CAT Response Sheet 2026: Download PDF, Answer Key, Release Date, Score Calculator & Objection Process

CAT 2026 Response Sheet Release Date

The CAT 2026 response sheet release date is around the first week of December 2026. The final CAT 2026 exam response sheet will be available with the CAT results after the CAT objection window. Candidates can also check the previous year's CAT response sheet date 2026 trends along with the CAT answer keys.

CAT 2026 Response Sheet - Overview

What is a CAT 2026 Response Sheet?

The CAT 2026 response sheet is an official document in PDF format that helps candidates calculate their probable CAT score before the declaration of the result. The CAT response sheet contains all the responses of the candidates for their respective papers. To raise objections on the CAT response sheet, candidates will have to pay Rs 1,200 per question. The CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026. The CAT 2026 response sheet and the CAT answer key 2026 will be released slot-wise. The CAT response sheet download link and the CAT answer key will be based on the slot of the CAT exam.

With the CAT response sheet in hand, candidates will be able to figure out their rough scores with accuracy using the CAT 2026 marking scheme: +3 marks for a correct answer, -1 mark for an incorrect answer, and 0 in the case of TITA and unattempted questions. With the help of the CAT response sheet, candidates will be able to determine their percentiles much earlier than the actual CAT results are released.

The candidates of the slot 1 exam will only be able to download the CAT slot 1 answer key using the CAT response sheet download link. A similar process must be followed for the CAT slot 2 and slot 3 as well. With the help of the CAT 2026 response sheet and answer key, candidates can get to know their probable CAT score.

• The CAT response sheet will include the answers marked by candidates for all three sections of VARC, DILR, and QA.
• Candidates can match the marked answer with the CAT answer keys provided along with the CAT 2026 response sheet.
• They can challenge the answer key by filling out and sending the objection form in the proper format.
• The CAT objection fee will be refunded if the CAT objection raised against the CAT answer key is valid and accepted by the IIM.
• Based on the objections received, the IIM will release the final CAT response sheet with the CAT 2026 result.
• Candidates will not be able to raise objections once the CAT 2026 result is out.

Is the CAT 2026 Response Sheet PDF out?

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore will release the CAT response sheet 2026 tentatively in the first week of December 2026. Candidates can download the CAT 2026 response sheet along with the CAT answer key in PDF format through the CAT answer key PDF download link on the CAT official website - iimcat.ac.in.

CAT answer key download link 2026

IIM will release the official CAT 2026 answer key along with the CAT 2026 response sheet. The unofficial CAT answer key link below will be updated after the CAT exam.

IIM CAT 2026 Response Sheet Download

The following steps can be followed by candidates to download the CAT response sheet 2026:

• Step 1: Go to the official link of the CAT 2026 exam.
• Step 2: Click on the CAT candidate login window, enter the CAT 2026 registration ID and password, and click the submit button.
• Step 3: Candidates will be redirected to a new page from where they will be able to download the CAT response sheet 2026.
• Step 4: Calculate the probable marks based on the CAT exam pattern.
• Step 5: Download and take a printout of the CAT 2026 response sheet.

Details Mentioned in the CAT 2026 Response Sheet

The following details will be mentioned on the CAT 2026 response sheet.

• CAT 2026 registration number
• Candidate’s name
• CAT exam date
• CAT 2026 slot timing
• CAT 2026 Exam centre details
• Questions
• Type of questions
• Status

• Right option/ answer

How to check the CAT 2026 score from the IIM CAT Response Sheet?

In order to calculate the expected CAT score, candidates can use the CAT answer key that will be released with the IIM CAT response sheet 2026. Check out the following steps, which a candidate should consider to calculate the CAT score.

Step 1- Download the CAT response sheet and answer key by visiting the official website
Step 2- Review the answers by using the CAT 2026 response sheet
Step 3- Ensure that CAT marks are added and deducted per the CAT marking scheme.

Step 4- The cumulative score of the candidate is calculated by using the following formula:

• CAT Raw Score (for MCQs) = 3 x (number of correct answer) - 1 x (number of wrong answers)

Step 5- After applying the above-mentioned formula, candidates can get their estimated CAT exam score

CAT Response Sheet Release Date Trends: 2025 vs 2024 vs 2023

Check out the last five years' CAT response sheet release date along with the CAT exam date.

CAT 2026 score vs percentile (Expected)

After calculating their probable CAT scores with the help of the CAT response sheet, candidates can check their expected CAT percentile by referring to the expected CAT score vs percentile tables given below.

Overall CAT Score vs Percentile (Slot 1)

How to Object to the CAT 2026 Response Sheet?

Candidates will be allowed to challenge the CAT 2026 answer key before the final CAT result. Here are the steps to follow in order to raise objections to the answer key.

• Step 1: Visit the CAT 2026 official website and click on the CAT 2026 answer key objection window link.
• Step 2: Provide the CAT ID and password, and then click on the tab “sign-in”.
• Step 3: The instructions page showcasing the start and end date, along with the time to challenge the CAT 2026 answer key, will be displayed on the screen.
• Step 4: After going through the instructions, click on the close tab, and then, after downloading the CAT 2026 answer key, if the candidates find any discrepancy, they can click on the objection form and fill in the required details.
• Step 5: A new page will open, and now the candidate will have to click on the plus icon (+).
• Step 6: An instructions page explaining how to raise objections against the CAT answer key will be displayed. For each objection raised against the CAT 2026 answer key, candidates will have to pay Rs 1,200 for each objection.
• Step 7: An instructions page will be displayed, after which the candidates will have to click on the close tab.
• Step 8: Click on the Objection tab and click on “+” to add doubt.
• Step 9: Then a new window will open wherein candidates will get to choose the section, type of question, and question number. Candidates will get to choose from the following options while challenging the CAT 2026 response sheet:
  
  

  • “None of the options is correct”.

  • “Given Answer Key is wrong.”

  • “More than one option is correct.”

There will be no restriction on the number of objections to be made, i.e. candidates will be able to raise more than one objection. However, for each objection, candidates will be required to pay Rs 1,200 as a fee for objecting.

Importance of the CAT 2026 Response Sheet in Score Calculation

The big advantage of the IIM CAT response sheet 2026 is that it allows candidates to evaluate their performance in the CAT exam, using the CAT 2026 answer key. Others are provided below:

• The conducting body releases the CAT response sheet download link to bring transparency.
• CAT 2026 test-takers can find out where they have gone wrong.
• Knowledge of the expected CAT 2026 result in advance of the estimated scores can be obtained.
• Query-Cum-Objection Form helps in raising objections.

CAT Result 2026

The CAT 2026 result will be announced in the third week of December 2026. The result will be published on the official website of IIM CAT in the form of a scorecard. Candidates who will appear for the entrance exam will be able to download the scorecard using proper login credentials, such as CAT ID and password.

Shortlisted candidates will be called for admission, which may include WAT, PI/GD, etc. CAT 2026 participating institutes will release their CAT cutoff and selection procedures, which can be checked on the respective websites of the institutes.

Previous Year CAT Answer Key

Candidates can check the previous year's CAT answer key that was released with the CAT response sheet from the tables.

CAT 2025 Answer keys

CAT 2022 Answer Key (Slot-Wise)

CAT 2021 Answer Key (Slot-Wise)

CAT 2020 Answer Key (Slot-Wise)