The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 on Sunday, November 29, 2026, for admission to various management programmes across 21 IIMs. Check IIM CAT 2026 complete details from the article.
Indian Institutes of Management CAT 2026
The Indian Institutes of Management will conduct a computer-based Common Admission Test 2026 (CAT 2026) on Sunday, November 29, 2026, in three sessions. CAT 2026 is conducted by IIMs as a prerequisite for admission to various Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP) and Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM/PhD) offered by IIM Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Bodh Gaya, Calcutta, Guwahati, Indore, Jammu, Kashipur, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur, Ranchi, Rohtak, Sambalpur, Shillong, Sirmaur, Tiruchirappalli, Udaipur and Visakhapatnam. CAT 2026 scores are also used by several listed non-IIM member institutions. Check complete details regarding the exam from the article.
CAT 2026 Information Bulletin PDF
The CAT 2026 Information Bulletin has been released detailing the exam date, eligibility, registration process, fee structure and reservation policy. The complete information is mentioned in the detailed bulletin, whose direct link is also shared here.
CAT 2026 Information Bulletin PDF – Click to Download
IIM CAT 2026 – Highlights
IIMs have released the CAT 2026 notification for admission to PGP and FPM (PhD) programmes across 21 participating institutes. Check highlights as mentioned in the bulletin from the table below.
| CAT 2026 – Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), coordinated this year by IIM Indore |
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 |
| Exam Date | Sunday, 29th November 2026 (3 sessions) |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Registration Dates | 3rd August to 15th September 2026 |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| No. of Test Cities | Approx. 170 |
| Helpdesk Number | 1800 210 0175 |
| Official Website | https://iimcat.ac.in |
CAT 2026 – Important Dates
Along with the release of the CAT 2026 Information Bulletin, the registration dates have been announced. Candidates must note down the important dates to avoid missing any deadlines.
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 Registration Starts | 3rd August 2026 (10:00 AM) |
| Last Date to Register | 15th September 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Admit Card Download | 4th November to 29th November 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | 29th November 2026 |
| Likely Result Declaration | First week of January 2027 |
| Score Validity | Till 31st December 2027 |
IIM CAT 2026 Participating IIMs & Programmes
CAT 2026 serves as the gateway for admission to Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP/MBA) and Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM/PhD) offered across 21 IIMs, including IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow and other newer IIMs such as Sirmaur, Jammu, Sambalpur, Bodh Gaya and Visakhapatnam. Each IIM offers a distinct set of programmes (MBA, PGP, Executive MBA, PGPBA, MBA-HRM, PhD, Executive PhD, etc.) with separate advertisements and eligibility conditions specific to each institute. Candidates are advised to check the respective IIM websites for updated programme-wise details before applying.
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
The candidates who wish to apply for CAT 2026 need to satisfy the eligibility criteria as prescribed in the Information Bulletin.
Educational Qualification
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates), awarded by a University incorporated by an Act of Parliament or State legislature in India, a deemed University under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
- Candidates in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree, or those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results, can also apply. If selected, such candidates will be allowed to join only provisionally, subject to submitting a certificate from their Principal/Registrar confirming completion of all degree requirements.
- Candidates applying for CAT 2026 must fulfil any one of the following:
- Completed Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks.
- Completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA (CMA)/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India, FIAI) with the required percentage.
- Be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage.
| Category | Minimum Marks Required |
|---|---|
| General, EWS, NC-OBC | 50% |
| SC/ST/PwBD | 45% |
- Where a University/Institution does not have a scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence is established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the result by 100.
- Mere fulfilment of the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee shortlisting by IIMs; candidates must also maintain a valid and unique email account and mobile number throughout the selection process.
IIM CAT 2026 Reservation
As per legal requirements, the following reservation applies to seats across participating IIMs:
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
| Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (NC-OBC) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | Up to 10% |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 5% |
PwBD categories (as per The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016) include: blindness and low vision; deaf and hard of hearing; locomotor disability (including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy); autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; multiple disabilities; and other specified disabilities under the RPwD Act, 2016.
Important notes on category certificates:
- NC-OBC certificates must be issued on or after 1st April 2026.
- EWS certificates must be valid for the year 2026–27, specifically assessed for financial year 2025-26.
- Candidates awaiting a valid NC-OBC/EWS certificate may still apply by uploading an undertaking along with their older certificate and proof of application for a new one, in a single PDF at the time of registration.
- A copy of the SC/ST/NC-OBC/EWS/PwBD certificate must be uploaded at the time of registration; failure to do so will result in rejection of the CAT registration.
- No change in category will be entertained after registration.
CAT 2026 Registration Fee
Candidates need to pay the registration fee online only once, irrespective of the number of IIMs they are applying to. The fee, once paid, is non-refundable.
| Category | Registration Fee |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD | Rs. 1,350/- |
| All Other Candidates | Rs. 2,700/- |
How to Register for CAT 2026
The CAT 2026 registration window opens at 10:00 AM on 3rd August 2026 and closes at 5:00 PM on 15th September 2026 at https://iimcat.ac.in. At the time of registration, candidates must select five preferred test cities from a drop-down menu; one among these will be allotted after the registration window closes, subject to availability (a nearby city will be allotted in rare cases where none of the preferred cities can be assigned). Admit cards can be downloaded from 4th November 2026 to 29th November 2026.
IIM CAT 2026 Test Centres
CAT 2026 will be conducted at centres spread across approximately 170 test cities. Test cities will be listed on the CAT website, and the specific test centre will be indicated on the Admit Card. IIMs reserve the right to add, remove, change or cancel any test centre/city, and to change the test time and date, at their discretion.
CAT 2026 Score & Admission Process
CAT 2026 scorecards will be made accessible on the official website, with individual intimation also sent by SMS. Results are likely to be declared in the first week of January 2027, and the score will remain valid till 31st December 2027. Each participating IIM is independent in setting its own eligibility criteria, academic cut-offs and selection process; performance in CAT 2026 is an important but not the sole component, with IIMs also considering prior academic performance, work experience and other inputs at various stages of shortlisting.
FAQs
Is CAT 2026 Notification released?
Yes, the CAT 2026 Information Bulletin has been released detailing eligibility, registration and exam details.
When will CAT 2026 be conducted?
CAT 2026 will be conducted on Sunday, 29th November 2026, in three sessions.
When does CAT 2026 registration start?
Registration opens on 3rd August 2026 (10:00 AM) and closes on 15th September 2026 (5:00 PM).
What is the eligibility for CAT 2026?
Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwBD), or be in the final year of graduation, or hold an eligible professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FIAI).
What is the CAT 2026 registration fee?
Rs. 2,700/- for general candidates and Rs. 1,350/- for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
When will CAT 2026 results be declared?
CAT 2026 results are likely to be declared in the first week of January 2027.