CAT 2026 Exam Date November 29 Confirmed by Trends: Full Schedule & Slot Details

Based on previous CAT exam schedule trends, CAT 2026 is expected to be held on November 29, 2026, which falls on the last Sunday of November

• The examination is expected to be held in computer-based mode across 170+ test cities throughout the country.

• The expected CAT 2026 registration fee is different for General and reserved category candidates, subject to confirmation in the official notification.
• Candidates can expect the examination to be conducted in multiple slots similar to the format followed in recent years.
• The final examination schedule, fee details and registration guidelines will be confirmed through the official CAT 2026 notification.

Related Links:

• CAT 2026: Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus & Marking Scheme
• CAT Exam Pattern 2026: Section-wise Pattern, Marking Scheme, Syllabus, Question Paper
• CAT Cutoff 2025- Check Category-wise Cutoff for IIMs and Top MBA Colleges, Marks vs Percentile, Good Score

Key Summary

• CAT 2026 scores will be accepted for admission to all 21 IIMs and a large number of participating management institutes across India for the 2027–29 MBA batch.
• Based on recent exam patterns, the CAT 2026 question paper is expected to include questions from VARC, DILR, and QA sections.

CAT 2026 Exam Date November 29 Confirmed By Trends: Historical Pattern Analysis

CAT examinations have traditionally been conducted on the last Sunday of November, a pattern that has remained unchanged over the years.

• Since November 29 2026, falls on the last Sunday of the month it is being widely considered as the expected date for CAT 2026.
• The responsibility of conducting CAT rotates among the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and IIM Indore is expected to be the organising institute for the 2026 session.
• Based on recent exam formats, CAT 2026 is expected to be conducted in computer based mode across 170+ test cities nationwide.
• Candidates can also expect the examination to be held in multiple sessions on the same day following the pattern used in recent CAT cycles.

Also Check:

• IIM Ahmedabad Cutoff CAT & Admission Criteria: Check Eligibility & Score Vs Percentile
• IIM Bangalore Cutoff CAT and Admission Criteria: Check Category-wise cutoff & Eligibility Criteria

CAT 2026 Full Schedule: All Important Dates

The CAT 2026 score will be used for admission to the 2027–29 MBA batch at the IIMs and a large number of participating management institutes.

• The dates and timelines mentioned below are based on previous CAT cycles and current expectations for the 2026 session.
• Candidates should treat all expected dates as provisional until the release of the official notification.
• The confirmed schedule for CAT 2026 registration, examination, admit card release and result declaration will be announced through the official notification.
• Candidates are advised to follow the official CAT website regularly for the latest announcements and admission related updates.

Also Check:

• IIM Calcutta Cutoff CAT & Selection Process: Check Category-wise cutoff & Admission Criteria
• IIM Kozhikode CAT Cutoff and Admission Criteria: Check Previous Years’ Cut off, Eligibility, MBA Fees and Placements

CAT 2026 Slot Timings: All 3 Sessions on November 29

Each CAT 2026 slot is expected to have a duration of 2 hours following the pattern observed in recent examination cycles.

• The question paper is likely to include around 68 questions spread across the three sections of the exam.
• Candidates should report to the test centre well before the scheduled entry time to complete document verification, biometric registration and other pre-exam formalities.
• Eligible PwD candidates are expected to receive additional compensatory time as per the examination guidelines.
• The exact reporting schedule, entry timings and examination instructions will be mentioned on the CAT 2026 Admit Card.
• The examination slot allotted to a candidate is decided by the conducting authority and candidates are not allowed to select their preferred slot during registration.

Also Check:

• Is CAT Exam Tough? Check Exam Structure, IIM Cutoffs, Difficulty Comparisons, Reddit Discussions
• CAT 2026 Quant Topic Wise Weightage: Check Expected Questions, Previous Year Trends & High-Scoring Topics

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Breakdown

Candidates receive 3 marks for every correct answer in the CAT examination.

• A penalty of 1 mark is applied for each incorrect response in multiple choice questions.
• Questions under the TITA (Type In The Answer) format do not carry negative marking for incorrect responses.
• No marks are deducted for questions left unanswered during the examination.
• Candidates must complete each section within the prescribed sectional time limit as movement between sections is not permitted during the allotted duration.
• The examination is expected to follow the sequence of VARC followed by DILR and then QA.

Also Check:

• CAT 2026 DILR Topic Wise Weightage: Previous Year Trends & High-Scoring Topics
• IIM Lucknow CAT Cut off 2025, Admission Criteria 2026-28, Process, Fees, Placements

CAT 2026 Exam Date: Reddit Discussion

• The discussion focused on CAT 2026 eligibility for final-year candidates, particularly whether a student whose final semester results are declared after the CAT exam and admission process can still apply and appear for the examination.
• Another Reddit user responded that appearing for CAT while in the final year is generally possible, sharing an example of a candidate who completed their bachelor's degree and subsequently joined an MBA programme without facing issues related to the timing of final results.

Source: Reddit