CAT 2026 Registration Guide: Fees, Eligibility, Documents and Application Steps

CAT 2026 registration is open on the official website, iimcat.ac.in. IIM Indore, the exam authority for this year, has set September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM IST as the last date to submit the form and pay the fee.

Students who plan to pursue MBA and other management programmes at the Indian Institutes of Management must complete the application online. The form takes time, so do not leave it for the last evening. Websites and payment gateways tend to become less friendly when thousands of students arrive together.

CAT 2026 Registration Dates and Fee

Registration started: August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Last date to apply: September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM
Expected correction window: First week of October 2026, as per the available schedule
Exam date: November 29, 2026

The application fee is INR 2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. SC, ST and PwBD candidates must pay INR 1,350. The fee is paid once, even if a candidate selects several IIM programmes. It is non-refundable.

Payment is accepted through UPI, credit card, debit card, net banking and wallets. Cash payment is not available.

Who Can Apply for CAT 2026?

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with at least 50% marks or an equivalent CGPA. The minimum is 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

Students in the final year of graduation can also apply. They must later submit a certificate from their university confirming that they have completed all degree requirements by the date set by the IIMs.

Applicants with professional qualifications such as CA, CS, CMA or Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries may also apply under the stated CAT eligibility rules. There is no upper age limit for the exam.

Documents Required for CAT Registration

Keep these documents ready before opening the application form:

Class 10 mark sheet
Class 12 mark sheet or diploma details
Bachelor’s degree mark sheets or the latest semester marks
University certificate for final-year candidates
Work experience details, if applicable
Recent passport-size photograph
Scanned signature
SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS or PwBD certificate, if applicable
Details of a valid email address and mobile number
Online payment details

The photograph should have a plain white background and should not be more than six months old. The portal accepts JPG or JPEG files for the photograph and signature, with each file usually limited to 80 KB. Check the image rules shown on the portal before uploading.

How to Fill the CAT 2026 Application Form

Visit iimcat.ac.in and select the new candidate registration link.
Enter your name, date of birth, email address and mobile number.
Complete OTP verification to receive your User ID and password.
Log in and select GO TO APPLICATION.
Fill in personal details, emergency contact information and address.
Enter Class 10, Class 12 or diploma, and graduation details.
Add eligible full-time work experience completed up to July 31, 2026.
Select the IIM programmes you wish to apply for and choose the interview city for each programme.
Select five different test cities in order of preference.
Upload the photograph, signature and category documents.
Use the PREVIEW option to check every entry.
Accept the declaration, pay the fee and submit the form.
Save the transaction number and download the confirmation page.

Important Rules for Test Cities and Work Experience

Candidates must select five distinct cities from the available list. The same city cannot be entered more than once. IIM Indore will allot a test centre based on the selected preferences and availability. There are around 170 test cities across India.

Only full-time, paid work after graduation should be entered as work experience. Internships, part-time work, project work, articleship and work completed before graduation do not count under the stated CAT rules. Enter the experience in days as on July 31, 2026.

Mistakes to Avoid Before Paying

Enter your name exactly as shown on your Class 10 certificate.
Check your date of birth and category before submission.
Calculate marks as per your board or university rules.
Use the correct certificate for EWS or NC-OBC status.
Do not repeat a test city preference.
Check the uploaded image size and file format.
Review the full form before payment.

Personal, academic and other key details may be locked after payment. Any correction window announced later may cover only selected fields, such as the photograph, signature or test city. For help with registration, candidates can use the grievance option inside the portal or contact the CAT helpdesk listed on the official website.