CAT 2026
Common Admission Test
National levelOnline examManagement
- Exam date
- 29 Nov 2026
- Application starts
- 03 Aug 2026
- Exam mode
- Online
- Application mode
- Online
- Level
- National
About CAT
CAT (Common Admission Test) is the leading MBA/PGDM entrance exam in India. The score is accepted by all IIMs and hundreds of other top business schools.
Conducted by: One of the IIMs, chosen on a rotating basis
CAT Important Dates
| Event | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | 03 Aug 2026 | Completed |
| Registration Fee Payment | 22 Sep 2026 | Completed |
| Form Correction | 05 Oct 2026 | Completed |
| Admit Card | 04 Nov 2026 | Upcoming |
| Exam Date | 29 Nov 2026 | Upcoming |
Dates are indicative and can change – confirm on the official exam website.
Courses accepting CAT
MBA/PGDMBE/B.TECHMBBSB.SCB.COM
CAT Eligibility
- Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) or equivalent CGPA.
- Final year students and those awaiting results can also apply.
- There is no age limit and no limit on attempts.
CAT Exam Pattern
| Mode | Computer based test |
| Sections | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability |
| Duration | 2 hours in total, with a time limit of 40 minutes per section |
| Question types | Multiple choice and type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions |
| Marking | +3 for a correct answer; -1 for a wrong multiple choice answer; no negative marking for TITA |
How to apply for CAT
- Register on the official CAT website and verify your email and mobile.
- Fill in academic and personal details and upload documents.
- Choose exam cities and pay the registration fee.
- Download the admit card and take the mock test on the portal.
CAT Preparation Tips
- Read widely and daily for VARC; practise passages across topics.
- Learn to pick easy sets in DILR quickly instead of solving every set.
- Strengthen arithmetic and algebra first – they carry most Quant questions.
- Analyse every mock; percentile improves through review, not volume.
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