CAT 2026 Notification: Registration Dates, Eligibility, Fees Explained
IIM Indore released the CAT 2026 notification with registration starting August 3. Check exam dates, eligibility, fees, and key details here.
AC Team
IIM Indore has released the CAT 2026 notification, and the countdown for one of India's toughest management entrance exams has officially begun. If you have been waiting for this moment while pretending to focus on your current job or college assignments, the wait is over. Here is everything you need to know, without the jargon and without the panic.
CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, a Sunday, across 170 cities in India. Registration opens on August 3 and closes on September 15. That gives you roughly six weeks to fill the form, upload documents, and triple check your details before submission.
Key Dates You Cannot Miss
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Begins | August 3, 2026 |
| Registration Ends | September 15, 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | November 4, 2026 |
| CAT Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
Mark these dates on your calendar, phone reminders, and maybe even a sticky note on your mirror. Missing a deadline over a forgotten date would be a heartbreak nobody needs.
CAT 2026 Application Fee
The fee has gone up this year. General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates now pay INR 2,700, up from INR 2,600 last year. SC, ST, and PwBD candidates pay INR 1,350. The fee is non-refundable, so check your eligibility carefully before you pay.
| Category | Fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| General, EWS, NC-OBC | 2,700 |
| SC, ST, PwD | 1,350 |
Who Can Apply
To sit for CAT 2026, you need a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or an equivalent CGPA. Candidates from SC, ST, and PwBD categories need 45%. Final-year students can apply too, but if selected, they must submit a completion certificate from their college later.
Professionals with CA, CS, ICWA (CMA), or FIAI qualifications are also eligible. So if you thought your professional degree closed the door to an MBA, think again.
Exam Pattern Stays the Same
No changes here. CAT 2026 will still have 68 questions across three sections, with 40 minutes allotted to each. The sections remain Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. You cannot move between sections once your time runs out, so plan your pace before you sit for the exam.
Documents to Keep Ready
- Passport-size photo: 1200 x 1200 pixels, .jpg or .jpeg, under 80 KB
- Signature: 80mm x 35mm, same file specifications as the photo
- Category certificate (EWS, NC-OBC, SC, ST) if applicable
- Class 10, 12, and graduation marksheets
- Valid photo ID
Keep scanned copies of these documents ready before registration opens. Scrambling to find your Class 10 marksheet on the last day is a stress nobody signs up for.
Test City Preferences
During registration, you can pick five test cities in order of preference. Cities are allotted on a first-come basis, so early registration works in your favor. If your preferred cities are full, you get assigned a nearby one.
Reservation Policy
CAT 2026 follows government reservation norms. SC candidates get 15% of seats, ST candidates get 7.5%, NC-OBC gets 27%, EWS gets up to 10%, and PwBD candidates get 5%. Category certificates must be uploaded during registration, and no changes are allowed after submission, so double check before you hit submit.
What Happens After the Exam
Admit cards will be available from November 4 until the exam date. Each participating IIM sets its own shortlisting process after CAT, using your score along with academic record and work experience. A good CAT score gets you in the running, but it does not guarantee an interview call. Each institute has its own cutoffs and criteria, so research the IIMs you are targeting well before results arrive.
With the notification out, the real work starts now: registration, document preparation, and of course, the mock tests. Treat every mock like the real exam, analyze your mistakes, and adjust your strategy before November 29 arrives.
