{"id":55,"date":"2026-01-14T10:04:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/?p=55"},"modified":"2026-01-14T10:04:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:04:30","slug":"cat-2026-exam-date-common-admission-test-details-for-iims-b-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/cat-2026-exam-date-common-admission-test-details-for-iims-b-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"CAT 2026 Exam Date \u2013 Common Admission Test Details for IIMs &amp; B-Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>CAT 2026 \u2013 Eligibility &amp; Details<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Common Admission Test (CAT)<\/strong> is a national-level entrance examination conducted for admission into <strong>IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management)<\/strong> and other top <strong>B-Schools<\/strong> in India. CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam, taken by lakhs of students every year for admission into <strong>MBA \/ PGDM<\/strong> programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CAT score is accepted by <strong>IIMs<\/strong>, <strong>FMS Delhi<\/strong>, <strong>SPJIMR<\/strong>, <strong>MDI Gurgaon<\/strong>, <strong>IMT<\/strong>, <strong>IIT Management departments<\/strong>, and many other reputed institutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CAT 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"940\" data-id=\"56\" src=\"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Gemini_Generated_Image_eiaogmeiaogmeiao.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56\" srcset=\"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Gemini_Generated_Image_eiaogmeiaogmeiao.png 1024w, https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Gemini_Generated_Image_eiaogmeiaogmeiao-300x275.png 300w, https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Gemini_Generated_Image_eiaogmeiaogmeiao-768x705.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>CAT 2026<\/strong> (Common Admission Test) is the most critical entrance exam for MBA\/PGDM aspirants aiming for the 21 IIMs and over 1,200 other top B-schools like FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, and MDI Gurgaon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the official notification is usually released in July, based on historical patterns and current academic calendars, here are the full details for the 2026 cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f <strong>CAT 2026 Exam Date (Expected)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As per past trends, <strong>CAT 2026<\/strong> is expected to be conducted in <strong>November 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcc5 Important Dates (Tentative)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CAT 2026 Notification:<\/strong> July 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Online Application Start:<\/strong> August 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Last Date to Apply:<\/strong> September 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Admit Card Release:<\/strong> October 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CAT 2026 Exam Date:<\/strong> <strong>November 2026 (Last Sunday \u2013 Expected)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Result Declaration:<\/strong> December 2026 \/ January 2027<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfeb <strong>Institutes Accepting CAT Score<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top IIMs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>IIM Ahmedabad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Bangalore<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Calcutta<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Lucknow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Kozhikode<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Indore<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIM Shillong<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New &amp; Baby IIMs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Top B-Schools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>FMS Delhi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SPJIMR Mumbai<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MDI Gurgaon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IMT Ghaziabad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IIT Delhi \/ Bombay \/ Kharagpur (MBA)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf93 <strong>CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714\ufe0f Candidate must have a <strong>Bachelor\u2019s degree<\/strong> with <strong>minimum 50% marks<\/strong><br>\u2714\ufe0f <strong>SC\/ST\/PwD:<\/strong> Minimum 45% marks<br>\u2714\ufe0f Final year graduation students can also apply<br>\u2714\ufe0f No age limit to appear for CAT<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udde0 <strong>CAT 2026 Exam Pattern<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The exam is a <strong>120-minute<\/strong> computer-based test divided into three mandatory sections of 40 minutes each. You cannot switch between sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><td><strong>Section<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Questions (Approx.)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Time Allotted<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>VARC<\/strong> (Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension)<\/td><td>24<\/td><td>40 Mins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>DILR<\/strong> (Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning)<\/td><td>22<\/td><td>40 Mins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>QA<\/strong> (Quantitative Aptitude)<\/td><td>22<\/td><td>40 Mins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Total<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>68<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>120 Mins<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mode:<\/strong> Computer Based Test (CBT)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 2 Hours<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sections:<\/strong>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension (VARC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning (DILR)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quantitative Aptitude (QA)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Total Questions:<\/strong> Around 68<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marking Scheme:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>+3 marks for correct answer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>-1 mark for wrong MCQ<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No negative marking for non-MCQs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Admission Process (IIMs &amp; B-Schools)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Scoring well in CAT is only the first step. The admission process usually follows this hierarchy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CAT Percentile:<\/strong> Shortlisting based on overall and sectional cutoffs (Top IIMs usually require <strong>99+ percentile<\/strong>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WAT\/PI\/GD:<\/strong> Shortlisted candidates undergo a Written Ability Test (WAT), Personal Interview (PI), and sometimes a Group Discussion (GD).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Composite Score:<\/strong> Final selection is based on a &#8220;Composite Score&#8221; which includes:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CAT Score (~30-50% weightage)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Academic Record (10th, 12th, and Graduation marks)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Work Experience (usually 2\u20133 years is the &#8220;sweet spot&#8221;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gender &amp; Academic Diversity (non-engineers often get extra points)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong> Tip:<\/strong> Since it is currently January 2026, you have roughly <strong>10 months<\/strong> to prepare. This is the ideal time to start with basics (Arithmetic and Reading Comprehension).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcd8 <strong>CAT 2026 Selection Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>1\ufe0f\u20e3 Appear in CAT exam<br>2\ufe0f\u20e3 Shortlisting by IIMs \/ B-Schools<br>3\ufe0f\u20e3 Written Ability Test (WAT)<br>4\ufe0f\u20e3 Group Discussion (GD) \/ Personal Interview (PI)<br>5\ufe0f\u20e3 Final merit list &amp; admission offer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf10 <strong>Official Website<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc49 <strong>CAT Official Website:<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/iimcat.ac.in\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/iimcat.ac.in<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 <strong>Why CAT is Important for MBA Aspirants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gateway to <strong>top IIMs &amp; B-Schools<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High career growth opportunities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong alumni network<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent placement packages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcdd <strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>CAT 2026 exam<\/strong> is a crucial opportunity for students aiming for admission into <strong>IIMs and top management institutes<\/strong> in India. With the exam expected in <strong>November 2026<\/strong>, candidates should start their preparation early and focus on conceptual clarity, mock tests, and time management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For latest CAT updates, application forms, and results, keep visiting <strong>ExamUpdates.co.in<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code><strong>CAT 2026 exam date, eligibility, exam pattern and admission details for IIMs and top B-Schools. Check complete CAT details here.\n<\/strong><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CAT 2026 \u2013 Eligibility &amp; Details The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance examination conducted for admission into IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) and other top B-Schools in India. CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam, taken by lakhs of students every year for admission into MBA \/ PGDM programs. CAT score [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/57"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/examupdates.co.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}