The CAT exam is considered challenging due to its competitive nature and the high level of difficulty in its questions. It tests your analytical, verbal, and logical skills under time pressure. However, with consistent practice and a strategic study plan, many candidates successfully crack the exam each year. The key is to stay focused, manage your time well, and keep practicing.

The CAT exam is 120 minutes long, with 40 minutes allotted to each of its three sections.

CAT 2026 Exam Dates & Notification Schedule, Eligibility Criteria, Seats & Admission Process

Q: Can I take the CAT exam with an existing degree?

Yes, you can take the CAT exam even with a degree. The CAT exam is open to all candidates who meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of whether they possess a degree.

Q: How to Prepare for CAT Exam?

To prepare for the CAT exam, start by understanding the exam pattern and syllabus. Create a study schedule that covers all sections, including Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning. Practice with mock tests and previous years' question papers to improve your speed and accuracy. Join coaching classes or online courses if you need additional guidance and support.

Q: What is CAT Exam Used For?

The CAT exam, or Common Admission Test, is used for admission into postgraduate management programs, such as MBA, at various prestigious business schools in India, including the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is also accepted by many other top management institutes across the country. The exam assesses a candidate's suitability for a career in management.

Q: How Many Questions in CAT Exam?

The CAT exam typically consists of 66 questions, divided into three sections: Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). Each section has a fixed number of questions, and the total duration of the exam is 120 minutes, with 40 minutes allocated to each section.

Q: How to Register for CAT Exam?

To register for the CAT exam, visit the official CAT website during the registration period. Create an account by providing your personal details and generating a User ID and Password. Fill in the application form with your academic, personal, and work experience details, and upload the required documents. Pay the registration fee online and submit the form to complete the registration process.

Q: How many times CAT exam is conducted in a year?

The CAT exam is conducted once a year.

Q: When CAT exam is conducted?

It is usually conducted in the last week of November.

Q: What is the full form of CAT?

The full form of CAT is Common Admission Test.It is a standardized entrance exam conducted annually for admission into postgraduate management programs such as MBA and PGDM, primarily offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top B-schools in India.

Q: Who conducts CAT exam?

The CAT exam is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. Each year, one of the IIMs is assigned the responsibility to organize and oversee the entire examination process, including notification, registration, admit card release, exam conduction, and result declaration.

Author : Lalita Vishwakarma

November 27, 2025

Overview: The CAT exam is scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026, by IIM Kozhikode. Registration for CAT 2026 began from 01st Aug 2026 and will continue till 20th Sep 2026. Continue reading to learn the important events of the CAT 2026 exam!

Important Events for CAT 2026

IIM Guwahati is now the 22nd IIM of the country, and its PGDP has been added to the CAT 2026. Now aspirants have opportunity to apply for one more IIM.
The CAT 2026 form correction window will remain open from October 4 to October 7, 2026, giving applicants an opportunity to change and update key information to ensure accuracy before the exam.

Candidates were allowed to change only a few sections, including:

Their photograph
Their Signature
Their city of preference

Revised Dates for CAT 2026

Registration Closing Date: 20th September 2026 (Saturday) till 5:00 PM
CAT 2026 Form Correction Window: October 4 to October 7, 2026
Admit Card Download Window: 12th November 2026 to 29th November 2026
CAT 2026 Exam Date: 30th November 2026

Aspirants are advised to complete their registration well before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues.

Continue reading to get the full details regarding the CAT Exam 2026, including what the CAT Exam is, the CAT full form, the CAT Exam dates, the CAT Exam eligibility criteria, the CAT Notification, the fee structure, the application process, the CAT Exam Analysis, and more!

Learn More | How to Prepare for CAT Exam in One Year?

Latest Updates about IIMs/CAT Exam

To simplify the MBA admission process, four leading Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have introduced a Joint Admission Process (JAP) for the 2026-2027 academic session. This initiative is designed to benefit MBA aspirants by streamlining a typically complex application procedure.

Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026: Four IIMs, IIM Kashipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi, and IIM Tiruchirappalli—have collaborated to launch a single admission process for their MBA programs.
IIM Raipur will act as the coordinating institute, managing the entire JAP for all four participating IIMs.
Candidates can now apply to all four of these IIMs through a single, unified application window after their CAT 2025 results are declared.
The new process is intended to reduce administrative duplication, save time for applicants, and increase transparency in the admission journey.

Start Your CAT 2026 Registration Here- Direct Link

What is CAT Exam 2026?

The CAT Exam 2026 is an important National-level entrance test for admission into MBA and PGDM programs offered by the IIMs and other top B-schools in India.

