CAT

CAT 2026 - Overview

Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to Management & Business programmes across India. The exam is conducted in online mode with a duration of 2 hours for a total of 228 marks . CAT is held once a year. Currently, 31+ colleges in India accept CAT scores for admission. The next key date is CAT 2027 - Registration Opens on 05 Aug 2027.

CAT Important Dates

CAT 2027 - Registration Opens

05 Aug 2027, Thursday

CAT 2027 - Examination

28 Nov 2027, Sunday

CAT 2027 - Result Declaration

10 Jan 2028, Monday

CAT Important Dates

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Understanding the eligibility criteria is the first step towards preparing for Common Admission Test (CAT). The exam is conducted by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) at the national level for candidates seeking admission to Management & Business programmes across India. Candidates must carefully verify that they meet all requirements before filling the application form to avoid rejection at a later stage.

CAT Application Fee

CAT Counselling Process

CAT does not have a centralised counselling body like JoSAA or MCC. Each IIM and CAT-accepting institution conducts its own independent selection process. Here is the step-by-step post-result counselling flow for 2024-25:

Note: Candidates should track each institute's official website individually, as offer deadlines and rounds vary significantly across IIMs and non-IIM institutes.

• CAT Result Declaration (January 2025): IIM Calcutta (CAT 2024 convening IIM) releases results on the official CAT website. Candidates receive section-wise and overall scaled scores along with percentiles.
• Shortlisting by Individual IIMs & Institutes: Each of the 21 IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, etc.) and 1000+ non-IIM institutions (SPJIMR, MDI, FMS Delhi, NITIE, JBIMS) shortlist candidates independently based on CAT percentile cutoffs, academic profile, work experience, and diversity factors.
• Written Ability Test (WAT) / Essay: Shortlisted candidates appear for a WAT round conducted at respective campuses, testing written communication and analytical thinking.
• Personal Interview (PI): Institutes hold PI rounds between February and April. IIMs typically conduct interviews on their own campuses. Panels assess leadership potential, domain knowledge, and situational judgement.
• Final Merit List & Offer Letters: Institutes prepare a composite score (CAT score + WAT + PI + academic profile) and release final selection lists or waiting lists. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore typically release offers by April.
• Document Verification: Selected candidates submit graduation certificates, mark sheets, category certificates (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD), work experience proof, and photo ID for verification - either physically at the campus or via a verified online portal.
• Fee Payment & Seat Acceptance: Candidates pay the programme fee (ranging from ₹23 lakh for IIM Calcutta to ₹24 lakh for IIM Ahmedabad for the 2024-26 batch) to confirm seat acceptance within the stipulated deadline, or forfeit the offer.
• Reporting & Orientation: Final joining and campus reporting for PGP/MBA programmes typically occurs in June. Non-IIM institutes such as FMS Delhi (University of Delhi) and JBIMS (Mumbai University) follow their own fee and reporting schedules aligned with their respective university calendars.

CAT 2026 Cutoff Scores

CAT cutoff is the minimum score required by candidates to qualify the examination and become eligible for the next stage of admission. The cutoff is determined by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) based on factors like total number of candidates, difficulty level of the paper, and availability of seats. The exam is conducted for a total of 228 marks. Candidates from reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) generally have lower cutoff scores compared to the General category.

Cutoff Data Not Yet Available

CAT 2026 cutoff scores will be published after the results are declared. Check back for updates.

How CAT Cutoff is Determined

Difficulty Level

The overall difficulty of the question paper directly affects cutoff scores.

Number of Candidates

Higher participation generally leads to higher cutoff scores due to increased competition.

Available Seats

The total number of seats across participating institutes impacts how many candidates qualify.

Reservation Policy

Different cutoffs apply for General, OBC, SC, ST, and PwD categories as per government norms.

Top Colleges Accepting CAT 2026

A total of 31+ colleges and institutions across India accept CAT scores for admission to Management & Business programmes . This includes 18 government and 2 private institutions. These colleges are spread across 12 states including Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, and more . The highest-rated institution is Indian Institute of Management Bangalore with a rating of 4.80/5.

Important Points to Remember

Verify your eligibility well before the application deadline to avoid last-minute issues.

Keep all required documents (marksheets, certificates, ID proof) ready before starting the application.

Final-year students can usually apply provisionally - check the official notification for details.

Always refer to the official CAT website for the most up-to-date eligibility norms.

