CAT Answer Key & Response Sheet 2026: Release Date; PDF Download, Score Calculation, Objection

The CAT answer key is released shortly after the exam along with the candidate’s response sheet. It is followed by an objection window and final answer key before results are declared. Check expected dates in the table below.

The CAT response sheet is an official document that contains all the answers marked by the candidate during the exam. It is released along with the answer key for transparency and score calculation.

• Shows all questions attempted by the candidate
• Displays selected answers for each question
• Includes question IDs and correct answers (via answer key)
• Helps in calculating raw score accurately

Candidates must download and save their response sheet for future reference.

Details mentioned in CAT Answer Key are as follows:

• Name of the candidate.
• CAT registration number
• CAT exam centre
• Question ID
• Question Type
• Status (attempted/not attempted)
• Candidate's response
• Right Option/answer
• Test date
• Test time
• Question

Candidates can download the CAT answer key and response sheet from the official CAT website by logging into their account.

• Visit official CAT website
• Click on “Login” and enter User ID and Password
• Go to candidate dashboard
• Click on “Download Response Sheet / Answer Key”
• Save the PDF file for reference

The answer key is available in PDF format for all slots.

CAT Answer Key 2026 PDF download links are given below. 

Using the answer key and response sheet, candidates can calculate their raw score by applying the CAT marking scheme.

Steps to calculate score:

• Match your answers with official answer key
• Add 3 marks for each correct answer
• Deduct 1 mark for each incorrect MCQ
• Do not deduct marks for wrong non-MCQs
• Calculate total raw score

You can also use MBAUniverse.com CAT Score and Percentile Calculator to automatically calculate CAT score and percentile.

After the release of the provisional answer key, candidates are given an opportunity to challenge any discrepancies. CAT Answer Key Objection Window opens for a few days after the release of answer keys. If you want to raise an objection to answers of a particular question, follow these instructions:

• The candidate can look at the Question Id from the Question Paper PDF available beside the "Candidate Response" tab. Candidate should ensure that the Question Id is as per the Question Paper PDF only.
• After the candidate has filled all the required fields such as Section Name, Question Id etc., (s)he should click on "Pay & Submit" button to complete the payment process and submit the objection successfully.
• Applicable fee will be Rs. 1500 per objection. This fee does not include transaction Processing Fee and applicable GST (if any).
• Objection fee (excluding transaction charges) will be refunded in case your objection is found valid by CAT expert panel.
• Objections once submitted cannot be edited later.
• Candidates can raise objections for multiple questions separately
• Response of the concerned examination authority will be treated as final against the objections raised. In case this process leads to any change in the evaluation mechanism, the decision taken by the concerned authority will be treated as final.
• Wherever applicable, the indicated mark of 1 for wrong answer is the mark deducted for incorrect answer. 

If there are any changes after the objection process is completed, CAT 2026 Final Answer Key will be released within a few days on iimcat.ac.in. 

After reviewing all objections, the final answer key is released. This forms the basis for CAT result calculation.

• No further objections allowed after final answer key
• Scores are normalized across slots
• Final percentile is calculated based on scaled scores
• Results are declared shortly after

The final answer key ensures fairness and transparency in evaluation.

Candidates often confuse between answer key and response sheet, but both serve different purposes. Check their differences below: 

CAT Answer Key: The Answer Key is the official document released by the conducting IIM, which contains the correct answers to all the questions in the CAT exam across various slots. It is used by candidates to verify their responses and calculate their expected scores. It is the reference point for resolving any disputes regarding the correctness of answers. Released publicly on the official CAT website, typically a few days after the exam.

CAT Response Sheet: CAT Candidate Response Sheet is a document showing the specific answers a candidate selected during the exam. CAT Response Sheet helps candidate cross-check their responses against the official answer key. CAT Response Sheet provides transparency by allowing candidates to ensure their answers were recorded accurately. Candidates’ response sheet are available on CAT official website and are accessible only to the candidate after login.

Apart from the release of CAT official response sheet by IIMs, some CAT coaching institutes release CAT unofficial Answer Key 2026. These unofficial CAT answer key 2026 are based on memory questions taken by CAT experts. In most cases, these memory-based CAT answer keys are not reliable, and candidates must wait for the CAT 2026 official response sheet. 

The CAT answer key plays a crucial role in helping candidates assess their performance before results.

• Helps estimate score and percentile
• Identifies mistakes and accuracy level
• Provides transparency in evaluation
• Allows candidates to challenge incorrect answers

It is an essential step in the CAT result process.

Once the result is released, you can use different tools to calculate your CAT performance and IIM call chances. Read more details below.

CAT 2026 Score vs Percentile (Past Trends & Prediction)
CAT Score vs Percentile shows the marks needed to secure 99, 95, 90, 85 percentile and lower percentiles. For example, in CAT 2024, scoring around 93–94 marks resulted in a 99 percentile. Read this updated CAT Score vs Percentile 2026 guide to understand how CAT percentile is calculated, review previous years’ trends, and check predictions for CAT 2026.

CAT Percentile Predictor 2026
CAT Percentile Predictor is also an online calculator, developed by MBAUniverse.com, that helps you calculate your marks and percentile in the CAT exam based on your actual or expected performance. This free tool functions as both a CAT Marks Calculator 2026 and a CAT Percentile Predictor 2026, allowing you to estimate your CAT performance and decide which MBA colleges you should apply to.

CAT Cut Offs for IIMs and Non-IIM B-schools
CAT Cut Offs refer to the minimum percentile required to be shortlisted for the MBA admission process at IIMs and other top B-schools. Last year, IIM Ahmedabad had increased its minimum CAT cut offs, while IIM Calcutta and IIM Bangalore continue with lower cut offs. Check CAT Cut Offs 2026 for all IIMs and leading non-IIM MBA colleges. This will motivate you to make the best use of the remaining days before CAT.

CAT Answer Key and Response Sheet 2026 will help candidates evaluate their performance and estimate their scores before the official results are declared. By downloading the response sheet and comparing it with the answer key, candidates can calculate their raw scores, raise objections if needed, and predict their chances of admission to top MBA colleges.