A step-by-step checklist covering ID proof, photograph & signature specifications, academic records, and category certificates — built to help you register without errors, delays, or rejections.
01 Photo ID & Personal Details · 02 Photograph & Signature Specs · 03 Academic Certificates · 04 Category Certificates
Everything you need to gather before you open the CAT 2026 application form — ID proof, photo and signature specifications, category certificates, and academic records — explained in one organised checklist so your form is never flagged or rejected.
The CAT exam remains the single biggest gateway into the Indian Institutes of Management and hundreds of other leading business schools. Every year, many applications are flagged or rejected because of incorrect documents or uploaded in the wrong format. A candidate can spend months mastering Quant, DILR, and Verbal Ability, yet still stumble at the very first step because a scanned photo does not match the prescribed size, or a category certificate is missing a required seal.
The CAT 2026 registration process is a critical step for candidates aspiring to pursue MBA or other postgraduate management programmes at IIM colleges and top MBA colleges in India, and getting the paperwork right the first time saves weeks of avoidable stress. This guide walks through every document category, the exact technical specifications for uploads, and a print-ready checklist you can tick off before you even log in to the portal. If you haven’t started your prep yet, CatMock’s CAT 2026 study plan is a good place to pair alongside this checklist.
Quick Snapshot: CAT 2026 is expected to be held on 29 November 2026, and registration is expected to begin in the first week of August 2026. A correction window opens in the fourth week of September 2026, so accuracy at the time of submission matters far more than fixing errors later.
When Does CAT 2026 Registration Open?
Registration for CAT 2026 is expected to begin in the first week of August 2026, following the release of the official notification in July 2026. Candidates typically get around six to seven weeks to complete the online form, upload documents, choose exam city preferences, and pay the application fee. The deadline to submit the CAT 2026 application form is expected to fall in the third week of September 2026.
Working backwards from this window, the smartest strategy is to keep every document ready by the last week of July. That way, registration day becomes a simple data-entry exercise rather than a scramble to locate certificates, scan photographs, or request duplicate mark sheets from your college.
Primary Identity and Personal Documents
Before logging in to the official portal at iimcat.ac.in, candidates should keep their primary identification ready, and these details must exactly match the 10th-grade certificate. Mismatched spellings between your ID proof and your matriculation certificate are one of the most common reasons applications get stuck during verification.
- Valid Photo ID Proof: Aadhaar card is preferred, though a PAN card, passport, voter ID, or driving licence is also accepted.
- Personal Details: Name, father’s name, mother’s name, and permanent address exactly as per official records.
- Active Mobile Number and Email ID: All updates and OTPs, including CAT 2026 login credentials, are sent to the registered mobile number and email address.
Photograph and Signature Specifications
Upload errors around the photograph and signature account for a large share of last-minute registration panic. The scanned photograph must fall within 1200 x 1200 pixels, and the scanned signature must be within 80mm x 35mm, with both files in JPG or JPEG format and a size not exceeding 80 KB each, at a minimum resolution of 150 px/inch. The photograph should be recent, not older than six months, with a plain white background.
TABLE 1: PHOTO AND SIGNATURE UPLOAD SPECIFICATIONS
| Requirement | Photograph | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Format Accepted | JPG / JPEG | JPG / JPEG |
| Dimensions | 1200 x 1200 pixels | 80mm x 35mm |
| Maximum File Size | 80 KB | 80 KB |
| Minimum Resolution | 150 px/inch | 150 px/inch |
| Background | Plain white | White paper, black/blue pen |
| Recency | Not older than 6 months | Fresh, unsmudged signature |
Academic Documents
The CAT application form requires a full account of your academic background, and the 10th and 12th standard certificates are essential to establish your educational background and verify your date of birth. Graduation documents, including the final mark sheet or a provisional degree certificate, are also required for candidates who have already completed their bachelor’s programme. Candidates holding a postgraduate qualification need to keep those records ready as an additional supporting document, though this is not compulsory for most applicants.
Final-year undergraduate students are allowed to register with a provisional or bonafide certificate from their institution, confirming they are expected to complete their degree before the admission cycle begins. Eligibility requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50 percent aggregate marks, relaxed to 45 percent for SC, ST, and PwD candidates.
Category and Reservation Certificates
Reserved category candidates belonging to SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS, or PwD groups must upload valid category certificates during registration, and submitting a fake certificate can lead to disqualification. These certificates carry strict formatting and validity rules that differ slightly by category, so it helps to verify each one against the official checklist below.
TABLE 2: CATEGORY-WISE CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
| Category | Certificate Needed | Key Validity Rule |
|---|---|---|
| SC / ST | Caste certificate from a competent authority | No expiry date required, but must be issued by a competent authority |
| NC-OBC | Non-Creamy Layer certificate | Must be issued within the current financial year |
| EWS | Economically Weaker Section certificate | Issued within the prescribed validity period announced by IIMs |
| PwD | Disability certificate from a government hospital or board | Certificate must confirm the applicable disability percentage as per norms |
Additional Details You Should Keep Handy
Beyond identity, academic, and category documents, the CAT 2026 form also asks for information that is not a formal upload but still needs preparation in advance. Applicants must provide personal and academic details, a communication address, category information, and select six preferred exam cities. Keeping a shortlist of exam city preferences ready in order of convenience avoids last-minute indecision during form submission.
Work experience details, if applicable, should also be calculated precisely in completed months as of a cut-off date specified in the official notification, since this affects your composite score at several IIMs. Candidates with employment history should keep offer letters, relieving letters, or payslips handy to compute this figure accurately, even though these documents are not always uploaded directly.