Reading Comprehension

• Long-form RC passages (500-700 words) from domains such as economics, social sciences, history, science, philosophy, and literature
• Inference-based questions, author's tone and purpose, title/theme identification
• Vocabulary in context, fact vs. opinion distinction
• Typically 3-4 RC passages with 4-6 questions each

Verbal Ability

• Para Jumbles: Rearranging 4-5 sentences into a coherent paragraph (TITA format)
• Para Summary: Selecting the best one-line summary for a given paragraph
• Odd Sentence Out: Identifying the sentence that does not belong in a paragraph (TITA format)
• Sentence Completion and Sentence Correction
• Critical Reasoning and Logical Flow of Paragraphs

Data Interpretation

• Tables: Single and multi-variable data sets
• Bar Charts: Simple, stacked, and grouped bar graphs
• Line Graphs: Single and multiple variable trends
• Pie Charts: Proportional and percentage-based data
• Caselets: Paragraph-based data (no visual representation)
• Combination charts and mixed DI sets

Logical Reasoning

• Seating Arrangements: Linear, circular, and complex multi-row arrangements
• Puzzles: Scheduling, distribution, and assignment-based problems
• Blood Relations and family tree problems
• Direction and Distance problems
• Binary Logic: Truth-teller and liar puzzles
• Venn Diagrams and set-based reasoning
• Games and Tournaments: Knockout rounds, league tables, point systems
• Network and Route-based reasoning

Arithmetic

• Percentages, Profit & Loss, Discount
• Ratio & Proportion, Mixtures & Alligation
• Simple Interest & Compound Interest
• Time, Speed & Distance; Time & Work
• Pipes & Cisterns, Boats & Streams

Algebra

• Linear and Quadratic Equations
• Inequalities and Modulus
• Functions, Graphs, and their properties
• Logarithms and Surds & Indices
• Progressions: AP, GP, HP; Special series

Number System

• Divisibility Rules, Factors and Multiples
• HCF, LCM and their applications
• Remainders: Chinese Remainder Theorem concepts
• Base conversion and Digital roots
• Prime numbers, Unit digit cycles

Geometry & Mensuration

• Lines, Angles, Triangles (similarity, congruence, Pythagoras)
• Circles: Chords, tangents, arcs, sectors
• Quadrilaterals and Polygons
• Coordinate Geometry: Distance, slope, section formula
• 3D Mensuration: Cylinder, Cone, Sphere, Cuboid

Modern Mathematics

• Permutation & Combination
• Probability (basic and conditional)
• Set Theory and Venn Diagrams
• Matrices and Determinants (basic level)

Top CAT Colleges - at a Glance

Subject-Wise Recommended Books

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, How to Read Better and Faster by Norman Lewis, and practice RC passages from Arun Sharma's CAT VARC guide.
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma, and Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation by Nishit K. Sinha.
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA): Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma or Nishit K. Sinha, and NCERT Mathematics (Class 8-10) for fundamentals.

Study Schedule

Dedicate at least 4-6 months for serious CAT preparation. Split daily study into three blocks: 2 hours for QA, 1.5 hours for VARC, and 1.5 hours for DILR. Reserve weekends entirely for full-length practice tests and analysis. In the final month, shift to 2 practice tests per week with deep error analysis.

practice tests Strategy

Start attempting sectional practice tests after 6-8 weeks of concept building. Move to full-length CAT practice tests (IIM-pattern, 40 questions, 120 minutes) from week 10 onward. Analyse every mock thoroughly - identify weak areas, time leaks, and accuracy trends. Use practice tests from platforms like IMS, TIME, or Career Launcher for realistic simulation.

Important Topics

• QA: Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, profit & loss), Algebra, Number System, Geometry & Mensuration, and Permutation & Combination.
• DILR: Tables, Bar & Pie Charts, Arrangements (linear/circular), Blood Relations, Games & Tournaments.
• VARC: Reading Comprehension (4-5 passages per slot), Para-jumbles, Para-summary, and Odd Sentence Out.

Negative Marking Awareness

CAT 2024 carries a penalty of −1 mark for each wrong MCQ answer, while TITA (Type In The Answer) questions carry no negative marking. Prioritise accuracy over attempts - an ideal attempt of 50-55 questions with 85%+ accuracy scores better than 65 attempts with 70% accuracy.

Exam-Day Tips

Carry your CAT admit card and a valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, or Passport). The exam is held across three slots; results are normalised across slots. Reach the centre at least 45 minutes early. Begin each section with questions you are most confident about to build momentum and manage the sectional time limit effectively.