CAT 2026 by IIM Indore: Registration Closed, Form Correction Window - Opening Soon; Exam Date Nov 29 - Check 60 Days Preparation Plan; Download Guide PDF

Conducted by one of the top IIMs every year by rotation, Common Admission Test (CAT) is the largest MBA entrance exam for MBA admission in 22 IIMs and other top B-schools. So, it is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA admission 2026 in all the 22 IIMs, FMS Delhi, IIFT Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and hundreds of other top B-schools in India. CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025. Around 2.58 lakh candidates appeared in the CAT 2025 exam out of 2.95 lakh registered candidates. Total number of candidates who registered for CAT 2024 exam was 3.29 lakhs and total number of candidates who appeared in the exam was 2.93 lakhs only. 

Who is going to conduct CAT examination is 2026? CAT exam 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026. Announcing the same, Prof. Himanshu Rai, Director IIM Indore, added, “It is a matter of great privilege for IIM Indore to conduct CAT examination in 2026 on behalf of the Indian Institutes of Management. CAT has consistently served as a gateway for talented individuals aspiring to contribute meaningfully to business, governance, and society. We remain committed to ensuring that the examination is conducted with the highest standards of fairness, transparency, security, and operational excellence”.

CAT Exam Dates 2026: CAT exam will be conducted by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026. CAT 2026 Notification and CAT Exam Official Bulletin 2026 was released on July 26, 2026. CAT 2026 Registration has started from August 3. CAT 2026 exam registration process is closed. CAT 2026 Registration last date was September 22 till 5:00 PM. CAT 2026 Fee Payment last date was September 24, 5:00 PM. Check complete details and highlights about CAT exam 2026 in table below.

CAT Exam Date 2026: CAT 2026 exam will be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026 in three shifts. CAT Notification was released on July 26, 2026. CAT 2026 Registration last date was September 22. CAT 2026 Fee Payment Window was open till September 24, 5:00 PM, and is now closed. A short CAT 2026 Form Correction Window will open soon. Check expected dates, editable fields, and how to correct errors in CAT application form 2026. CAT exam 2026 dates for registration, admit card and result release and other events are given below:

CAT notification was released on Sunday, July 26, 2026 by IIM Indore on the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in. The conducting IIM releases the notification on the last Sunday of July every year. The CAT exam notification is the official document that has confirmed following important CAT examination details:

The CAT notification 2026 is the official document that confirms following critical CAT exam details:

• Official CAT Exam Date is Sunday, November 29, 2026
• Conducting IIM and CAT Convener 2026 name
• Registration start date and last date with exact timings
• Registration fee for all categories
• Form Edit Window dates and editable fields
• Admit Card download dates
• Result declaration date
• Eligibility criteria and reservation policy
• Score validity period
• Helpdesk contact details

For complete details, check CAT 2026 Notification page with updated details.

There is no change in CAT Eligibility Criteria. Before registering for CAT exam, candidates must carefully check CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 given below.  

Minimum Qualification

• Graduation: Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) from a recognised University or Institution.
• Professional Degrees: Holders of CA, CS, ICWA (CMA), or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) with required marks are also eligible.
• Final Year Students: Candidates in the final year of their Bachelor's degree can also apply. If selected, admission will be provisional until degree completion is confirmed.
• Age Limit: There is no age limit for appearing in the CAT exam.
• CGPA Conversion: If no conversion scheme exists, divide candidate's CGPA by maximum possible CGPA and multiply by 100.

Reservation of Seats

• SC Candidates: 15% seats reserved as per legal requirements.
• ST Candidates: 7.5% seats reserved as per legal requirements.
• NC-OBC Candidates: 27% seats reserved for non-creamy layer candidates.
• EWS Candidates: Up to 10% seats reserved.
• PwD Candidates: 5% seats reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.

Read complete details on CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

CAT Registration 2026 is closed as the last date was September 22. CAT Fee Payment window is also closed as the last date was September 24, 5:00 PM. CAT registration fee was Rs 2,700 for General/EWS/NC-OBC candidates and Rs 1,350 for SC/ST/PwD categories. For your reference, know how to fill CAT Application Form 2026 below.

