The numbers are in: 2.84 lakh candidates have successfully registered for CAT 2026, according to IIM Indore, which is conducting this year’s exam. That’s a minor dip from the 2.95 lakh who registered last year, and a bigger step down from the 2023–24 peak of about 3.3 lakh. Here’s what the official figure means, how it compares with the last six years, and who actually takes CAT.
The official number
- 2.84 lakh candidates have successfully registered for CAT 2026
- CAT 2026 will be held in three slots
- The score is used for admission to the postgraduate management programmes of the IIMs and several other participating business schools
- CAT 2025: 2.95 lakh registered, so 2026 is about 3.7% lower
- CAT 2024: 3.29 lakh registered, so 2026 is about 13.7% lower
- Registrations have stayed above two lakh for several years running
Six years of CAT registrations
CAT registrations by year (lakh)
As reported for each IIM-conducted CAT. CAT 2023 is given as “around 3.3 lakh”.
What the trend says
- A big jump, then a plateau. From 2.55 lakh in 2022, registrations leapt about 29% to roughly 3.3 lakh in 2023 and held there in 2024.
- A gentle slide since. They fell about 10% in 2025 (3.29 to 2.95 lakh) and about 3.7% in 2026.
- Still well above the old normal. At 2.84 lakh, 2026 is about 11% higher than 2022 and about 23% higher than 2021.
Registered is not the same as appeared
The pool you really compete against is the people who sit the exam.
Registered vs appeared, last three years
| CAT year | Registered | Appeared | Share who appeared |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ~3.3 lakh | 2.88 lakh | ~87% |
| 2024 | 3.29 lakh | 2.93 lakh | ~89% |
| 2025 | 2.95 lakh | 2.58 lakh | ~87% |
If a similar share turns up in 2026, roughly 2.5 lakh candidates would sit the exam. That’s our arithmetic from the last three years, not an official forecast.
Who takes CAT? A look at CAT 2025
CAT 2025 registrants: 2.95 lakh
1.10 lakh women, 1.85 lakh men and 9 transgender candidates.
Of the 2.58 lakh who appeared: 0.97 lakh women, 1.61 lakh men and 9 transgender candidates. Women were about 37% of both registrants and those who appeared. The gender split for CAT 2026 hasn’t been released yet.
A benchmark from last year’s results
CAT 2025 (held 30 November) had its results declared on 24 December, about three and a half weeks after the exam. Twelve candidates scored 100 percentile, and 26 candidates each scored 99.99 and 99.98. After results, individual IIMs release their own shortlists for later admission rounds, based on CAT scores and the criteria in their admission policies.
CAT 2026: the dates and format
The answer key is expected around the first week of December. No result date has been announced for 2026, and reports estimate late December or early January, so watch iimcat.ac.in.
The paper: 68 questions, 204 marks, 120 minutes
40 minutes per section (53 minutes 20 seconds each for PwD candidates). +3 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong multiple-choice answer, and no negative marking on type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions.
What to do in the weeks ahead
- Practise to the 40-minute section clock. You can’t go back to a section, so timing discipline matters as much as knowledge.
- Take full-length mocks and review every one. Sorting mistakes into silly, concept and time tells you where to work.
- Spot an error in your application? The correction window closed on 6 October, so check iimcat.ac.in for how to raise it now.
- Download your admit card on 4 November and check your city and slot straight away.
More data stories on admissions
Numbers can hide as much as they show. See how to read them in IIT Cutoffs: What 5 Years of Data Reveals.
Quick answers
How many candidates registered for CAT 2026?
2.84 lakh candidates have successfully registered, according to IIM Indore, which is conducting the exam.
Is that lower than last year?
Yes, slightly: CAT 2025 had 2.95 lakh registrations, so 2026 is about 3.7% lower. It’s about 13.7% below the 3.29 lakh registered in CAT 2024.
How many candidates actually appeared in past years?
2.88 lakh in 2023, 2.93 lakh in 2024 and 2.58 lakh in 2025, roughly 87–89% of those who registered.
When is CAT 2026?
Sunday, 29 November 2026, in three slots, conducted by IIM Indore. Admit cards are scheduled for 4 November.
What is the CAT 2026 exam pattern?
68 questions for 204 marks in 120 minutes: VARC 24 questions, DILR 22 and QA 22, with 40 minutes per section. +3 for correct, -1 for wrong MCQs, and no negative marking on TITA questions.
When will the CAT 2026 result be out?
Not announced yet. Last year’s result came on 24 December, about three and a half weeks after the exam. Check iimcat.ac.in for the official date.