CAT stands for Common Admission Test, conducted by the IIMs. It is an entrance exam for admission to MBA and PGDM programs at top Business Schools across India.
The exam will be conducted in computer-based mode, on 29th November 2026, across various cities nationwide.
It consists of three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA, each testing essential management aptitude skills.
A total of around 66 questions are to be attempted within 120 minutes, with a mix of MCQs and non-MCQs (TITA).
To be eligible, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories). CAT scores are widely accepted by over 1,200 management institutes for postgraduate admissions in India.

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Detailed Analysis

CAT 2026 Exam Date & Schedule

When is CAT Exam 2026, and which IIM will conduct CAT 2026?

According to the CAT 2026 notification, the exam will be conducted by IIM Kozhikode in three sessions on 29th November 2026. Important CAT 2026 date details are tabulated.

CAT Exam 2026 Events	CAT Entrance Exam Important Dates
CAT 2026 Exam Official Notification	July 27th 2026
CAT 2026 Registration Date Opens	1st August 2026
CAT 2026 Application Form's Last Date	20th September 2026
CAT 2026 Exam Admit Card Release Date	12th November 2026 to 30th November 2026
CAT 2026 Registration Fees	INR 1300 (Reserved categories) INR 2600 (Other categories)
CAT Exam Date 2026	30 November 2026 (Last Sunday)
Official Website	iimcat.ac.in

Read More | CAT Admission Process 2026

CAT 2026 Exam Highlights

CAT 2026 is conducted by which IIM? Here is everything about the CAT exam 2026 in tabular format:

Particulars	Details
CAT 2026 Conducting Body	Indian Institute of Management
CAT 2026 Exam Level	National
CAT 2026 Exam Frequency	Once a year
CAT Exam Date 2026	30 November 2026
CAT 2026 Exam Timings	It will be conducted in 3 Slots
CAT 2026 Registration Fees	SC/ST/PwD - INR-1300/- GEN - INR 2600/-
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria	Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students)
Number of Applications in the CAT Entrance Exam	3.29 lakh (in 2024) 3.33 lakh (in 2023)
Degree Offered Through CAT Exam 2026	MBA/ PGDM
CAT 2026 Entrance Exam Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Ability (QA)
CAT 2026 Exam Mode	Online Computer-Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs
Number of test cities for the CAT Exam 2026	170 cities (Tentatively)
Website	https://iimcat.ac.in/

Learn More: Logical Reasoning Questions and Answers for CAT

Note: Candidates must declare and maintain a valid and unique email address and mobile phone number throughout the selection process.

Know More | How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year?

Use SuperGrads Free Resources 2026 Strategically

CAT VARC Mock Test 2026
CAT DILR Mock test 2026
CAT QA Mock Test 2026
CAT VARC Prep Videos 2026
CAT DILR Prep Videos 2026
CAT QA Prep Videos 2026
CAT Syllabus 2026
CAT PYQs
CAT VARC Questions

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

As per the CAT exam eligibility criteria, the candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree, with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA [45% in case of candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories], from any recognised University or educational institution.

Candidates who have completed degree prerequisites, are awaiting results, and are taking the final year of the Bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification are both eligible to apply.

Note: Applicants should note that as per the official CAT notification 2026, mere fulfilment of the minimum CAT entrance exam criteria will not ensure consideration for shortlisting by IIMs and other B-schools.

Read More: CAT Cut Off For IIMs

CAT 2026 Paper Pattern

An overview of the CAT entrance exam pattern 2026 can help you start your preparations for the CAT exam in 2026. Ensure you go through the updated CAT Entrance Exam Pattern thoroughly.

CAT Exam Paper Pattern 2026
Mode of CAT Entrance Exam 2026	Computer-Based Test
CAT 2026 Exam Date Duration	120 minutes (40 minutes per section)
CAT 2026 Number of Questions	68 (Expected as CAT 2024)
CAT total marks	204
Language of CAT Question Paper	English
Number of Answer Choices	4
CAT 2026 Mode of Paper	Online (Computer-based Test)
CAT 2026 Question Types	MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA)
CAT 2026 Section Names	1. Quantitative Aptitude 2. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension 3. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

Check: CAT Exam is for What Purpose?

Learn More | How Many Students Appear for CAT Exam Every Year?

Section-wise Number of MCQ and Non-MCQ Questions (as per CAT exam 2024)

The following table gives you an idea about the number of questions asked in each CAT subject or section, divided into MCQ and non-MCQ.