Step 1: Register for User ID and Password (Closed)
Visit the CAT official website iimcat.ac.in and register for getting your User ID and password. 

Step 2: Login to CAT Website (Closed)
After receiving your User ID and password, log in to the CAT website using your User ID and password.

Step 3: Complete CAT Application Process 2026 (Closed)
How to fill CAT Application Form? CAT Application Form 2026 filling can be completed by entering these details:  

1. PERSONAL DETAILS
2. ACADEMICS
3. WORK EXPERIENCE
4. PROGRAMMES
5. TEST CITY
6. DECLARATION  

List of Documents Required for CAT Registration 

• Valid email address & mobile number for entire exam duration
• Passport size photograph, as specified by IIM CAT Registration Guide 2026
• Scanned signature (within 80mm x 35mm, < 80 KB)
• Educational qualification details (SSC, HSC, Bachelor's, Master's, etc.)
• Valid EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST certificate (if applicable)
• Valid PwD certificate (if applicable)
• Caste/Tribe certificate (for reserved category candidates)
• Additional documents as per the selected category, if applicable

Candidates should visit CAT official website IIMCAT.ac.in to view formats of the certificates and forms required such as: CAT Scribe Affidavit, CAT Identification Affidavit, CAT Final Year Certificate, CAT NC-OBC Certificate, CAT EWS and SC/ST Certificates, Disability Certificate (PwBD) (Form – V) and other related documents. 

CAT Form Correction Window 2026
CAT Application Form 2026 closed on September 22 and the last date for fees payment was September 24. CAT 2026 Form Correction Window will open soon to allow candidates to make some corrections in their CAT application form. Going by CAT 2025 dates, the expected date for opening of CAT form correction window is first week of October 2026. CAT 2026 application form correction window will remain open for 3-4 days only. The editable fields during the CAT Application Form Correction Window 2026 are:

1. Photograph
2. Signature
3. Test City Preferences

No other fields apart from the above can be changed during the error correction window. 
Check how to make corrections in your CAT application form, and correct photograph, signature and test city instructions.  

CAT exam scores will be accepted by 22 IIMs (IIM Guwahati is latest new IIM) for more than 50 general and specialized MBA programs. Check list of IIMs accepting CAT scores with their Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP) programs and website in table below. Please note that Admission process for each IIM is independent of CAT exam. While performance in the CAT examination is an important component for consideration in IIM admission process, each IIM has their own eligibility criteria including academic cut-offs and relative weights and follow different selection processes. 

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern is divided in three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. Each section can be further divided into sub-sections. Overall, CAT pattern has become more focused on conceptual clarity, time management, and logical reasoning ability. Over the last five years, the CAT pattern has undergone several notable changes in its pattern, as highlighted below.

1. Total Number of Questions:

• In 2019 and 2020, CAT had 100 questions (VARC: 34, DILR: 32, QA: 34).
• From 2021 onwards, the number of questions was reduced to 66 (VARC: 24, DILR: 20, QA: 22), making the test shorter but more intense. This pattern continued till CAT 2023.
• Total number of questions in CAT 2024 and 2025 exam were increased to 68.

2. Time Duration:

• Until 2019, CAT had a 3-hour duration (60 minutes per section).
• From 2020 onwards, the exam duration was reduced to 2 hours, with 40 minutes per section, which increased the pressure on time management.

3. Sectional Pattern & Difficulty Level:

• VARC section has seen a greater emphasis on Reading Comprehension, with fewer Verbal Ability questions.
• DILR Section has become more reasoning-focused, with tougher logic-based sets and fewer straightforward data interpretation questions.
• QA Section has shifted slightly towards Arithmetic, making it more accessible for non-engineering background candidates.

4. Question Types – MCQ vs. TITA:

• The TITA (Type in the Answer) questions have fluctuated but generally make up 25-30% of the total paper. Check break-up of CAT 2025 in the following section.
• The number of MCQs has reduced, making the paper more unpredictable, as TITA questions do not have negative marking.

