CAT 2026 Notification, Information Bulletin Released: Check Important Details, Download PDF

CAT notification is an advertisement for CAT exam that is released every year by convening IIM on the last Sunday of July announcing the exam dates. CAT Notification is published on CAT official website iimcat.ac.in, in the national newspapers and on MBAUniverse.com. 

CAT 2026 Notification: Key Information

CAT Notification 2026 was released by IIM Indore on July 26, 2026 on the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in and as advertisements in major national newspapers. CAT Notification 2026 has confirmed following details:

• Exam Date: CAT 2026 exam date is November 29, 2026 and the exam will be held in three sessions.
• Registration Dates: CAT registration started from August 3 and will close on September 15, 2026.
• Registration Fees: Official fees for General/EWS/NC-OBC and SC/ST/PwD candidates. CAT 2026 fees are Rs 2,700 and Rs 1,350 respectively. CAT 2025 fees were Rs 2,600 and Rs 1,300 respectively.
• Eligibility Criteria: Minimum academic qualifications required to apply. CAT 2026 requires minimum 50% marks in graduation (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
• Exam Pattern: Number of sections, questions, duration, and marking scheme for CAT 2026.
• Test Cities: Number of exam cities and how many city preferences candidates can select. CAT 2026 exam will be held in approximately 170 cities with 5 city preference options.
• Participating IIMs: Confirmed list of all IIMs and their MBA programmes accepting CAT 2026 scores.
• Official Website: The official website for CAT 2026 registration and information is iimcat.ac.in. Notification will confirm this. 

Refer CAT 2026 Notification image below. MBAUniverse.com has also published the CAT 2026 Notification PDF download link below. 

Cat Notification 2026 Download: CAT Notification was released on July 26, 2026. For CAT Notification 2026 PDF Download, just click on link below and download the document. It can also be done from the following websites:

• CAT exam official website IIMCAT.ac.in
• MBAUniverse.com, India’s No 1 MBA Portal

After completing the CAT 2026 Notification PDF download, you should save it carefully and refer to it. It will help you to refer to the important details before beginning the CAT registration process. 

CAT Notification was released on July 26, 2026. Aspirants can refer to the CAT 2025 Notification published by IIM Kozhikode on July 27, 2025 (given below) to understand the changes from last year. Check key details from last year’s notification are given in bullet points below. 

CAT 2025 Notification — Key Highlights

• Conducting IIM: IIM Kozhikode
• CAT 2025 Exam Date: November 30, 2025
• Registration Opens: August 1, 2025 (10:00 AM)
• Registration Closes: September 13, 2025 (5:00 PM)
• Admit Card Download: November 5–30, 2025
• Result Declaration: First week of January 2026 (Tentative)
• Registration Fees: Rs 2,600 (General/EWS/NC-OBC); Rs 1,300 (SC/ST/PwD)
• Test Cities: Approximately 170 cities; candidates choose 5 preferred cities
• Official Website: iimcat.ac.in

Important Changes: There are no major changes between CAT 2026 and 2025 notification. Only CAT 2026 Fees has been increased from last year.

CAT 2025 Notification 

If we look at the CAT exam notification release dates for previous CAT exams, we find that it is the last Sunday of July or first Sunday of August, when CAT exam notification is released every year. Check CAT exam notification release dates for previous years in the table below. 

The CAT Notification 2026 was release on July 26, 2026 is an important milestone in for your CAT exam journey. Every action from this point is time-bound — missing any step has consequences. Here is exactly what to do after notification release.

Step 1 — Read the Notification Carefully (July 26)

Download the CAT 2026 Notification PDF from iimcat.ac.in or MBAUniverse.com on the day of release. Read it fully before doing anything else. Reconfirm the exam date, registration dates, eligibility criteria, fees, and participating IIMs. Do not rely on media summaries. Read the original document carefully.

Step 2 — Verify Your Eligibility (July 26- August 2)

Check CAT 2026 eligibility criteria carefully against your academic profile. The minimum requirement is 50% marks in graduation (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Final year students are also eligible. If you belong to NC-OBC or EWS category, ensure your certificate is valid — NC-OBC certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2026. Read complete CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria.

Step 3 — Prepare Your Documents (July 26- August 2)

Gather all documents required for CAT registration before the window opens. These include Class 10 and 12 marksheets, graduation certificate, passport size photograph with white background, scanned signature, and category certificate if applicable. Having documents ready in advance prevents last-minute errors during form filling. Check CAT registration required documents list. 

Step 4 — Create a Dedicated Email ID (Immediately)  

Create a new, dedicated email account exclusively for the CAT 2026 registration and IIM selection process. Use this email only for all CAT-related communication like registration confirmation, admit card, results, and IIM interview calls. Save user name and password carefully. 

Step 5 — Register Early (August 3 onwards) 

CAT 2026 registration opens on August 3, 2026. Do not wait until the last date to register. Register early as test city allotment is based on availability and early registrants have a better chance of securing their preferred city. Read the step-by-step  CAT 2026 Registration Guide.

Step 6 — Fill Application Form Carefully (August 3 onwards) 

Fill the CAT 2026 application form with extreme care. Name, date of birth, academic marks, and category once submitted cannot be changed. Remember only photograph, signature, and test city can be corrected in the short correction window (expected September 24–27). Read the complete CAT 2026 Application Form Guide before filling the form.

Step 7 — Intensify CAT Preparation (August onwards)

With the notification out and registration underway, treat every day from now as vital for your CAT preparation. By August, you should be moving from concept building to mock tests and sectional practice. Check complete CAT 2026 Preparation Guide. Take free CAT Mock Tests on MBAUniverse.com to benchmark your preparation level.

CAT Notification provides CAT exam schedule, eligibility criteria, registration process, exam centers and other important details. CAT 2026 notification release date was July 26, 2026. Check complete information on CAT exam notification and how to download CAT notification in above article. Also check CAT 2026 exam eligibility, CAT 2026 notification and CAT 2026 registration process.