CAT Answer Key 2026: Direct Download Link (Slot 1, 2 & 3)

The final CAT Answer Key 2026 will release in December 2026. Candidates can check the answer key on the CAT official website, iimcat.ac.in. The provisional answer key will release before that. Applicants can also download their response sheet along with the results. CAT response sheet contains the answers marked by the candidates along with the correct answers. Candidates can use it to calculate the raw score and estimate the percentile for admission to the target institute. Candidates will also be able to raise objections against the answer key for a limited time. To raise an objection, candidates needed to pay a fee of INR 1,200, which is refunded if the objection is accepted. After incorporating the objection, the final results will be declared. CAT 2026 Result will announce in December 2026. Continue reading for detailed information about CAT Answer Key 2026.

CAT Answer Key 2026: Important Dates

CAT 2026 dates are not released yet. The official notification is expected to release in July 2026. The provisional answer key will be released before the final answer key. Here are the important CAT 2026 Dates:

CAT Answer Key 2026: Downloading Steps

Candidates can access the answer key before the CAT 2026 Results are declared using their CAT ID and Password. Candidates wondering how to download CAT Answer Key 2026 can follow the step-by-step process to download the exam answer key:

Step 1: Visit the official IIM CAT 2026 website: iimcat.ac.in.

Step 2: On the homepage, click the Candidate Login option from the screen.

Step 3: Enter the CAT ID, password, and tap Submit to complete the log in process.

Step 4: Locate and click on the Answer Key 2026 tab.

Step 5: The next page will display CAT Answer Key 2026. Click the “Download PDF” link to save to the device.

CAT Answer Key 2026: Mentioned Details

CAT exam answer key 2026 provides the correct answers for the CAT Question Papers. It also includes the response sheet, which displays the candidate’s information and marked answers, enabling them to compare their responses and estimate their scores. Here is the complete list of details that the CAT answer key contains:

• Candidate’s name.
• Registration number.
• Examination centre.
• Test date and time.
• Question type.
• Question ID.
• Status (attempted/not attempted).
• Right answer.
• Candidate response.

CAT 2026 Answer Key: Raise Objections

The IIMs allow candidates to raise objections to any discrepancies found in the CAT answer key. Objections can be raised along with a payment of a fee and supporting reasoning for the objection. Individuals wondering How to Raise Objections Against CAT 2026 Answer Key can raise an objection by following these steps:

Step 1: Visit the official IIM CAT website at iimcat.ac.in.

Step 2: Use the CAT ID and password to log in to the portal.

Step 3: Open the link directing to the CAT Exam 2026 answer key. Look for the “Raise Objections” or the “Objection Management System” link and click on it.

Step 4: The portal will display the exam questions. Click the question with the objection.

Step 5: State valid reasoning and upload proofs related to your objections for each objection.

Step 6: Pay a fee of INR 1,200 per question. If the objection is accepted, the fee is refunded.

Step 7: Complete all the details in the form and tap the Submit option.

CAT Answer Key 2026: Marking Scheme

CAT examination employs a scaled marking system, where candidates are assigned percentiles based on their scores. For every correct answer, CAT awards three marks (MCQs and Non-MCQs) and deducts one mark for wrong MCQ answers. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions and wrong non-MCQ answers. Candidates can go through the CAT 2026 Paper Analysis to learn about the cutoffs and expected marks. Here is how candidates can use the CAT answer key to calculate scores and how it relates to percentiles:

CAT 2026 Calculating Score

• For 30 correct answers, the CAT score would be 30 x 3 = 90 marks.
• If there are 10 wrong answers, deduct 10 x 1 = 10 marks.
• Deduct the wrong answer score from the correct answer score to arrive at the raw score: 90 - 10 = 80 marks.
• The IIMs take the raw score and normalise it to ensure candidates from all three slots are assessed on the same level.
• The normalised scores are then used to arrive at the percentile.

CAT 2026 Score vs. Percentile

MBA course admissions are made based on the percentile. The raw scores are used to determine the percentiles by comparing a candidate’s score against the scores of all other CAT candidates. This means that candidates need to perform well and outperform their peers.

Attempting 30-35 questions with an accuracy rate over 80% will likely result in a score in the 99th percentile for CAT 2026.For reference, the table below lists the estimated CAT 2026 score and corresponding percentile.

Check: CAT Cutoff 2026

CAT Answer Key 2026 FAQs