CAT 2026 Registration Last Date (Extended): Direct Link, Apply by Sep 22

CAT 2026 registration is now open last date to apply has been extended to September 22, 2026. Candidates can apply for CAT 2026 exam by 5 PM. IIM Indore, which is the conducting body of CAT exam will be conducted for all registered candidates on November 29 across 170 test cities. Candidates who wish to gain admission in the management courses at IIMs need to fill CAT 2026 application form via iimcat.ac.in. CAT application fee is INR 2,700 for General/EWS/NC-OBC candidates and INR 1,350 for SC/ST/PwD candidates. 

Candidates who have completed their bachelor's degree course with 50% or above marks are eligible to apply. The minimum eligibility criteria for SC, ST & PwD candidates is 45%. CAT scores will be accepted by 22 IIMs and more than 1,700 B-schools across India for admission to MBA and other management programmes. The table below provides the key CAT registration highlights 2026:

CAT 2026 registration window will close at the specified time on the official website. Those who have not done registration yet need to visit the CAT website and fill out the application form by the designated date. The links to register and log in as candidates are given below.

CAT 2026 exam date include registration, last date of application, admit card release, exam date, answer key, and result. Candidates can check the table below for the key CAT 2026 registration and exam dates.

CAT Registration 2026 Last Date

As per the announced schedule, September 15, 2026, is the last date for CAT 2026 registration. Candidates can complete and submit the CAT application form online until 5 PM on the deadline day. It must be noted that any further extension of the registration deadline would depend upon the decision of IIM Indore, which is the conducting body for CAT 2026.
CAT Application Form Correction Timeline

Candidates who complete and submit the CAT 2026 application form before the registration deadline will be able to use the form correction facility, if eligible. The conducting IIM may announce the correction dates separately. Based on previous-year trends, the CAT application form correction window is expected to open in the first week of October. During this period, candidates will be able to edit the specific details permitted by the exam authority.

Students can complete the CAT 2026 application form online via CAT website iimcat.ac.in. The process includes creating an account, providing personal and educational details, uploading the necessary documents, making program and test city choices, and finally paying the application fees. Candidates eligible according to the CAT eligibility criteria can register for the exam. Check below the point to remember befor filling the CAT application form:

• The recommended web browsers which should be used for filling up the CAT 2026 application form are Mozilla (versions 134 to 151), Google Chrome (versions 126 to 149) and Microsoft Edge (versions 126 to 149).
• CAT 2026 application form is available on Android version 4.0 or above and iOS version 11 or above.
• CAT application form will be available on the official website only, i.e., iimcat.ac.in. Any other website does not provide a direct link to the CAT application form.

Check the IIM CAT 2026 registration process below:

Step 1: Register for CAT 2026

• Log on to the official CAT website and then select Register under the New Candidate Registration heading.
  
• Enter your name just as it appears on your Class 10/SSC certificate.
  
• Enter your date of birth, email ID, country, and mobile number.
  
• Now click on Generate OTP.
• Enter the CAPTCHA that is shown and submit the data to generate the OTP.
  
• Enter the OTP that is sent on your registered mobile number and then click on Validate the OTP.
• Click on the I Agree option after going through the declaration and enter the CAPTCHA. Then click on Confirm.

Step 2: IIM CAT Login and Begin Registration

• Login credentials in the form of User ID and Password will be generated by the system and sent to your registered email address and mobile number.
  
• Access the official CAT website and select Login under Registered Candidate Login.
  
• Enter your User ID, Password, and CAPTCHA.
  
• Select Login to get into your account.
  
• Go through the details provided on the Applicant Details page.
  
• Select Go to Application to begin completing the CAT application form.

Candidate dashboard where registered applicants can log in and access the CAT application form.

Step 3: Enter Personal Details and Upload Documents in the CAT Application Form

In this section, candidates need to provide their personal, category, disability, and address details. The information required includes:

• Candidate’s name and date of birth
• Father’s/Guardian’s name and Mother’s/Guardian’s name
• Spouse’s name, if applicable
• Gender and nationality
• Category details
• PwBD status, if applicable
• Communication and permanent address
• Alternate email address
• Emergency contact details

Note: 

• Candidates applying through reserved categories should provide the information mentioned on their certificate such as the date of issue of certificate, serial/entry number, State/Union Territory, and caste/tribe.
  
• Candidates who apply under the PwBD category should give information regarding the percentage of disability, PwD UDID number, PwBD Category, and if there is any requirement of wheelchair/scribe.

Upload Photograph and Signature

• Photograph: Upload a recent passport-size photograph in JPEG format, with dimensions of 1200 × 1200 pixels and a maximum file size of 80 KB.
• Signature: Upload a scanned signature in JPEG format, with dimensions of 80 mm × 35 mm and a maximum file size of 80 KB.
• Category/Disability Certificate: Upload the applicable certificate in PDF format, wherever required.

After entering the details and uploading all the required documents, click on Save & Next.

Personal details and document upload section where candidates enter their personal and address details and upload their photograph, signature, and applicable certificates.

Step 4: Enter Academic Details in CAT Registration 2026

Candidates need to enter their Class 10, Class 12/Diploma, Bachelor's degree, and other applicable academic details in the CAT 2026 application form.

Class 10 Details

• Select the Class 10/SSC/equivalent board.
• Enter the month and year of completion.
• Provide the maximum marks and total marks obtained in all subjects.
• The aggregate percentage will be calculated based on the information entered.

