration Process

According to the official CAT Registration Guide, the process consists of three major stages.

Step 1: Create Registration

Visit the CAT website and register using:

• Candidate Name (exactly as on the Class 10 certificate)
• Date of Birth
• Email ID
• Mobile Number

An OTP verification is required.

After successful verification, the system generates:

• User ID
• Password

Step 2: Login

Use the generated credentials to log into the candidate dashboard.

If forgotten, both User ID and Password can be recovered using the “Forgot Password” option.

Step 3: Fill Application Form

The application contains six sections:

1. Personal Details
2. Academics
3. Work Experience
4. Programmes
5. Test City
6. Declaration

Applicants may save progress and complete the form later. However, after payment and final submission, no edits are allowed.

Documents Required

Before starting registration, candidates should keep these documents ready.

Mandatory

• Passport-size photograph
• Signature
• Class 10 marksheet
• Class 12 marksheet
• Graduation details
• Final year details (if applicable)

If Applicable

• EWS Certificate
• NC-OBC Certificate
• SC/ST Certificate
• PwBD Certificate

The official guide specifies that the photograph must:

• be taken within the last six months,
• have a white background,
• be uploaded in JPG/JPEG format,
• measure 1200 × 1200 pixels,
• and remain under 80 KB.

Personal Details to Fill

Candidates must enter:

• Name
• Father’s Name
• Mother’s Name
• Gender
• Nationality
• Category
• Communication Address
• Permanent Address
• Emergency Contact

The information entered here will be treated as final for admission purposes.

Academic Details Required

Applicants need to provide:

• Class 10 details
• Class 12 details
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s Degree (if applicable)
• Professional Qualification (if applicable)

Candidates must carefully calculate aggregate percentages according to the university’s rules. If no official CGPA conversion exists, the prescribed conversion method must be followed.

Work Experience Rules

Only the following counts:

• Full-time paid work
• After graduation
• Calculated up to July 31, 2026

The following will not be counted:

• Internship
• Articleship
• Project Work
• Part-time Job
• Pre-graduation Work Experience

Test City Selection

Applicants can choose five preferred test cities while filling the form. CAT authorities will try to allot one of the selected cities, but a nearby city may be assigned if seats are unavailable.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

No changes have been announced in the exam pattern or syllabus for CAT 2026. The examination will continue in its existing format, comprising three sections:

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)

The computer-based test will be conducted in three sessions on November 29, 2026.

Important Instructions

The official CAT guide highlights several key points that applicants should remember:

• Use your own email ID and mobile number, as all future communication will be sent there.
• Your name must exactly match the name on your Class 10 certificate.
• The application form can be saved and completed in multiple sessions.
• Once the application fee is paid and the form is submitted, no corrections or modifications are permitted.
• Keep extra printed copies of the uploaded photograph for use on the examination day.

CAT 2026 Registration Open

With the CAT 2026 registration process now underway, MBA aspirants should complete their applications well before the September 15 deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues. Since the examination opens doors to India’s leading management institutes, candidates should carefully verify every detail before making the final submission. Registration details, uploaded documents, academic information, and category certificates cannot be edited after payment, making accuracy essential throughout the application process.