Section	Number of MCQs	Number of Non-MCQs	Total Questions
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	21	3	24
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	16	6	22
Quantitative Ability	14	8	22
Total	51	17	68

CAT 2026 Marking Scheme

As per the trends, the CAT 2026 exam will be conducted on 29th November 2026, and the following will be the marking scheme on the day:

Each correct answer will receive +3 marks.
A negative mark of -1 will be for every incorrect answer to the objective questions.
Non-MCQ-type questions will have NO negative marking.

Learn More | CAT 2026 Shift Timings

Section-Wise CAT 2026 Syllabus

The CAT 2026 will be conducted on 30th November 2025. The CAT 2026 syllabus is expected to be the same as CAT 2025 syllabus, which was as follows:

CAT 2026 Exam Sections	CAT Exam Syllabus
Quantitative Aptitude	Number System, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Time and Work
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation	Seating Arrangements, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Para-Jumbles & Para-Summary, Sentence Completion, Inferences, RC Passages-Based Questions

What are the CAT exam application fees

As per CAT 2024, the exam fees for CAT 2026 are expected to be the same:

SC, ST, and PwD candidates must pay an application fee of ₹1300.
The general category must pay an application fee of ₹2600.

Note* A candidate needs to pay the CAT registration fees only once, regardless of the number of institutes he/she is applying to.

CAT 2026 Registration Process

Understanding the CAT registration process becomes very important once the CAT notification is out. Here are the steps to follow while filling the CAT exam registration form:

Steps to Successfully Register for the CAT Exam 2026

Follow the steps mentioned to register for the CAT exam 2065:

Step 1: Registration for User ID and Password
Step 2: Log in to the CAT Official Website
Step 3: Fill in the complete details in the CAT 2026Application Form
Step 4: Choose your preferred PG programme
Step 5: Choose the CAT exam centre of your choice
Step 6: Finally, pay the CAT 2026 registration fees via a suitable payment method.

CAT 2026 Application Correction Window

The examination authorities (IIM Kozhikode) will make the edit window live; students must log in using their user ID and password. Please make use of this period if you wish to edit the following:

Photo
Signature
Test City preferences

What are the CAT Exam Steps to Edit the Application 2026?

Log in using your user ID and password to edit your application form.
After logging in, click on Go to application to start editing.
Please read all the instructions carefully while editing the form.

Also Check | CAT Exam Preparation Books 2026

The Trend of the CAT Entrance Exam Pattern Over the Years

The CAT exam for 2025 will be conducted on 30th November 2025. There have been a lot of changes in the CAT exam patterns over the years. Let's understand them:

Year	Time (mins)	Sections (Abbreviation)	Questions per Section	Total Questions
2025 (expected)	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 22, 22	68
2024	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24,22,22	68
2023	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2022	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2021	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2020	120	VARC, DILR, QA	26, 24, 26	76
2019	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2018	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2017	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2016	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2015	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2014	170	QA & DI, VA & LR	50, 50	100
2013	140	VALR, QADI	30, 30	60
2012	140	QA, DI, VARC	21, 9, 30	60
2011	140	VALR, QADI	30, 30	60

Note*

VARC: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
DILR: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
QA: Quantitative Ability
VALR: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
QADI: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Also | Check out the CAT 2026 Reasoning Syllabus

CAT Exam Score Accepting IIMs 2026

Here is the list of the top institutes offering MBA:

List of IIMs	Establishment Year	Score	NIRF MBA Ranking (MBA)	Programs Offered
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad	1961	83.32	1	PGP, PGP-FABM
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore	1973	81.16	2	PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode	1997	77.9	3	PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta	1961	75.07	5	MBA
Indian Institute of Management Mumbai	1963 (renamed in 2023)	74.73	6	MBA, MBA (Operations and SCM) and MBA in SM
Indian Institute of Management Lucknow	1984	74.43	7	PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM
Indian Institute of Management Indore	1996	73.53	8	PGP, PGP-HRM
Indian Institute of Management Rohtak	2009	66.49	12	PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM
Indian Institute of Management Raipur	2010	64.4	14	PGP
Indian Institute of Management Ranchi	2010	61.27	17	PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics)
Indian Institute of Management Udaipur	2009	60.93	22	MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBA
Indian Institute of Management Shillong	2008	60.49	24	PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE
Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam	2015	59.2	26	PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM
Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli	2011	57.67	27	PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM
Indian Institute of Management Nagpur	2015	56.94	31	PGP
Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya	2015	56.27	33	PGP
Indian Institute of Management Jammu (IIMJ)	2016	54.64	42	MBA, Executive MBA (Blended Mode), PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu), PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)
Indian Institute of Management Amritsar	2015	52.57	47	MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM
Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur	2015	51.47	50	MBA, Executive MBA
Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur	2015	50.92	57	MBA, MBA (T&HM)

CAT 2026 Admit Card/Hall Ticket

The CAT admit card is an official document issued by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to candidates who successfully registered for the CAT exam in 2026. The CAT 2026 admit card can be downloaded from 12th November 2026 till 30th November 2026.

