New Delhi, September 23, 2026: The registration process for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 has closed, but candidates who completed their application process within the registration window have been given additional time to pay the examination fee.
The Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore), which is conducting CAT 2026, has extended the deadline for payment of the CAT registration fee to September 24, 2026. The extension does not reopen the application window for new candidates.
CAT 2026 Fee Payment Deadline
Candidates who registered for CAT 2026 by the application deadline but have not yet completed their fee payment can make the payment until September 24, 2026.
The registration deadline had been extended earlier to September 22 at 5 PM, after which the application window closed. The latest extension applies only to fee payment and does not provide an opportunity for fresh candidates to register.
Candidates who have already completed registration should therefore check their application status and complete the payment process before the extended deadline.
CAT 2026 Examination Date
The CAT 2026 examination is scheduled for November 29, 2026.
The computer-based examination will be conducted in three sessions across approximately 170 test cities in India. Candidates were permitted to select five preferred test cities while completing the application form.
CAT 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 registration opened | August 3, 2026 |
| Original registration deadline | September 15, 2026 |
| Extended registration deadline | September 22, 2026 |
| Extended fee payment deadline | September 24, 2026 |
| Admit card availability | November 4–29, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 examination | November 29, 2026 |
| Result | First week of January 2027 |
The September 24 extension is specifically for fee payment by candidates who have already completed the registration process.
CAT 2026 Application Fee
The CAT 2026 application fee was revised this year.
Candidates belonging to the General, EWS and NC-OBC categories are required to pay ₹2,700, while candidates belonging to the SC, ST and PwBD categories are required to pay ₹1,350.
The fee is non-refundable and is paid as part of the CAT application process.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern
CAT 2026 will be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode and will consist of three sections:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
The examination will be held in three sessions on November 29.
According to the announced schedule, the three sessions are:
- Session 1: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
- Session 2: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
- Session 3: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
What Candidates Should Do Now
Candidates who have completed their CAT 2026 application but have not paid the examination fee should log in to the official CAT portal and complete the payment by September 24.
Candidates should also retain their application confirmation and payment details for future reference.
For those who have already completed the application and fee payment, the next major milestone will be the release of the CAT 2026 admit card.
CAT Admit Card 2026
IIM Indore is scheduled to make the CAT 2026 admit card available from November 4, 2026. Candidates will need to download the admit card and check details such as their examination centre, date and session before appearing for the test.
The CAT examination is scheduled for November 29, giving candidates the remaining weeks to focus on preparation across the three sections.
CAT 2026 and MBA Admissions
CAT scores are used for admission to postgraduate management programmes at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and are also accepted by several other business schools.
Individual IIMs follow their own admission policies. Apart from CAT scores, institutions may consider factors such as academic performance, work experience and other selection parameters.
Key Takeaway
The CAT 2026 registration window is now closed, and fresh applications are no longer being accepted. However, candidates who completed their registration can still pay the CAT 2026 examination fee until September 24, 2026.
With the examination scheduled for November 29, candidates who have successfully completed the application and payment process can now focus on their preparation for the three-session national-level management entrance examination.
Candidates should use the official CAT website for all further examination-related announcements and updates.
Tags: CAT 2026, CAT Registration 2026, CAT Fee Payment Deadline, CAT Exam 2026, IIM Indore, CAT Admit Card 2026, MBA Admission 2027, IIM Admission, CAT November 2026
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