CAT 2026: Applications for CAT 2026 start on August 3; notification released—check the full exam schedule..
CAT 2026: The notification for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 has been released. The IIMs will conduct the CAT exam across 170 cities nationwide on Sunday, November 29, 2026, in three sessions. The application process for the CAT exam will begin on August 3 at 10:00 AM. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2026, by 5:00 PM.
Admission to the country's 21 IIMs and other top business schools—such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, IITs, and IIFT—will be granted through the CAT exam.
**Results to be released in January 2027**
The detailed notification for CAT 2026 has been uploaded to the official website. The admit card for the exam will be released on the online portal on November 4, 2026, while the exam itself will take place on November 29, 2026. Results are expected to be declared in the first week of January 2027. Additionally, candidates should note that the CAT 2026 score will remain valid only until December 31, 2027.
**Eligibility for CAT 2026**
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university or institution with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories). Students in their final year of graduation are also eligible to apply. There is no upper age limit.
**CAT 2026 Exam Pattern**
No major changes are expected in the CAT 2026 pattern. It will follow the structure of CAT 2025, comprising a total of 68 questions across three sections: 24 questions in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), 22 in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and 22 in Quantitative Aptitude (QA). This exam has a strict time limit of 40 minutes for each section, and candidates cannot switch between sections. Approximately 70% of the questions are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), while 30% are ‘Type-in-the-Answer’ (TITA) questions. There is a negative marking of one mark for incorrect MCQ answers.
Registration Fee
The registration fee for CAT 2026 is ₹2,700 for General category candidates and ₹1,350 for candidates belonging to the SC, ST, and PwD categories.
Candidates are advised to visit iimcat.ac.in regularly for official updates.
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