LIVECAT 2026 Registration Last Date Extended: Check New Deadline, Application Steps and Exam Date Here

The CAT 2026 registration last date has been extended to September 22, 2026, at 5 PM, giving MBA aspirants an additional week to complete their applications. Candidates who could not submit the form by the earlier September 15 deadline can now register for the CAT 2026 exam. IIM Indore is conducting the examination, which is scheduled for November 29 in three sessions.

The extension is particularly useful for candidates who were still completing their academic details, uploading documents or finalising their test-city preferences. However, aspirants should avoid waiting until the last few hours because payment or document-upload issues could affect successful submission. However candidates can also check the CAT 2026 exam details for all the relevant information.

CAT Registration 2026 Last Date: Check Revised Schedule

The CAT 2026 registration window opened on August 3. With the latest extension, candidates now have until September 22 to complete the application process.

For candidates planning their MBA entrance strategy, the CAT 2026 exam remains the major admission test for IIMs and several other leading business schools.

CAT 2026 Eligibility: Who Can Apply?

Before submitting the application, candidates should verify the CAT eligibility criteria 2026. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with at least 50% aggregate marks for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. The minimum requirement is 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

Final-year graduation students can also apply, subject to the conditions specified by the conducting institute. Work experience is not mandatory for appearing in CAT, and there is no prescribed upper age limit. Candidates should ensure that their academic information is entered correctly because not every application detail may be editable after submission.

CAT 2026 Application Form: How to Apply Before September 22?

The extended deadline gives candidates additional time to complete the CAT 2026 application form carefully. Applicants should keep their documents ready before starting the process.

1. Visit the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in.
2. Complete new candidate registration using the required details.
3. Log in with the generated User ID and password.
4. Enter personal, academic and work experience details.
5. Select the preferred IIM programmes.
6. Choose up to five preferred test cities.
7. Upload the required photograph, signature and certificates.
8. Review all details carefully.
9. Pay the applicable registration fee.
10. Submit the form and save the confirmation details.

Candidates should not consider registration complete until the application has been submitted and the fee payment has been successfully processed.

CAT 2026 Application Fee and Documents

The CAT 2026 application fee is Rs 2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. SC, ST and PwD candidates have to pay Rs 1,350.

Applicants should keep their academic records, photograph, signature and category certificate, wherever applicable, ready while filling out the form. The details entered in the application should match the candidate's official documents.

CAT 2026 Correction Window: What Can Be Edited?

After the registration deadline, successfully registered candidates who have paid the application fee will get a limited CAT 2026 correction window. As per the latest update, candidates will be allowed to edit their photograph, signature and test-city preferences. The correction facility will not necessarily allow changes to every field, so candidates should verify academic and category information before submitting the application.

CAT 2026 Exam Date and Pattern

The CAT 2026 exam date is November 29. IIM Indore will conduct the examination in three sessions across approximately 170 cities. The paper will comprise three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Each section will have a separate time limit.

Candidates who have already registered should now shift their focus towards mock tests, sectional practice and revision. Those who have not registered should first complete the application before the revised deadline.

CAT 2026 Cutoff and Admission: What Happens After the Exam?

Registration is only the first stage of the MBA admission journey. After the CAT 2026 result, IIMs and other participating institutes will shortlist candidates according to their individual admission policies. Also candidates can check CAT 2026 Cutoff for complete details of the previous years cutoff updates.

A qualifying percentile does not automatically guarantee an interview call. The required percentile can vary by institute and category, while the final selection may also consider academic performance, work experience, diversity factors, written assessments and interviews. Therefore, candidates should focus on maximising their CAT percentile rather than targeting only the minimum qualifying cutoff.

CAT 2026 Registration: What Should Candidates Do Now?

Candidates who have not applied should use the extended window and complete the form well before September 22 at 5 PM. Waiting until the deadline could create unnecessary problems if the portal experiences heavy traffic or payment and upload issues.

Candidates who have already submitted their forms should save their application details and monitor the official website for the correction window and admit card. The CAT 2026 admit card is scheduled to be released on November 4. The examination will then be followed by the result and the individual admission processes of IIMs and other participating B-schools.

CAT Registration 2026 FAQs