CAT 2026 Registration Fee Hiked to ₹2,700: Check Category-wise Fee, Reasons for the Hike & More

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 registration fee has been increased by ₹100, bringing the new fee for General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates to ₹2,700 from the previous ₹2,600. This adjustment was announced today, August 6, 2026, by IIM Indore Director Prof Himanshu Rai in New Delhi, with the official registration portal iimcat.ac.in now reflecting the change.

The fee hike, which represents a 3.85% increase, is primarily aimed at offsetting inflation, rising operational costs, and increased infrastructure requirements necessary for securely conducting the nationwide examination. Candidates planning to appear for CAT 2026, scheduled for November 29, 2026, must complete their registration by the September 15, 2026 deadline, with the application window having opened on August 3, 2026.

CAT Registration Fee 2026 vs 2025

The table below compares the CAT 2026 registration fee with the previous admission cycle, highlighting the revised application charges for each candidate category.

Reasons for CAT 2026 Application Fee Hike

IIM Indore has attributed the CAT 2026 application fee increase to operational and technological requirements for conducting the examination.

Rising Inflation and Operational Costs

According to IIM Indore Director Prof. Himanshu Rai, the fee has been increased to offset inflation, rising operational expenses, and the growing infrastructure requirements involved in conducting a secure nationwide examination.

Investment in Exam Security

CAT 2026 will introduce AI-based monitoring and advanced candidate-verification protocols to strengthen exam security and maintain the integrity of the test, contributing to higher operational expenditure.

Growing Scale of the Examination

With nearly three lakh registrations expected for CAT 2026, additional resources are required to manage test centres, logistics, technology, and administrative operations across the country.

Moderate Increase Compared to Previous Years

Although the application fee has been revised to ₹2,700 for General category candidates (₹1,350 for SC, ST, and PwD candidates), the 3.85% increase is lower than the 6.25% hike introduced in 2016, indicating a relatively moderate revision.

CAT 2026 Important Dates

Take a look at the complete CAT 2026 calendar below:

How to Register for CAT 2026

Candidates interested in applying for CAT 2026 must complete their registration online through the official IIM CAT website. The application window is currently open and will close in September.

1. Go to the official website, iimcat.ac.in.
2. Click on the ‘New Candidate Registration’ link.
3. Fill in the required details to generate login credentials.
4. Log in using the generated credentials.
5. Complete the CAT 2026 application form with personal, academic, and work experience details.
6. Upload scanned copies of photographs and signatures as per specifications.
7. Pay the applicable registration fee online.
8. Review the application form and submit it.
9. Download and print the confirmation page for future reference.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The CAT 2026 exam will continue with the existing computer-based format comprising three sections, sectional time limits, and a uniform marking scheme.

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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