IIM CAT 2026 Notification

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) have officially released the examination notice for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026. Conducted this year by IIM Indore, CAT 2026 serves as the primary entrance examination for admission into Post Graduate and Doctorate/Fellow programmes in management across 22 participating IIMs and numerous non-IIM member institutions nationwide. Eligible candidates seeking a career in management can submit their applications online starting August 3, 2026.

Quick Overview

• Exam Name: Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026
• Conducting Body: Indian Institutes of Management (IIM Indore for 2026)
• Programmes Offered: PGDM, MBA, Fellow/PhD Programmes
• Educational Qualification: Bachelor's Degree with minimum required percentage or Professional Qualification
• Exam Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
• Registration Dates: August 3, 2026 to September 15, 2026
• Exam Date: November 29, 2026

Exam Details

CAT 2026 will be administered as a computer-based examination across various test centers in India on Sunday, November 29, 2026. The test duration is 2 hours (120 minutes), consisting of 68 questions accounting for a total of 204 marks. Performance scores in CAT 2026 will be utilized for shortlisting candidates for subsequent admission stages like Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) across IIMs and other recognized business schools.

Participating Institutes

CAT scores are accepted by 22 Indian Institutes of Management including:

1. IIM Ahmedabad
2. IIM Amritsar
3. IIM Bangalore
4. IIM Bodh Gaya
5. IIM Calcutta
6. IIM Guwahati
7. IIM Indore
8. IIM Jammu
9. IIM Kashipur
10. IIM Kozhikode
11. IIM Lucknow
12. IIM Mumbai
13. IIM Nagpur
14. IIM Raipur
15. IIM Ranchi
16. IIM Rohtak
17. IIM Sambalpur
18. IIM Shillong
19. IIM Sirmaur
20. IIM Tiruchirappalli
21. IIM Udaipur
22. IIM Visakhapatnam

Eligibility Conditions

Age Limit

• There is no upper or lower age restriction to sit for the CAT 2026 examination.

Educational Qualification

• Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC, ST, and PwBD candidates) or equivalent CGPA from a recognized university.
• Candidates appearing for the final year of their Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification or awaiting results are also eligible to apply.
• Candidates holding professional degrees such as CA, CS, ICWA (CMA), or FIAI are also eligible.

Application Fee

• General / NC-OBC / EWS Candidates: Rs. 2700/-
• SC / ST / PwBD Candidates: Rs. 1350/-
• Payment Mode: Credit Card, Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI.

Documents Required

• Valid Email ID and Active Mobile Number
• Passport size photograph and signature (scanned)
• Graduation Marksheet and Certificate
• Category / Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• PwBD Certificate (if applicable)

How to Apply

1. Visit the official portal at www.iimcat.ac.in.
2. Click on the "New Candidate Registration" link to generate your User ID and Password.
3. Log in using the credentials sent to your registered email and mobile number.
4. Fill in personal, academic, work experience, and program preference details.
5. Upload scanned copies of required documents in the prescribed format.
6. Pay the registration fee through the online payment gateway.
7. Submit the application form and keep a printed copy for future reference.

Important Dates

• Registration Start Date: August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM)
• Registration End Date: September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM)
• Admit Card Download: November 4, 2026 to November 29, 2026
• Exam Date: November 29, 2026

Important Links

• Official Website: https://www.iimcat.ac.in

FAQs

Q1. Who is conducting CAT 2026? An Indian Institute of Management (IIM Indore) is conducting CAT 2026.

Q2. What is the last date to register for CAT 2026? The last date for online registration is September 15, 2026.

Q3. Is there any age limit for CAT 2026? No, there is no age limit for appearing in CAT 2026.