EXAM
CAT 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, Pattern, Registration, Eligibility, Preparation Tips
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CAT Exam Overview
CAT 2026 exam will be conducted on November 29, 2026. Official announcement will be made next year in July but going by the trend of CAT in the last two decades, the exam will beheld as mentioned. The CAT 2026 is conducted by one of the top 6 IIMs on rotation basis. CAT exam score is accepted by over 1600 MBA colleges in India.
CAT is considered the toughest MBA entrance exam in India and nearly 3 lakh candidates appear for it every year. The exam syllabus includes Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude. Those who are not happy with their performance in CAT 2025, should start planning for CAT 2026 from January onwards. Read below all about CAT Exam 2026.
CAT Exam Highlights
Category | Details |
Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
Conducting Body | Any of the Top IIMs |
Official Website | www.iimcat.ac.in |
Medium of exam | English |
Exam Level | National |
Frequency | Annual |
Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
Number of Questions | 68 |
Question Types | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) & Type in The Answer (TITA) |
Selection Process | CAT scores, Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) for some IIMs |
Score Validity | 1 year |
Number of IIMs Participating | 21 IIMs |
Other Institutes Accepting CAT Scores | 1000+ Prestigious management institutes and business schools in India |
CAT 2026 Important Dates
Aspirants should know about the CAT 2026 dates. According to these dates students can start their preparation.
Events | Dates 2026 (Tentative) |
Notification release of CAT 2026 | Last week of July 2026 |
Release of CAT 2026 application form | 1st week of August 2026 |
Last date to fill CAT 2026 registration form | 3rd week of September 2026 |
CAT 2026 Application Correction | 4th week of September 2026 |
Availability of CAT 2026 admit card | 4th week of October 2026 |
CAT 2026 Exam Date | 4th week of November 2026 |
CAT 2026 Answer key | 1st week of December 2026 |
CAT 2026 Last date to submit objection against answer key | 1st week of December 2026 |
Announcement of CAT 2026 result | 4th week of December 2026 |
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria is provided below for candidates to go and check their eligibility.
- Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s degree from a UGC-recognized institute with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
- Engineering Degree Holders:B.Tech/B.E. from AICTE/MHRD-recognized university with 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
- Final Year Students: Eligible if they meet the 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) criteria.
- Age Limit: No upper or lower age limit.
- Attempt Limit: No restriction on the number of attempts.
Reserved Seats
Category | Reservation Percentage |
OBC | 27% |
SC | 15% |
ST | 7.50% |
PwD | 3% |
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Aspirants aiming for the the CAT 2026 exam must familiarize themselves with the CAT 2026 Exam Pattern to better understand the topics and type of questions that will be asked in the exam. Below is the tentative CAT 2026 exam pattern based on previous CAT exams.
Mode of Examination | Computer-based |
Medium of Examination | English |
Slots for Exam | 3 |
Total Questions | 68 |
Questions Per Section | VARC: 24 DILR: 22 QA: 22 |
Time Allotted | 120 minutes (40 minutes per section) |
Type of Questions | MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) |
Marks Awarded for Correct Answer | +3 for every right answer |
Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer | -1 for every wrong answer No negative marking for TITA |
CAT 2026 Syllabus
IIMs don’t provide any official syllabus. But according to the previous year patterns we have provided comprehensive syllabus the There is no official CAT 2026 Syllabus prescribed by the test conducting authorities of CAT 2026. An aspirant is suggested to follow the class X syllabus for English & Math. However, based on the trends of the CAT exam in previous years, the tentative topics asked in CAT 2026 syllabus is mentioned below. The aspirants must take note of the topics mentioned below and continue their preparation accordingly.
Syllabus | Topics |
Verbal Ability Reading Comprehension | Fill in the blanks, Verbal Logic, Para Jumbles, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Sentence, Completion, Jumbled, Paragraphs, Different Usage of the same word, Syllogisms, Parts of speech |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | Venn Diagram, Coding-Decoding, Binary Logic, Blood Relations, Syllogism, Direction Sense, Tables, Bars and Line Graphs, Puzzles, Family Tree, Assumptions, Pie Charts, Seating Arrangement, Data Sufficiency, Clocks and Calendars |
Quantitative Aptitude | Mean, mode, median, Binomial theorem, Geometry, Ratios and Proportion, Work and Time, Algebra, Percentages, Mensuration, Time, Speed and Distance, Square Root and Cube Root, Number System, Simple interest and compound interest, Geometric Progression, Surds and Indices |
CAT 2026 Application Form
There are some important points for candidates to consider before filling out the CAT 2026 application form.
Steps to Fill the CAT 2026 Application Form
1. Accessing the Application Form
- Visit the official CAT website.
- Click on the ‘Go to Application Form’ link.
2. Filling in Personal and Academic Details
- The candidate’s name and date of birth (DOB) will be auto-filled based on registration details.
- Enter father’s/husband’s/guardian’s name and gender.
- Select category and nationality.
- Provide a valid postal address and an alternate email ID (if applicable).
