IIM Indore Announced CAT 2026 Registrations from 3 August

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) through IIM Indore released the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 notification today, July 26, 2026, on the official website iimcat.ac.in. Students aspiring to pursue management education from top B-schools in India can now check the updated application and exam dates for the 2026-27 admission cycle.

The CAT 2026 exam is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2026, and its registration window is set to open on 3rd August 2026. This national-level entrance exam is crucial for shortlisting candidates for Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT), and Personal Interview (PI) rounds at 22 IIMs and other premier institutions like FMS, IIFT, MDI, SPJIMR, IIT Delhi, and IIT Mumbai. Further, recently, the revised CAT 2026 registration fee has also been released.

CAT 2026: Important Dates and Overview

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore has released the CAT 2026 notification, announcing that the online registration process will begin on August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) and remain open until September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM). The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 will be conducted as a computer-based test on November 29, 2026, in three sessions across test centres nationwide.

Event	Date
CAT 2026 Notification Release	July 26, 2026
CAT 2026 Registration Begins	August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM)
Last Date to Register	September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM)
CAT 2026 Admit Card Release	November 4, 2026
CAT 2026 Exam Date	November 29, 2026
CAT 2026 Result Declaration	Expected in the third week of December 2026*

*The CAT 2026 result date has not yet been officially announced. Based on recent years’ trends, the results are expected to be declared in the third week of December 2026.

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with the minimum qualifying marks prescribed by IIM Indore to be eligible for CAT 2026. (iimcat.ac.in)

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST, and PwD candidates).
Candidates appearing for the final year of their bachelor’s degree or awaiting results are also eligible to apply.
Candidates with a professional degree (CA, CS, ICWA/FCAI or equivalent) and the required minimum marks are eligible.
There is no age limit for appearing in CAT 2026.
Meeting the CAT eligibility criteria does not automatically guarantee admission to IIMs or other participating institutes, as each institute has its own selection process.

How to Apply for CAT 2026: Step-by-Step Process

Candidates can complete the CAT 2026 application process online through the official CAT website by following these steps.

Visit the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in.
Register using a valid email ID and mobile number to create your login credentials.
Log in and fill in the application form with your personal, academic, and work experience details.
Upload the required documents, including your passport-size photograph, signature, and category/PwD certificate (if applicable).
Select your preferred IIM programmes and test city preferences.
Pay the application fee online using the available payment modes.
Review all the details carefully and submit the application form.
Download and save the application confirmation page for future reference.

MBA Entrance Exams 2026-27: Key Dates and Fees

Apart from CAT, MBA aspirants can apply for several other national-level management entrance exams accepted by leading B-schools across India. Each exam follows its own schedule, eligibility criteria, and application fee, giving candidates multiple opportunities to secure admission to MBA and PGDM programmes.

Exam	Conducted By	Official Exam Date / Window	Application Fee (Approx.)
CAT 2026	IIM Indore	November 29, 2026	₹2,700 (General/EWS/NC-OBC); ₹1,350 (SC/ST/PwD)
XAT 2027	XLRI Jamshedpur	January 4, 2027	₹2,200
NMAT 2026	GMAC	November 5 – December 20, 2026 (testing window)	₹3,000 + taxes
SNAP 2026	Symbiosis International (Deemed University)	December 6, 14 & 20, 2026	₹2,250 per test
CMAT 2027	National Testing Agency (NTA)	January 2027 (date yet to be announced)	₹2,000 (approx.)
MAT	All India Management Association (AIMA)	Multiple sessions: February, May, September & December	₹2,200 (single mode)
GMAT Exam	GMAC	Year-round	US$275 (Test Centre) / US$300 (Online)

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern and Structure

CAT 2026 will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) on November 29, 2026, with the same exam pattern as the previous year, featuring three sections, a sectional time limit, and both MCQ and TITA questions.

Particulars	Details
Conducting Institute	IIM Indore
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Exam Date	November 29, 2026
Exam Duration	120 minutes (2 hours)
Number of Sessions	3 (Morning, Afternoon, Evening)
Session Timings	Slot 1: 8:30 AM–10:30 AM Slot 2: 12:30 PM–2:30 PM Slot 3: 4:30 PM–6:30 PM
Number of Sections	3
Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), Quantitative Ability (QA)
Sectional Time Limit	40 minutes per section
Total Questions	68 (Expected; same as CAT 2025)
Section-wise Question Distribution	VARC: 24 DILR: 22 QA: 22
Question Types	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type in the Answer (TITA)
Marking Scheme	+3 for each correct answer; -1 for each incorrect MCQ; no negative marking for TITA or unattempted questions
Maximum Marks	204
Section Switching	Not allowed; candidates must complete each section within the allotted time before moving to the next.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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