CAT Registration: The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 registration window, open since 3 August, closes on September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM. IIM Indore, this year’s conducting institute, has not indicated any plans for an extension so far, so candidates should treat the date as final and avoid waiting until the last day to submit their forms.
Why the Deadline Matters
Once the portal closes at 5:00 PM on September 15, no new registrations or fee payments will be accepted. There is no late-fee provision or manual submission route for candidates who miss the window, and partially completed forms are unlikely to receive special consideration. A short correction window typically opens a few weeks after registration closes, but it only allows edits to select details such as photograph, signature, or test-city preference; it does not let a new candidate register.
Deadlines have been extended in some past cycles, including CAT 2025 and CAT 2022, but candidates should not count on a similar extension this year. Missing the deadline effectively means waiting for the next CAT cycle to attempt admission into the IIMs and other participating institutes.
Registration Fee
The CAT Registration fee is ₹2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates, and ₹1,350 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates — an increase of ₹100 over the previous cycle. Payment must be completed online via debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI before the deadline; the fee is non-refundable once paid.
Steps to Complete Registration
- Visit the official website for CAT Registration, iimcat.ac.in, and complete initial sign-up with name, email ID, and mobile number
- Log in with the generated credentials and fill in personal, academic, and work-experience details
- Select programme and test-city preferences, keeping in mind that city allotment depends on availability
- Upload a scanned photograph and signature as per the prescribed specifications
- Pay the application fee online and submit the form; save the confirmation page for reference
