The registration window for CAT 2026, conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, has closed, with the examination scheduled for November 29. The number of candidates registering for the Common Admission Test has fallen for the second consecutive year, with 2.84 lakh applicants recorded this year, down 3.7% from 2.95 lakh in 2025.
The latest figures point to a broader decline following the record 3.29 lakh registrations in 2024. The number fell to 2.95 lakh in 2025 before dropping further to 2.84 lakh this year. Compared with the 2024 peak, the 2026 figure represents a decline of around 45,000 registrations, or 13.7%.
Registrations retreat after record high
CAT registrations rose from approximately 2.31 lakh in 2021 to 2.55 lakh in 2022, before crossing the three-lakh mark in 2023. Registrations reached around 3.29 lakh in 2024, marking the highest figure in the recent trend.
The subsequent decline has brought the number of applicants below three lakh for two consecutive years. While the year-on-year reduction was approximately 10.3% in 2025, the fall has moderated to 3.7% in 2026.
CAT registrations over the years
The numbers show a clear shift from the growth recorded between 2022 and 2024. Registrations rose from 2.55 lakh in 2022 to 3.28 lakh in 2023, before reaching approximately 3.29 lakh in 2024. They have since fallen by around 45,000 candidates over two years.
The decline has continued despite CAT remaining a major route into postgraduate management education. The 2026 registration figure, however, remains higher than the numbers recorded in 2021 and 2022.
CAT scores are used by the IIMs and other participating business schools to shortlist candidates for postgraduate management programmes.
What explains the decline?
The registration figures establish that fewer candidates have applied over the past two years, but they do not explain why. Whether the decline reflects changing perceptions of management education, the financial cost of an MBA, alternative career pathways or fluctuations in examination demand requires further investigation.
The cost of management education is one area worth examining. IIM fees and placement outcomes have drawn scrutiny in discussions about the return on investment from an MBA. However, a connection between these concerns and the fall in CAT applications cannot be established from registration figures alone.
The distinction between registrations and actual participation also matters. In CAT 2025, approximately 2.58 lakh candidates appeared for the examination out of 2.95 lakh registered applicants. The attendance figure for CAT 2026 will provide a further measure of how many registered candidates actually take the test.
Does this make IIM admissions easier?
A fall in registrations does not automatically make admission to an IIM easier. Selection depends on the number of available seats, candidates' CAT scores, academic records, category-specific criteria, work experience where applicable, and each institute's shortlisting and selection process.
The decline can be best understood as a change in application volume, not evidence of lower competition for individual seats. The registration data also cannot establish whether the pool of applicants has changed in academic quality or competitiveness.
CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 29 and will be conducted in three sessions. IIM Indore is expected to release admit cards on November 4. The examination results and subsequent admission processes will provide a clearer picture of how this year's applicant pool translates into competition for management seats.