5. Slot-wise Variations & Normalization:

• Since CAT is conducted in multiple slots, the level of difficulty has varied across different slots, requiring score normalization to ensure fairness in percentile calculations.

Check CAT exam pattern 2026 in the table below. 

The CAT pattern is divided into three sections, each of which can be further categorized into sub-sections. Since the exam is conducted in three different slots, there are minor variations in the exam pattern within the sections across slots. Check CAT Section wise composition for Slot 1 of CAT 2025 exam. 

CAT syllabus is not officially defined or released by IIMs. Instead, CAT syllabus 2026 is based on the topics covered in CAT papers from the last 10-15 years. Read the following overview based on the last few years’ exam papers. Also use CAT 2026 Syllabus PDF Download link below to prepare. 

• CAT 2025 exam syllabus covers three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). While IIMs do not release a fixed syllabus, the CAT exam syllabus can be derived from CAT exam pattern.
   
• The VARC section includes Reading Comprehension (RC), Paragraph Completion, Summary Writing, and Odd Sentence questions, testing candidates on their reading speed, comprehension, and verbal reasoning. The DILR section assesses analytical and problem-solving skills through data-based caselets, logical puzzles, seating arrangements, tournaments, and graphs/charts-based interpretation.
   
• The Quantitative Ability (QA) section focuses on mathematical concepts, with questions from Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math, and Number Systems. Arithmetic topics such as Percentages, Ratios, Profit & Loss, and Time & Work form a significant portion of the QA section. Algebra includes Linear & Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, and Logarithms, while Geometry covers Circles, Triangles, and Mensuration. Modern Math topics like Permutation & Combination and Probability also appear in the exam. Check complete details in tables below.

Read more about CAT 2026 Syllabus for different sections.

With CAT exam just 60 days away, based on 100+ CAT toppers interview with IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta and IIT Delhi MBA students, MBAUniverse.com has prepared last 60 days CAT preparation plan. Candidates should start with a diagnostic mock, spend the first three weeks on high-weightage topics such as Arithmetic, Algebra and Reading Comprehension, then take two full mocks a week with an error log. Once the admit card is out, practice at your slot time, solve previous-year papers, and revise lightly in the final week. CAT Preparation last 60 days plan (below) assumes that you have covered the basics at least once. If you have not, follow the same sequence but give Weeks 1 to 3 more time for concepts and take fewer full mocks. 

CAT 2026 Last 60 Days Plan at a Glance

Read complete CAT 2026 last 60 days plan and download CAT Preparation Guide 2026 from the link below.  

The best books for CAT preparation 2026 that are recommended by toppers are written by Authors Arun Sharma (How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude) and Nishit Sinha (Quantitative Aptitude for CAT). Arun Sharma CAT books have been widely used by CAT toppers. From 2026 onwards, Arun Sharma CAT books 2026 are converted as ‘Courseware’ that combines traditional books with digital learning tools like videos and mock tests. For example, Arun Sharma Quantitative Aptitude for CAT 2026 (13th Edition) include print edition of the book along with 4000+ practice questions, 200+ videos, and solved CAT 2023–25 papers. Check list of best books for CAT 2026 preparation in the table below. Also read this complete guide to CAT 2026 preparation best books.

Along with above prep tips, also read useful CAT preparation strategies and tips, shared by CAT toppers with MBAUniverse.com. 

Read more CAT Toppers Interviews on MBAUniverse.com 

Toppers recommend that taking CAT 2026 Mock Tests and CAT 2026 Sample Papers are of utmost importance as it is a very important preparation tool. If you are seriously preparing for the exam and wish to score high percentile, it is necessary to attempt more and more Mock Tests to get ready for the exam day. If you are looking for free high quality CAT Mock Tests, check MBAUniverse.com CAT Mock Tests. They are based on last 10 Years’ actual CAT papers (based on CAT 2024, CAT 2023, CAT 2022, CAT 2021 and other previous year’s CAT paper). You can take them free online after a simple registration. You can also download CAT Mock Tests from the link below. 

