CAT Exam Fees is not yet announced officially for the upcoming examination, CAT 2026, with an information bulletin on the official website. In general, interested and eligible candidates willing to participate in the admission test should pay the CAT registration fees to submit the form successfully. As per the past year’s analysis, the exam fees for CAT 2025 were higher for all the categories, and we are expecting the same for the upcoming CAT examination. In the past CAT exam, aspirants from SC, ST, and PwD categories needed to pay Rs 1300, whereas candidates from other categories had to pay Rs 2600. They should remember that registration fees are non-refundable under any situation.
In this blog, we will be talking about the tentative CAT exam fees in a detailed manner, fees for an MBA, how to pay CAT exam fees and more. Let’s deep dive to discuss the fee structure for CAT 2025 in detail; that will help you to complete your CAT exam form. It is also important to note that whatever information we are mentioning for the CAT 2026 exam fees is completely tentative as per the past year’s analysis till the official information is announced by the exam authority.
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CAT Exam Fees in India
Applicants are highly advised to check the CAT exam fees for MBA as per their category and keep the payment mode, like debit card/credit card/UPI, etc., ready in advance for a smooth payment experience. You need to pay the CAT registration fee only once, even if you select several institutes while filling out the application. In this article, we have compiled the latest data on CAT exam fees for OBC, UR, SC, ST, and other categories for candidates’ reference. According to the past year’s analysis about the CAT exam fees, the general/OBC-NCL/EWS category students had to pay 2600 Rs for the CAT exam application form, whereas SC/ST/OBC category candidates had to pay 1300 Rs, and we are also expecting the same in CAT 2026. It may be higher or remain the same for candidates.
CAT Exam Fees for MBA: Latest Changes & Updates
The past year’s CAT exam fees have been revised for all the categories. CAT 2025 sees a rise in registration fees from the previous year. Here are the latest changes in the CAT registration fees shared below for the clarity of the candidates.
- It is compulsory to pay the CAT application fees to submit the form.
- The registration fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.
- For SC, ST and PwD categories, the fees have increased from Rs 1250 in CAT 2024 to Rs 1300 in the past year’s CAT examination. Similarly, the CAT exam fees have increased by Rs 100 for all other categories (from Rs 2500 in CAT 2024 to Rs 2600 in CAT 2025). We are expecting the same fee structure in CAT 2026, but this might be changed by the officials.
CAT Exam Fees for Registration
Registration for the past year’s CAT exam requires paying the application fees successfully as per your category. The CAT registration fees depend on the applicant’s category, including UR, OBC, SC, ST, PwD, etc. For the UR category, the CAT application fees will expecting to be Rs 2600. The CAT 2026 registration fees for SC/ST will expecting to be Rs 1300. The category-wise CAT exam fees for MBA are discussed below:
CAT Application Fees (Past Year’s)
| Category | CAT Exam Fees |
| UR/General | Rs 2600 |
| OBC | Rs 2600 |
| EWS | Rs 2600 |
| SC | Rs 1300 |
| ST | Rs 1300 |
| PwD | Rs 1300 |
CAT Exam Fees Comparison
| Category | CAT Exam Fee 2024 | CAT Exam Fees 2025 | CAT Exam Fees 2026 (Expected) |
| General / UR | 2500 | 2600 | 2600 |
| OBC-NCL | 2500 | 2600 | 2600 |
| EWS | 2500 | 2600 | 2600 |
| SC | 1250 | 1300 | 1300 |
| ST | 1250 | 1300 | 1300 |
| PwD | 1250 | 1300 | 1300 |
CAT Exam Fees for Girls
The CAT exam fees for girls differ as per the category. There is no separate fee criterion for female applicants. As per the past year’s CAT exam analysis, female applicants from SC, ST, and PwD categories had to pay Rs 1300, whereas those from UR, OBC, and other categories had to pay the CAT application fees of Rs 2600.
CAT Exam Fees for OBC
The CAT exam fees for the OBC category in the past year’s CAT exam paper was Rs 2600. The same charges are applicable for the General/UR and EWS categories. Refund of fees is strictly not permitted under any situation.
