CAT 2026 Quick Overview

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have released the official CAT 2026 Information Bulletin, confirming the exam date, registration window, eligibility criteria, and other key details for the Common Admission Test 2026. CAT 2026 is the mandatory entrance test for admission to PGP, MBA, and other management programmes at 21 IIMs across India, and its score is also accepted by several non-IIM institutions.

Direct Link to Download CAT 2026 Notification PDF Here

CAT 2026 Quick Overview

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CAT 2026 Important Dates

Participating IIMs and Programmes Offered (PGP)

CAT 2026 scores will be used for admission to Post Graduate Programmes (PGP/MBA) at the following IIMs:

CAT 2026 Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM/ PhD)

CAT 2026 scores are also used for doctoral-level admissions at various IIMs:

Note: Separate advertisements may be issued for programmes other than PGP, specific to each IIM. Candidates must check the concerned IIM's website before applying to confirm updated eligibility and admission process details.

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

• Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST, and PwBD candidates), from a university incorporated by an Act of Parliament/State legislature or deemed under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
• Candidates in the final year of their Bachelor's degree, or those awaiting results after completing degree requirements, can also apply.
• Such provisional candidates, if selected, must submit a certificate from their Principal/Registrar (by the date specified by the respective IIM) confirming completion of all degree requirements.

Candidates must fulfil any one of the following:

• Completed Bachelor's degree with the required percentage of marks.
• Completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA (CMA)/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)) with the required percentage.
• Currently in the final year of a Bachelor's degree with the required percentage.

SC/ST/PwBD candidates require a minimum of 45%; General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates require a minimum of 50%.

How Percentage/ CGPA Is Calculated

Percentage of marks is calculated based on the practice followed by the candidate's own University/Institution. Where grades/CGPA apply, conversion follows the University/Institution's certified procedure. If no such conversion scheme exists, equivalence is calculated by dividing the candidate's CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying by 100.

Important: Meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee shortlisting by IIMs. Candidates must maintain a valid, unique email account and mobile number throughout the entire selection process.

CAT 2026 Reservation Criteria

Specified Disability Categories (PwBD)

• Blindness and low vision
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy
• Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness
• Multiple disabilities from the above categories
• Other specified disabilities mentioned in the Schedule of the RPwD Act, 2016

A "Person with Benchmark Disability" means a person certified with not less than 40% of a specified disability. The applicable Central Government list as on the last date of CAT registration is binding - no subsequent changes will apply for CAT 2026 or later selection processes.

NC-OBC/EWS Certificate Requirements

• NC-OBC certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2026.
• EWS certificates must be valid for the year 2026–27 and specifically assessed for financial year 2025–26.

Candidates who applied for a valid NC-OBC/EWS certificate on or after April 1, 2026 but haven't received it by the time of registration may still apply by uploading a single PDF containing:

• A properly filled "Undertaking for NC-OBC/EWS Certificate" (available on the official CAT 2026 website)
• The older NC-OBC/EWS certificate issued prior to April 1, 2026
• A copy of the communication/acknowledgement/screenshot confirming submission of the certificate application

Failure to upload the complete set of documents may result in disqualification from the entire admission process. No category change will be entertained after registration.

CAT 2026 Application Fee

The fee is paid only once, regardless of the number of IIMs/programmes a candidate applies to. SC, ST, and PwBD candidates must upload their category certificates at the time of registration. Fees once paid are non-refundable under any circumstances.

How to Apply for CAT 2026

• Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on August 3, 2026, and closes at 5:00 p.m. on September 15, 2026, on the official website https://iimcat.ac.in.
• At the time of registration, candidates must select five preferred test cities from a drop-down menu.
• After registration closes, candidates will be allotted one of their five preferred cities, subject to availability. In rare cases, a nearby city may be allotted instead.
• Admit cards can be downloaded from November 4, 2026, until November 29, 2026.
• Full step-by-step details will be available in the official CAT 2026 registration guide.

CAT 2026 Test Centres

CAT 2026 will be conducted across approximately 170 test cities in India. The list of test cities will be available on the official CAT website, and the exact test centre name will be indicated on the candidate's Admit Card. IIMs reserve the right to add, remove, change, or cancel any test centre/city, and may change the test time or date at their discretion.

CAT 2026 Result and Scorecard

• CAT 2026 results are expected to be declared in the first week of January 2027.
• Scorecards will be made available on the official CAT website; candidates may also be intimated via SMS.
• The CAT 2026 score is valid only until December 31, 2027.
• No queries regarding scorecard issuance will be entertained after this validity period.

CAT 2026 Admission Process

Each IIM independently sets its own eligibility criteria, academic cut-offs, and relative weightage, and follows its own selection process. CAT 2026 performance is an important component, but IIMs may also consider prior academic performance, relevant work experience, and other inputs at various shortlisting stages. Candidates should refer to the individual admission policies published on each IIM's website.

Use of CAT 2026 Score by Non-IIM Institutions

CAT 2026 scores can also be used by listed non-IIM member institutions that have registered to accept them. The complete list of such institutions is available at https://iimcat.ac.in. IIMs have no role in the selection process followed by these non-IIM institutions.

Important Instructions for CAT 2026 Candidates

• Any incorrect information or process violation detected at any stage will lead to immediate disqualification, and the candidate will not be allowed to appear for CAT in future.
• If such violations go undetected during the current process but are discovered later, disqualification will apply with retrospective effect.
• Candidates must retain the Information Bulletin for future reference.
• Any dispute concerning CAT 2026 is subject to the jurisdiction of competent courts within Indore only.
• Candidates must declare and maintain a valid, unique email account and mobile number throughout the selection process.

CAT 2026 Important Links