CAT 2026 Registrations Reported at 2.84 Lakh, 13.7% Below 2024 Peak; Exam on November 29
Published 8 Oct 20262 min read1 View
Around 2.84 lakh candidates are reported to have registered for CAT 2026, about 13.7% below the 2024 peak of 3.29 lakh, according to reports. It would be the second consecutive year of decline, after 2.95 lakh registrations in 2025. IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2026 on November 29, 2026.
Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 registrations | About 2.84 lakh (reported) [VERIFY] |
| 2025 registrations | About 2.95 lakh |
| Peak registrations | 3.29 lakh (2024) |
| Change from peak | About 13.7% lower |
| Conducting body | IIM Indore |
| Exam date | November 29, 2026 |
| Admit card | November 4, 2026 [VERIFY], at iimcat.ac.in |
CAT Registrations: Year-wise Data
| Year | Registered candidates | Actual test-takers |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,27,835 | 1,90,144 |
| 2021 | 2,29,969 | 1,91,660 |
| 2022 | 2,55,501 | 2,22,184 |
| 2023 | 3,23,000 [VERIFY] | 2,88,000 |
| 2024 | 3,29,000 | 2,93,000 |
| 2025 | 2,95,000 | 2,58,000 |
| 2026 | About 2.84 lakh (reported) [VERIFY] | Pending |
Registrations rose from 2.28 lakh in 2020 to 3.29 lakh in 2024, crossing the three-lakh mark in 2023. They then fell to 2.95 lakh in 2025 and, according to the reported figure, to about 2.84 lakh in 2026. Figures for 2023 to 2025 are rounded.
How Does 2026 Compare?
These changes are calculated from the figures above:
- 2026 vs 2025: about 3.7% lower (2.95 lakh to 2.84 lakh)
- 2025 vs 2024: about 10.3% lower (3.29 lakh to 2.95 lakh)
- 2026 vs 2024 peak: about 13.7% lower
Registered vs Appeared
Not every registered candidate takes the exam. On the table's numbers, roughly 83% of registrants appeared in 2020 and 2021, about 87% in 2022, about 89% in 2024, and about 87.5% in 2025 (calculated). The 2026 attendance figure will show whether the lower registration count carries through to the exam hall.
CAT 2026 Exam and Admit Card
IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2026 on November 29, 2026. The admit card is due on November 4, 2026, at iimcat.ac.in. It shows the test centre and exam slot, and candidates must carry it to the centre. CAT is the entrance route for MBA admissions at the IIMs and many other B-schools; the source cites 22 IIMs and 1,700+ B-schools [VERIFY].