CAT 2026 Registration Last Date Tomorrow; Apply by September 15 at 5 PM
CAT 2026 registration closes tomorrow, September 15, at 5 PM, giving MBA aspirants less than a day to complete the Common Admission Test application process. IIM Indore is conducting CAT 2026, which will be held on November 29 in three sessions.
Candidates who have started but not completed their applications should not wait until the final hour. Registration involves personal information, academic details, program choices, test-city preferences, document uploads and online payment.
CAT 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Registration Opened | August 3, 2026 at 10 AM |
| Registration Closes | September 15, 2026 at 5 PM |
| Admit Card Download Begins | November 4, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam | November 29, 2026 |
| Conducting Institute | IIM Indore |
Apply Before 5 PM, Not at 4:59 PM
The deadline is specific: September 15 at 5 PM.
Candidates should not assume registration will remain open until midnight.
A last-minute payment failure or image-upload error can leave an eligible candidate without an application.
How to Apply for CAT 2026
- Open the official CAT website.
- Complete new candidate registration if required.
- Verify email and mobile details.
- Fill personal information.
- Enter academic details.
- Add work-experience information where applicable.
- Select IIM programs.
- Choose test cities.
- Upload required documents.
- Pay the application fee.
- Download confirmation.
CAT 2026 Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
| General/EWS/NC-OBC | Rs 2,700 |
| SC/ST/PwBD | Rs 1,350 |
The fee is paid once even if a candidate selects multiple IIM programs under the application framework.
CAT 2026 Eligibility
General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates ordinarily need a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA.
SC, ST and PwBD candidates receive the applicable relaxation to 45%.
Final-year bachelor's students may also be eligible subject to the rules in the CAT notification.
Check Your Name Carefully
The name entered in CAT registration should be consistent with the candidate's official documentation.
Do not casually shorten names or introduce different spellings.
The same applies to date of birth and category information.
Category Certificates Matter
Candidates claiming reservation benefits should ensure that their category information and supporting documentation meet CAT requirements.
Do not select a category simply because you believe a certificate can be arranged later.
Choose Test Cities Strategically
CAT is expected to be conducted across around 170 test cities.
Candidates should choose city preferences they can realistically reach.
Do not choose a distant city only because someone claims it offers an easier test centre.
CAT difficulty is not determined by city.
CAT 2026 Will Be Held November 29
The examination is scheduled for November 29 in three sessions.
That leaves candidates roughly two and a half months after registration closes for final preparation.
This period can produce substantial improvement when used systematically.
CAT Has Three Major Sections
The examination assesses:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
- Quantitative Ability
Candidates should check the official exam information for the final pattern applicable to CAT 2026.
Sectional Performance Is Important
A strong overall percentile does not always compensate for an extremely weak section.
Many IIMs use sectional thresholds when shortlisting candidates.
Preparation should therefore remain balanced.
VARC Preparation Needs Daily Reading
Reading comprehension is difficult to improve through last-minute formula memorization.
Students should read editorials, essays and long-form material regularly.
Focus on understanding:
- Main argument
- Author's tone
- Inference
- Paragraph relationships
- Purpose
DILR Requires Set Selection
A major CAT skill is recognizing which set should not be attempted.
Spending twenty minutes on one impossible set can damage an otherwise strong examination.
Practise scanning sets before committing.
Quantitative Ability Needs Fundamentals
Candidates should strengthen arithmetic, algebra, geometry and other syllabus areas according to the current CAT framework.
Speed improves when fundamental concepts become automatic.
Mock Tests Should Increase Gradually
Do not take a full mock every day if there is no time to analyze mistakes.
A mock is useful only when the candidate understands why marks were lost.
Track Errors, Not Only Percentiles
After each mock, classify errors:
- Concept not known
- Question misread
- Calculation mistake
- Poor set selection
- Excessive guessing
- Time pressure
CAT Percentile Is Relative
A percentile is not the same as percentage marks.
Your final percentile depends on your performance relative to the candidate population and the examination's scoring and normalization methodology.
A 99 Percentile Does Not Guarantee Every IIM Call
IIMs can consider factors beyond overall CAT percentile.
Depending on the institute, these can include:
- Sectional CAT score
- Class 10 performance
- Class 12 performance
- Graduation marks
- Work experience
- Academic diversity
- Gender diversity
Each IIM publishes its own admission policy.
Do Not Leave Application Payment Incomplete
Filling all form fields without successful payment may leave the registration incomplete.
Check that the final application status confirms submission.
Save the Application PDF
After completing registration, save:
- Application confirmation
- Payment receipt
- Registration ID
- Password securely
Beware of Fake CAT Registration Websites
CAT attracts phishing attempts.
Use the official CAT application portal rather than links sent through unknown messages.
No private agent is needed to submit the form.
What to Do After Registration
Once the application is complete, stop repeatedly checking it unless a correction facility is officially announced.
Move attention back to preparation.
The September-November period should be used for mock analysis and revision.
Final Takeaway
CAT 2026 registration closes on September 15 at 5 PM, and candidates who still intend to appear should submit the application well before the deadline.
IIM Indore will conduct CAT on November 29 in three sessions.
Completing the application secures the opportunity to take the examination. What candidates do with the remaining preparation period will determine how effectively they use that opportunity.
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