CAT 2026 Notification Out: Registration Starts August 3, Exam on November 29

Quick answer

CAT 2026 notification is out. IIM Indore is the conducting IIM for CAT 2026. The exam is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2026, in three sessions across India. The registration window opens on August 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM and closes on September 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM.

Candidates should apply only through the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in, and should verify all final details from the official notification, information bulletin and registration portal before making payment.

Latest CAT 2026 news summary

CAT 2026 important dates

The dates below are the most important deadlines for CAT 2026 aspirants. Students should save these dates and check the official CAT portal regularly in case there are official updates, corrections or additional instructions.

CAT 2026 registration fee

The reported CAT 2026 registration fee is Rs. 2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates and Rs. 1,350 for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Candidates should confirm the final fee on the official application form before paying.

The registration fee is usually paid online during form submission. Keep a stable internet connection, payment method, scanned photograph, scanned signature and category or PwD certificate, if applicable, ready before starting the form.

CAT 2026 eligibility

For CAT 2026, candidates are expected to need a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. Candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories are expected to need at least 45% marks. Final-year graduation students can also apply, subject to the official eligibility conditions.

There is no practical advantage in waiting to register if you already meet the eligibility criteria and have the required documents. Early registration gives you more time to correct avoidable mistakes, choose test city preferences calmly and focus on preparation.

CAT 2026 exam pattern

No major pattern change has been widely reported. CAT 2026 is expected to follow the recent CAT structure with three sections: VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. The exam is expected to be computer-based, conducted in three sessions, with sectional time limits.

Aspirants should prepare for MCQ and TITA-style questions. Wrong MCQ answers usually carry negative marking, while TITA questions usually do not have negative marking. Students should confirm the final marking scheme from the official CAT 2026 instructions.

What this means for CAT 2026 aspirants

The notification changes the preparation mindset. Until the notification, students can think in broad timelines. After the notification, every week should have a measurable target: syllabus completion, sectional improvement, mock attempts, mock analysis and revision.

From August 3 to September 15, the first priority is completing registration correctly. From September onward, the priority should shift to mocks, revision and test-taking discipline. By November, students should reduce new-topic overload and focus on accuracy, stamina and smart question selection.

• Register early and keep screenshots or confirmation emails safely.
• Create a 16-week mock and revision calendar ending on November 29, 2026.
• Take sectionals weekly until September and full mocks regularly after that.
• Use every mock to identify repeated mistakes, not just to check percentile.
• Start B-school research early because CAT score is only one part of the admission process.

CAT 2026 registration checklist

Before the registration portal opens, keep your basic personal, academic and category details ready. This reduces the risk of rushed mistakes in spelling, dates, marks, certificates or test city choices.

• Valid email ID and mobile number.
• Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks or CGPA details.
• Scanned photograph and signature in the required format.
• Category, PwD or EWS certificate, if applicable.
• Work experience details, if applicable.
• Preferred test cities, ranked in order of convenience.
• Online payment method with sufficient balance or limit.

Preparation plan after CAT 2026 notification

A practical preparation plan after the notification should be simple enough to follow. Students should not suddenly collect more books, courses and test series. Instead, they should convert the remaining time into a disciplined learn-practice-test-review cycle.

If your basics are incomplete, use August and September to close major gaps in arithmetic, algebra, reading comprehension and standard DILR set types. If your basics are already stable, start full mocks earlier and use the analysis to improve attempt selection.

Sources and verification links

Use the official CAT website as the final source for registration, payment, admit card, test city, scorecard and notification details. News reports are useful for quick summaries, but the official portal should decide your application actions.