CAT Previous Years Question Papers 
CAT Previous Years Question papers are also very important preparation tools. IIMs release CAT question papers every year since 2017. CAT previous papers are of great help and serve as CAT exam preparation guide. MBAUniverse.com has prepared series of CAT Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions. Download a few CAT Previous Year Paper pdf from the links below. Visit CAT previous years papers for last 10 years papers. You can also download CAT Previous Years Papers PDF from the link below.

CAT Official Mock Tests 2026 is expected to be released on November 10, 2026 on CAT official website iimcat.ac.in. The objective of CAT official mock test 2026 is to familiarize the candidates with different types of questions generally asked, and the exam interface. All questions are based on previous year CAT question papers. 

Candidates should note that CAT Official Mock Test will not have answers and solutions. Check how to take CAT 2026 Official Mock Test. 

Choosing the right CAT 2026 coaching institute is critical for serious aspirants. Based on aggregated student feedback from over 1,000 CAT aspirants, top offline CAT coaching institutes for 2026 include TIME (Rs 60,000–75,000) known for its rigorous AIMCAT mock series, IMS CATapult Classroom Pro (Rs 61,329) with its SIMCATs and 100% money-back guarantee, and Career Launcher (Rs 55,000–70,000) with strong GD-PI preparation. 

For online preparation, top online CAT coaching institutes are IMS Online Programs (Rs 18,160–35,950) with 5 different program options, Rodha (Rs 18,000–25,000), Cracku (Rs 15,000–20,000) for value-for-money mocks, Elites Grid (Rs 28,000–35,000) for DILR specialisation, and MBA Wallah (Rs 10,000–15,000) as the most affordable option. 

Section-wise specialists like Gejo Srinivasan (VARC1000) for Verbal Ability, Shahzar Sir (Elites Grid) and Raghu Sir (2IIM) for DILR, and Rodha for Quantitative Ability are also widely recommended by CAT toppers. Most coaching institutes offer 25–30% discounts during May–July 2026, with MBAUniverse.com readers eligible for an exclusive 40% discount on IMS programs. Free CAT preparation resources including the official IIM mock on iimcat.ac.in, MBAUniverse.com mocks, Rodha YouTube, and Cracku daily tests can effectively supplement paid coaching. CAT coaching fees 2026 ranges from a few thousand to more than Rs 50,000. 

Read the complete Top CAT Coaching Institutes 2026 guide for detailed comparison, city-wise options (Delhi, Mumbai), section-wise recommendations, Top 10 combined ranking, ROI analysis, and free CAT resources. Also check best CAT 2026 Online Coaching Institutes.

CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025. While 2.95 lakh candidates registered for the CAT 2025 exam, 2.58 lakh appeared for the test. According to MBAUniverse.com analysis of CAT exam registration trends, total number of registrations have grown significantly over the last 20 years -- from 1,70,000 in CAT 2005 to a peak of 3,29,000 in CAT 2024. However, in last five years, the number of CAT exam registrations has seen a fluctuating trend. Check CAT exam registration trends for last 20 years in the table below. 

CAT exam in 2026 will be held across 170 cities in more than 300 test centres in India. CAT 2025 was held on November 30, 2025 at 339 test centres in 170 cities in India. When filling the CAT application form, you should enter your preferred CAT Test City where you will like to take the CAT exam. Candidates have to fill 5 different Test Cities as per their preference from the drop-down menu. After the last date of registration, one among the 5 preferred test cities will be allotted subject to availability. Check list of CAT Exam Centres 2026.

The CAT Admit Card 2026 is the official hall ticket issued by the IIM conducting CAT and is a mandatory document to appear in the exam. CAT admit card also contains details such as the candidate’s name, registration number, category, photograph, signature, exam date, time slot, reporting time, and exam centre address. CAT Admit Card 2026 will be released on November 4, 2026. Candidates can download it by logging in with their registered user ID and password. To access it, visit iimcat.ac.in, click the “Login” tab, enter your credentials, and go to the “Admit Card” section. Download the file and take multiple printouts. On exam day, carry the admit card along with a valid photo ID to the test centre. Read complete details on how to download CAT 2026 admit card.

