CAT 2026 Registration to Begin Soon at iimcat.ac.in: Check Eligibility Criteria, Age Limit, Application Fee & Last Date

The wait is almost over for MBA aspirants. The CAT 2026 application form is expected to go live shortly, opening the gateway to admissions across the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and more than 1,300 top business schools in India. This year, CAT 2026 is expected to be conducted by IIM Indore, with the official notification anticipated in the last week of July 2026 and cat registration likely to begin in the first week of August on the official website, iimcat.ac.in.

Before you rush to fill the CAT application form, the single most important step is to confirm that you meet the CAT 2026 eligibility criteria in full. Every year, a section of candidates faces rejection or last-minute panic simply because they overlooked a marks requirement or a category-specific condition. Here is a complete, up-to-date breakdown of who can apply for cat 2026, the age limit, the expected fee, and who is not eligible.

CAT 2026 Registration Date (Expected): Notification, Form & Last Date

The Common Admission Test is conducted by one of the top IIMs on a rotational basis each year. CAT 2025 was held by IIM Kozhikode, and for the 2026 cycle IIM Indore is expected to take charge. Until the official notification is released, the schedule below is based on the current year's trends and should be treated as tentative.

The entire process — form filling, document upload and fee payment — is online only. No offline or paper-based submission is accepted at any stage.

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?

To be eligible to fill the CAT 2026 application form, a candidate must hold a bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration, or an equivalent qualification, from a university recognised by the relevant statutory authority.

Minimum Marks Required (Category-Wise)

The percentage of marks needed depends on the candidate's category. Importantly, these norms have remained consistent — the CAT 2026 eligibility criteria are effectively unchanged from the cat eligibility criteria 2024 and 2025, so returning aspirants need not relearn the rules.

Are Final-Year Students Eligible?

Yes. Candidates in the final year of their bachelor's degree, as well as those awaiting their final results, are permitted to apply — provided they can complete all degree requirements, including practicals and viva, within the timeline specified by the admitting institute. If selected, such candidates must submit a certificate from their institution confirming completion of the degree and the required marks.

 Can Candidates With Professional Qualifications Apply?

Absolutely. Holders of professional degrees such as CA, CS or ICWA (Cost Accountancy) — or an equivalent recognised professional qualification — are eligible for CAT 2026, as long as they satisfy the minimum marks requirement laid down for their category.

CAT 2026 Age Limit — Is There Any Upper Age Cap?

One of the biggest advantages of the CAT exam is that there is no age limit. Whether you are a fresh graduate straight out of college or a working professional with years of experience, you can appear for CAT 2026 regardless of your age. Similarly, there is no restriction on the number of attempts — you may take the exam as many times as you wish, provided you continue to meet the eligibility conditions.

 CAT 2026 Application Fee (Expected)

While the exact fee will be confirmed in the official notification, based on recent trends the application fee is expected to be as follows. The fee, once paid, is non-refundable.

How Percentage Is Calculated From CGPA

If a university awards grades or CGPA instead of percentage marks, the conversion to a percentage will be carried out using the university's own official conversion formula. Where no such formula exists, the percentage is arrived at by dividing the candidate's CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying by 100. Candidates may also list postgraduate qualifications on the form; while optional, providing complete academic details helps present a stronger profile during the selection stage.

 Who Is NOT Eligible for CAT 2026?

You will not be considered eligible for CAT 2026 if you:

• Do not hold a recognised bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification;

• Have scored below the minimum aggregate marks prescribed for your category (below 50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC, or below 45% for SC/ST/PwD);

• Are not currently in the final year of your bachelor's degree and do not already hold a completed qualifying degree.

Important — Clearing CAT Does Not Guarantee Admission

It is worth remembering that meeting the CAT 2026 eligibility criteria and scoring a high percentile only makes you eligible to enter the selection process. Final admission to the IIMs and other B-schools depends on multiple factors — your CAT score and percentile, institute-specific and category-specific cut-offs, past academic record, work experience, and your performance in the further rounds such as the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI), wherever applicable. Each institute publishes its own selection weightage, so candidates should track the shortlisting criteria of every college they target.

Aspirants are advised to keep visiting the official website, iimcat.ac.in, for the confirmed CAT 2026 notification, registration link and final schedule.