The registration window for the CAT 2026 is set to close today, September 15, at 5:00 PM. MBA aspirants who are yet to submit their applications will have to complete the registration, upload the required documents and pay the application fee before the deadline.
However, with the deadline approaching, one question is gaining attention among candidates: Will IIM Indore extend the CAT 2026 registration deadline?
As of Tuesday morning, there is no official announcement confirming an extension. The current deadline remains September 15 at 5 PM, and candidates should not assume that the window will be extended.
The historical pattern does provide some reason for aspirants to watch for an extension. Registration deadlines were extended in each of the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 CAT cycles, generally by seven days. For instance, CAT 2025 registration was extended from September 13 to September 20, while CAT 2024 and CAT 2023 followed a similar seven-day extension pattern.
The pattern goes further back. CAT 2021 registration, originally scheduled to close on September 15, was extended until September 22. CAT 2020 also received a one-week extension, with the deadline moved from September 16 to September 23.
| CAT Year | Original Last Date | Extended Last Date | Extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 13 | September 20, 2026 | 7 days |
| 2024 | September 13 | September 20, 2026 | 7 days |
| 2023 | September 13 | September 20, 2026 | 7 days |
| 2022 | September 14 | September 21, 2026 | 7 days |
| 2021 | September 15 | September 22 | 7 days |
| 2020 | September 16 | September 23 | 7 days |
This makes the possibility of an extension plausible, but it does not make it certain. Previous extensions were decisions taken by the CAT authorities for those particular examination cycles and cannot be treated as an automatic annual practice.
For candidates who have not yet registered, waiting would be a risky strategy.
The CAT 2026 registration window opened on August 3 and is officially scheduled to close today at 5 PM. IIM Indore, which is conducting CAT 2026, has not announced any extension so far.
Candidates should therefore complete their applications rather than depend on the possibility of another deadline. Last-minute registration can also create problems involving document uploads, payment failures or technical glitches.