- Fill in academic qualifications, including:
- Total marks obtained in 10th, 12th/Diploma, Bachelor’s degree (pursuing or completed), Master’s degree, or any professional degree.
- Enter work experience details (if applicable).
- Choose preferred programs and select four preferred exam cities.
- Candidates must select six exam cities in order of preference, as test centers will be allotted based on availability.
3. Uploading Documents
- Upload scanned images of:
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Signature
- Category certificate (if applicable)
- Ensure the documents meet the prescribed format and size requirements.
4. Final Submission
- Click on Save & Continue to review the entered details.
- Once verified, submit the application form.
- No hard copy of the registration form needs to be sent via post or offline mode.
- Keep a printout of the submitted application form for future reference.
Application Fee Details
Candidates must pay the registration fee online only using credit card, debit card, net banking, or UPI. The fee is non-refundable.
Category | Registration Fee |
SC/ST/PWD candidates | Rs. 1200/- |
All other category candidates | Rs. 2400/- |
Candidates must ensure that all details entered are accurate, as incorrect details may lead to rejection of the application form.
CAT 2026 Admit Card
Students can download this admit card through the official website. Students should put right credentials during the login process to get the admit card. Along with the CAT Admit card 2026, candidates will need to bring one photo identity proof.
Students should keep in mind that they are not allowed in the examination hall if they dont have CAT admit card. Candidates must check details carefully printed on the admit card. In case of any discrepancy in details, contact to the authority immediately
CAT 2026 Answer Key.
The CAT 2026 answer key will be released a few days after the exam on the official website. Candidates can download it using their CAT ID and password. Initially, a provisional answer key will be provided, allowing candidates to raise objections within a specified period by paying ₹1200 per question. After reviewing objections, the final answer key will be published along with the CAT 2026 results, helping candidates estimate their scores accurately.
CAT 2026 Result
The CAT Result 2026 is expected to be published on the official website around December 2026. Following the release of results and cut-offs the IIMs and other B-schools will commence their interview and discussion rounds for admissions to the 2026-28 cohort.
CAT 2026 Test Centres
The CAT 2026 exam is expected to be conducted in over 500 CAT exam centers across the country. Candidates can select their preferred location and center for the exam while completing the examination form. Below is a list of the tentative CAT exam centers for 2026, based on data from the previous year.
State/UT | Test Cities |
Andhra Pradesh | Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool, Nellore, Kakinada, Guntur, Rajahmundry, Vizianagaram, Vijayawada |
Assam | Silchar, Guwahati, Jorhat, Tezpur, Dibrugarh |
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
Bihar | Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Aurangabad, Arrah, Bhagalpur |
Chhattisgarh | Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh, Mohali |
Delhi-NCR | Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Meerut, New Delhi, Noida |
Haryana | Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Rohtak |
Gujarat | Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Anand |
Goa | Panaji |
Himachal Pradesh | Shimla, Hamirpur |
Jharkhand | Bokaro, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh |
Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
Karnataka | Belagavi, Bengaluru, Dharwad, Hubbali, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Udupi |
Kerala | Trivandrum, Kannur, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Thrissur |
Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain |
Maharashtra | Mumbai, Nagpur, Amravati, Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad-Maharashtra, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Nanded, Nashik, Satara, Solapur, Ulhasnagar, Raigad, Thane, Palghar, Navi Mumbai, Vasai |
Mizoram | Aizawl |
Meghalaya | Shillong |
Nagaland | Kohima |
Odisha | Sambalpur, Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Dhenkanal, Rourkela |
Puducherry | Puducherry |
Punjab | Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Sangrur |
Rajasthan | Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Sikar, Kota |
Telangana | Hyderabad, Karim Nagar, Warangal |
Tamil Nadu | Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem, Tirunelveli, Vellore |
Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi, Agra, Jhansi, Lucknow, Aligarh, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar |
Uttarakhand | Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee |
West Bengal | Siliguri, Asansol, Bankura, Burdwan, Kolkata, Durgapur, Hooghly, Kalyani |
CAT 2026 FAQs
Q. What is CAT 2026?
A. CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the IIMs for admission to MBA and PGDM programs at IIMs and other top B-schools in India.
Q. When will CAT 2026 be conducted?
A. CAT 2026 is expected to be held on November 29, 2026 (last Sunday of November).
Q. How many candidates appear for CAT every year?
A. Around 3-4 lakh aspirants are expected to appear for CAT 2026.
Q. What is the validity of CAT scores?
A. CAT scores are valid for one year, i.e., valid till December 2027 for admissions.
Q. What is the official website for CAT 2026?
A. The official website is www.iimcat.ac.in.
Q. Who is eligible for CAT 2026?
A. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
Q. Can final-year students apply for CAT 2026?
A. Yes, final-year students can apply, provided they meet the minimum percentage requirement upon graduation.
Q. Is there an age limit for CAT 2026?
A. No, there is no age limit to appear for CAT.
Q. Can diploma holders apply for CAT?
A. No, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
Q. Can I take CAT if I have a backlog in my degree?
A. Yes, as long as you clear your backlog before the admission process begins.
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