Where Ambition Meets Opportunity – MBA CAT Exam

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CAT 2026 – Details

Overview

The CAT exam is scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026. Registration for CAT 2026 is expected to begin on 01st Aug 2026 and continue till 20th Sep 2026. Continue reading to learn the critical events of the CAT 2026 exam!

What is CAT Exam 2026?

The CAT Exam 2026 is an essential National-level entrance test for admission into MBA and PGDM programs offered by the IIMs and other top B-schools in India.

CAT stands for Common Admission Test, conducted by the IIMs. It is an entrance exam for admission to MBA and PGDM programs at top Business Schools across India.
The exam will be conducted in computer-based mode, on 29th November 2026, across various cities nationwide. It consists of three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA, each testing essential management aptitude skills. A total of around 66 questions are to be attempted within 120 minutes, with a mix of MCQs and non-MCQs (TITA). To be eligible, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories). CAT scores are widely accepted by over 1,200 management institutes for postgraduate admissions in India.

CAT 2026 Exam Date & Schedule

CAT Exam 2026 Events
CAT Entrance Exam Important Dates
CAT 2026 Registration Date Opens
1st August 2026(Tentative)
CAT 2026 Application Form's Last Date
20th September 2026 (Tentative)
CAT 2026 Exam Admit Card Release Date
12th November 2026 to 29th November 2026 (Tentative)
CAT 2026 Registration Fees
INR 1300 (Reserved categories) INR 2600 (Other categories)
CAT Exam Date 2026
29 November 2026 (Last Sunday)

CAT Exam Qualification 2026 (Quick Summary)

  • Bachelor’s degree required (minimum marks apply as per category).
  • Final-year students can also apply (subject to completion conditions).
  • No official age limit to apply for CAT.

CAT 2026 Paper Pattern

An overview of the CAT entrance exam pattern 2026 can help you start your preparations for the CAT exam in 2026. Ensure you go through the updated CAT Entrance Exam Pattern thoroughly.
Mode of CAT Entrance Exam 2026
Computer-Based Test
CAT 2026 Exam Date Duration
120 minutes (40 minutes per section)
CAT 2026 Number of Questions
68 (Expected as CAT 2024)
CAT total marks
204
Language of CAT Question Paper
English
Number of Answer Choices
4
CAT 2026 Mode of Paper
Online (Computer-based Test)
CAT 2026 Question Types
MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA)
CAT 2026 Section Names
1. Quantitative Aptitude 2. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension 3. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

Number of MCQ and Non-MCQ Questions

Section
Number of MCQs
Number of Non-MCQs
Total Questions
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
21
3
24
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
16
6
22
Quantitative Ability
14
8
22
Total
51
17
68

Section-Wise CAT 2026 Syllabus

CAT 2026 Exam Sections
CAT Exam Syllabus
Quantitative Aptitude
Number System, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Time and Work
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation
Seating Arrangements, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
Para-Jumbles & Para-Summary, Sentence Completion, Inferences, RC Passages-Based Questions

CAT 2026 Marking Scheme

As per the trends, the CAT 2026 exam will be conducted on 29th November 2026, and the following will be the marking scheme on the day:

Each correct answer will receive +3 marks.
A negative mark of -1 will be for every incorrect answer to the objective questions.
Non-MCQ-type questions will have NO negative marking.

What are the CAT exam application fees

As per CAT 2024, the exam fees for CAT 2026 are expected to be the same:

  1. SC, ST, and PwD candidates must pay an application fee of ₹1300.
  2. The general category must pay an application fee of ₹2600.

CAT 2026 Registration Process

Understanding the CAT registration process becomes very important once the CAT notification is out. Here are the steps to follow while filling the CAT exam registration form:
Steps to Successfully Register for the CAT Exam 2026
Step 1: Registration for User ID and Password
Step 2: Log in to the CAT Official Website
Step 3: Fill in the complete details in the CAT 2026Application Form
Step 4: Choose your preferred PG programme
Step 5: Choose the CAT exam centre of your choice
Step 6: Finally, pay the CAT 2026 registration fees via a suitable payment method.

CAT 2026 Application Correction Window

The examination authorities will make the edit window live; students must log in using their user ID and password. Please make use of this period if you wish to edit the following:

Photo
Signature
Test City preferences

What are the CAT Exam Steps to Edit the Application 2026?
Log in using your user ID and password to edit your application form.
After logging in, click on Go to application to start editing.
Please read all the instructions carefully while editing the form.

