The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level management entrance examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). For the 2026 cycle, IIM Indore is responsible for administering the exam, which serves as the primary gateway for admission at IIMs and listed non-IIM management institutions, subject to each programme’s own score-acceptance and application rules. The application process for CAT is entirely online and requires candidates to complete their registration exclusively through the official portal, iimcat.ac.in. No other website hosts a direct link to the application form. For CAT 2026, the official advertisement listed registration from August 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM to September 15 at 5:00 PM. A later report said the registration deadline was extended to September 22 at 5:00 PM and fee payment for already-registered applicants to September 24. Both windows have closed. The examination is scheduled to take place on November 29, 2026, across 170 test cities.
Eligibility and Prerequisites
Before beginning the application process, candidates must ensure they meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with the required percentage of marks as specified by the conducting authority. Candidates in the final year of their undergraduate programme are also eligible to apply. However, they must upload a certificate issued by the Principal, Head of Department, Registrar, or Director of their institution certifying that the applicant has obtained a minimum qualifying score based on the latest available grades or marks. Furthermore, they must submit a certificate from the institution stating that they have completed all requirements for obtaining the bachelor’s degree on or before the date stipulated by the respective IIM. Work experience is not a mandatory prerequisite, but candidates who possess professional experience must prepare the relevant documents to support their claims during the application and subsequent admission stages.
Important Dates and Application Schedule
Tracking the application schedule is critical for a successful submission. For the 2026 cycle, the official notification outlined the following key milestones:
- Registration opens: August 3, 2026.
- Initial registration deadline: September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM; later reports list an extension to September 22 at 5:00 PM. Fee payment was separately reported through September 24 for candidates who had registered.
- Exam date: November 29, 2026.
CAT 2026's official advertisement lists an admit-card download window of November 4-29 and a tentative result window in the first week of January 2027. Reports separately described an October 5-6 edit window. These CAT 2026 dates are historical schedule facts; the registration, payment and edit windows have closed. Check the notice for any later cycle rather than carrying these dates forward.
Application Fee and Payment Process
The application fee must be paid online at the time of form submission. Candidates can register first and pay the fee later, but the application will not be accepted until the fee transaction is complete. The fee structure for the current cycle is categorised as follows:
- General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates: INR 2,700
- SC, ST, and PwD candidates: INR 1,350
The fee is strictly non-refundable. Under no circumstances will the CAT fee be refunded to any candidate, and once paid, it cannot be claimed back. Candidates can make the payment using credit cards, debit cards, NetBanking, UPI, or supported digital wallets. BillDesk serves as the payment gateway partner for the process.
There can be instances where the registration fee amount is deducted from the bank account, but the transaction is not confirmed on the portal. Applicants must ensure that the fee payment is successful and that they receive an email acknowledgement. If the fee payment is not successful, the form submission will remain incomplete, and a CAT admit card will not be issued. Applicants are advised to save the Payment Transaction Number and confirmation receipt for future reference.
Documents Required
A critical component of the application process is the upload of verifiable documents. Candidates must ensure all files meet the specified technical parameters to avoid form submission errors or outright rejection:
- Photograph: A recent passport-size colour photograph taken against a solid white background within the last six months. It must be uploaded in JPEG format, with dimensions of 1200 x 1200 pixels, and a file size not exceeding 80 KB.
- Signature: A scanned copy of the candidate's signature in JPEG format, measuring 80 mm x 35 mm, with a maximum file size of 80 KB.
- Category Certificates: Candidates belonging to the NC-OBC, SC, ST, or PwD categories must download the appropriate certificate format from the CAT website, fill in the required information, self-attest it, and upload a scanned copy as a PDF. NC-OBC and EWS certificates must be valid and issued on or after April 1, 2026. If the latest certificate is currently under renewal, candidates are permitted to upload the previous certificate along with a required undertaking available on the CAT portal.
- Academic Certificates: Final-year bachelor’s degree students must upload the aforementioned certificate issued by their institution.
- Photo ID: Candidates should keep a valid government-issued photo ID (such as a PAN card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, or Passport) ready for reference.
Providing fake or invalid caste, PwD, or scribe certificates will lead to candidates being barred from appearing in the exam.
Step-by-Step Registration Process
The application process is divided into multiple stages. Candidates must complete each stage systematically:
- Initial Registration: Visit iimcat.ac.in and generate login credentials by providing basic details such as name, date of birth, email address, and mobile number.
- Filling the Application Form: Click on "Go to Application" and log in using the generated credentials. Applicants must enter personal details, contact information, and academic history.
- Work Experience and Programme Selection: Enter details of any relevant work experience. Candidates can select up to 21 IIMs and specific programmes for the Personal Interview (PI) shortlist. There is no cap on the number of campuses selected, and the application fee remains unchanged regardless of the selections. Candidates should make an informed choice by checking the cutoffs, course specialisations, and fees of all IIMs before selecting campuses. It is recommended to choose a combination of established top IIMs and newer IIMs to maintain wider options for admission.
- Test City Preferences: Candidates must select their preferred test cities. The final test centre and session allocation are determined based on availability after the registration closes and will be indicated on the admit card.
- Document Upload: Upload the photograph, signature, and necessary certificates in the exact formats specified in the personal details section.
- Verification and Payment: Review all entered information, including academic information, work experience, programme choices, test city preferences, and uploaded documents. Once the payment is completed and the form is submitted, most fields become locked.
Correction Window Guidelines
For CAT 2026, reports said the edit window ran from October 5 at 10:00 AM to October 6 at 5:00 PM and allowed changes only to the photograph, signature and test-city preferences. This was a closed historical window; check the official notice for the dates and scope in any later cycle.
If an applicant identifies a critical error in a field that will not be available for editing during form correction, they must fill out a fresh form before the submission deadline and pay the CAT application fee again. Therefore, candidates must thoroughly review the application form before submitting it to ensure all information is correct.