CAT 2026: Complete Guide to Dates, Pattern, Eligibility & Cut-offs
Everything you need to know about CAT 2026 — exam date, registration window, paper pattern, section-wise syllabus, IIM cut-offs, and a clear preparation framework.
What is CAT?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's most competitive management entrance exam, conducted annually by one of the six original IIMs. A single CAT score opens doors to 20+ IIMs and over 1,200 MBA programmes across the country. The exam tests three skills: verbal reasoning, data interpretation with logical reasoning, and quantitative aptitude — all under a tight 120-minute clock.
CAT 2026 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Conducting Institute | IIM Indore (tentative) |
| Exam Date | 29 November 2026 (tentative) |
| Exam Slots | 8:30–10:30 AM · 12:30–2:30 PM · 4:30–6:30 PM |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Total Questions | 68 |
| Total Marks | 204 |
| Sectional Time Limit | 40 minutes per section |
| Application Fee | ₹2,600 (General) · ₹1,300 (SC/ST/PwD) |
| Test Cities | 170+ |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
Important dates
The official notification is expected in the last week of July 2026. Registration opens shortly after and runs through September.
| Event | Timeline (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Official Notification | Last week of July 2026 |
| Registration Opens | First week of August 2026 |
| Registration Closes | Third week of September 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | October 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | November 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam | 29 November 2026 |
| Answer Key | December 2026 |
| Result | December 2026 |
For reference: CAT 2025 was conducted on 30 November 2025 by IIM Kozhikode, with results declared on 24 December 2025.
Eligibility
Degree requirement: A Bachelor's degree from a recognised university with at least 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Final-year students are eligible to apply.
Professional qualifications: CA, CS, or ICWA holders are also eligible.
Age limit: None. There is no upper or lower age cap, and there is no restriction on the number of attempts.
Registration & application process
CAT 2026 registration will be entirely online at iimcat.ac.in. The process has six steps:
- Register with your name, date of birth, phone number, and email
- Log in with the credentials sent to your email
- Fill in personal and academic details
- Upload a passport photo and scanned signature
- Select preferred IIMs, MBA programmes, and up to six exam centre cities
- Pay the application fee online (net banking, credit/debit card, or UPI)
Application fee: ₹2,600 for the General category; ₹1,300 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
Exam pattern
CAT 2026 is a 120-minute computer-based test divided into three sections of 40 minutes each. You cannot revisit a previous section once its time is up.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 72 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 66 |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 66 |
| Total | 68 | 204 |
Marking scheme: +3 for correct MCQs, −1 for wrong MCQs. Non-MCQ (TITA) questions carry no negative marking.
No major changes to the pattern are expected for 2026. The three-section, two-hour structure has held since 2020, and the 68-question format has been stable since CAT 2024 (up from 66 questions in 2021–2023).
Section-wise syllabus
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Reading Comprehension · Para Jumbles (TITA) · Para Summary · Odd Sentence Out · Sentence completion
Reading Comprehension accounts for roughly 65–70% of VARC questions. Inference questions are the single most-tested skill in the entire paper.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Tables · Bar charts · Line graphs · Caselets · Arrangements & Scheduling · Venn diagrams · Games & Tournaments · Binary Logic · Blood relations · Seating arrangements
Quantitative Ability (QA) Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, profit/loss, TSD, time & work) · Algebra (linear & quadratic equations, functions) · Number System · Geometry & Mensuration · Modern Maths (P&C, Probability, Set Theory) · Logarithms · Surds & Indices
Arithmetic alone accounts for roughly 35–40% of QA questions each year. Geometry and Algebra together add another 35–40%.
IIM qualifying cut-offs
Each IIM sets its own minimum sectional and overall percentile for shortlisting. Clearing the cut-off gets you into the screening pool; final calls depend on your composite profile score.
| IIM | Qualifying Cut-Off (General) |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 |
| IIM Indore | 90 |
| IIM Trichy | 92 |
| IIM Udaipur | 92 |
| IIM Ranchi | 92 |
| IIM Kashipur | 92 |
| IIM Mumbai | 94 |
| IIM Rohtak | 95 |
| IIM Shillong | 75 |
| IIM Amritsar | 85 |
| IIM Nagpur | 85 |
| IIM Raipur | 92 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 92 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 80 |
These are qualifying cut-offs, not final ones. Top IIMs (A, B, C) typically shortlist candidates above 98–99 percentile for PI rounds after applying additional academic and profile weightages.
SC/ST/PwD cut-offs are substantially lower — generally 10–20 percentile points below the General category floor.
Preparation framework
Start with previous papers. CAT has no official syllabus, so 5 years of PYQs (2021–2025) are the most reliable source of truth on what gets tested and at what difficulty.
Identify your baseline. Take one full mock early — even with incomplete preparation. The diagnostic value of your first attempt is higher than two more weeks of concept study.
Build by section, not uniformly. VARC improvement requires sustained RC practice over months. QA and DILR respond faster to focused concept work followed by timed sets.
Mock analysis matters more than mock count. A well-analysed mock is worth five quickly-discarded ones. For every mock you take, spend at least equal time reviewing what you attempted and what you skipped.
Recommended books:
- Quant: How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT — Arun Sharma
- VARC: How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT — Arun Sharma & Minakshi Upadhyay
- DILR: How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT — Arun Sharma
Admit card
The CAT 2026 admit card will be available for download on iimcat.ac.in from November 2026. Log in with your CAT ID and password to access it. Print it on A4 paper — it is mandatory for entry to the exam centre.
Carry on exam day: Admit card · Passport-size photo (to paste on the card) · Original government photo ID (Aadhaar / PAN / Passport / Voter ID / Driving licence) · PwD certificate + scribe affidavit (if applicable)
Exam centre reporting times:
| Slot | Exam Time | Report By | Last Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:15 AM |
| Slot 2 | 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | 11:00 AM | 12:15 PM |
| Slot 3 | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
CAT 2025 result
CAT 2025 results are available at iimcat.ac.in. Log in with your application number and password to download your scorecard. The scorecard is issued in online-only mode — no physical copy is dispatched.
CAT scores are valid for one year. Candidates who wish to improve their percentile must reappear in the next cycle; there is no provision to challenge the result.
Key FAQs
How many times can I attempt CAT? Unlimited. There is no cap on the number of attempts, provided you meet the eligibility criteria each time.
Is a 90 percentile a good CAT score? It depends on your target. 90+ clears the cut-off for most newer IIMs and several strong non-IIM B-schools (FMS Delhi cut-off is typically 97+). For IIM A/B/C, you realistically need 98–99+.
Can I apply with a three-year degree? Yes, any three-year or four-year Bachelor's degree from a recognised university with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved categories) qualifies.
Does CAT have sectional cut-offs? Yes. All IIMs publish both overall and section-wise minimum percentiles. A strong overall score that fails a sectional threshold will not earn a shortlist call — so no section can be neglected.
Put this into practice
Solve CAT General PYQs — filtered by topic, with full solutions.