CAT 2026 Registrations See 3.7% Dip: 2.84 Lakh Candidates Apply for November 29 Exam
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026, conducted by IIM Indore, recorded approximately 2.84 lakh candidate registrations, representing a 3.7% decline from the 2.95 lakh applicants in 2025. The entrance examination is scheduled for November 29, 2026, across three computer-based shifts in 170 cities nationwide.
CAT 2026: The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026, organized by IIM Indore, has witnessed around 2.84 lakh registrations among candidates, a fall of 3.7% from 2.95 lakh registrations recorded in 2025. National level entrance exam for admission into MBA courses is scheduled for November 29, 2026, through three computer based shifts at 170 locations in the country. This marginal fall in registrations is the second consecutive year when there has been moderation in the registrations following an all time high of 3.29 lakh registrations recorded in 2024.
Even after taking note of this marginal fall, it needs to be remembered that the competition for the over 5,500 post graduate seats at 22 IIMs and 1,000-plus other non-IIM business schools continues to be fierce. CAT aspirants will be assessed on the basis of three major areas of testing, namely Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Official CAT admit cards will be available for download from November 4, 2026, at iimcat.ac.in.
CAT 2026 Exam & Registration Highlights
Below are the highlights related to the CAT 2026 Exam & Registration:
| Parameter | Official Details |
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 |
| Conducting Institute | Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore |
| Total Registered Candidates | ~2.84 Lakh |
| Year-on-Year Change | 3.7% Drop (Down from 2.95 lakh in 2025) |
| Official Website | |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Exam Slots & Mode | 3 Sessions, Computer-Based Test (CBT) across 170 cities |
| Expected Admit Card Date | November 4, 2026 |
CAT Registration Trends Over the Years
| CAT Exam Year | Conducting IIM | Total Registered Candidates | Percentage / Trend |
| CAT 2026 | IIM Indore | 2.84 Lakh | 3.7% vs 2025 |
| CAT 2025 | IIM Kozhikode | 2.95 Lakh | 10.3% vs 2024 |
| CAT 2024 | IIM Calcutta | 3.29 Lakh | Peak Registration |
| CAT 2023 | IIM Lucknow | 3.28 Lakh | 13% vs 2022 |
| CAT 2022 | IIM Bangalore | 2.55 Lakh | 10.4% vs 2021 |
| CAT 2021 | IIM Ahmedabad | 2.31 Lakh | — |
CAT 2026 Important Examination Guidelines
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Shift Allocation: CAT 2026 is to be held in three different shifts on November 29, 2026. The allocation of test sessions will be shown on the admit cards.
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Hall Tickets Availability: Hall tickets of the registered candidates will be made available to them at the official website iimcat.ac.in from November 4, 2026.
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Acceptance of Scores: Scores will be considered for shortlisting candidates for the admissions to the MBA/PGP course at 22 IIMs as well as over a thousand business schools for the 2027-29 intake year.
Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
