ICMAI CAT is the Certificate in Accounting Technicians course of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, a one-year course for Class 12 students that prepares them for entry-level accounting jobs. The December 2026 Part-I exam is scheduled for 12 December 2026, and the online exam form closes on 15 October 2026.
Latest (30 September 2026): ICMAI published the CAT Part-I December 2026 notification: the exam is on 12 December 2026 and exam forms must be submitted online by 15 October 2026, with no extension.
ICMAI CAT December 2026
This page covers the December 2026 CAT Part-I exam date, course admission and the exam form, fees, eligibility, the exam pattern and the official notices.
| Full name | Certificate in Accounting Technicians (CAT) Course, Part-I Examination |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Directorate of CAT, The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) |
| Exam level | National certificate course exam, held twice a year (June and December terms) |
| Courses / Purpose | Part-I exam of the one-year CAT course, which trains students for entry-level accounting jobs |
| Exam date | 12 December 2026 (Paper I 10 AM to 12 noon, Paper II 2 to 4 PM) |
| Application | Exam form online by 15 October 2026, no extension; course admission for this term closed 31 August 2026 |
| Application fee | Exam fee Rs 1,000 (overseas centres Rs 7,200); course fee Rs 12,660 |
| Eligibility | Class 12 (10+2) passed or appearing, with a valid CAT registration |
| Mode | Offline, MCQs on OMR sheets at exam centres |
| Questions and marks | 2 papers of 100 MCQs each, 1 mark per question (200 marks in all) |
| Duration | 2 hours per paper |
| Negative marking | None |
| Official website | icmai.in |
ICMAI CAT December 2026 Important Dates
The December 2026 Part-I exam is on 12 December 2026, and the next term after it is June 2027, for which course admission closes on 28 February 2027.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Course admission last date (June 2026) | By 28 February 2026 Closed |
| Exam form last date (June 2026) | By 30 April 2026 Closed |
| Part-I exam, Papers I and II (June 2026) | 13 June 2026, 10 AM to 12 noon; 2 to 4 PM |
| Part-II online assessment tests (July 2026) | 8 to 17 July 2026 Released |
| Course admission last date (December 2026) | By 31 August 2026 Closed |
| Exam notification (December 2026) | 30 September 2026 Released |
| Exam form last date (December 2026) | By 15 October 2026 Closed |
| Part-I Paper I (December 2026) | 12 December 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon Upcoming |
| Part-I Paper II (December 2026) | 12 December 2026, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Upcoming |
| Admit card (December 2026) | To be announced |
| Result and rank list (June 2026) | To be announced |
| Result (December 2026) | To be announced |
Dates change often. Get an alert when ICMAI CAT 2026 dates, admit card or result are announced.
How to Apply for ICMAI CAT December 2026
Applying is a two-step process: you first take admission to the CAT course, and then submit the online exam form for the term you want to sit. Admission for the December 2026 term closed on 31 August 2026, so only students already admitted can fill the December 2026 exam form.
Closed
Apply Online for ICMAI CAT 2026
The ICMAI CAT 2026 application window (By 28 February 2026) has closed.
Application closedOfficial website
- Take admission to the CAT course, either at your nearest ICMAI Regional Council, Chapter or Recognised Oral Coaching Centre (ROCC), or directly with the CAT Directorate through the online admission form. You get a registration number on admission.
- For online admission, keep scans ready: photo and signature (JPEG/JPG/PNG, up to 100 KB each), and qualification, age proof, identity proof and category certificate (PDF or image, up to 1 MB each).
- Attend the oral coaching. You need at least 70% attendance to be allowed to sit the Part-I exam.
- Open the December 2026 exam form from the ICMAI CAT portal and fill it in. Check the spelling of your name and father’s name, your date of birth, email ID and mobile number carefully.
- Pay the exam fee online by credit card, debit card or UPI and submit the form by 15 October 2026. Offline forms and offline payments are not accepted.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| CAT course fee (all inclusive, India) | Rs 12,660 |
| Part-I exam fee, Indian centres | Rs 1,000 |
| Part-I exam fee, overseas centres | Rs 7,200 (US$ 80) |
| Orientation programme fee (paid to your centre) | Rs 500 |
| Students from North-Eastern states, J&K and Ladakh | 50% of the course fee waived (exam fee still payable) |
To correct your name, father’s name, date of birth, email ID or mobile number, write to [email protected] by 15 October 2026; ICMAI will not accept change requests after that date. The fee waiver applies from the June 2026 term, and such students are registered directly with the CAT Directorate and get online classes.
