CAT (Common Admission Test) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the CAT (Common Admission Test), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
~$25 (INR 2300)
Provider
IIMs
Validity
Annual exam
Available
India
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
3-5+ years of professional experience typically required
Specific Requirements
- A bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent marks or equivalent CGPA, relaxed to 45 percent for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities candidates, from a university incorporated by an Act of Parliament or a state legislature, a deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education.
- Candidates in the final year of a bachelor's degree, and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results, may apply. If selected they join provisionally and must produce a certificate from the Principal or Registrar by the date each IIM stipulates.
- A completed professional degree in CA, CS, ICWA or CMA, or Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries of India, with the required percentage, is an accepted alternative to a bachelor's degree.
- Where a university awards CGPA and confirms it has no conversion scheme, the equivalence is calculated by dividing the candidate's CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying by 100.
- There is no age limit for CAT itself and no restriction on the number of attempts. Individual institutes may impose their own age rules: IIM Ahmedabad requires PGP entrants to be 19 years old as on June 30, 2026.
- There is no work experience requirement, though IIM Calcutta awards up to 8 of 100 final-selection points for work experience and IIM Ahmedabad awards up to 5 application-rating points at 0.20 per month beyond 11 months.
- A valid and unique email address and mobile number that you keep active through the entire selection process, which the Information Bulletin lists as a requirement rather than a suggestion.
Number of Questions
68 questions in CAT 2024 and CAT 2025 (VARC 24, DILR 22, QA 22). The IIMs do not announce the question count in advance and the CAT 2026 Information Bulletin does not state one.
Duration
120 minutes total, split as three fixed 40-minute sections with no switching between them
Question Format
Four-option multiple choice, answered by clicking, Type-in-the-answer (TITA) non-MCQ, answered with an on-screen keypad, Reading comprehension passages with question sets attached, Data interpretation caselets built on tables, charts and text, Logical reasoning puzzle sets, typically four to six questions per set
Passing Requirement
None. CAT has no pass mark. Each institute publishes its own minimum percentiles: IIM Ahmedabad required 95 overall and 85 sectional from General and EWS candidates for its PGP 2026-28 batch, while IIM Calcutta required 85 overall with 80 VARC, 80 DILR and 75 QA from open-category candidates for the same batch. Both also require a raw score above zero, or non-negative, in every section.
How It Is Delivered
Computer-based test at a designated centre. CAT 2026 runs on Sunday, November 29, 2026 in three sessions across roughly 170 cities. Candidates rank five preferred cities at registration and cannot change the allotted centre.
Languages Offered
English. The CAT question paper is set in English only, although IIM Indore published the CAT 2026 advertisement in both English and Hindi.
Visit the official IIMs certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
Score Scale
Scaled score and percentile rank, reported separately for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability, and for the total. On a 68-question paper marked at 3 marks per question, the maximum raw total is 204 before penalties.
Score You Need
None. CAT has no pass mark. Each institute publishes its own minimum percentiles: IIM Ahmedabad required 95 overall and 85 sectional from General and EWS candidates for its PGP 2026-28 batch, while IIM Calcutta required 85 overall with 80 VARC, 80 DILR and 75 QA from open-category candidates for the same batch. Both also require a raw score above zero, or non-negative, in every section.
How It Is Calculated
Raw marks are computed first, with 3 marks per correct answer and a 1 mark deduction for an incorrect multiple-choice answer in recent papers. Because CAT runs in three sessions on the same day with different question sets, raw scores are converted to scaled scores so that candidates across sessions can be compared, then converted to percentile ranks. Scoring is conjunctive at the institute stage: sectional and overall thresholds must both be cleared, so a strong section cannot compensate for a weak one.
When You Get Results
The CAT 2026 Information Bulletin states results are likely to be declared by the first week of January 2027. Scorecards are made accessible on the CAT website and candidates may also be intimated individually by SMS. Answer keys and candidate response sheets are typically released for challenge before the result. The score remains accessible until December 31, 2027.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the CAT (Common Admission Test)?
A bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent marks or equivalent CGPA, relaxed to 45 percent for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities candidates, from a university incorporated by an Act of Parliament or a state legislature, a deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education.. Candidates in the final year of a bachelor's degree, and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results, may apply. If selected they join provisionally and must produce a certificate from the Principal or Registrar by the date each IIM stipulates.. A completed professional degree in CA, CS, ICWA or CMA, or Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries of India, with the required percentage, is an accepted alternative to a bachelor's degree.. Where a university awards CGPA and confirms it has no conversion scheme, the equivalence is calculated by dividing the candidate's CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying by 100.. There is no age limit for CAT itself and no restriction on the number of attempts. Individual institutes may impose their own age rules: IIM Ahmedabad requires PGP entrants to be 19 years old as on June 30, 2026.. There is no work experience requirement, though IIM Calcutta awards up to 8 of 100 final-selection points for work experience and IIM Ahmedabad awards up to 5 application-rating points at 0.20 per month beyond 11 months.. A valid and unique email address and mobile number that you keep active through the entire selection process, which the Information Bulletin lists as a requirement rather than a suggestion..
How much does the CAT (Common Admission Test) cost?
The CAT (Common Admission Test) exam costs ~$25 (INR 2300). This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the CAT (Common Admission Test)?
Visit the official IIMs certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the CAT (Common Admission Test)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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