CAT 2026 registration closes today: apply by 5 pm

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore will conclude the registration process for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 today, September 22, 2026, at 5 pm. Aspiring candidates for management courses in IIMs and other B-schools must submit their applications through the official website, iimcat.ac.in, before the deadline.

This deadline follows an extension from the original closing date of September 15, 2026. The CAT 2026 examination is scheduled to be held on November 29, 2026, across 170 test centres nationwide, and scores will remain valid until December 31, 2027.

Application Process and Fees

Candidates are required to register online on the iimcat.ac.in portal. The application fee for SC, ST, and PwBD candidates is ₹1,350, while all other candidates must pay ₹2,700. During registration, applicants need to upload a recent colour passport-size photograph and a plain signature, with specific file size requirements: 30 KB, 80 KB for the photograph and 10 KB, 30 KB for the signature.

Applicants must also provide five preferences for exam centres. Those claiming fee relaxation are required to upload their category certificate at the time of filling the application form. After successful payment, candidates should download both the payment receipt and the submitted application form for their records.

Eligibility Criteria and Exam Structure

To be eligible for CAT 2026, candidates must hold a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks, or 45% for those belonging to the SC, ST, and PwBD categories. There is no upper age limit for appearing in the examination. The CAT paper will be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode, with a total duration of 120 minutes, allocating 40 minutes per section.

The exam comprises three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). An on-screen calculator will be provided during the examination. For the marking scheme, three marks will be awarded for each correct answer, while one mark will be deducted for every incorrect response.

Key Dates and Examination Schedule

The CAT 2026 registration commenced on August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM IST. Following the registration closure today, an application form correction window will be available from September 25 to September 27, 2026. Admit cards for the examination will be issued from November 4 to November 29, 2026.

The CAT 2026 exam on November 29, 2026, will be conducted in three distinct slots: Slot 1 from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, Slot 2 from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and Slot 3 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Results for CAT 2026 are anticipated to be announced in the first week of January 2027.

Previous Year’s Performance and Context

Last year, approximately 2.58 lakh candidates appeared for the CAT examination. Among them, 12 candidates achieved the 100th percentile, comprising 10 male and 2 female candidates. The Common Admission Test is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually for admission to MBA and PGDM programs offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools in India.

The examination evaluates candidates’ aptitude in Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. This year’s exam is being conducted by IIM Indore. In a related development last year, IIM Rohtak reportedly raised MBA fees without preparing a budget, with its income growing by 299%, which a CAG Report deemed excessively high for a non-profit institution.

Further reading

• IIM CAT 2026 Registration Closes Tomorrow, September 15; Admit Cards on November 4 at iimcat.ac.in
• XAT 2026 generally tougher than CAT: know differences and similarities
• CAT exam pattern: sections, marking and duration Next step
• MBA Entrance Exams 2026-27: CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP Registration and Dates Announced Today
• SNAP 2026 mock test scheduled for September 24; apply by September 22
• Apply for Online MBA in Bhubaneswar by Sep 22, 2026; fees ₹37,800-₹23.60L Applications open

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.

View all posts →