Who can apply for ICMAI CAT?
Students who have passed or are appearing in the Class 12 (10+2) exam can take admission to the CAT course, as per the ICMAI CAT portal.
- The 2026-27 prospectus also lets a Class 10 pass student register and study for Class 12 at the same time, but you can sit the Part-I exam only after appearing in the Class 12 exam.
- The National Diploma in Commerce (AICTE or a state board of technical education) and the Diploma in Rural Service (National Council of Higher Education) are also accepted.
- To sit the Part-I exam you need a valid registration number, a submitted exam form with fee, and at least 70% attendance in oral coaching.
- You must appear in an exam within three years of registration, and your registration is valid for seven years.
What is the ICMAI CAT Part-I exam pattern?
The Part-I exam has two papers of 100 multiple choice questions each, held on one day at offline centres with OMR answer sheets.
| Paper | Sections (marks) | Questions | Timing (12 December 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Fundamentals of Financial Accounting (60); Applied Business and Industrial Laws (40) | 100 MCQs, 1 mark each | 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon |
| Paper II | Financial Accounting-2 (50); Statutory Compliance (50) | 100 MCQs, 1 mark each | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
- There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
- To pass, you need at least 40% in each paper and 50% of the total marks.
- Exam centres are in over 150 Indian cities, plus Bahrain, Dubai and Muscat.
- Detailed exam instructions will come with the admit card.
What does the ICMAI CAT course cover?
The CAT course has two parts: Part-I is 150 hours of coaching on four papers, and Part-II is 180 hours of computer and practical training.
| Part | What you study |
|---|---|
| Part-I | Paper 1 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting; Paper 2 Applied Business and Industrial Laws; Paper 3 Financial Accounting-2; Paper 4 Statutory Compliance |
| Part-II | Computer Fundamentals by Microsoft (45 hours); Computerized Accounting with Tally ERP 9.0 (45 hours); Employability Skills (30 hours); e-Filing by experts (30 hours); Introduction to Costing Principles and Preparation of Cost Statements (30 hours) |
| Training | Five-day orientation programme and a 45-day internship |
- Part-II is assessed through online tests on icat.co.in: you must pass at least 6 tests with 50% or more in each.
- Study notes are given free to registered students.
- After passing CAT Part-I and Class 12, you can register for the CMA Intermediate course of ICMAI. See the ICMAI CAT result page for what comes after Part-I.
Official ICMAI CAT December 2026 Notices
- PDFNotification for CAT Course (Part I), December 2026 Examination (30 September 2026)Official site · dwpivt501gtb6.cloudfront.netOpen
- LINKOnline Application Form for CAT Course (Part I), December 2026 ExaminationOfficial site · eicmai.inOpen
- PDFCAT Prospectus 2026-27Official site · dwpivt501gtb6.cloudfront.netOpen
- PDFCAT Course SyllabusOfficial site · dwpivt501gtb6.cloudfront.netOpen
- LINKCAT Course (Part I) Examination Result, June 2026Official site · eicmai.inOpen
- PDFRank List, June 2026 term of CAT Course (Part I) ExaminationOfficial site · dwpivt501gtb6.cloudfront.netOpen
- PDFCircular on 50% Fee Waiver for CAT Students from North-Eastern States, J&K and Ladakh (1 September 2025)Official site · dwpivt501gtb6.cloudfront.netOpen
- LINKICMAI CAT Portal (official website)Official site · icmai.inOpen
ICMAI CAT December 2026 FAQs
Is ICMAI CAT the same as the IIM CAT for MBA?
No. ICMAI CAT is the Certificate in Accounting Technicians course of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India. The IIM CAT is a separate MBA entrance test.
Is the CAT course run by ICAI?
No. The Certificate in Accounting Technicians course is run by ICMAI (The Institute of Cost Accountants of India) through its Directorate of CAT, not by ICAI.
Is the ICMAI CAT Part-I exam online?
No. Part-I is an offline exam with MCQs marked on OMR sheets at exam centres. Only the Part-II assessment tests are taken online.
When is the next ICMAI CAT exam after December 2026?
The next term is June 2027. Course admission for it must be done by 28 February 2027, and the exam date will be announced in the June 2027 notification.
Can I fill the December 2026 exam form after 15 October 2026?
No. ICMAI has said there will be no extension of the 15 October 2026 last date for the December 2026 exam form.