Class 12 or Diploma Details

• Select whether the qualification is Class 12/equivalent or Diploma.
• Enter the board name, month and year of completion, and discipline.
• Enter the maximum marks and total marks obtained.
• Check the calculated aggregate percentage.

Bachelor’s Degree Details

• Select whether you are currently in the final year of your Bachelor’s degree or have completed the degree.
• Enter the total duration of the degree.
• Provide the type of university/institution, state/UT, university/institute name, and college name.
• Enter the degree name, discipline, and graduation stream.
• Enter the month and year of commencement and completion.
• Enter your aggregate marks or percentage.

After entering all the academic details, click on Save & Next.

Academics section where candidates enter their marks, qualification details, and graduation details.

Step 5: Enter Work Experience

Candidates are required to state the number of days spent in working full-time after completing their education till 31st July, 2026.

• Insert the total number of days worked in eligible work experience.
  
• If any, mention the number of break days taken during the period of work experience.
  
• Enter 0 if there are no break days.
  
• Click on Save & Next.
  

Note: Working part-time, internship, articled, academic project and work experience gained prior to completion of studies are not eligible work experience.

Step 6: Select Programmes and Interview Cities

Candidates can choose the management programmes offered by the participating IIMs in the programme selection section.

• Select Select All to apply for all available programmes without any additional application fee.
• Alternatively, select individual programmes using the respective checkboxes.
• Choose Interview City 1 and Interview City 2 for each selected programme.
• Click on Save & Next.

Step 7: Select CAT Test Cities

Candidates are required to pick five test cities as per their preferences.

• Firstly, choose your most preferred test city.
  
• Secondly, select four other cities as per your preferences.
  
• Make sure that no city is chosen more than once.
  
• Then click on Save & Next.

Note: Test City and Exam Slot will be allotted to candidates post completion of the registration process as per availability of the test centres. Details of the allotted test center and slot will be given in CAT admit card.

Step 8: Preview, Submit and Pay CAT Application Fee

• After paying the application fee, students are expected to go through the entire CAT application form.
• Select the Preview option to go through the application form.
  
• Go through personal information, educational qualification, work experience, course preference, test cities preference, and all the attached documents.
  
• Select the check box saying that the application form has been gone through and the information is correct.
  
• Select the check box regarding the acceptance of the terms and conditions of online payment facility.
  
• Enter the CAPTCHA code.
  
• Click on Submit button to move to the next step of payment process.

Students are expected to make payment through a credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI, and wallet facility. After making the payment successfully, students are supposed to note the transaction number. Students will have to log in again and select the Download Application option to download the CAT application form.

Candidates planning to appear for CAT 2026 should check the eligibility requirements before filling out the application form. The eligibility criteria primarily comprise the education qualification and the minimum marks of the candidates. Below is a summary of the important CAT 2026 registration eligibility criteria: 

CAT 2026 application fee has to be paid at the time of submission of the form. The candidate can fill the form along with the registration procedure, but the application will not be treated as complete until the fee is paid successfully. The latest CAT 2026 application fee is given below:

Candidates need to keep the required documents ready while filling out CAT 2026 application form. The photograph, signature, and applicable certificates must be uploaded in the prescribed format and size.

While applying for the CAT 2026 examination through the application form, candidates should take into consideration the following points:

• Check all the information provided on the CAT application form before submission.
• After submission of the application form, it will be difficult to edit any details. Therefore, candidates should go through the form carefully before submission.
• It is advised that the candidates maintain copies of the CAT application fee receipt along with the application form.
• Maintain a copy of the CAT registration confirmation e-mail till the completion of the MBA admissions process.

CAT 2026 Registration: Instructions for Reserved Category Candidates

• Candidates applying in reserved categories should adhere to the detailed instructions issued for that particular category.
  
• Candidates should upload the relevant category certificates in the stipulated format.
  
• Candidates applying in the categories of EWS, NC-OBC, SC/ST should give details of the certificate and upload the required certificate as per the instructions on the CAT website.
  
• Candidates applying in the PwD/PwBD category should give the disability details and upload the required certificate.
  
• Candidates applying for wheelchair support and scribes are required to give the relevant details as per the requirement.
  
• Candidates who require scribes should adhere to the scribe-related instructions issued by CAT within the stipulated time frame.

CAT Application Process: Errors to Avoid

CAT application process permits edits only to certain fields in the correction period. Hence, students are advised to complete the form with care from the beginning itself.

• It is advisable to use an active email ID and mobile number, as all communication regarding CAT will be carried out through these means.
  
• Carefully select the CAT test centers as per your convenience on the test day.
  
• Carefully choose the IIM programs, as these choices from the application form will be considered in the admission process.
  
• Carefully choose the IIM interview centers, wherever applicable.
• Fill the correct information regarding Class 10, Class 12, graduation, and other academic information.
  
• Give the correct information regarding work experience, wherever applicable.
  
• Upload the valid certificate in the prescribed format for the relevant category and PwD/PwBD, and other relevant information.
  
• Make sure that the payment of application fee has been made successfully.
  
• Save the CAT application form in your computer after submitting it successfully.

CAT 2026 form correction window will only let candidates correct themselves in the mentioned columns. They may upload an improved picture of the photograph and signature and change the preference of test city. The steps of CAT 2026 form correction are:

• Go to the CAT Website – www.iimcat.ac.in.
• Select the Login option.
• Enter your User ID and Password.
• Select Application Form.
• Click on the relevant part and make changes in photograph, signature and test city preference.
• Put the CAPTCHA code and click on the Continue button.