CAT 2026 registration has successfully concluded with 2.84 lakh candidates successfully registering for the exam. CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 29, 2026 in online mode. Those who have registered successfully for the CAT exam will be eligible to take the test on the scheduled date to take admission to postgraduate management programmes at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top B schools of the country.
As per the data, CAT registration 2026 has seen a decline of about 3.73% compared with the 2.95 lakh successful registrations of CAT 2025. As per the CAT registration data, 3.27 lakh CAT IDs have been generated this year while only 2.84 lakh candidates have successfully completed the registration process. Successfully registration includes payment of fee. Candidates can go through this blog to know the number of CAT registrations, past year registration trends, admit card release date and much more.
Join iQuanta’s diversified student community for free and prepare with other 4.1L+ peers. Get access to 24*7 doubt-solving, mentorship, free webinars, etc., all at one single platform.
CAT 2026 Registration: Key Highlights
Candidates can check the following table to know the key highlights of CAT 2026 registration.
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 |
| Conducting Institute | IIM Indore |
| Total CAT 2026 IDs Generated | 3.27 lakh |
| CAT 2026 Successful Registrations | 2.84 lakh |
| Year-on-Year Change | -3.73% |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
CAT Registration 2026: How Many Candidates Have Applied?
As per the official data, the CAT 2026 registration has seen a decrease in the number of actual registrations as well as CAT ID generations. The actual CAT registration 2026 is 2.84 lakh which is a decline of 3.73%. The reason might be because many of them might not have been able to complete the payment procedure, hence, they were excluded from the final count of registration.
| CAT Year | CAT IDs Generated | % Change | Actual Successful CAT Registration Count | % Change |
| CAT 2026 | 3.27 lakh | -4.39% | 2.84 lakh | -3.73% |
| CAT 2025 | 3.42 lakh | -11.86% | 2.95 lakh | -10.33% |
| CAT 2024 | 3.88 lakh | — | 3.29 lakh | — |
CAT Registered vs Appeared Candidates: Trend Over the Years
The following table depicts the number of candidates who have appeared and registered over the past few years in the CAT exam.
| CAT Year | Candidates Actually Appearing in CAT | Candidates Successfully Registered for CAT |
| CAT 2026 | N/A | 2.84 Lakhs |
| CAT 2025 | 2.58 lakh | 2.95 Lakhs |
| CAT 2024 | 2.93 lakh | 3.29 Lakhs |
| CAT 2023 | 2.88 lakh | 3.28 Lakhs |
| CAT 2022 | 2.22 lakh | 2.55 Lakhs |
| CAT 2021 | 1.92 lakh | 2.30 Lakhs |
CAT Registration Over the Years: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022
In the following table we have depicted the CAT registration of the past 5 years. The registration has increased from 2.30 lakh in 2021 to 3.28 lakh in 2026. Those who have registered successfully for the CAT exam are eligible to appear for the CAT exam. The 5-year CAT registration trend will give candidates a better understanding of the changes in registration over the years.
| CAT Year | User IDs Generated | Successful Registrations | Candidates Appeared |
| CAT 2026 | 3.27 lakh | 2.84 lakh | N/A |
| CAT 2025 | 3.42 lakh | 2.95 lakh | 2.58 lakh |
| CAT 2024 | 3.88 lakh | 3.29 lakh | 2.93 lakh |
| CAT 2023 | 3.80 lakh | 3.28 lakh | 2.88 lakh |
| CAT 2022 | 3.00 lakh | 2.55 lakh | 2.22 lakh |
| CAT 2021 | 2.70 lakh | 2.30 lakh | 1.92 lakh |
CAT 2026 Exam Date and Important Events
The CAT 2026 exam is scheduled for November 29, 2026, all over India in online mode. The admit card for the successful CAT-registered candidates will be issued on November 4, 2026. Check the table below to know about the important dates related to the CAT 2026 exam.
| CAT Events | Date |
| CAT 2026 Registration Date Start | August 3, 2026 |
| Registration Deadline | September 15, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Admit Card Release | November 4, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
Conclusion
As CAT registration has seen a decline of 3.73% in 2026 compared with the previous year, this indicates that a lesser number of candidates will appear for the test as compared to the previous year. Successfully registered candidates should gear up and take regular mock tests to increase their chances of securing admission to their dream MBA colleges.
Those who have successfully registered for the CAT 2026 exam are eligible to appear for the CAT exam on November 29, 2026. However, they must download and take a printout of the CAT 2026 admit card. They should certify if all the details present on the admit card are correct or not.
