CAT 2026 Notification Release: Key Dates and Registration

CAT 2026 will be held on Sunday, 29 November 2026 and will be conducted by IIM Indore. The official notification is expected on Sunday, 26 July 2026, the last Sunday of July, with registration opening in the first week of August.

Here are all the key dates, what the notification will confirm and how to get ahead before it's out.

At a Glance

When is the CAT 2026 notification expected?

The CAT 2026 notification is expected on Sunday, 26 July 2026. The conducting IIM releases it on the last Sunday of July every year, so that's the date to watch.

IIM Indore runs CAT 2026. For reference, the CAT 2025 notification came out on 27 July 2025, the last Sunday of that month. Until the 2026 notification is published on iimcat.ac.in, the dates below follow that pattern and last year's cycle, so treat them as expected rather than final.

CAT 2026 key dates

Only the exam date is close to fixed. Everything else firms up the moment the notification lands. For scale, about 2.95 lakh people registered for CAT 2025 and roughly 2.58 lakh sat the paper, so expect the same size of field.

On exam day, CAT runs in three slots, usually around 8:30 in the morning, 12:30 in the afternoon and 4:30 in the evening. Your slot is assigned, not chosen. Scores are normalised across slots, so no one is advantaged by an easier paper.

What the CAT 2026 notification will confirm

The notification is the official word. It turns every tentative date above into a firm one, then sets the rules for the cycle.

• The exact exam date, registration window and application fee.
• Eligibility, reservation and category rules.
• The list of test cities and the slot timings.
• The exam pattern and duration for the year.

The moment it's out, register early. The site slows down near the deadline every year, so there's no reason to wait.

CAT 2026 registration and fee

Registration runs online only, at iimcat.ac.in, for about 45 days. Going by last year, expect it to open in the first week of August and close in the third week of September, with a short form correction window just after.

The CAT 2025 fee was ₹2,600 for General, OBC and EWS candidates. It was ₹1,300 for SC, ST and PwD candidates. The 2026 fee will be set in the notification, so budget for something similar.

Eligibility is wide. A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, or 45% for reserved categories, is enough. Final-year students can apply too. There's no age limit and no cap on attempts.

How to get ready before the notification

Waiting for the notification is the one mistake you can skip. The dates don't change your prep. The people who start in July walk into November calm.

• Start structured practice now, so you're months in before registration even opens. Percentyl gives you a free daily RC set, a difficulty-tagged question bank and a study plan to follow.
• Check your eligibility and keep your degree marks handy.
• Keep a passport photo, a signature scan and a photo ID ready for the form.
• Shortlist five test cities you would be willing to travel to.

Do these four things and notification day becomes a ten-minute form, not a scramble.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the CAT 2026 notification be released?

It's expected on Sunday, 26 July 2026, the last Sunday of July. IIM Indore will publish it on iimcat.ac.in. The CAT 2025 notification came out on 27 July 2025, so the pattern is steady.

What is the CAT 2026 exam date?

Sunday, 29 November 2026. CAT is always held on the last Sunday of November, in three slots across the day.

When does CAT 2026 registration start?

Registration is expected to open in the first week of August 2026 and close in the third week of September. The notification will confirm the exact window.

Which IIM is conducting CAT 2026?

IIM Indore. A different IIM runs the exam each year. IIM Kozhikode conducted CAT 2025.

What is the CAT 2026 application fee?

The 2026 fee will be set in the notification. Last year it was ₹2,600 for General, OBC and EWS candidates and ₹1,300 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

Should I wait for the notification to start preparing?

No. The notification changes dates, not the syllabus. Start now on free structured material so you're well ahead by the time registration opens.