CAT 2026 is the gateway to the 21 IIMs and 1,200+ B-schools that accept the score, and the official notification is now only weeks away. Conducted by IIM Indore, CAT 2026 will be held on Sunday, 29 November 2026, with the formal notification expected in the last week of July and registration opening in the first week of August on iimcat.ac.in. This pillar guide consolidates every confirmed detail — exam date, three-section pattern, marking scheme, eligibility, fees, score validity — and pairs it with a strategy block built around the latest IIM Ahmedabad selection criteria (PI now carries 50% weight) and the 2026 placement scoreboard that has already crossed Rs. 1 crore at IIM Lucknow.
CAT 2026 — Key Dates at a Glance
- Exam date: Sunday, 29 November 2026
- Conducting IIM: IIM Indore
- Notification (expected): Last week of July 2026 (~26–27 July)
- Registration window: First week of August to mid-September 2026
- Admit card: Early November 2026
- Result: First week of January 2027
- Official portal: iimcat.ac.in
The dates above follow the historical convening pattern that IIM CAT has used for the last decade. They will be locked the day the notification PDF goes live. Bookmark the official portal — only iimcat.ac.in is the source of truth; no notification or registration link is published anywhere else.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern — Three Sections, 40 Minutes Each
CAT 2026 will retain the three-section structure that has been stable since 2021:
| Section | Questions | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 min | 72 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 40 min | 66 |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 40 min | 66 |
| Total | 68 | 120 min | 204 |
Sections are timed independently — once 40 minutes expire on VARC, the section closes and you cannot return. The exam carries both Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) non-MCQ questions.
Marking Scheme
- +3 marks for every correct answer (MCQ and TITA both)
- -1 mark for an incorrect MCQ
- No negative marking on TITA / non-MCQ questions
- No marks deducted for an unattempted question
The asymmetric penalty makes TITA questions a strategic playground — you can attempt them aggressively without downside risk. In QA and DILR, where TITA share is highest, this is where serious attempts get scored.
Eligibility Criteria
To register for CAT 2026 a candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree (any discipline) with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD), or possess a CA/CS/ICWA professional qualification. Final-year graduates can also apply on a provisional basis. There is no age limit and no cap on the number of CAT attempts.
Application Fee
- General / NC-OBC / EWS: Approximately Rs. 2,400
- SC / ST / PwD: Approximately Rs. 1,200
Final fee will be confirmed in the notification PDF. CAT 2025 had charged Rs. 2,500 / Rs. 1,250 — expect a marginal revision.
Score Validity
The CAT 2026 scorecard is valid for one admission cycle only — i.e., admissions to the 2027–29 batch. Non-IIM B-schools (FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IMI, IMT, etc.) accept CAT scores for the same cycle; the score does not carry forward.
What Changed in the 2026 Cycle — Why It Affects CAT 2026 Aspirants
The 2026 admission cycle (CAT 2025 takers) has already exposed several signals that should shape CAT 2026 strategy:
1. IIM Ahmedabad has raised the cutoff bar and rebalanced weightage
For PGP 2026–28, IIMA’s qualifying CAT cutoffs were 95 overall + 85 sectional for General/EWS, with category-wise floors moving up correspondingly. More importantly, the final stage now weighs Personal Interview at 50%, CAT at 25%, Application Rating at 15%, and Academic Writing Test at 10%. Read the official structure on the IIMA admissions page. Implication: a 99 percentile alone no longer guarantees an IIMA seat — PI and AWT preparation now decide more than half the outcome.
2. The IIM-ABC final result calendar is now late-April to mid-May
For the 2026 cycle, final admission status was released by IIM Jammu (8 May), IIM Nagpur (8 May) and IIM Mumbai (20 May). IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta have followed parallel timelines. CAT 2026 aspirants should mentally plan a 5-month admission cycle from January 2027 (result) to May 2027 (final offers) — and a further 4–6 weeks of waitlist movement after.
3. Placement scoreboard 2026 — every top IIM has set new records
- IIM Lucknow: Domestic highest crossed Rs. 1 crore for the first time; average CTC Rs. 33.2 LPA.
- IIM Mumbai: Highest domestic Rs. 71.4 LPA; 33% YoY growth in BFSI hiring.
- IIM Bangalore: Median Rs. 32.61 LPA; consulting captured 38% of all summer offers.