It is mandatory to carry the CAT Admit Card on the day of the exam as it contains essential details like the candidate’s name, roll number, exam date, time, and venue.

CAT 2026 Selection Process

Once the CAT exam date 2026 is officially notified, please be aware that IIMs use their own, maybe separate, criteria to shortlist applicants for the interview round. Generally, the IIM selection process is conducted in three parts, viz.,

Phase 1- It consists of conducting the CAT 2026 exam and then shortlisting the candidates based on CAT 2026 results.
Phase 2- The selected candidates were called for Personal Interview (PI), Writing Ability Test (WAT) and Group Discussion (GD).
Phase 3 - Finally, the last step involves verifying the candidates' documents.

Note:

IIMs may also shortlist and rank applicants at different stages of the admissions process using other criteria such as the applicant's prior academic performance, pertinent job experience, gender and academic diversity, and other comparable inputs.
There may be differences between IIMs in the procedures, academic cutoffs, and weights given to the evaluation metrics. For more details on the CAT entrance exam, consult the admissions policies of each IIM on their separate websites.

Check | CAT Previous Year Papers with Solutions

CAT 2026 Reservation Policies

According to regulatory regulations, the following are the reservations given to the candidates applying for the CAT exam 2026 as per different categories.

CAT exam reservation

For the CAT exam, "Specified disability" refers to the conditions listed in the RPwD Act 2016's Schedule. The types of disabilities include:

Blindness and low vision
Deaf and hard of hearing
Locomotor disability, including cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy
Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness
Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d)
Other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD Act 2016

Note: After CAT registration, no change in category will be considered. Applicants are advised to pay attention while registering.

Check | CAT Score vs Percentile 2026

CAT Exam IIM Minimum Cut Offs 2026

IIM CAT cut-offs are the minimum scores required to be eligible for admission to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM).
The CAT exam cut-offs are determined based on the number of available seats, the number of applicants, and the difficulty level of the exam.
The cut-offs are typically higher for the prominent IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta.

Read More: Supergrads CAT Topper Interview

CAT Exam 2025 Cut-Offs (Expected)

The following are the minimum cut-offs released by different IIMs in 2024:

IIM	General	OBC	EWS	SC	ST
IIM Ahmedabad	80	75	70	70	60
IIM Bangalore	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Kozhikode	85	75	75	65	55
IIM Calcutta	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Lucknow	90	82	82	65	60
IIM Mumbai	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Indore	90	80	90	60	45
IIM Raipur	94	77	77	60	40
IIM Rohtak	95	78	90	55	30
IIM Udaipur	94	77	77	60	40
IIM Kashipur	94	77	77	60	40
IIM Trichy	94	77	77	60	40
IIM Ranchi	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Shillong	75	75	75	60	50
IIM Visakhapatnam	82	72	72	50	40
IIM Jammu	Male- 91	Male- 74	Male- 48	Male- 54	Male- 32
IIM Jammu	Female- 89	Female- 72	Female- 47	Female- 52	Female- 30
IIM Nagpur	94	77	77	60	40
IIM Amritsar	88	78	88	55	40
IIM Bodh Gaya	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Sambalpur	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Sirmaur	92	74	70	54	40

Check | Documents Required to Carry for CAT exam

IIM Seats Campus Wise 2025 (Expected)

Check the official website for CAT exam fees and other information on the CAT exam. Here is the seat matrix for the management program at each IIM.

IIM campus	PGP/MBA seats
IIM Ahmedabad	385
IIM Bangalore	412
IIM Calcutta	462
IIM Lucknow	436
IIM Kozhikode	375
IIM Raipur	210
IIM Udaipur	260
IIM Rohtak	240
IIM Visakhapatnam	60
IIM Trichy	180
IIM Sambalpur`	320
IIM Ranchi	240
IIM Bodhgaya	120
IIM Sirmaur	60
IIM Jammu	120
IIM Amritsar	60
IIM Shillong	120
IIM Kashipur	210
IIM Nagpur	130
IIM Indore	451

Check | CAT Exam Top Colleges 2026

Conclusion

The CAT exam 2026 is crucial for admission to top business schools in India. Hence, it is crucial to prepare thoroughly for the CAT entrance exam 2026 and thoroughly understand its topics and concepts.

With the proper preparation and focus, a successful CAT exam result can help you achieve your goal of getting into a top business school.

Also Check | Supergrads CAT Toppers List

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