How to Pay CAT Exam Fees Online:
Paying the CAT exam fees is an essential stage of the successful registration process. Check the step-by-step guide for the hassle-free CAT fee payment:
- Select the “Payment” tab to proceed with the CAT exam fee payment.
- Now, find the payment option and click it. It includes debit card, credit card, UPI, and other prescribed options.
- To pay the registration fees, submit all the required details in the required field.
- After successful fee payment, print the copies of the payment invoices for future use.
CAT Exam Fees for Top IIMs (MBA Programme Fee Structure)
| IIM | MBA Programme Fees (Approx.) | Duration | Location |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 27,50,000 | 2 Years | Gujarat |
| IIM Bangalore | 26,00,000 | 2 Years | Karnataka |
| IIM Calcutta | 27,00,000 | 2 Years | West Bengal |
| IIM Lucknow | 20,00,000 | 2 Years | Uttar Pradesh |
| IIM Kozhikode | 23,50,000 | 2 Years | Kerala |
| IIM Indore | 21,00,000 | 2 Years | Madhya Pradesh |
| IIM Shillong | 25,00,000 | 2 Years | Meghalaya |
| IIM Udaipur | 18,00,000 | 2 Years | Rajasthan |
| IIM Raipur | 18,00,000 | 2 Years | Chhattisgarh |
| IIM Rohtak | 17,00,000 | 2 Years | Haryana |
Also Check: IIM MBA Fees
Different Payment Modes of CAT Exam Fees
The different modes for payment of CAT exam fees are discussed below for reference purposes:
- Debit Card (Master/Visa)
- Credit Card (Master/Visa)
- Credit Card (American Express)
- NET Banking
Are there any Late Charges for CAT Registration?
No, there is no system for late fees for submitting the CAT application form. Thus, applicants are required to pay the registration fees within the deadline to complete the application process. No CAT application form will be accepted by the authorities after the stipulated period.
What is the CAT Exam Fees Cancellation Policy?
There is no CAT exam fee cancellation policy after the submission of the form and payment of fees. Refund of the CAT registration fees is strictly not permitted under any situation. It implies that even if you do not appear in the CAT 2025 exam, your application fees shall not be refunded.
Mistakes to Avoid While Paying CAT Fees
Some of the common mistakes/errors to be avoided by the aspirants while making the payment of CAT exam fees are shared below:
- Incorrect Information in the required field.
- Wrong Payment Method
- Slow Internet Speed
- Funds Unavailable
- Frequent Attempts
- Skipping Confirmation Step
- Using out-of-date bank cards, etc
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IIM Admission Fees
The CAT application form will be considered complete only after the mandatory payment of the application fee. Apart from this, every IIM has a separate fee structure for MBA admissions. Gain insights about the MBA fee structure for IIM admission discussed below for reference.
| IIM | MBA Fees |
| IIM Ahmedabad | INR 27,50,000 |
| IIM Amritsar | INR 21,00,000 |
| IIM Bangalore | Rs. 26,00,000 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | Rs. 17,96,000. |
| IIM Calcutta | Rs 27 Lakhs |
| IIM Indore | INR 21,00,000 |
| IIM Jammu | Rs 20,73,960 |
| IIM Kashipur | Rs 17,30,000 |
| IIM Kozhikode | INR 23,50,000 |
| IIM Lucknow | INR 20,00,000 |
| IIM Mumbai | Rs 21,00,000 |
| IIM Nagpur | INR 21,00,000 |
| IIM Raipur | INR 18,00,000 |
| IIM Ranchi | INR 19,20,000 |
| IIM Rohtak | INR 17 lakh |
| IIM Sambalpur | INR 21,00,000 |
| IIM Shillong | INR 25,00,000 |
| IIM Sirmaur | INR 20,00,000 |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | INR 16,00,000 |
| IIM Udaipur | INR 18,00,000 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | INR 20,00,000 |
Conclusion: CAT Exam Fees
Candidates who wish to apply for the CAT application form to pursue their dream of doing an MBA from top IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) need to understand the CAT exam fees structure for the smooth application filling process.