The Trend of the CAT Entrance Exam Pattern Over the Years

The CAT exam for 2026 will be conducted on 29th November 2026. There have been a lot of changes in the CAT exam patterns over the years. Let’s understand them:
VARC: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
DILR: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
QA: Quantitative Ability
VALR: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
QADI: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Year
Time (mins)
Sections (Abbreviation)
Questions per Section
Total Questions
2025 (expected)
120
VARC, DILR, QA
24, 22, 22
68
2024
120
VARC, DILR, QA
24,22,22
68
2023
120
VARC, DILR, QA
24, 20, 22
66
2022
120
VARC, DILR, QA
24, 20, 22
66
2021
120
VARC, DILR, QA
24, 20, 22
66
2020
120
VARC, DILR, QA
26, 24, 26
76
2019
180
VARC, DILR, QA
34, 32, 34
100
2018
180
VARC, DILR, QA
34, 32, 34
100
2017
180
VARC, DILR, QA
34, 32, 34
100

CAT Exam Score Accepting IIMs 2026

List of IIMs
Establishment Year
Score
NIRF MBA Ranking (MBA)
Programs Offered
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
1961
83.32
1
PGP, PGP-FABM
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
1973
81.16
2
PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
1997
77.9
3
PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
1961
75.07
4
MBA
Indian Institute of Management Mumbai
1963 (renamed in 2023)
74.73
5
MBA, MBA (Operations and SCM) and MBA in SM
Indian Institute of Management Lucknow
1984
74.43
6
PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM
Indian Institute of Management Ranchi
2010
61.27
17
PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics)
Indian Institute of Management Jammu (IIMJ)
2016
54.64
42
MBA, Executive MBA (Blended Mode), PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu), PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)
Indian Institute of Management Amritsar
2015
52.57
47
MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM

CAT 2026 Selection Process

Once the CAT exam date 2026 is officially notified, please be aware that IIMs use their own, maybe separate, criteria to shortlist applicants for the interview round. Generally, the IIM selection process is conducted in three parts, viz.

CAT 2026 Admit Card/Hall Ticket

The CAT admit card is an official document issued by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to candidates who successfully registered for the CAT exam in 2026. The CAT 2026 admit card can be downloaded from 12th November 2026 till 29th November 2026.

It is mandatory to carry the CAT Admit Card on the day of the exam as it contains essential details like the candidate’s name, roll number, exam date, time, and venue.

Note*

For the CAT exam, “Specified disability” refers to the conditions listed in the RPwD Act 2016’s Schedule. The types of disabilities include:

  • 1. Blindness and low vision
  • 2. Deaf and hard of hearing
  • 3. Locomotor disability, including cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy
  • 4. Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness
  • 5. Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d)
  • 6. Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016

After CAT registration, no change in category will be considered. Applicants are advised to pay attention while registering.

CAT Reservation Policies

Category
Percentage
SC
15%
ST
7.5%
NA-OBC
27%
EWS
10%
PwD
5%

CAT Exam 2025 Cut-Offs (Expected)

IIM
General
OBC
SC
ST
IIM Ahmedabad
80
75
70
60
IIM Bangalore
85
75
75
65
IIM Calcutta
85
75
70
65
IIM Lucknow
90
82
65
60
IIM Mumbai
85
75
70
65
IIM Indore
90
80
60
45
IIM Raipur
94
77
60
40
IIM Visakhapatnam
82
72
50
40
IIM Jammu
91
74
54
32
IIM Sirmaur
92
74
54
40

IIM Seats Campus Wise 2025 (Expected)

IIM campus
PGP/MBA seats
IIM Ahmedabad
385
IIM Bangalore
412
IIM Calcutta
462
IIM Lucknow
436
IIM Kozhikode
375
IIM Raipur
210
IIM Udaipur
260
IIM Rohtak
240
IIM Visakhapatnam
60
IIM Sirmaur
60
IIM Amritsar
60
IIM Nagpur
130
IIM Indore
451
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Candidates must be a graduate in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 45% marks (40% for SC/ST). Final year students can also apply.
Applicants must have passed 10+2 or equivalent with a minimum of 45% marks (40% for SC/ST). Students appearing for their 12th board exams can also apply.

There are 120 multiple-choice questions for both 3-Year and 5-Year LLB exams.

No, there is no negative marking in the MH CET Law entrance exam.

The exam includes Legal Aptitude, Current Affairs, Logical Reasoning, English, and Basic Mathematics (only for 5-Year LLB).
For UG (5-Year LLB), candidates must have completed 10+2 with at least 45% marks (40% for SC/ST). For PG (LLM), an LLB or equivalent degree with 50% is required.

The CLAT UG exam has 120 questions from subjects like English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.

The CLAT UG exam has 120 questions from subjects like English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.
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