How to Prepare Scanned Copies at Home
Most candidates do not have access to a professional scanning centre while preparing for CAT, and that is not a problem. A good smartphone camera, a plain white sheet as backdrop, and a free scanning app can produce documents that comfortably meet the portal’s specifications. The key is even, natural lighting with no harsh shadows across the photograph or the certificate, since shadows often trigger a blurred-image rejection during automated checks.
For the signature, sign in black or dark blue ink on plain white paper, then photograph it from directly above rather than at an angle, which prevents distortion. Crop the image tightly around the signature before resizing it to the prescribed 80mm by 35mm dimension, and compress the file using any free online image compressor if it exceeds the 80 KB limit.
For academic certificates, scan rather than photograph wherever possible, since scanned PDFs render text more sharply and are less likely to be flagged as illegible during manual verification.
Save every file with a clear, consistent naming convention, such as your roll number followed by the document type, in a single dedicated folder. This small habit prevents the common last-minute error of uploading the wrong file to the wrong field, which is surprisingly frequent when candidates are rushing to beat a midnight deadline.
What Happens After You Submit Your Documents
Once the CAT 2026 form is submitted, the uploaded documents go through a preliminary system-level check for format and size compliance, followed by a manual review closer to the admit card release stage. Candidates whose documents raise a flag, such as a mismatched name or an unclear category certificate, are usually notified through their registered email and given a short window to submit a clarification or corrected file.
This is precisely why the correction window in the fourth week of September carries real weight. It is the last structured opportunity to fix a photograph that did not upload correctly or a test-city preference that was selected in error. Beyond this window, most fields are locked for the remainder of the admission cycle, and any unresolved discrepancy can surface again at the document verification stage during the interview process at the shortlisting institute, so it is far safer to resolve it early than to hope it goes unnoticed.
Keep physical or digital backup copies of every document you upload, along with the confirmation page generated after submission. Many IIMs and other B-schools ask candidates to carry originals and photocopies of the same documents to the personal interview round, so the file you prepare today for registration effectively becomes the reference copy for the rest of your admission journey.
Pre-Registration Checklist
Use this checklist a week before registration opens so nothing is left to the last three days of the application window, when portal traffic is at its heaviest and technical glitches are more likely. You can also cross-check your prep timeline against CatMock’s CAT 2026 study planner.
TABLE 3: PRE-REGISTRATION DOCUMENT CHECKLIST
| # | Document / Detail | Status Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aadhaar card or alternate photo ID | Name matches 10th certificate |
| 2 | Passport-size photograph | White background, correct pixel size |
| 3 | Scanned signature | Black/blue ink, correct dimensions |
| 4 | 10th and 12th mark sheets | Scanned, legible, correct file size |
| 5 | Graduation certificate / provisional letter | Percentage calculated correctly |
| 6 | Category certificate (if applicable) | Valid and within date |
| 7 | Active email ID and mobile number | Accessible for OTP verification |
| 8 | Exam city preferences (six cities) | Ranked by convenience |
Common Mistakes That Delay Registration
Most rejected or flagged applications share a handful of repeat mistakes. Knowing them in advance is the fastest way to avoid repeating them. Candidates frequently upload a photograph with a coloured or patterned background, forget to update their category certificate if it was issued more than a year earlier, or misjudge the file size limit and get an upload error at the final step.
Another frequent slip is a mismatch between the name on the Aadhaar card and the name recorded on academic certificates, sometimes due to a spelling variation or a missing middle name. It is worth cross-checking every document against your 10th certificate a full week before you begin the form, since this record is treated as the primary reference for identity verification throughout the CAT admission cycle.
Summary
- CAT 2026 registration is expected to open in the first week of August 2026 and close in the third week of September 2026.
- Keep a government photo ID, recent white-background photograph, and scanned signature ready in the exact prescribed format.
- Academic documents from 10th standard through graduation must be scanned and legible.
- Reserved category candidates need valid, correctly issued certificates to avoid disqualification.
- A short correction window opens after submission, but it covers limited fields only, so accuracy at entry matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When will CAT 2026 registration begin?
Registration is expected to open in the first week of August 2026, shortly after the official notification is released in July 2026.
2. What is the maximum file size for the photograph and signature?
Both files should be in JPG or JPEG format and must not exceed 80 KB each, at a minimum resolution of 150 px/inch.
3. Can final-year students register for CAT 2026?
Yes, final-year undergraduate students can register using a provisional or bonafide certificate confirming their expected date of graduation.
4. Is Aadhaar mandatory for CAT registration?
Aadhaar is the preferred and recommended ID, but a PAN card, passport, voter ID, or driving licence is also accepted as valid identity proof.
5. What happens if my category certificate is invalid?
An invalid or fake category certificate can lead to outright disqualification, so candidates should verify the issuing authority and validity period well in advance.
6. Can I edit my documents after submitting the form?
A limited correction window opens after registration closes, but it typically allows changes only to the photograph, signature, and test city preferences, not core identity details.
7. Do working professionals need extra documents for CAT 2026?
Working professionals should keep offer letters, relieving letters, or payslips ready to accurately calculate completed months of experience, since this affects the composite score at several IIMs, even though these papers are not always uploaded during registration itself.
8. What is the safest way to avoid document rejection?
Cross-check every uploaded file against your 10th standard certificate for spelling accuracy, confirm each file meets the exact size and dimension limits, and complete your registration at least a week before the deadline to avoid portal congestion.
Conclusion
Gathering the documents required for CAT 2026 registration is a small investment of time that protects months of exam preparation from being undermined by an avoidable clerical error. Start with your identity and academic records, verify every category certificate for validity, and prepare your photograph and signature to the exact pixel and file size specifications well before the application window opens. A candidate who walks into registration day fully prepared spends that time on accuracy, not on scrambling for paperwork, and gives every attempt at an IIM seat the smoothest possible start.
Don’t stop here! Explore these helpful resources: CAT Mock | CAT Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
