Over 55k candidates to appear for CAT at Cusat

Kochi: Common Admission Test (CAT 2026) conducted by Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) for admission to various academic programmes will begin on Saturday and conclude on Monday.A total of 55,059 candidates will appear for the examinations, including 47,359 applicants for undergraduate programmes and 7,700 for postgraduate programmes. The tests will be conducted at 121 centres, including 109 centres in Kerala and 12 outside the state. Around 1,892 candidates will appear from centres outside Kerala. According to university officials, Bengaluru has the highest number of applicants among the out-of-state centres, followed by Delhi and Chennai. "The test centre allotted for candidates appearing in New Delhi has been changed to HRL DIGITAL SOLUTION. Candidates are advised to download their updated admit cards from their candidate profiles and appear for the examination at the revised venue," a university official said. Candidates must report to the examination centres at least 90 minutes before the commencement of the test. They are required to carry a printed provisional admit card along with an original photo identity card or a DigiLocker document for verification. This year, the university increased intake by 10% in eight programmes across law, engineering and science streams. Significant changes have also been introduced to CAT 2026. Under the revised marking scheme, candidates will receive four marks for every correct answer, while one mark will be deducted for each wrong response. Candidates who fail to attempt at least one question will be disqualified and excluded from the rank list. The Test Code 101 pattern for BTech admissions has also been revised. Applicants are now required to secure a minimum combined normalised score of 10 in mathematics, physics and chemistry, replacing the earlier requirement of separate qualifying marks in each subject.