CAT test 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026. MBAUniverse.com will publish in-depth CAT Exam Analysis 2026 on exam day for all three slots. Meanwhile, to improve your CAT preparation, read in-depth analysis of previous years’ CAT papers. CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025. There was no change in CAT 2025 Exam Pattern with 68 questions. CAT 2025 exam difficulty level was higher than CAT 2024 paper. Read detailed slot-wise CAT exam analysis by IMS, Career Launcher, Cracku and other experts.

Candidates who appear for the exam can download their response sheet and official answer key to check their performance and estimate their scores before the CAT result release. The CAT answer key helps candidates verify correct answers, calculate raw scores, and raise objections in case of discrepancies. CAT Answer Key 2026 and CAT Response Sheet 2026 is expected to be released by IIM Indore in early December 2026. Read complete details on CAT 2026 answer key release date and link to download. 

The official notification of CAT exam says that the result will be released in the “first week of January 2027.” However, going by previous years’ trends, CAT exam result expected date is December 23, 2026. This may change by a few days. The results will be released on CAT Result Official Website iimcat.ac.in. Candidates can login with their CAT ID and Password and download CAT 2026 Result PDF. CAT Result 2026 Download Link will be available on CAT official website and MBAUniverse.com. Check how to download CAT 2026 result scorecard.

Apart from IIMs, some of the prominent MBA colleges excluding IIMs which will accept CAT score for MBA admission are given in table below. 

Top MBA Colleges accepting CAT Scores 2026
 

CAT Cut Off is the percentile required to get shortlisted for the Personal Interview (PI) process at IIMs and other top MBA colleges. In general, top colleges have higher CAT Cutoffs (95%+ for IIMs), but some top MBA colleges like SPJIMR Mumbai keep cutoffs low to interview candidates with lower CAT scores (85%+) but excellent profiles and achievements. Check CAT Cutoffs for top IIMs in the table below. Read complete CAT 2026 Cutoffs for all IIMs and top MBA colleges.

CAT Cut Off 2026 Category Wise

Many candidates are asking which IIM will prepare CAT examination in 2026? CAT is conducted every year by one of the six older Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), which are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, and IIM Lucknow. Although the IIMs have not officially announced a fixed rotation policy, the responsibility for conducting the exam has consistently rotated among these six institutes in last twenty years. Last six CAT exams were conducted by IIM Kozhikode (CAT 2025), IIM Calcutta (CAT 2024), IIM Lucknow (CAT 2023), IIM Bangalore (CAT 2022), IIM Ahmedabad (CAT 2021) and IIM Indore (CAT 2020). Based on this pattern, CAT 2026 was expected to be conducted by IIM Indore. The official confirmation was made on the CAT 2026 official website. The table below shows the conducting IIM for the last six CAT exams that answers the question – who is going to make CAT 2026 paper?

Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIMI) has announced that Prof Aditya Billore, Professor of Marketing, is the CAT 2026 Convener. Prof Aditya Billore is a Fellow of the IIM Indore and also holds an M.Tech and a B.E. qualifications. Announcing the same, Prof. Himanshu Rai, Director IIM Indore, said, “It is a matter of great privilege for IIM Indore to conduct CAT 2026 on behalf of the Indian Institutes of Management.” Read this article to understand the role and responsibilities of CAT Convening IIM and the Convener. 
 

Common Admission Test 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore on Sunday, November 29, 2026 in three shifts. CAT 2026 Registration is closed as the last date was September 22. CAT Fee Payment Window closed on September 24, 5:00 PM. CAT exam pattern is expected to follow CAT 2025 of 68 questions across three sections. Read complete CAT 2026 last 60 days plan. CAT scores will be accepted by all 22 IIMs and 1,000+ B-schools including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IIT Bombay, and IIT Delhi. Read complete details about CAT exam. Begin your CAT preparation now with MBAUniverse.com's free resources: CAT Mock Tests 2026 and CAT Sample Papers 2026. Explore all other MBA entrance exams with registrations open including XAT 2027, SNAP 2026, NMAT 2026