CAT 2026 Correction Window: How to Fix a Form Mistake
Published 3 September 2026 · 7 min read · Common Admission Test
Three things can be changed after you submit the CAT 2026 form: your photograph, your signature and your test city preferences. Everything else is locked. If your mistake sits outside those three, call the toll-free helpline on 1800 210 0175 or raise a ticket on the Grievance Portal. Do it before registration closes at 5 PM on 15 September 2026.
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Three things can be changed after you submit the CAT 2026 form: your photograph, your signature and your test city preferences. Everything else is locked. If your mistake sits outside those three, call the toll-free helpline on 1800 210 0175 or raise a ticket on the Grievance Portal. Do it before registration closes at 5 PM on 15 September 2026.
What you can fix and where to go
Where the mistake is | What you can do about it |
|---|---|
Photograph or signature | Replace it in the correction window after registration closes |
Test city preferences | Reorder or change them in the correction window |
Name, date of birth or gender | Locked. Raise a ticket now, before the deadline |
Email or mobile number | Locked. Keep the old one active and raise a ticket |
Locked. No category change is permitted after registration | |
Academic details or percentage | Locked. Raise a ticket with your marksheet ready |
Programme choices across the IIMs | Locked once the form is submitted |
Paid twice by mistake | A payment issue. Call the toll-free desk with your transaction reference |
Form saved but not submitted | Nothing to worry about. Log in, edit and submit again |
Source: CAT 2026 Information Bulletin, IIM Indore, iimcat.ac.in.
First question: have you already submitted the form?
This changes everything, so check before you panic.
Your name, DOB, mobile number and email are already locked once the initial New Candidate Registration is completed. Log back in at iimcat.ac.in, open the section with the error, correct it and submit. You can do this as often as you like until you submit and pay.
If you have submitted and paid, your dashboard shows the registration as complete. From that point only the three fields listed above can move.
What the correction window covers
The correction window opens after registration closes and lets you edit the photograph, the signature and your test city preferences. That is the full list. It is open only to candidates who registered and paid successfully inside the window, so a half-finished form does not get a second life here.
IIM Indore announces the dates on iimcat.ac.in. You will see 27 September doing the rounds on coaching sites. It is not in the official bulletin, so watch the site rather than a forum post.
One thing worth planning for: if your photo was rejected or looks wrong, get the replacement ready now, sized to the specs in the registration guide. The window is short and it is not the moment to start hunting for a photo studio.
If the mistake is in a locked field
Act while registration is still open. A wrong entry is far easier to sort out before 15 September than after, because until then the desk can still see a live application.
Be realistic about what you are asking for. The bulletin does not promise changes outside the three correction fields, so a ticket is a request and not a guaranteed fix. Raise it anyway, in writing. Keep the ticket number.
Which mistakes are seriously worth chasing
- Your name. The name on your admit card has to match the photo ID you carry on exam day. A spelling that does not match your ID is worth a call, not a shrug.
- Date of birth. CAT has no age limit. DOB matters for identity/data verification, but not an age-eligibility test.
- Academic percentage. It is used for eligibility and for IIM shortlisting scores. A typo here can follow you into the shortlist stage.
Which ones are not worth losing sleep over
- A photo that meets the specs but you do not love. It is an identity check, not a portrait.
- Test cities you would now rank differently. That is exactly what the correction window is for.
- A blank optional field. If the form let you submit, it was optional.
The official CAT 2026 contacts
There are two desks and they handle different things. Calling the wrong one costs you a day.
What it covers | Desk | Contact and timings |
|---|---|---|
Registration, application, payment, document upload | Toll-free helpline | 1800 210 0175. Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, excluding holidays |
Eligibility, category, PwBD certificate | CAT 2026 Centre, IIM Indore | +91 731 2439402 or cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in. Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm |
Anything you want on record | Grievance Portal | Inside the Registered Candidate Login on iimcat.ac.in |
The Grievance Portal sits as a tab inside your candidate login on iimcat.ac.in. Use it when you want a tracked ticket instead of an email that disappears. Describe the field, what it says now, what it should say and your registration number.
