New Delhi, India — For thousands of MBA aspirants, the CAT application may have already been submitted, but the process is not quite finished. The CAT 2026 application correction window will open at 10 am on October 5 and remain available until 5 pm on October 6, giving eligible candidates just two days to make corrections in selected sections of their forms. No extension will be provided after the deadline, according to the latest CAT 2026 update.
The facility is not a second registration window. Candidates cannot reopen the entire application and rewrite every detail they entered earlier. Instead, IIM Indore, which is conducting CAT 2026, has limited the correction facility to three areas: photograph, signature and test state/city preferences. Only candidates who successfully registered and paid the required application fee can use the facility.
For applicants who discover an incorrect photograph, an unsuitable signature upload or a problem with their preferred examination location, those 48 hours could matter.
CAT 2026 Correction Window: October 5 to October 6
The correction schedule is short and precise:
| CAT 2026 Event | Date/Time |
|---|---|
| Correction window opens | October 5, 2026, at 10 am |
| Correction window closes | October 6, 2026, at 5 pm |
| CAT 2026 exam | November 29, 2026 |
| Admit card availability | November 4 to November 29, 2026 |
| Expected result | First week of January 2027 |
The application correction facility will be available through the official CAT portal. Candidates should not wait until the final hours, particularly if they need to replace an uploaded document or reconsider their test-city preferences.
What Can Be Changed in the CAT 2026 Application Form?
This is the most important distinction for candidates.
During the CAT 2026 correction window, applicants can modify:
Photograph
Candidates can update the photograph submitted with the application if the uploaded image needs correction or replacement.
Signature
The signature image can also be changed during the edit period.
Test State and City Preferences
Candidates can modify their selected test state and city preferences, making this one of the most consequential options in the short correction window for those who need to reconsider their examination location.
The correction facility is therefore best understood as a limited edit window, rather than an opportunity to make broad changes to the CAT application.
What Cannot Be Changed?
Candidates should not assume that every field will reopen.
The latest reports based on the official CAT notice indicate that the correction facility is restricted to the specified fields. Personal and academic details remain outside the permitted correction areas. Careers360 also reports that these details remain locked during the correction period.
That distinction matters because candidates who discover an error in a field outside the permitted categories should not assume that the October 5 window will allow them to rewrite it.
The safest approach is to check the official instructions on the CAT portal before attempting any change.
CAT 2026 Exam Date: November 29
The correction window comes less than two months before the entrance test.
CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29 in three sessions, with the examination designed around three broad sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
The test duration is 120 minutes, with candidates receiving 40 minutes for each section and no option to move between sections while a particular section is being attempted. The marking scheme awards three marks for a correct answer and deducts one mark for an incorrect response.
That means the October correction window is also a useful administrative checkpoint. Once the form is settled, the focus shifts almost entirely to preparation.
CAT 2026 Admit Card and Result Timeline
The CAT 2026 admit card is scheduled to be available from November 4, while the examination is scheduled for November 29. The result is expected in the first week of January 2027, according to the current schedule reported by education sources.
CAT scores are used for admission to management programmes at the IIMs, while participating non-IIM institutions may also use CAT scores according to their own admission policies.
Importantly, clearing the basic eligibility requirements or securing a CAT score does not by itself guarantee admission. Individual IIMs determine their own shortlisting and selection processes and may consider academic performance, work experience and other factors alongside CAT performance.
CAT 2026 Eligibility: Who Could Apply?
For CAT 2026, candidates generally need a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or an equivalent CGPA. The minimum is 45% for candidates belonging to the SC, ST and PwBD categories, according to the reported eligibility criteria. Final-year bachelor’s students and candidates awaiting their results can also apply, subject to the prescribed conditions.
With the registration process now closed, the October correction window is particularly relevant to those who have already completed the application and payment process.
The Two-Day Window Candidates Should Not Miss
The significance of the CAT 2026 correction facility lies less in its length than in its limitations.
Candidates have only from 10 am on October 5 until 5 pm on October 6 to make permitted changes. The authorities have stated that there will be no further extension beyond the deadline.
Before the window opens, applicants should keep their login credentials ready and review the submitted application details. If a photograph, signature or test-city preference needs correction, the change should be completed within the official window rather than left until the final hours.
After October 6, the next major milestone will be the release of the CAT 2026 admit card, followed by the November 29 examination.
For candidates chasing a seat at an IIM, the paperwork may be a small part of the journey. But with the correction window lasting barely two days, getting those details right is one task that cannot be postponed.
