Eligible candidates can submit their applications through the official CAT website.

The registration window will remain open until 5 pm on September 15, 2026. Candidates are advised to complete the application process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

The application fee for candidates belonging to the General, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC) categories is Rs 2,700. Candidates from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories will have to pay Rs 1,350. The fee is non-refundable and needs to be paid only once, irrespective of the number of IIM programmes selected.

To be eligible, candidates must hold a bachelor's degree with at least 50 per cent marks or an equivalent grade point average. For SC, ST and PwBD candidates, the minimum required marks are 45 per cent. Final-year undergraduate students and candidates awaiting their results are also eligible to apply, subject to the admission requirements of the participating IIMs.

During the application process, candidates will be required to select five preferred test cities. One city will be allotted based on availability. If none of the selected cities are available, a nearby test city will be assigned.

CAT 2026: Steps to Apply

Candidates can complete the registration process by following these steps:

Candidates can save the application form and complete it later before the closing date. However, once the application fee has been paid and the form has been submitted, no changes will be permitted.

Applicants should keep the following documents ready before starting the application process:

CAT 2026 will be conducted as a computer-based test on November 29, 2026, in three sessions across nearly 170 test cities.

Admit cards will be available for download from November 4, 2026. The results are expected to be announced in the first week of January 2027, and CAT 2026 scores will remain valid until December 31, 2027.