The CAT Answer Key 2026 will be released by IIM Indore at iimcat.ac.in in the first week of December 2026, shortly after the Common Admission Test conducted on 29 November 2026. The CAT Answer Key 2026 contains the correct answers for all 68 questions across VARC, DILR, and QA sections, along with the OMR response sheet. Candidates can use it to match their responses, estimate their probable scores, and raise objections during the official objection window. The final answer key, released after considering all valid challenges, is used to compute the CAT 2026 result expected in the second week of January 2027. For more details, check our CAT 2026 page.
Latest: – CAT Answer Key 2026 will be released by IIM Indore in the first week of December 2026 at iimcat.ac.in. CAT 2025 final answer key (IIM Kozhikode) was released ahead of the result on 24 December 2025. Unofficial answer keys appear on coaching websites and aglasem.com on the exam day itself.
CAT Answer Key 2026
What is the CAT Answer Key 2026?
The CAT Answer Key 2026 is the set of correct answers for all questions of the Common Admission Test 2026 conducted by IIM Indore. The answer key is typically released in two phases: a model answer key shortly after the exam (open for candidate objections), and a final answer key after IIM Indore reviews all valid objections. The final answer key is the official document used to compute the CAT 2026 result. Each correct MCQ carries +3 marks, each wrong MCQ carries –1 mark, and non-MCQ (TITA) questions have no negative marking – making the answer key the most accurate way to estimate your raw and scaled scores.
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CAT Answer Key 2026 Dates
Important dates relating to the CAT answer key 2026 are tabulated below.
| Event | Event Date |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 exam date | 29 November 2026 (Sunday) |
| Unofficial answer key (coaching & aglasem) | 29 November 2026 (Same day) |
| Model CAT Answer Key 2026 release | First week of December 2026 |
| Objection window | As per IIM Indore notification |
| Final CAT Answer Key 2026 release | Before result declaration |
| CAT 2026 Result | Second week of January 2027 (Expected) |
CAT Answer Key 2026 Download Link – You can download the answer key after the 29 November 2026 exam as per its release by IIM Indore at iimcat.ac.in.
How to Download CAT Answer Key 2026
Steps to download the official CAT Answer Key 2026 PDF and view your response sheet are as below:
- Visit the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in.
- Click on the “Candidate Login” section on the homepage.
- Enter your CAT 2026 User ID and Password.
- Click on the “CAT Answer Key 2026” or “Response Sheet & Answer Key link.
- Your slot-wise response sheet and the answer key will be displayed.
- Download both PDFs and save them for objection submission and score calculation.
- Match your recorded responses with the answer key to estimate the probable score.
How to Calculate Score Using CAT Answer Key 2026
As per the CAT 2026 marking scheme, each MCQ carries +3 for correct, –1 for wrong, and 0 for unattempted. Non-MCQ (TITA) questions have +3 for correct and 0 otherwise (no negative marking). To estimate your raw score:
- Count your correct MCQ responses and multiply by 3.
- Count your wrong MCQ responses and subtract 1 for each.
- Count your correct TITA responses and multiply by 3 (no penalty for wrong TITA).
- Final raw score = (Correct MCQ × 3) – (Wrong MCQ × 1) + (Correct TITA × 3).
- Maximum possible raw score = 68 × 3 = 204 marks across all three sections.
- IIM Indore then converts raw scores to scaled scores and percentiles via equipercentile normalisation across the three slots.
CAT Answer Key 2026 Objection Process
If you find any question in the model CAT Answer Key 2026 to be incorrect, you can submit objections during the prescribed window. The process typically involves:
- Login to your CAT 2026 candidate account at iimcat.ac.in with your User ID and Password.
- Identify the question(s) where you believe the model answer is incorrect.
- Submit objections in the prescribed format with supporting evidence (textbook references, official sources).
- Pay the prescribed objection fee per question (fee is refunded if your objection is upheld).
- IIM Indore’s expert panel reviews all objections and releases the final answer key.
- The final answer key is binding and used to compute the CAT 2026 result.
CAT Answer Key 2026 – An Overview
| Aspect | Information |
|---|---|
| Name of Document | CAT Answer Key 2026 |
| Issuing Authority | IIM Indore (Conducting IIM) |
| Exam Name | CAT 2026 (Common Admission Test) |
| Exam Date | 29 November 2026 (Sunday) |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Mode of Release | Online (login-protected PDF) |
| Total Questions | 68 (across 3 sections – VARC, DILR, QA) |
| Marking Scheme | +3 correct MCQ, –1 wrong MCQ; no negative for TITA |
| Maximum Raw Score | 204 marks |
| Released With | OMR Response Sheet |
CAT 2026 Response Sheet
The CAT 2026 response sheet contains the actual responses you marked during the exam. IIM Indore releases the response sheet at iimcat.ac.in along with the model answer key. Candidates can compare their recorded responses with the answer key to verify scoring before the result is declared. Key points:
- Login at iimcat.ac.in with User ID and Password to access the response sheet.
- Verify that the slot, registration ID, and recorded responses are correct.
- Cross-check each response against the final answer key to confirm your score.
- For a deep dive, see our dedicated CAT Response Sheet page.
CAT Question Paper 2026
The CAT 2026 question paper (slot-wise PDFs for the three sessions) will be available after the exam:
- Slot-wise question papers (Forenoon, Afternoon, Evening) are released along with the answer key on iimcat.ac.in.
- Use the question paper plus the CAT Answer Key 2026 for accurate score estimation.
- The papers become valuable practice material for CAT 2027 aspirants – download and store them safely.
- Section-wise difficulty analysis (VARC vs DILR vs QA) helps map your weak areas for re-attempts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. The CAT Answer Key 2026 will be released by IIM Indore in the first week of December 2026 at iimcat.ac.in, shortly after the 29 November 2026 exam. The final answer key will be released after the objection window concludes.
Ans. Download the official CAT Answer Key 2026 from iimcat.ac.in by logging in with your User ID and Password. Unofficial slot-wise answer keys are also available on aglasem.com and from leading coaching institutes on the exam day itself.
Ans. Yes, CAT 2026 has negative marking for MCQs: +3 for each correct answer and -1 for each wrong answer. Non-MCQ (TITA / Type In The Answer) questions have +3 for correct and no penalty for wrong. Unattempted questions score 0 in both formats.
Ans. Yes. Candidates can submit objections to the model CAT Answer Key 2026 during the prescribed window at iimcat.ac.in, by paying a per-question objection fee and providing supporting evidence. IIM Indore reviews all valid objections and releases the final answer key before the result.
Ans. Score = (Correct MCQs x 3) – (Wrong MCQs x 1) + (Correct TITA x 3). Maximum raw score is 204 (68 questions x 3 marks). IIM Indore converts raw scores to scaled scores and percentiles via equipercentile normalisation across the three exam slots.
Ans. Yes. IIM Indore releases the candidate-wise response sheet at iimcat.ac.in along with the model CAT Answer Key 2026. Login with User ID and Password to download both PDFs together for accurate score estimation.
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