What to Do After CAT Exam 2026: Key Actions & Next Steps for MBA Aspirants
What to Do After CAT ExamLatest Updates
The CAT exam will be held on 29 November 2026.
The CAT 2026 admit card will be released on 4 November 2026 through iimcat.ac.in.
After the CAT exam, the candidates go through a critical and strategically important post-exam period, which involves checking the CAT 2026 results, shortlisting business schools, and extensive preparation for the next level of selection, such as Group Discussions (GD), Personal Interviews (PI), and Written Ability Tests (WAT). All these phases are critical in the final admission decisions in leading Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and reputable non-IIM business schools around India. An application prepared carefully at this stage can significantly increase the chances of a candidate succeeding in getting admission to a preferred MBA programme.
In this blog, we will provide all the crucial details regarding what happens after the CAT exam. Read on to know about the next steps to take after the exam, eligibility criteria for studying an MBA at IIMs, expected cutoffs, etc.
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What After the CAT Exam: Timeline 2026
The following table provides a timeline of the steps you need to take after the CAT 2026 exam for MBA admissions.
Phase | Timeline | Key Actions |
Results & Applications | Dec – Jan |
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Selection Preparation | Jan – Apr |
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Interview Rounds | Feb – Apr | Attending WAT-GD-PI rounds |
Final Offers | Apr – May |
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Backup/Reattempt Strategy | May – Nov |
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Documents Required After CAT 2026 Exam
Candidates need to prepare the following documents for proceeding with MBA admissions after the CAT 2026 exam:
- CAT scorecard
- Academic certificates and marksheets
- Category certificate, if applicable
- ID proof
- Work experience certificate, if applicable
- Passport-size photographs
- Other institute-specific documents
Eligibility Factors for IIM Admissions after CAT Exam 2026
Check and fulfil the eligibility parameters given below for IIM admissions after clearing the CAT 2026 exam.
Parameter | Description |
CAT 2026 | Overall CAT 2026 percentile score obtained. |
Class 10 | Aggregate percentage of marks. |
Class 12 | Aggregate percentage of marks. |
Graduation | Aggregate percentage scored in a 3-year or 4-year UG programme. |
WAT / GD-PI | Candidate performance in Written Ability Test (WAT) and/or Group Discussion–Personal Interview (GD-PI) (evaluated and scored by the institute). |
Academic Diversity | Extra points for non-engineering candidates for academic diversity (with weightage varying across campuses). |
Gender Diversity | Extra points for women and transgender candidates to promote gender diversity (with weightage varying across campuses). |
Work Experience | Additional points based on the duration of relevant work experience, with minimum and maximum limits (with weightage varying across campuses). |
Expected Cutoff for IIM Admissions after CAT 2026
The table below shows the expected category-wise cutoff requirements for IIM admissions of candidates who clear the CAT 2026 exam.
IIM Category | General (Percentile) | Scheduled Castes (Percentile) | Scheduled Tribes (Percentile) |
Top Tier IIMs (A, B, C) | 98–100 | 98–100 | 80–85 |
Mid-Tier / Old IIMs (L, K, I) | 97–99 | 72–81 | 65–72 |
New & Baby IIMs (CAP) | 90–95 | 54–66 | 32–50 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ques: What should I do immediately after the CAT exam?
Ans: After the CAT exam, you need to stay updated regarding the exam results. Make sure to visit the official website of the exam frequently to get the latest updates. Thereafter, you must check your results when they are out and take the necessary steps to complete your MBA admissions.
Ques: What happens after the CAT exam result is declared?
Ans: After CAT result declaration, the next steps include shortlisting, interviews, and final selection by universities. You must go through these steps after applying for the best institutions based on your score and percentile.
Ques: When are IIM calls released after CAT results?
Ans: Usually, IIMs across India call students who have cleared the CAT exam within 1 or 2 weeks of the result declaration. In many cases, the institutions start calling students within 4 to 5 5 days of the results. Thus, you must prepare to be called by IIM once the CAT results are out, depending on your percentile.
Ques: How are candidates shortlisted for IIMs after CAT?
Ans: The following are the steps through which IIMs shortlist candidates after the CAT exam results are declared:
- Step 1: Initial shortlisting for WAT/PI.
- Step 2: Selection Rounds (WAT, GD, and PI).
- Step 3: Release of the final merit list.
Ques: What should I do after getting a CAT percentile?
Ans: After getting your CAT percentile, you can determine how you have performed compared to other candidates. Pick the colleges that will be the best for you to study an MBA based on your percentile. You will have to go through the selection steps, such as an interview, a written test, etc.
Ques: What if I find errors in the official answer key and want to raise objections regarding it?
Ans: If you have any objections regarding the officially released answer key, you can raise them at the designated portal on the official website. For that, you need to stay updated regarding the objection window. Make sure to raise the objections through the portal within the specified deadline.
Ques: What CAT percentile is required for top IIMs in India?
Ans: Usually, you need to maintain a 90th percentile or higher to get admission to IIMs in India. However, you must aim for the 95th percentile or above if you want to get into the top IIMs. The specific percentile requirements will depend on the institution you apply to, and you must check their recent cutoff percentile trends before applying,