- IIM Calcutta: 458 students, 542 offers from 200+ recruiters, 100% placement.
- IIM Ahmedabad: 100% placement; strong cohort movement into PE/VC, renewable energy, pharma analytics.
The placement signal is consistent: top-tier consulting (BCG, Bain, McKinsey, Accenture Strategy) and BFSI are absorbing the largest cohorts, with strong rebounds across pharma and ESG sectors.
CAT 2026 Preparation Strategy — Section-Wise Playbook
VARC (24 questions / 40 minutes)
Reading Comprehension accounts for roughly 70% of VARC marks. Build a daily reading habit on long-form opinion writing — The Hindu opinion page, Livemint opinion, and Business Standard editorials are calibrated to CAT-level density. Para-summary and para-jumble TITAs reward elimination — do not over-commit time guessing.
DILR (22 questions / 40 minutes)
This section decides percentile spread more than any other. Solve 2 full set-puzzles a day from puzzle types — arrangements, distributions, matrix-based DI, games & tournaments. The 2025 paper carried unusually heavy logic puzzles; expect that pattern to repeat. Set selection (picking which 3–4 sets to attempt) is a learnable skill — start practising under 40-minute timers from August 2026.
QA (22 questions / 40 minutes)
Arithmetic dominates the section (~50% of QA questions). Master percentages, ratios, profit-loss, time-speed-distance and time-work first; algebra and geometry follow. Aim to clear basics by August 2026 and shift to advanced + speed drills from September onwards.
A 6-Month Calendar for the CAT 2026 Aspirant (June – November 2026)
- June 2026: Diagnostic test. Lock concept gaps. Build daily reading and one-puzzle-a-day habit.
- July 2026: Concept coverage — VARC RC + Vocab; QA basics; DILR core puzzles. Notification drops by end-July; complete registration in early August.
- August 2026: First sectional mocks. Re-attempt mistakes. Begin set-selection drills.
- September 2026: Full-length mocks every Sunday. Build a personal mistake-log notebook.
- October 2026: Mock density rises to 2 per week. Targeted weakness drilling. Avoid new theory.
- November 2026: Taper. 1 full mock + analysis per week. Admit card download. Test-day simulation. CAT exam on 29 November.
Why CAT Gurukul
CAT Gurukul is built specifically for the serious CAT/IIM aspirant — full mock test architecture mirroring iimcat.ac.in’s interface, sectional drills weighted to the latest pattern, structured PI/AWT modules in line with the new IIMA 50% PI rule, and individual mentoring through the result and conversion phase. Explore the full curriculum on the CAT Gurukul homepage, browse our course catalogue, study the CAT syllabus breakdown, or reach the counselling desk via our contact page.
Practice Quiz — 10 Questions on CAT 2026
Quick self-check on the basics. The quiz below works on any device.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is CAT 2026 exam scheduled?
CAT 2026 will be held on Sunday, 29 November 2026, in a single computer-based test session with three 40-minute sections.
Which IIM will conduct CAT 2026?
IIM Indore is the convening institute for CAT 2026, taking over from the previous cycle’s conducting IIM.
What is the CAT 2026 syllabus?
Three sections — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (24 Qs), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (22 Qs) and Quantitative Ability (22 Qs). Total 68 questions, 204 marks. The syllabus has stayed stable since 2021; the official notification will confirm any change.
How many attempts are allowed in CAT?
There is no cap on the number of CAT attempts and no age limit. Anyone meeting the bachelor’s degree eligibility can register in any year.
Is CAT 2026 score valid for non-IIM B-schools too?
Yes. FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IMI Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad and over 1,200 other MBA programmes accept CAT scores for the same admission cycle. The score itself does not carry forward to the next year.
What is a good CAT 2026 score to target?
For the top-6 IIMs (A, B, C, L, K, I), aim for 99+ overall percentile and 90+ sectional. For the newer IIMs and FMS/MDI/SPJIMR, 95+ overall keeps you in interview consideration. IIMA’s 2026 cycle minimum was already 95 overall — assume that bar holds.
Talk to a CAT 2026 Mentor
Want a one-on-one diagnostic, a personalised 6-month plan, or guidance on shifting from a 90-percentile-stuck score to a 99+ trajectory? Call the CAT Gurukul mentorship desk at 7033005444 or visit catgurukul.com/contact. Build the score that opens an IIM offer letter — not just an admit card.
