Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2027
Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 18 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2026
The CAT 2026 score validity is 1 year; for example, the CAT 2026 exam will conclude on November 29, 2026, so your score will be valid till December 31, 2027. The CAT score validity determines the period for which a candidate can use the score of the CAT exam to seek admission to MBA/PGDM programs at any CAT-accepting institution. The CAT score validity may vary for some of the colleges, but for most B schools, the validity of the CAT score is a maximum of 1 year. After 1 year, candidates have to reappear for the CAT exam for the particular year to procure a valid CAT score.
The CAT scores are provided through the CAT scorecard 2026. The CAT scorecard can be downloaded from the official website by candidates using their CAT login credentials generated during the CAT registration. The CAT scorecard 2026 can be downloaded using the steps mentioned below.
Also Check:
Question: How do CAT score percentiles differ from scaled scores?
Answer: In the CAT exam, a scaled score is a candidate's actual numerical marks that are obtained after a statistical adjustment for test slot difficulty. Whereas a percentile indicates a candidate's relative position or rank among all the test-takers.
The CAT score validity for different CAT-accepting colleges is given in the table below.
| CAT Colleges | CAT Score Validity |
|---|---|
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year | |
1 year |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, the validity of the CAT scorecard 2026 is one year. The CAT score 2026 can be used for MBA admission 2027 till December 31, 2027.
The CAT 2026 response sheet as well as the answer key will be released in December 2026, on the official site, iimcat.ac.in. All candidates will be able to log in using their credentials and check their slot-specific response sheet.
The validity of the CAT score 2026 is for 1 year. After 1 year, the CAT score for the preceding year will be considered invalid for seeking admission to any B school. To apply for colleges, candidates will have to appear again for the CAT exam.
There is no limit on the number of CAT attempts that a candidate can take. You can take the exam as many times as you want, provided you meet the eligibility criteria for each attempt.
A good CAT score for IIM admissions generally falls within the 95-99 percentile range for newer IIMs and top private B-schools, while the older, more established IIMs often require a score above the 98th percentile for general category candidates.
There is no limit on the number of CAT attempts that a candidate can take. You can take the exam as many times as you want, provided you meet the eligibility criteria for each attempt.
A good CAT score for IIM admissions generally falls within the 95-99 percentile range for newer IIMs and top private B-schools, while the older, more established IIMs often require a score above the 98th percentile for general category candidates.
A good CAT score will depend on the college that a candidate aims for. If the goal is to pursue an MBA from IIMs then a good score would be percentile between 98-99.9. Other than IIMs a percentile between 90-99 would be considered good enough.
At 95 percentile IIM is feasible for some reserved categories. For the General category candidates 95 percentile may fall short of converting an IIM. However, lower-tier IIMs can be targeted with the 95 percentile.
Yes. The CAT exam has negative marking. For every answer marked wrongly by a candidate, 1 mark will be deducted. For every correct answer, 3 marks are awarded. No marks are deducted for questions left unattempted by the candidate.
On Question asked by student community
If you have already received your final MA result and have technically completed the degree , but you are only waiting for the revaluation outcome, you would generally be considered a graduate rather than someone whose master's degree is still completely in progress. However, CAT has specific instructions about qualification
If you mean CAT (Common Admission Test) preparation, you can practise with previous-year CAT papers. IIM has a collection of CAT papers from 2017 to 2025, covering VARC, DILR and Quant across different slots, along with solutions and explanations. Solving the recent papers first can help you understand the current
Hello Student,
Yes, you can apply for CAT with an EWS certificate issued in Hindi, provided it is issued by the competent authority and follows the required format. However, CAT applicants need a Central-level EWS certificate, not merely a state-level EWS certificate. Since you are from Uttar Pradesh, ensure your
Hey there,
If you mean your MBA counselling seat-allotment letter, the exact download process depends on the counselling authority.
Usually:
With a Telangana state merit rank of 10,953, admission to MBBS Category A in Hyderabad Muslim minority colleges is generally very difficult. However, you may have a better chance for BDS Category A, depending on the year's cutoff and seat availability.
Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 18 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2026
75+ years of legacy | #1 Entrance Exam | Score accepted by 250+ BSchools
6-Hour Masterclass to help you score 99+ percentile in CAT 2026
Test centres are available in 70+ cities across India | 75,000+ aspirants apply for the NMAT exam | Accepted by 58+ institutions like NMIMS, KJSIM, ISB, SPJIMR and Great Lakes.
Registration Start: 3 August 2026 | Last Date to Apply: 15 September 2026 (till 5 PM)
AACSB Accredited | 40 LPA-Highest CTC | Scholarships worth 10 CR