CAT 2026 Official Notification Out; Registration Opens August 3

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 notification has been officially issued on the IIM CAT portal, iimcat.ac.in, marking the beginning of the admissions cycle for the country's most prestigious management programmes offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and several other top-tier institutions.

Registration Schedule

Prospective candidates can begin submitting their applications starting August 3, 2026, as per the official notification. Aspirants are advised to keep a close watch on the official website for further updates regarding the closing date for registration and other important milestones in the CAT 2026 examination calendar.

About CAT 2026

CAT is a national-level management entrance examination conducted annually by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis. The scores are accepted by all 21 IIMs and hundreds of other premier B-schools across India, including several NITs and institutes of national importance offering MBA and PGDM programmes.

Who Should Apply?

• Candidates holding a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) from a recognised university are eligible.
• Students in the final year of their graduation are also eligible to apply provisionally.
• Working professionals seeking admission to executive management programmes at IIMs may also appear for CAT 2026.

Key Steps to Register

• Visit the official CAT 2026 portal: iimcat.ac.in
• Create a new user account using a valid email ID and mobile number.
• Fill in academic and personal details carefully as per official documents.
• Upload scanned photograph and signature in the specified format.
• Pay the application fee through the online payment gateway.
• Download and save the confirmation page for future reference.

Importance of CAT for IIM Admissions

A strong CAT score is the primary gateway to admission in flagship programmes such as the PGP (Post Graduate Programme in Management) at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, and other IIMs. Beyond raw scores, IIMs also evaluate candidates on Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) rounds during the final selection process.

For the latest updates on CAT 2026 important dates, syllabus, exam pattern, and slot booking, candidates can also visit CollegeUnify for comprehensive guidance and preparation resources.

Official Notification & Apply Link

Candidates can access the official CAT 2026 notification and registration portal directly at: iimcat.ac.in — Official CAT 2026 Portal