CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 24, 2026. IIM Indore is expected to conduct the exam. Registration opens in the first week of August 2026 and closes by the third week of September. The exam has 3 sections: VARC (24 questions, 40 minutes), DILR (20 questions, 40 minutes), and QA (22 questions, 40 minutes). Total: 66 questions in 120 minutes. Scoring: +3 for correct MCQ, -1 for wrong MCQ, no negative marking for TITA questions. Approximately 2.5-2.8 lakh candidates appear for CAT each year. IIM shortlisting uses CAT score plus academic record, work experience, and diversity factors. Prepare free on WHY MBA 360 with 1,038 adaptive IRT questions, daily RC challenges, mock CATs, MRI score tracking, IIM call predictor, and Cerebro AI counselor. All free.