One warning that comes straight from the official press release. iimcat.ac.in is the only official site. Anyone offering to edit your form, fix your category or arrange a seat for a fee is running a scam. No agent has access to your application.
What to check before you submit, if you have not yet
Five minutes here saves a fortnight of tickets.
- Name, date of birth and gender, read letter by letter against your Class 10/SSC certificate or your photo ID.
- Academic percentages, copied from the marksheet, not from memory.
- Email and mobile number, both working and both yours. Every update comes to them and neither can be changed later.
- Test cities, all five, in the order you would really travel.
- Programme choices across the IIMs, since these lock too.
Then preview the whole form once more before you submit. The preview screen is the last place a wrong entry is free to fix.
After the form is sorted
Fix what you can, raise a ticket for what you cannot, then put it down. The form is administration. Your score is the thing that decides where you end up. There are still weeks of preparation between now and 29 November. A daily set of questions at Daily Challenge is a better use of tomorrow evening than refreshing your application status.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the CAT 2026 correction window open?
After registration closes on 15 September 2026. IIM Indore announces the exact dates on iimcat.ac.in. A date of 27 September is circulating on coaching sites but does not appear in the official bulletin, so treat it as unconfirmed.
What can I edit in the CAT 2026 correction window?
Your photograph, your signature and your test city preferences. Nothing else. The window is open only to candidates who registered and paid successfully before the deadline.
Can I change my name or date of birth in the CAT 2026 form after submitting?
Not through the form. These fields lock at submission. Raise a ticket on the Grievance Portal or call the toll-free helpline on 1800 210 0175 while registration is still open. Keep your supporting documents ready. The bulletin does not promise a change, so the sooner you report it, the better your chances.
Can I change my category after registering for CAT 2026?
No. Category cannot be changed once you have registered, which is why the certificate has to be uploaded during registration. For anything to do with category or a PwBD certificate, contact the CAT 2026 Centre at IIM Indore on +91 731 2439402 or cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in.
What is the official CAT 2026 email address and helpline number?
The toll-free helpline is 1800 210 0175, open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, for registration, payment and upload problems. The CAT 2026 Centre at IIM Indore is on +91 731 2439402 and cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in, Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, for eligibility and category questions.
I paid the CAT 2026 fee twice. Will I get a refund?
Call the toll-free helpline with your transaction reference and registration number. Duplicate payments are a payment issue rather than an application one. The registration fee itself is non-refundable, so do not expect money back for choosing not to sit the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the CAT 2026 correction window open?
After registration closes on 15 September 2026. IIM Indore announces the exact dates on iimcat.ac.in. A date of 27 September is circulating on coaching sites but does not appear in the official bulletin, so treat it as unconfirmed.
What can I edit in the CAT 2026 correction window?
Your photograph, your signature and your test city preferences. Nothing else. The window is open only to candidates who registered and paid successfully before the deadline.
Can I change my name or date of birth in the CAT 2026 form after submitting?
Not through the form. These fields lock at submission. Raise a ticket on the Grievance Portal or call the toll-free helpline on 1800 210 0175 while registration is still open. Keep your supporting documents ready. The bulletin does not promise a change, so the sooner you report it, the better your chances.
Can I change my category after registering for CAT 2026?
No. Category cannot be changed once you have registered, which is why the certificate has to be uploaded during registration. For anything to do with category or a PwBD certificate, contact the CAT 2026 Centre at IIM Indore on +91 731 2439402 or cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in.
What is the official CAT 2026 email address and helpline number?
The toll-free helpline is 1800 210 0175, open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, for registration, payment and upload problems. The CAT 2026 Centre at IIM Indore is on +91 731 2439402 and cat2026_helpdesk@iimidr.ac.in, Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, for eligibility and category questions.
I paid the CAT 2026 fee twice. Will I get a refund?
Call the toll-free helpline with your transaction reference and registration number. Duplicate payments are a payment issue rather than an application one. The registration fee itself is non-refundable, so do not expect money back for choosing not to sit the exam.