CAT 2026 Payment Deadline Extended: New Last Date, Registration Update, and Key Dates

CATKing is a Mumbai-based MBA entrance exam coaching company founded by Sumit Singh, offering preparation for CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP, CET, GMAT, and GRE through online and offline classes. IIM Indore, the conducting body for CAT 2026, has extended the fee payment deadline for candidates who completed their registration on time. This article breaks down exactly what has changed, who the extension applies to, and the complete, updated list of CAT 2026 important dates that aspirants preparing with CATKing should track.

Key Takeaways

• IIM Indore has extended the CAT 2026 fee payment deadline by two days, from September 22 to September 24, 2026, till 5:00 PM.

• This payment extension applies only to candidates who completed their CAT 2026 registration by September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM — it is not a new registration window.

• The CAT 2026 registration deadline itself has not been extended again; IIM Indore has indicated there will be no late-fee registration facility.

• Candidates whose payment already shows successful should take no action and can ignore payment reminder emails.

• CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026 (Sunday) in three sessions, with admit cards expected on November 4, 2026.

What Is the New CAT 2026 Fee Payment Deadline?

According to an official communication sent to registered candidates, the IIMs have decided to extend the CAT 2026 fee payment window by two days, until September 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM. This extension is exclusively for candidates who had already completed their CAT 2026 registration by September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM. Candidates facing payment issues can complete the transaction anytime before the new deadline, and those whose payment has already gone through do not need to do anything further.

Is the CAT 2026 Registration Deadline Also Extended?

No. It is important not to confuse the two dates. The CAT 2026 registration deadline — the last date to fill out the application form — was itself extended once already, from September 15 to September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM. That registration window is now closed, and IIM Indore has signaled there will be no further extension or late-fee registration facility. Only the fee payment date for candidates who registered by September 22 has been pushed to September 24, 2026.

Why Do CAT Payment Deadlines Get Extended?

Extensions like this are common in the final stretch of the CAT registration cycle. They are typically driven by practical issues rather than a change in exam plans: candidates whose payments fail due to bank server errors, gateway timeouts, or heavy last-minute traffic on the portal; incomplete forms where the fee step was left pending; and the conducting institute's interest in not losing otherwise-eligible applicants to a technical glitch. Deadline extensions have occurred in most recent CAT cycles, so candidates should still treat each published deadline as final rather than assuming another extension will follow.

What Are the CAT 2026 Registration and Payment Fees?

The CAT 2026 application fee is ₹2,700 for General, EWS, and NC-OBC category candidates, and ₹1,350 for SC, ST, and PwD category candidates. The fee must be paid online through debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI on the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in.

What Are the Updated CAT 2026 Important Dates?

The table below summarizes the original CAT 2026 schedule alongside the revised dates announced so far.

Note: These dates reflect official communication and reported updates as of September 23, 2026. IIM Indore may issue further notices, so candidates should cross-check the live schedule on iimcat.ac.in before making preparation plans.

Which IIM Is Conducting CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 is being conducted by IIM Indore, with Professor Aditya Billore named as the exam convener. IIM Indore returns as the convening institute for the first time since 2020. Responsibility for conducting CAT rotates among six older IIMs — Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, and Indore — and the exam itself remains the gateway to 21 IIMs as well as over a thousand other B-schools such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, and IIFT.

What Should CAT 2026 Aspirants Do Before the Extended Deadline?

• If your CAT 2026 registration is complete but payment is pending, log in on iimcat.ac.in and finish the payment before September 24, 2026, 5:00 PM.

• If your payment status already shows successful, take no action and ignore any further payment reminder emails.

• If you missed the September 22 registration deadline, note that there is currently no late registration window — watch the official website for any further announcement rather than assuming a new one will open.

• Keep the confirmation page and payment receipt safe; you will need registration details when the admit card is released on November 4, 2026.

• With roughly nine weeks left until the November 29 exam, use the time to lock in a structured, mock-driven preparation plan with CATKing rather than losing days to administrative uncertainty.

Frequently Asked Questions About the CAT 2026 Payment Deadline

What is the last date to pay the CAT 2026 registration fee?

The Indian Institutes of Management have extended the CAT 2026 fee payment deadline to September 24, 2026, till 5:00 PM. This extension applies only to candidates who completed their CAT 2026 registration on or before September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM.

Has the CAT 2026 registration deadline been extended again?

No. The CAT 2026 registration deadline remains September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM, and IIM Indore has not opened a fresh registration window. Only the fee payment date has moved to September 24, 2026, for candidates who had already registered.

What should I do if I already paid the CAT 2026 fee?

If your CAT 2026 payment status shows successful, no further action is needed. IIM Indore has advised such candidates to ignore any payment reminder emails and simply wait for the admit card.

When is the CAT 2026 exam and when will the admit card be released?

CAT 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2026, and will be held in three sessions across roughly 170 test cities in India. Admit cards are expected to be released on November 4, 2026, on iimcat.ac.in.

Which IIM is conducting CAT 2026?

CAT 2026 is being conducted by IIM Indore, which returns as the convening institute for the first time since 2020. The role of conducting CAT rotates among six older IIMs: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, and Indore.