CAT 2026 registration is open at iimcat.ac.in. The last date to apply is September 15, 2026, until 5 PM. Check the direct registration link, application fee, eligibility, documents required and what to do after submitting the CAT 2026 form.
CAT 2026 registration is currently open. Candidates can submit the CAT 2026 application form until September 15, 2026, at 5 PM through the official CAT website. The application process started on August 3, 2026, at 10 AM. CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29, 2026, in three sessions, while admit cards are scheduled to be available from November 4.
CAT 2026 Important Dates
| CAT 2026 Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration start date | August 3, 2026, 10 AM |
| CAT 2026 registration last date | September 15, 2026, 5 PM |
| Admit card available from | November 4, 2026 |
| Admit card download ends | November 29, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 exam date | November 29, 2026 |
| Result declaration | First week of January 2027, tentatively |
What is the last date to register for CAT 2026?
The last date to register for CAT 2026 is September 15, 2026, at 5 PM. Candidates should complete registration, payment and final submission before the deadline instead of waiting until the last few hours.
CAT 2026 Registration Link
Candidates must apply online through the official CAT website:
Official website: iimcat.ac.in
Open CAT 2026 Registration Portal
Avoid entering personal information or making payments through unofficial registration websites.
CAT 2026 Application Fee
The CAT 2026 registration fee is:
| Category | CAT 2026 Fee |
|---|---|
| SC, ST and PwD | ₹1,350 |
| All other candidates | ₹2,700 |
Candidates need to pay the CAT registration fee only once, irrespective of the number of institutes or programmes selected through the CAT application. The registration fee is non-refundable.
Who Can Apply for CAT 2026?
Candidates should check the complete eligibility requirements before submitting the CAT form. The current CAT 2026 eligibility criteria require:
- A recognised bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA for General/EWS/NC-OBC candidates.
- At least 45% marks or equivalent CGPA for SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
- Candidates appearing in the final year of their bachelor’s degree or awaiting results can also apply, subject to fulfilling the required conditions later.
Current reporting based on the CAT 2026 official eligibility information confirms these requirements. Merely satisfying the minimum CAT eligibility criteria does not guarantee shortlisting by an IIM. The official CAT advertisement explicitly makes this distinction.
Documents Required for CAT 2026 Registration
Before starting the application, keep the following information and documents ready:
- Class 10 mark sheet/details
- Class 12 or diploma marks/details
- Graduation marks and degree details
- Master’s/professional qualification details, if applicable
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Scanned signature
- SC/ST certificate, if applicable
- NC-OBC certificate, if applicable
- EWS certificate, if applicable
- PwBD certificate, if applicable
- Full-time work-experience details, if applicable
- Active email address
- Active mobile number
- Online payment facility
The official CAT advertisement requires candidates to maintain a valid and unique email account and mobile number throughout the selection process.
How to Register for CAT 2026
The CAT registration process broadly involves:
- Visit
iimcat.ac.in. - Select the new candidate registration option.
- Enter your name, date of birth, mobile number and email address.
- Complete OTP verification.
- Receive your CAT User ID/password.
- Login as a registered candidate.
- Fill the CAT 2026 application form.
- Enter personal and academic details.
- Upload the required documents.
- Add eligible work experience, if applicable.
- Select IIM programmes.
- Select five preferred CAT test cities.
- Preview the application carefully.
- Pay the CAT registration fee.
- Submit the application and save the confirmation.
For the complete screen-by-screen process, candidates should read our How to Fill CAT 2026 Application Form: Step-by-Step Registration Guide.
CAT 2026 Test City Selection
CAT 2026 will be conducted at test centres across approximately 170 cities. Candidates can select five test cities in order of preference while filling out the CAT application form. The final test city is allotted subject to availability. The CAT authorities may also modify the list of test cities if required. Candidates should choose cities they can realistically travel to rather than simply selecting the nearest five locations without considering connectivity.
CAT 2026 Login
Candidates who have already registered do not need to create another account. Use the Registered Candidate Login available on the official CAT website and enter the credentials generated during registration. The login is used to:
- complete an unfinished application;
- review entered details before submission;
- make the application-fee payment;
- download the submitted application; and
- access subsequent candidate services when released.
If the password is forgotten, use the recovery option available through the CAT candidate login instead of registering again.
What to Check Before Submitting the CAT Form
Candidates should carefully preview the application before making the final submission.
Check:
- Candidate name
- Date of birth
- Mobile number and email
- Category
- Academic marks
- Graduation details
- Work experience
- Uploaded photograph
- Uploaded signature
- Category/PwBD documents
- IIM programme selections
- Interview-city selections, where applicable
- Five CAT test-city preferences
Incorrect details can affect eligibility or later document verification.One particularly important rule from the official CAT advertisement is that no change in category will be entertained after CAT registration.
CAT 2026 Correction Window
The CAT 2026 advertisement does not specify a correction-window date. Candidates should therefore wait for an official CAT notice before relying on any predicted correction dates or editable-field lists. More importantly, candidates should not intentionally submit incorrect information assuming that it can be corrected later.
Once an official CAT 2026 correction notice is released, this page should be updated immediately with:
- correction-window start date;
- last date;
- fields that can be edited;
- official correction link; and
- step-by-step correction process.
What Happens After CAT 2026 Registration?
After successfully submitting the form:
- Save the final CAT application.
- Keep the payment confirmation/transaction details.
- Retain access to the registered email and mobile number.
- Monitor the official CAT website for notices.
- Start preparing for the examination.
- Download the admit card when released.
The CAT 2026 admit card is scheduled to be available from November 4 to November 29, 2026. The examination will be held on November 29, 2026 in three sessions.
CAT 2026 Registration: Important Things to Remember
Before completing the form:
- Apply only through
iimcat.ac.in. - Do not wait until the final hour.
- Enter information exactly according to official documents.
- Use an email and mobile number you will retain throughout admissions.
- Check category details carefully.
- Preview academic marks before submitting.
- Select IIM programmes carefully.
- Choose five practical exam-city preferences.
- Save payment proof and the final application.
- Do not assume that the registration deadline or correction window will be extended.
What If You Miss the CAT 2026 Registration Deadline?
If the application window closes and the CAT authorities do not announce an extension, candidates will not be able to submit a fresh CAT 2026 application. Therefore, students planning to take the examination should complete the process before 5 PM on September 15 rather than waiting for a possible extension. If an extension is officially announced, the updated deadline should be checked only on the CAT website.
CAT 2026 Registration Help
For registration-related problems, candidates should use the official CAT support channels available through the CAT portal. The official CAT website should be treated as the final authority for:
- registration notices;
- deadlines;
- application instructions;
- candidate login;
- admit card;
- exam updates; and
- results.
FAQs
Can I change my category after CAT 2026 registration?
No. The official CAT 2026 advertisement explicitly states that no change in category will be entertained after CAT registration. Candidates should therefore select and verify their category carefully before final submission.
Do I have to apply separately to every IIM after CAT registration?
The CAT application allows candidates to select eligible IIM programmes during registration, and the CAT fee is paid only once irrespective of the number of institutes selected. However, individual institutes and non-IIM institutions may have separate admission/application requirements after CAT, so candidates should check the admission policy of each target college.
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