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Postgraduate Management Entrance

Common Admission Test

CAT is India's most prestigious national-level MBA entrance exam. CAT 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026, as confirmed in the official notification released July 25, 2026. Scores are used for admission to all 22 IIMs (including the newly established IIM Guwahati) and over 1,300 other management institutes across India.

Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) — rotating convener each year; IIM Indore confirmed for CAT 2026 India Official Site
22IIMs Participating
1,300+Colleges Accepting Score
5,500+PGP Seats
₹2,700 / ₹1,350Application Fee
Mock TestsKey DatesPatternSyllabusEligibilityFAQs

Free Practice Tests & Papers

10 available

Important Dates

  1. Official CAT 2026 Notification

    Released by IIM Indore.

  2. Registration Opens

    Confirmed — note this shifted from the Aug 1 date many trackers had projected.

  3. Registration Closes

    Confirmed — shifted from the Sep 20 date many trackers had projected.

  4. Correction / Edit Window

    Short ~3-day window after registration closes.

  5. Admit Card Release
  6. CAT 2026 Exam Day

    3 slots — morning, afternoon, evening, across ~170 test cities.

  7. Result Declaration

    CAT 2025 results were declared Dec 24, 2025, 24 days after the exam — the only remaining projected (not yet confirmed) date on this list.

Exam Details & Pattern

Eligibility Criteria

  • Must hold a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% aggregate marks (or equivalent CGPA); 45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates
  • Candidates in the final year of their qualifying degree programme are also eligible to apply
  • There is no age limit and no restriction on the number of times a candidate can appear for CAT
  • Graduates from any discipline (engineering, commerce, arts, science) are eligible

Marking Scheme & Pattern

Total Questions68 (VARC: 24, DILR: 22, QA: 22) — unchanged since CAT 2024, confirmed stable through CAT 2025
Question TypesMCQ (Multiple Choice) and TITA (Type In The Answer — non-MCQ)
Marking Scheme (MCQ)+3 for correct, -1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted
Marking Scheme (TITA)+3 for correct, 0 for incorrect (no negative marking)
Section Time Limit40 minutes per section — cannot switch between sections during the allotted time
Negative Marking-1 per wrong MCQ answer only; TITA questions have no negative marking

Syllabus Overview

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

  • Reading Comprehension (3–4 long passages
  • ~16 questions)
  • Para-jumbles
  • Para-summary
  • Sentence Exclusion (Odd-sentence-out)
  • Out-of-context sentence identification
  • Inference-based questions

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

  • Data Interpretation: Bar charts
  • Line graphs
  • Pie charts
  • Tables
  • Caselets
  • Mixed charts
  • Logical Reasoning: Arrangements & Scheduling
  • Puzzles
  • Venn diagrams
  • Games & Tournaments
  • Network/Route-based puzzles
  • Binary logic

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

  • Number Systems & Number Theory
  • Arithmetic (Percentages
  • Ratio & Proportion
  • Profit & Loss
  • Time-Speed-Distance
  • Time & Work
  • Mixtures)
  • Algebra (Equations
  • Inequalities
  • Functions
  • Logarithms)
  • Geometry & Mensuration (Triangles
  • Circles
  • Coordinate Geometry
  • Solid Geometry)
  • Modern Maths (Permutation & Combination
  • Probability
  • Progressions
  • Set Theory)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many IIMs accept CAT scores?

All 22 IIMs accept CAT scores — including IIM Guwahati, inaugurated in February 2026 as India's newest IIM. Additionally, over 1,300 other MBA colleges and management institutes across India use CAT scores for their admission processes.

What percentile is required to get IIM calls for interviews?

Top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta typically shortlist candidates with 99+ percentile for general category. Other IIMs may shortlist from 88–98 percentile range, with newer institutes like IIM Guwahati generally on the lower end. However, IIMs also weigh academic profiles, work experience, and diversity, so the overall profile matters significantly.

Is there a restriction on the number of CAT attempts?

No. There is no upper limit on the number of times you can appear for CAT. Since CAT is held once a year, each calendar year counts as one attempt, and candidates can keep applying until they achieve their desired score.

What is the difference between MCQ and TITA questions in CAT?

MCQ questions have 4 answer options and carry a penalty of -1 for wrong answers. TITA (Type In The Answer) questions require candidates to type the answer directly — they carry no negative marking, making them relatively safer to attempt.

When will CAT 2026 results be declared?

Likely the 3rd or 4th week of December 2026. CAT 2025 results were declared on December 24, 2025 — just 24 days after the exam — so results tend to arrive sooner than the January timeline some older guides suggest.

Has the CAT 2026 application fee changed?

Yes. The official notification (released July 25, 2026) confirms the fee increased to ₹2,700 for General/EWS/NC-OBC candidates and ₹1,350 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates, up from ₹2,600 and ₹1,300 in CAT 2025.

When does CAT 2026 registration open and close?

Confirmed: registration opens August 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM and closes September 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM. This is a shift from the August 1 – September 20 window used in CAT 2025.

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