CAT 2026 Exam: Your Ultimate Guide for MBA Aspirants
Table of Contents
What is the CAT Exam?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. It serves as the gateway for admission to MBA and PGDM programs at 21 IIMs and over 1,300 other top business schools across India.
CAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
The official dates for CAT 2026 will be announced with the exam notification, typically in July 2026. Based on previous trends, the tentative schedule is:
| Event | Tentative Dates 2026 |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | Last week of July 2026 |
| Application Form Release | 1st week of August 2026 |
| Last Date to Register | 3rd week of September 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | 4th week of September 2026 |
| Admit Card Availability | Last week of October / 1st week of November 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | Last Sunday of November 2026 (Expected: Nov 29, 2026) |
| Answer Key Release | 1st week of December 2026 |
| Last Date to Object Answer Key | 1st week of December 2026 |
| Result Declaration | Last week of December 2026 / 1st week of Jan 2027 |
Latest Update on CAT 2026
For official updates, aspirants should regularly check the CAT official website.
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
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Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
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Final Year Students: Eligible, provided degree requirements are completed at the time of admission.
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Age Limit: No upper age limit.
CAT 2026 Application Process
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Registration on iimcat.ac.in.
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Fill Application Form: Personal, academic, and work experience details.
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Upload Documents: Photograph, signature, certificates.
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Select Exam Centers: Up to six cities.
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Pay Application Fee online.
CAT 2026 Application Fee (Category-wise)
| Category | Fee (₹) |
|---|---|
| General/OBC/EWS | 2,400 |
| SC/ST/PwD | 1,200 |
Required Documents for Application
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Scanned photograph & signature
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Valid photo ID
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10th, 12th, and Graduation mark sheets
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Degree certificate
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Category / work experience certificates (if applicable)
CAT 2026 Admit Card
The admit card is mandatory for exam entry. Download it via login on the official website.
Details on Admit Card
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Name & photograph
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Registration number
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Exam date & slot
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Reporting time
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Test center address
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Exam day instructions
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
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Mode: Computer-based
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Duration: 120 minutes
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Sections:
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Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – 40 mins
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Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) – 40 mins
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Quantitative Aptitude (QA) – 40 mins
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Question Types: MCQs & TITA (Type In The Answer)
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Marking Scheme: +3 for correct, -1 for incorrect MCQs, no negative for TITA
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Expected Questions: 68
Section-wise Weightage
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VARC: 36%
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DILR: 32%
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QA: 32%
CAT 2026 Syllabus
While there’s no official syllabus, typical topics include:
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VARC: Reading comprehension, verbal ability
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DILR: Data interpretation, logical reasoning
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QA: Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, probability, etc.
CAT 2026 Results & Scorecard
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Declared online at iimcat.ac.in
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Download scorecard via login credentials
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Essential for admissions
CAT 2026 Counselling Process
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No central counselling
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Each IIM / B-school conducts its own selection
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Components: CAT score, WAT, PI, GD, academic profile
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Final admission based on composite score
Important Books for CAT Preparation
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How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT – Arun Sharma
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How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT – Arun Sharma
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Word Power Made Easy – Norman Lewis
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How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT – Arun Sharma
CAT 2026 Preparation Tips
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Start early and focus on conceptual clarity
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Develop a daily reading habit
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Solve mock tests regularly
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Practice time management
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Revise consistently
CAT 2026 Exam Centres
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Held across multiple cities in India
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List provided in the official notification
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Select preferred cities during application
CAT 2026 Contact Information
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Official Website: iimcat.ac.in
FAQs on CAT Exam 2026
Q1. Who conducts CAT?
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One of the IIMs on a rotational basis.
Q2. What is the syllabus?
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Three sections: VARC, DILR, QA; based on 10th-grade topics.
Q3. Duration of the exam?
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2 hours (120 minutes), 40 minutes per section.
Q4. Programs offered?
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MBA, PGDM, and other management programs.
Q5. Question types?
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MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.