CAT 2026 Notification Release Date and PDF Download: iimcat.ac.in Link

CAT 2026 notification is expected to release on July 26, 2026 (last Sunday of July) on the official website iimcat.ac.in. IIM Indore is expected to conduct CAT 2026 as per the rotational cycle of old IIMs. The notification is a single PDF that will confirm the exam date, registration window, eligibility, application fee and exam pattern. CAT 2026 registration is expected to begin from August 1, 2026, soon after the notification is released.

For reference, the CAT 2025 notification was released on July 27, 2025 by IIM Kozhikode, and the same last-Sunday-of-July trend points to a July 26, 2026 release this year. All dates below are expected and will be confirmed only when the official PDF goes live.

Related Links:

• CAT 2026 Notification Expected July 26
• CAT 2026 Exam Dates and Schedule
• CAT 2026 Application Fee Details

CAT 2026 Notification Release Date

The CAT 2026 notification is expected to be released on July 26, 2026, the last Sunday of July. The convening IIM publishes the notification on the same weekend almost every year, so this date is a reliable estimate until the official confirmation.

• The notification will go live on iimcat.ac.in and is usually advertised in leading newspapers on the same day.
• CAT 2025 notification was released on July 27, 2025, and CAT registration opened a few days later on August 1.
• The notification will officially confirm the conducting IIM, which is expected to be IIM Indore this year.
• Once the notification is out, you should download the PDF on day one and read every instruction before registering.

What Students Are Saying on Reddit

On the r/CATPreparation community, students are already debating which IIM will set the CAT 2026 paper. Most users expect IIM Indore to convene this year and are guessing how that affects difficulty. A common view in these threads is that, going by IIM Indore's earlier papers, the Quant section could turn out to be the toughest part. Many students add that the conducting IIM only becomes official with the notification, so they are treating the difficulty talk as speculation until July 26.

How to Download CAT 2026 Notification PDF

You can download the CAT 2026 notification PDF directly from the official website once it is released. Follow these simple steps:

• Step 1: Visit the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in.
• Step 2: Look for the "CAT 2026 Notification" link on the homepage.
• Step 3: Click the link to open the notification PDF.
• Step 4: Read the full document carefully and save a copy for reference.
• Step 5: Note down the registration start date, last date, exam date and fee before you apply.

Note: The official website may load slowly on the notification release day due to heavy traffic. Refresh the page or try again after some time.

What Students Are Saying on Reddit

Reddit threads on CAT registration are full of warnings about last-minute server slowdowns. Students who applied in earlier cycles strongly advise you to finish your registration in the first 7 to 10 days rather than waiting for the deadline week. Their reasoning is simple: the portal gets heavy traffic close to the last date, and a payment failure or upload error at that point can cost you the form. The repeated takeaway is to keep your photo, signature and documents ready before the window even opens.

What the CAT 2026 Notification PDF Contains

The CAT 2026 notification is a single official document that confirms every key detail of the exam. You should expect the following information inside the PDF:

• Conducting IIM and the official exam date for CAT 2026.
• Registration start date, last date and timing for the application form.
• Eligibility criteria, including the minimum graduation marks required.
• Application fee for all categories and accepted payment modes.
• Exam pattern and number of sessions on the exam day.
• List of participating IIMs and the management programmes offered.
• Reservation policy for SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and PwD students.

CAT 2026 Eligibility and Application Fee

You need a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC, ST and PwD) to be eligible for CAT 2026. Final-year graduation students can also apply and get provisional admission until they submit their final mark sheets. There is no age limit and no cap on the number of attempts.

• The CAT 2026 application fee will be confirmed in the notification PDF.
• For reference, the CAT 2025 fee was Rs 2,600 for General, EWS and NC-OBC, and Rs 1,300 for SC, ST and PwD students.
• The fee is paid online and is non-refundable, so you should review your form before payment.

After the notification, the CAT 2026 cycle follows a fixed sequence that you can plan around. Registration stays open for roughly six weeks, the application correction window opens for a few days after registration closes, and the admit card is released in early-to-mid November. The exam is expected on November 29, 2026, and results usually follow in the third week of December. Tracking these milestones early helps you avoid missing any deadline once the notification is live.

Frequently Asked Questions