IIM CAT 2026 Application Fee Increased at iimcat.ac.in: Check Category-wise Fee, Registration Dates & More

The official notification for the Common Admission Test (CAT 2026) has been officially released. This year’s major highlight is revised registration fee structure across all candidate categories. CAT registration fee 2026 for General/EWS/EC-OBC candidates is Rs. 2,700 ( as opposed to Rs. 2,500 last year) and for SC/ST/PwD candidates is Rs. 1,350 (as opposed to Rs. 1,250 last year).  CAT 2026 registrations opens online on August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM and will remain active until September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Interested candidates can access the official registration portal at iimcat.ac.in.

CAT 2026 Application Fee Increased for All Categories

Following the trend of fee adjustments over recent years, the conducting IIM has revised the registration fee for CAT 2026.

Key schedule dates for CAT 2026 are detailed below:

How to Apply for CAT 2026 at iimcat.ac.in

Applying for CAT 2026 requires candidates to follow a structured step-by-step procedure on the official portal:

1. User Registration: Visit iimcat.ac.in, click on “New Candidate Registration,” and enter your name, date of birth, email address, and mobile number to receive an OTP and User ID/Password.

2. Fill Application Details: Log in with your credentials and complete personal details, contact address, academic records (10th, 12th, Bachelor’s degree, and Post-Graduation if applicable), and full-time work experience details.

3. Select Programs and Interview Cities: Choose the IIM programs you wish to apply for, along with your preferred interview city choices for each program.

4. Choose Test Centers: Select five preferred test cities in order of priority.

5. Upload Required Documents: Upload recent passport-sized photographs, scanned signature, and category certificates according to the specified file size and dimensions.

6. Pay the Revised Fee: Pay the revised application fee online using net banking, UPI, or credit/debit card.

7. Submit & Download: Submit the completed form, save the confirmation slip, and print a copy for future reference.

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Aspirants must satisfy the following minimum eligibility criteria before applying:

• Educational Qualification: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of Education) with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA.

• Reserved Category Relaxation: Candidates belonging to SC, ST, and PwD categories require a minimum of 45% marks in graduation.

• Final Year Students: Students appearing for the final year of their Bachelor’s degree examination or waiting for results are eligible to apply.

• Age Limit & Attempts: There is no upper age limit and no restriction on the number of attempts for CAT 2026.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview

CAT 2026 will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) in three sessions on November 29, 2026, with a total duration of 120 minutes and three mandatory sections.

Documents Required for CAT 2026 Registration

Candidates should keep the following scanned documents ready before beginning the online registration form:

• Passport Photograph: Recent color photograph with a white background in JPG/JPEG format (file size under 1 MB).

• Signature Scan: Clear scanned signature in black ink on white paper in JPG/JPEG format (file size under 1 MB).

• Category Certificate: Valid SC/ST/NC-OBC/EWS certificate in PDF format (if applying under reserved categories).

• PwD Certificate: Scanned copy of disability certificate issued by a competent authority, if applicable.

• Academic Transcripts: Mark sheets and certificates for Class 10th, 12th, Graduation, and Post-Graduation/Professional degrees.

What’s New in CAT 2026?

• Uniform Fee Revision: The application fee has seen an upward revision for all candidate categories to cover increased administrative and technical infrastructure costs across exam centers nationwide.

• Integrated IIM Applications: As in recent editions, paying the single CAT 2026 registration fee automatically registers candidates for postgraduate management programs across all 22 Indian Institutes of Management.

• Streamlined Portal Interface: The official portal iimcat.ac.in features an updated user interface for quicker document validation and smoother mobile-friendly payment gateway integration.