CAT 2026: Registration Last Date (Sep 15), Exam Date, Preparation, Syllabus, Exam Pattern

CAT 2026 is just a few months away and is scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026. Every year, over 2.5 lakh candidates compete in CAT exam. Hence, it is considered one of the toughest MBA entrance exams in India. This year, IIM Indore will be conducting the Common Aptitude Test (CAT Exam 2026). The CAT registrations started on August 3, 2026, at iimcat.ac.in website. The last date to register for CAT exam 2026 is September 15, 2026. 

CAT is a management entrance exam, conducted for admission to the top MBA colleges including IIMs. The CAT syllabus 2026 is spread across three sections, i.e. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Read the article below to know more about CAT exam 2026 including registration process, fee, exam pattern, important topics, etc.

CAT 2026 Important Dates and Events

Check the table below to know the expected CAT dates and events:

CAT 2026 Overview

Check the table below to know the key highlights and overview of the CAT exam 2026:

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026

Students have to meet the following CAT 2026 eligibility criteria to be eligible for the exam:

• Students should have completed graduation from a recognized university
• They should have secured a minimum of 50% aggregate in Graduation
• 5% relaxation is given to reserved category candidates
• Candidates in the final year can also apply
• Candidates who hold a professional degree such as ICSI CS, ICAI CA, CMA, ICWAI are also eligible to appear for CAT exam.

CAT 2026 Application Form: How to Register?

Follow the process mentioned below for CAT registration 2026:

• Got the IIM CAT website, i.e. iimcat.ac.in
• Click New Registration option
• Enter details such as name, date of birth, gender, mobile number, etc. and verify the details using OTP
• Fill in the personal and academic details
• Upload a passport size photograph and scanned copy of signatures
• Select the test cities, courses and IIMs
• Fill the work experience details (if applicable)
• Pay the application fee as per the category and complete the registration process.

CAT Application Fee 2026

Check the table below to know the CAT application fee 2026:

• Documents Required for CAT 2026 Registration
• How to Choose the Right Test City & Programme Preferences in CAT 2026 Form

CAT Exam Syllabus 2026

CAT exam has three sections, i.e. VARC, DILR and QA as mentioned above. No major changes have been made to the CAT exam syllabus over the past few years. Some important topics of each section are:

CAT 2026 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus

Check the table below to know the important topics of VARC syllabus for CAT:

CAT 2026 Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

Check the table below to know the Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus for CAT exam 2026:

CAT 2026 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus

There are 20 to 22 questions in DILR section of CAT exam. They are bifurcated in 3 to 4 sets. Check the table below to know the important topics of DILR for CAT 2026 exam:

CAT Exam Pattern 2026

Check the table below to get the detailed CAT 2026 exam pattern:

Free CAT Mock Test By Jagran Josh

CAT mock tests are very important to ace the exam. Candidates should necessarily include a good number of mock tests in their CAT preparation plan. They should take a minimum of 40 to 50 mock tests of different difficulty levels and analyze them to track their progress. Jagran Josh has given some free CAT mock tests for aspirants to practice:

Also Check: More CAT mock test series by Jagran Josh

CAT 2026 Admit Card

CAT admit card 2026 will be released on iimcat.ac.in website. Candidates who have registered for the exam and paid the application fee will be able to download the admit cards using their login details.

CAT 2025 admit card was released on November 12, 2025, with the exams scheduled on November 30. Looking at this trend, the admit card for CAT exam will likely be released 15 days before the exam date. Check the process to download admit card below:

• Go to IIM CAT website
• Click Candidate Login
• Enter CAT 2026 User ID and password
• Click on download icon

CAT Exam 2026 Cutoff for IIMs (Expected)

CAT cutoff is the minimum score needed for the student to qualify for admission to the top MBA colleges in India accepting CAT such as IIMs, FMS Delhi, etc. Check the table below to know the expected CAT 2026 cutoff for IIMs.

IIMs also have a final CAT cutoff which is the cutoff released after the PI round. Students who match the final CAT cutoff will be eligible for admissions to respective colleges. Based on past trends, colleges such as IIM Bangalore usually have a cutoff score of 99 for General category candidates. Unless someone has exceptional academic record, work experience or qualifies for diversity weightage, getting a call for a score lower than that is extremely unlikely.