- The CAT 2026 exam is on 29 November 2026. The official bulletin says the result is likely in the first week of January 2027. No exact date is announced as of 6 November 2026.
- Scorecards will be accessible on the CAT website, and the score is valid until 31 December 2027.
- On day one, note your overall and each sectional percentile. IIM Ahmedabad's CAT 2026 policy sets minimums of 95 overall and 85 in each section for General and EWS candidates.
- Each IIM runs its own shortlist and has not announced shortlist dates. Sort colleges into reach, target and safe, and keep XAT, SNAP and CMAT options open.
The CAT 2026 result is likely to be declared in the first week of January 2027, according to the official bulletin. No exact date has been announced as of 6 November 2026, and the exam itself is on 29 November 2026. This post is a checklist for the weeks after the exam: what the scorecard shows, what to check on day one, how to sort colleges, and what to do over the next 30 days.
It does not predict cutoffs. Where a date or rule has not been announced, it says so.
What will the CAT 2026 result show?
The bulletin says each candidate's scorecard will be accessible on the CAT website, and candidates may also be told by SMS. It does not list the scorecard's fields. In earlier years the scorecard has shown scaled scores and percentiles, overall and by section, so look at the 2026 format on result day.
- It leaves out which colleges will call you. Each IIM sets its own eligibility, weights and process.
- It leaves out cutoffs and shortlist dates, which colleges announce themselves.
- It expires. The bulletin says the score is valid only until 31 December 2027, after which scorecard queries are not entertained.
Overall and sectional percentile: check both on day one
Write down four numbers: overall, VARC, DILR and QA. Some IIMs set a minimum for each. IIM Ahmedabad's CAT 2026 policy sets 95 overall and 85 in each section for General and EWS candidates in domestic shortlisting. A strong overall percentile with one section under that line does not clear it.
Other IIMs set their own lines. In the 2026-28 cycle, IIM Nagpur asked General candidates for 70 in each section and 95 overall, and IIM Ranchi asked for 75 in each section and 95.25 overall. Those were CAT 2025 policies, and the 2027-29 batch may differ. The IIM CAT cutoff 2026 page has calls, offers and overall percentiles by category.
No all-India rank: what that means
In earlier years the scorecard showed percentiles and not an all-India rank. If the 2026 scorecard does the same, do not look for a rank. A percentile is the share of test-takers at or below you, so an approximate rank is (100 - percentile) / 100 × the number of test-takers. That number has not been announced for CAT 2026.
- (100 - 98) / 100 × 100000 = 2,000.
Answer: About rank 2,000. Colleges use percentiles and scores, so the rank is a curiosity, not an input.
Bucket your target colleges: reach, target, safe
Our college data holds an estimate of the CAT percentile at which a General candidate with an average profile has about a 50% chance of an interview call. Sort colleges by how far that estimate sits from your percentile. The 1.5-point margin below is our judgement.
| College (estimate) | Bucket for a 95.5 percentile | Why |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Lucknow (97) | Reach | Estimate is 1.5 points above |
| IIM Indore (96) | Target | Within 1.5 points |
| IIM Mumbai (93) | Safer | 2.5 points below |
| IIM Kozhikode (92) | Safer | 3.5 points below |
These are illustrations for an invented percentile. A call is also not an offer: IIM Ahmedabad called 1,325 candidates for 414 seats in 2026-28, and about 31% of those called received offers. The MBA Predictor adjusts the estimates for your category, profile and budget.
Which other exams are still open after CAT
Dates checked on 6 November 2026. Confirm on each official page, as schedules can change.
| Exam | Date | Registration or result |
|---|---|---|
| IIFT MBA 2027-29 | Uses CAT 2026 | Application closes 25 Nov 2026, before the CAT |
| SNAP 2026 | 13, 19 and 26 Dec 2026 | Registration closes 25 Nov; result 12 Jan 2027 |
| MAT Dec 2026 | PBT 20 Dec, CBT 27 Dec | Closes 14 and 21 Dec; result by first week of Jan 2027 |
| XAT 2027 | 3 Jan 2027 | Registration closes 6 Dec 2026; result last week of Jan 2027 |
| CMAT 2027 | 7 Feb 2027 (tentative) | Registration not announced |
XAT falls in the same week as the likely CAT result. The MBA deadline tracker lists these dates together.
Documents to keep ready for WAT-PI season
Each IIM publishes its own document list, so treat this as a starting folder. The bulletin sets a minimum of 50% in graduation (45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates), says IIMs may verify eligibility at various stages, and allows final-year candidates to join only with a completion certificate.
- Mark sheets for Class 10, Class 12 and graduation. Several IIMs score them in the shortlist.
- Your CAT scorecard, saved as a PDF.
- Category, EWS or PwBD certificates, if they apply.
- Proof of work experience, if you have any.
- A current resume and a draft statement of purpose. See the GD and PI preparation note.
What is announced and what is only expected
| Status | Item |
|---|---|
| Announced | CAT 2026 on Sunday 29 Nov 2026 in three sessions, 120 minutes, three sections of 40 minutes |
| Announced | Admit cards available 6 to 29 Nov 2026 |
| Announced | Marking: +3 correct, -1 wrong MCQ, no negative for non-MCQ |
| Announced | Score valid until 31 Dec 2027 |
| Expected, not confirmed | Result 'likely' in the first week of January 2027 |
| Not announced | Exact result date; IIM shortlist, WAT-PI and offer dates; CAT 2026 cutoffs |
Re-check the official CAT site and each IIM's admissions page on result day, because 'likely' is not a commitment.
A 30-day checklist
Day 0 is the day the result is declared, expected in the first week of January 2027.
| When | Do this |
|---|---|
| Day 0 to 1 | Download and save the scorecard. Note overall and all three sectional percentiles. |
| Day 1 to 2 | Open each target IIM's policy. Compare your numbers with its minimums for your category. |
| Day 2 to 3 | Sort colleges into reach, target and safe. |
| Day 3 to 7 | Complete applications as they open. Update the resume and draft the statement of purpose. |
| Day 7 to 14 | Practise writing, group discussion and interview answers. Assemble your document folder. |
| Day 14 to 30 | Track dates for each college. Read SNAP and XAT results when they arrive. Reassess if the percentile is lower than expected. |