1. Why start thinking about CAT 2025 Registration now?
If you’re aiming for an IIM seat in 2026, the single most time‑critical task on your calendar this year is CAT 2025 Registration. Every season a few thousand otherwise‑prepared aspirants miss the window by a day—or fumble a document upload on the last evening and get locked out. A little advance prep saves that heartbreak.
2. Expected timeline at a glance
| Event | Tentative window* | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Notification release | Last week July 2025 | Brochure PDF + registration guide become public |
| CAT 2025 Registration opens | Thursday, 31 July 2025 (10 a.m. IST) | Portal live; first‑day rush triggers slower servers |
| Form‑correction window | Mid‑Sep 2025 (3 days) | Edit photo, signature, test‑city choices |
| Registration closes | Friday, 12 Sep 2025 (5 p.m. IST) | Hard cut‑off—no late fee option |
| Admit card download | 05 Nov – 30 Nov 2025 | Check reporting slot & centre |
| CAT 2025 exam date | Sunday, 30 Nov 2025 | Three sessions (morning/afternoon/evening) |
| Result declaration | Second week Jan 2026 | Percentile + scaling details |
*Based on the official CAT 2024 calendar (registration 1 Aug–20 Sep 2024; test 24 Nov 2024). IIMs rarely deviate by more than 2–3 days from this template. CAT 2019CAT 2019
3. Quick eligibility checkpoint
- Bachelor’s degree ≥ 50 % (45 % for SC/ST/PwD).
- Final‑year under‑graduates (’26 pass‑outs) can apply with a provisional certificate.
- No age limit.
- Foreign nationals will need a valid passport and must opt for the GMAT/GRE route besides CAT 2025 Registration if applying through the international quota.
4. The master‑checklist: documents you’ll actually upload
| Category | File to upload | Format & size specs | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport‑size photograph | Recent colour photo (≤ 6 months old) | JPEG/JPG; ≤ 1 MB; 1200 × 1200 px | Will be printed on admit card Top Colleges and Universities in India |
| Scanned signature | Dark ink on white sheet | JPEG/JPG; ≤ 80 KB; 80 mm × 35 mm | Visible on score‑card iQuanta |
| Category certificate (if applicable) | SC/ST/OBC‑NCL/EWS | PDF; clear stamp & sign | Claim fee waiver & reservation |
| PwD certificate | Govt./CMO issued | PDF; as per latest format | Extra time/scribe support |
| Photo ID proof | Aadhaar/Passport/PAN/Voter ID | PDF/JPEG; front + back | Verification on exam day |
| Academic transcripts | Class X, XII & graduation marksheets | Combine as a single PDF; ≤ 2 MB | Auto‑calculates % in form |
| Optional experience letter(s) | For Work‑Ex section | PDF; club multiple pages | Adds weight in IIM shortlisting |
Have these saved in a single “CAT25 Docs” folder on your desktop—your future self will thank you.
5. Photo & signature: the finicky bits that trip applicants
| Spec | Photograph | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Plain, light (white/grey) | N/A |
| Face coverage | 80 %–90 % frame | Sign within box, no initials |
| Accessories | Remove tinted glasses, cap | Use black or dark blue ink |
| Cropping | Show shoulders | Avoid thick borders |
| File name | catphoto.jpg | catsign.jpg |
Upload failures account for 30 % of last‑minute panic tweets every year—test‑compress your files to the right size before the portal opens. Top Colleges and Universities in India
6. CAT 2025 Registration: a step‑by‑step walkthrough
- Hit the official link – open iimcat.ac.in and click “New Candidate Registration”.
- One‑time OTP – enter name, DOB, email, mobile → verify with OTP.
- Generate User ID & Password – note them down (save as a secure note).
- Log in – the dashboard shows six tabs; green ticks mark completion.
- Personal details – name (as per degree), parents’ names, category selection.
- Academic records – auto‑calculate %; convert CGPA with the formula given.
- Work experience – full‑time only; internships don’t count.
- Programme & city preference – select IIM campuses + SIX test cities (ranked).
- Uploads – photo, signature, certificates (preview before save).
- Fee payment – ₹ 2,600 (Gen/OBC‑CL), ₹ 1,350 (SC/ST/PwD) via debit/credit/UPI. CAT 2019
- Confirmation page – download two copies; portal emails a copy too.
👉 Pro‑tip: Submit in the first week. Early birds get the most convenient test‑cities; late registrants often land a 6 a.m. reporting slot four hours away from home.
7. Form‑correction window: what you can & can’t fix
| Can edit | Cannot edit |
|---|---|
| Photograph & signature | Name, DOB, email, phone |
| Test‑city options | Category after fee payment |
| Academic marks | Gender |
So double‑check spelling and category before hitting Submit—those fields lock forever.
8. Fee receipt & GST invoice
After you pay, the portal issues an e‑receipt (contains a 12‑digit transaction ref. no.) and a GST invoice. Keep both for your tax‑saving folder—education expenses sometimes qualify for employer reimbursements.
9. Common “why did my form get rejected?” reasons
- Uploaded grayscale photo or selfie.
- Signature scanned in portrait instead of landscape.
- Using corporate email with strict spam filters (activation link never arrives).
- OBC‑NCL certificate dated before 01 Apr 2024 (must be within 1 year on registration date).
- Name mismatch between Aadhaar and Degree certificate; solve with affidavit well in advance.
10. What happens after CAT 2025 Registration closes?
- October 2025 – mock‑test link released on portal.
- 05 Nov 2025 onward – download admit card; verify barcode, photo clarity.
- D‑Day (30 Nov 2025) – reach centre 90 mins early; biometric + frisking.
- January 2026 – scorecard → percentile; IIM shortlist emails begin the same week.
Stay subscribed to the same email ID you used during CAT 2025 Registration; all further communication, including interview call letters, lands there.
11. FAQs in a coffee‑chat tone
Q. Can I register with my work email?
A. Better not. Corporate firewalls sometimes block the OTP or admit‑card mailer.
Q. I’m in my final B.Com semester—do I leave the ‘marks obtained’ field blank?
A. No, choose “Yes” under “Appearing in Final Year” and upload the latest semester marksheet.
Q. Does income‑based EWS reservation need the 2024‑25 certificate or is 2023‑24 fine?
A. You’ll need a certificate dated 01 Apr 2025 or later—download the template from the CAT brochure and get it signed fresh.
Q. I completed the form but payment failed; am I registered?
A. Not yet. The dashboard will show a red “Payment Pending” banner—log in again, choose Pay Now.
12. Final checklist (print & pin above your study table)
- Folder with all documents (compressed, renamed).
- Personal details typed in a Notepad file to avoid typos.
- Net banking/UPI with ₹ 2,600 balance + OTP SIM handy.
- Two hours of uninterrupted time on a laptop (mobile browsers sluggish).
- Screenshot after every tab—just in case.
Complete these before 31 July and your CAT 2025 Registration becomes one less thing to worry about while you juggle mocks and sectional tests.
13. Signing off
The registration form is your first impression on the IIM system. Treat it like a meticulous section of the exam itself—because a sloppy photo or a missed deadline can cost you the interview no matter how stellar your quant score. Tick every box, submit early, and you’ll step into the exam hall on 30 November carrying one quiet superpower: peace of mind.
Good luck, and see you on the other side of CAT 2025!
For CAT material for preparation – Check out Learncrew Publications
This article is based on publicly available information from the CAT 2024 official advertisement and recent updates by IIMs. Always cross‑verify on the official portal before acting.
