CAT Exam 2026

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the computer-based entrance exam the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) use for admission to their postgraduate and doctoral management programmes. Many other leading B-schools also accept CAT scores. IIM Indore is the convening institute for CAT 2026, and the exam is on Sunday, 29 November 2026.

Dates marked “expected” are not yet officially confirmed. Always check the latest notice on iimcat.ac.in.

CAT is a national-level MBA entrance exam run every year by one of the IIMs on rotation. Scores are used for admission to the IIMs' MBA/PGP, executive and doctoral programmes, and are also accepted by institutes such as FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR, IIT business schools and many state and private universities. CAT is a postgraduate exam: it is meant for graduates, not Class 12 students.

CAT stands for Common Admission Test.

• A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates) from a recognised university, or
• A professional qualification such as CA, CS, ICWA (CMA) or FIAI with the required percentage.
• Final-year students and those awaiting results can apply, but must show proof of graduation at admission.

There is no age limit, no limit on attempts, and work experience is not required to take the exam. Class 12 students are not eligible. Students who want to join an IIM straight after school should look at IPMAT and similar integrated-programme tests.

Registration for CAT 2026 ran on iimcat.ac.in from 3 August to 22 September 2026 (extended from 15 September) and is now closed. Candidates registered, filled in their academic and work details, chose the IIM programmes they wanted to be considered for, selected preferred test cities, and paid the fee online (₹2,700, or ₹1,350 for SC/ST/PwBD).

Non-IIM institutes that accept CAT scores need a separate application on their own websites.

The test has three sections. Each section has its own 40-minute timer, and you cannot switch between sections. Sections mix MCQs (choose one of four options) and TITA questions (type in the answer).

Marking scheme: +3 for each correct answer, −1 for each wrong MCQ, and no penalty for wrong TITA answers or unanswered questions. The question count is expected to stay the same as CAT 2025; check the official mock test on iimcat.ac.in. PwBD candidates get 160 minutes in total.

The IIMs do not publish a formal syllabus. Past papers show what each section usually covers:

• VARC: reading comprehension (most of the section), para-summary, para-jumbles and odd-sentence-out.
• DILR: sets based on tables, graphs, arrangements, games and tournaments, networks, scheduling and puzzles, with four to six questions per set.
• QA: arithmetic (percentages, profit and loss, ratios, time-speed-distance, time and work, interest), algebra, geometry and mensuration, number systems, and permutations, combinations and probability. Arithmetic and algebra usually carry the most weight.

The admit card is expected on iimcat.ac.in from 4 November 2026. Log in with your CAT user ID and password to download it. It shows your test slot, reporting time and test-centre address. Carry a printout and a valid original photo ID to the centre.

IIM Indore will first release candidate response sheets and a provisional answer key, with a window to raise objections. The final result is expected in late December 2026 or early January 2027. The scorecard shows a scaled score and a percentile for each section and overall. Scores are normalised across the three slots so candidates are compared fairly. The score is valid until 31 December 2027.

Each IIM sets its own admission policy, and CAT is a first filter, not the final ranking:

1. The IIM sets minimum overall and sectional percentile cut-offs, which differ by category.
2. Candidates who clear them are shortlisted on a composite score that combines CAT with Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks, work experience and sometimes diversity factors.
3. Shortlisted candidates take a written ability test (WAT) and personal interview (PI), and the final merit list combines all of these.

For example, IIM Bangalore's 2026–28 PGP process set minimum CAT 2025 percentiles for General candidates at 85 overall and 80/75/75 in VARC/DILR/QA, with CAT counting for 55% of the pre-interview score. Actual call percentiles were much higher than these minimums.

All IIMs, plus non-IIM institutes such as FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IIT business schools (for example DMS IIT Delhi and SJMSOM IIT Bombay), IMT Ghaziabad and many state and private universities. Non-IIM institutes run their own shortlisting and interviews, and you apply to each one directly.

CAT cut-offs are set separately by each institute and are published after the result. Minimum eligibility cut-offs at the older IIMs are usually around the 80th–90th percentile for General candidates, but final shortlisting percentiles are typically much higher, often in the high 90s. Check each IIM's admission policy document for exact figures.

CAT 2026 is conducted by IIM Indore. For official notices, login and help, use the official website iimcat.ac.in, which lists the current helpdesk email and phone numbers. NTA does not conduct CAT.