This year, the CAT exam is happening on 30th November 2025. Similarly, CAT 2026 is expected to be conducted around November 2026. To receive final confirmation about this information, you must check for the CAT Notification 2026 on iim.cat.ac.in. The best time to check for the CAT Notification 2026 is July 2026. Although we have conducted a detailed analysis of the past trends to compile the tentative schedule for the CAT 2026.
In this article, we will be sharing the expected dates for CAT 2026, which you can follow to extract the information regarding the online registration start date, last registration date, etc. Once the official notification is out, you can check the necessary guidelines to commence the CAT exam registration process online. Ensure to fill in the correct information and upload scanned copies of original documents for smooth registration.
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When Will IIMs Release the CAT Notification 2026?
Presently, IIM Kozhikode is officially conducting the CAT 2025 on the 30th November 2025. This responsibility rotates every year amongst the IIMs. So far, IIM Lucknow, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Indore have received the honour to conduct this national-level entrance exam across various test cities.
As of now, there’s no public declaration about the CAT Notification 2026. However, if we look at the past trends, then the official notice might be out in July 2026. Candidates who are willing to appear for the CAT in 2026 must visit the official portal to obtain accurate information about the registration dates, correction window schedule, CAT exam 2026 date, etc.
CAT 2026: Basic Eligibility Criteria
| Main Particulars | Pre-Requisistes |
| Age Limit | No upper age limit. |
| Educational Qualifications | A candidate must possess an undergraduate degree from a recognised university or educational institution. 50% is the minimum percentage for the General candidates. SC/ST candidates get a relaxation of 5%. You can also apply for the CAT 2026 if you have pursued professional courses like CA/CS/ICWA (CMA)/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) with 50% (General candidates) and 45% SC/ST/PwD candidates. |
| Work Experience | Not compulsory. Although candidates with prior work experience get leverage in comparison to non-working professionals. |
| Additional Information | Students in the final year of their graduation can also apply for the CAT 2026. However, if selected, you will have to submit a provisional certificate, which must be duly signed by your Principal or Registrar under the given timeline. |
CAT 2026 Notification Date & Major CAT Events
| CAT 2026 Events | Tentative Dates |
| CAT Notification 2026 | July Last Week (2026) |
| CAT 2026 Registration Start Date | Starts in August 2026 |
| CAT Registration 2026 Last Date | 3rd or 4th Week of September 2026 |
| CAT Correction Window 2026 | Last Week of September 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Admit Card Download | Beginning of November 2026 |
| CAT Exam 2026 | November 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Result Announcement | Last week of December 2026 |
CAT 2026: Syllabus, CAT Exam Fee, Test Centres
| Key Specifications | Information |
| MBA Entrance Exam | CAT |
| CAT Official Website | iim.cat.ac.in |
| CAT Full Form | Common Admission Test |
| CAT 2026 (Official Conducting Body) | IIM (Indian Institute of Management) |
| CAT Exam Syllabus | Quantitative Aptitude Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning |
| CAT 2026 Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| Medium of Language | English |
| CAT 2026 Test Centres | Multiple Test Centres Across India |
| Total Number of Questions | 68 |
| Question Per Section | Quantitative Aptitude: 22 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: 24 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: 22 |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Type in the Answer (TITA) |
| Total Marks in CAT 2026 | 204 |
| CAT 2026 Marking Pattern | +3 Every Correct Response -1 Every Wrong Answer |
| CAT 2026 Exam Duration | 120 Minutes (2 Hours) |
| Sectional Time Limit in CAT Exam 2026 | 40 Minutes |
| CAT Exam Fee 2026 | Rs. 2,600: General/EWS/NC-OBC Rs 1300: SC/ST/PwD |
| CAT Helpdesk 2026 | Email: cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in Phone: 1-800-210-0175 (Toll Free) |
| CAT Exam Important Documents | A valid government ID proof Your passport-sized photograph Your signature Caste Certificate (NC-OBC/SC/ST candidates) PwD Certificate (if applicable) |
How to Start Your CAT Preparation 2026?
Don’t wait for the IIMs to make an official announcement about the CAT Notification 2026. We have already shared the tentative schedule with you. It’s going to be close to the given dates according to the previous year’s trends. Start preparing for the CAT 2026 from today for effective results. An early start will give you a higher edge over other competitors. Some of the basic study techniques straightaway from the topper’s desk are as follows:
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- Check the CAT exam syllabus. Segregate the high-weightage and low-weightage topics accordingly for a well-balanced preparation.
Set a daily study routine for high-scoring topics from the QA, VARC and DILR. Strengthen your foundational knowledge in these topics. - On the other hand, start practising daily assignments from every topic. Watch video solutions if you come across any challenges.
- Aim to complete your syllabus before the deadline. Start appearing for the sectional tests and full-length mocks for the CAT 2026.
- Every day, read a variety of high-level English newspapers, books, and articles to boost your reading comprehension skills.
- Practice a variety of questions from the Quants and LRDI to familiarise yourself with the type of questions that appear in the CAT question paper.
- Pick the last 10 years of CAT PYQs and solve them. Ensure to solve every paper 2-3x times. Every year, a few questions come from the PYQs.
- Create an error log book to note down the repetitive errors and mistakes that happen in the sectional and full-length mocks.
Final Words
You have more than a year to prepare for the CAT 2026. For now, you must keep a regular track of the CAT official website: iim.cat.ac.in to get the latest information about the CAT Notification 2026, starting date of the registration, last date to register, correction window opening date, admit card release date for the CAT 2026, final result declaration, etc.
Start your preparation now with iQuanta. We have special courses for the CAT 2026 aspirants and have separate modules for Engineering (VARC) and Non-Engineering students (QA). Apart from this, we also have a separate module for LRDI Deception, a set of unique questions on Quants prepared exclusively by Indrajeet Sir (Founder & CEO: iQuanta + Quants Wizard) and much more. Join now and stay ahead of other competitors. Confirm your chances of selection in CAT 2026 by securing a 99%ile+ with the help of iQuanta experts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tentative exam date for CAT 2026?
There is no official announcement about the CAT 2026 exam date. However, it’s expected that the CAT exam will take place around the 4th week of November 2026. Monitor the official website regularly to get fresh updates.
Which top MBA colleges in India accept the CAT score?
All 21 IIMs, IMT Ghaziabad, FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, DoMS IIT Delhi, DoMS IIT Madras, ISB Hyderabad and many other notable non-IIMs that come under Tier 1/Tier 2 MBA colleges in India grant admission to the students on the CAT score and percentile.
Where can I check the CAT notification 2026?
Candidates must visit the official website: iim.cat.ac.in to receive instant notifications about the CAT 2026 registration start date, last date to register, admit card download, exam date, result date, etc. Stay alert throughout to start the online registration procedure on time.
When will the registration start for the CAT exam 2026?
In the first week of August 2026, registrations might start for the CAT 2026. Tentatively, the registration window will remain open till the third or fourth week of September 2026. The application correction window for the CAT 2026 might open in September 2026.
Which is the best coaching institute for CAT preparation in 2026?
iQuanta has been receiving huge appreciation for providing an excellent bunch of academic resources and online coaching sessions to the students for the CAT preparation 2026. We have top faculty for Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.
