CAT 2027 Registration Date, Photo & Signature Size
CAT 2027 registration expected August–September 2027, exam late November. Photo and signature under 80 KB each, and the documents IIMs ask for.
These are based on the previous cycle and public reports. The official notification can change anything here.
Expected timeline
Late July 2027 (expected)
Notification
The CAT 2026 notification was published on 25 July 2026.
Early August to mid-September 2027 (expected)
Registration
CAT 2026 registration opened on 3 August 2026 and closed in mid to late September (15 and 22 September are both reported, suggesting an extension).
Early November 2027 (expected)
Admit card
The CAT 2026 admit card was scheduled for 4 November 2026.
Last Sunday of November 2027 (expected)
Exam
CAT 2026 is on Sunday 29 November 2026.
Photo and signature spec
| File | Dimensions | File size | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | 240 × 360 px | 10–80 KB | JPG |
| Signature | 640 × 280 px | 10–80 KB | JPG |
Other documents: IIM gives sizes in mm and KB: photo about 30 x 45 mm, signature about 80 x 35 mm, JPG, up to 80 KB each (2026 cycle). Pixel values are a 200 DPI conversion, not official. Category, PwD and other certificates as asked in the form.
CAT 2027 registration is expected from early August to mid-September 2027, with the exam on the last Sunday of November 2027. That follows CAT 2026, which opened on 3 August 2026 and is being held on 29 November 2026. You will need a photo of about 30 x 45 mm and a signature of about 80 x 35 mm, each a JPG under 80 KB.
CAT (Common Admission Test) is conducted by one of the IIMs each year for MBA and PGP admissions at the IIMs and hundreds of other business schools. It is a computer-based test.
What you need to upload
The table uses the CAT 2026 rules. The convening IIM can change them, so check the CAT 2027 notice and the form itself.
| File | Format | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG/JPEG | Up to 80 KB; about 30 x 45 mm | Recent colour passport photo, white background, taken within about six months |
| Signature | JPG/JPEG | Up to 80 KB; about 80 x 35 mm | Black or blue ink on white paper |
| Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS) | As per form | As per form | Only if claimed |
| PwD certificate | As per form | As per form | Only if claimed |
| Work experience details | Entered in the form | — | Months of full-time work |
Some guides list a 35 x 45 mm photo instead of 30 x 45 mm. The 80 KB limit is the part everyone agrees on.
How to prepare each file
Photo. Take a clear passport-style photo against a white background. Use resize image in cm to set it to about 3 x 4.5 cm, or the exam photo resizer for a quick passport crop. Then use compress image to 50 KB to get safely under 80 KB without losing sharpness.
Signature. Sign on white paper in black or blue ink, leaving room around it. Crop to a wide rectangle of about 8 x 3.5 cm, then compress to well under 80 KB.
Certificates. If you are claiming a category or PwD reservation, scan the certificate clearly. If the form takes PDFs and your scan is large, compress PDF to 500 KB helps. Check the limit shown on the form.
Other things to keep ready
- Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks, as percentages. Some IIMs use these in shortlisting, so enter them carefully.
- Work experience in months, with employer names.
- The programmes and IIMs you want to apply to, which you choose in the form.
- Your preferred test cities. The number you can choose is given in the notice.
Timeline notes
- Notification: expected late July 2027 (25 July in 2026).
- Registration: expected early August to mid-September 2027. In 2026 it opened on 3 August; closing dates of 15 and 22 September are both reported.
- Admit card: expected early November 2027.
- Exam: expected last Sunday of November 2027.
- Result: expected early January 2028.
Only the notice on iimcat.ac.in is final.
Applying from a phone
Take the photo with the rear camera against a white wall, photograph the signature flat in daylight, and check both are under 80 KB in your file manager before you upload.
Common reasons uploads get rejected
- A photo older than about six months, or a selfie with a busy background.
- Photo and signature swapped between fields.
- Files over 80 KB, which often happens with phone photos.
- A signature written in capital letters or too small to read.
- Academic percentages entered wrongly. That is not an upload error, but it can affect shortlisting.
Questions
What is the photo size for CAT?
For CAT 2026 the IIMs asked for a colour passport-size photo in JPG, about 30 mm wide and 45 mm high, no more than 80 KB. Some guides say 35 x 45 mm, so follow the size shown on the form.
What is the CAT signature size?
About 80 mm wide and 35 mm high, JPG, no more than 80 KB, signed in black or blue ink on white paper (2026 cycle).
When will CAT 2027 registration start?
It is expected in early August 2027, since CAT 2026 registration opened on 3 August 2026. The IIMs announce the dates in a notice in late July.
When is CAT 2027?
Not announced. CAT has been held on the last Sunday of November in recent years (29 November in 2026), so late November 2027 is the likely date.
Sources
- Official: iimcat.ac.in
- careers360.com/mba/articles/cat-2026-photo-signature-specifications
- bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-2026-photo-signature-specifications
- news.careers360.com/cat-2026-registration-live-news-iim-mba-exam-application-for
- pw.live/mba/exams/cat-2026-registration-dates
- iquanta.in/blog/cat-form-filling-2026/