CAT 2026 registration has been officially extended to September 22, 5 pm, following an update issued on September 15. The IIMs also signalled no further extensions. A brief post‑deadline edit window will open, but only for photo, signature and test‑city choices, so applicants should finish payment early.
CAT 2026 will run on Sunday, November 29, in three sessions, organised by IIM Indore. Candidates can rank five preferred test cities while applying. Fees this year are Rs 2,700 for General, EWS and NC‑OBC, and Rs 1,350 for SC, ST and PwD.
CAT 2026 registration deadline and edit window: what you can fix
Only paid applicants will access the limited correction window after registrations close. Use it to replace a blurred photograph, upload a clean signature, or reorder your five test‑city preferences. Fields like name, category, and academic scores remain locked; escalate only through the official helpdesk if advised.
CAT 2026 eligibility and category certificate validity
Eligibility remains straightforward: bachelor’s degree with at least 50 percent marks; 45 percent for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Persons with Disability candidates. For reservation claims, the Non‑Creamy Layer OBC and Economically Weaker Sections certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2026; older certificates are invalid for CAT.
CAT 2026 photo and signature specifications
Upload JPG or JPEG files under 80 KB each. Use a recent colour passport photograph against a plain background, approximately 30 mm by 45 mm. Sign in black or blue ink on white paper, then crop to about 80 mm by 35 mm. Avoid selfies, shadows, or over‑compressed images.
CAT 2026 test city selection and centre allotment
Choose cities in a practical cluster: one near home, two realistic backups, and two travel‑friendly alternates. Allotment depends on availability; high‑demand hubs may push you to the nearest city. Once allotted, centres and slots cannot be changed through the portal, so plan logistics before freezing choices.
Action this week matters. Submit the form well before September 22, 5 pm, with correct certificates and clean uploads. Then use the brief edit window smartly, download the admit card on November 4, and rehearse on the official mock so November 29 feels like a routine drill.
