CAT 2026 Exam Dates: Admit Card on Nov 4, Important Dates and Complete Schedule

Next key event: The CAT 2026 admit card releases on November 4, 2026. Candidates can download it from iimcat.ac.in until November 29.

Latest Updates:

• November 2, 2026: 27 days are left for the CAT 2026 exam on November 29. The official mock test is not out yet.
• November 4, 2026: The CAT 2026 admit card will be available from this date. It will show the exam slot and test centre.
• October 5–6, 2026: The CAT 2026 correction window was open from October 5 (10:00 AM) to October 6 (5:00 PM).
• September 22, 2026: CAT 2026 registration closed at 5:00 PM after an extension from September 15. About 2.84 lakh candidates registered, as per news reports.
• Result: The CAT 2026 result is scheduled for the first week of January 2027.

The slot timings are expected to be 8:30–10:30 AM, 12:30–2:30 PM and 4:30–6:30 PM, as in CAT 2025. Check the official CAT website and your admit card for the final CAT Exam Date 2026 details.

Related Links:

• How Many Students Applied in CAT 2026 Registration
• CAT Registration 2026: Closed on Sept 22, Login @ iimcat.ac.in, Application Status
• Download 15+ Sample Paper of CAT: Quantitative Aptitude & DILR with Solutions PDF

When is CAT 2026 Exam Date?

The CAT 2026 exam will be held on November 29, 2026, which falls on a Sunday. IIM Indore will conduct the exam in three sessions on the same day.

Candidates do not choose their exam slot. The allotted slot and test centre will be mentioned on the CAT 2026 admit card.

• CAT 2026 exam date: November 29, 2026
• Exam day: Sunday
• Exam mode: Computer-based test
• Number of slots: 3

Source: CAT 2026 Notification PDF

CAT 2026 Registration Last Date: Closed on September 22

• The CAT 2026 registration started on August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM. It closed on September 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
• IIM Indore extended the original September 15 deadline by one week. About 2.84 lakh candidates registered, as per news reports.
• The CAT 2026 application fee was ₹2,700 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. SC, ST and PwD candidates paid ₹1,350.

Source:  Media Release for Common Admission Test 2026 

Read More: CAT Registration 2026: Direct Link, Last Date, Fee & How to Apply

Also Check: CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification, Minimum Marks, Age Limit

Registered Candidate Login:

Note: CAT 2026 registration is now closed. Registered candidates will use the same login to download the admit card.

Check: How to Apply for CAT 2026: Registration Guide for MBA Aspirants

CAT 2026 Form Correction Date: Window Held on October 5–6

The CAT 2026 application correction window was open from October 5, 2026 (10:00 AM) to October 6, 2026 (5:00 PM). News reports confirmed these dates. The window is now closed.

The correction window allowed candidates to edit only selected details. News reports listed the photograph, signature and test city preferences.

Source: CAT 2026 Notification PDF

Check: CAT 2026 Form Correction: October 5–6 Window, Editable Fields and How to Edit

CAT 2026 Admit Card Release Date: Last 5 Years Trend

The CAT admit card usually comes out three to four weeks before the exam. The CAT 2026 admit card releases on November 4, 2026, which is 25 days before the exam.

• Release dates moved from late October (2021–22) to November (2023–25).
• The CAT 2025 admit card was postponed by a week, from November 5 to November 12.

Note: The 2021–2025 dates are based on news reports from each year. The 2026 date is from the official notification.

CAT 2026 Exam Time and Slot Timings

CAT 2026 will be conducted in three slots on November 29, 2026. Each slot will last two hours. The expected timings are 8:30–10:30 AM, 12:30–2:30 PM and 4:30–6:30 PM, as in CAT 2025.

The CAT 2026 notification does not list slot timings. The admit card will confirm the final timing.

Follow the reporting and gate-closing time printed on your admit card.

Source: CAT 2026 Notification PDF

Related Links:

• Check CAT 2026 Exam Centers
• CAT Previous Year Question Paper
• PwD Scribe Guideline for CAT Exam

CAT 2026 Exam Day Schedule: Reporting Time and Gate Closing

Candidates must reach the test centre well before the exam starts. The timings below are tentative and based on CAT 2025. The CAT 2026 admit card will carry the final reporting time.

Carry a printed admit card and a valid original photo ID. Plan to reach the centre at least 90 minutes early.

CAT 2026 Exam Date: Previous Year Trend

CAT is generally conducted on a Sunday in November. The actual date changes each year because the exam is usually scheduled on the last Sunday of November.

The recent trend shows that CAT has continued to be held in November, with the exam date moving according to the last Sunday of the month.

How Many Days Are Left for CAT 2026?

As of November 2, 2026, there are 27 days left for the CAT 2026 exam on November 29, 2026.

With less than four weeks left, candidates should focus on revision, full-length mocks and previous-year CAT papers. The admit card releases on November 4.

What to Do Before CAT 2026 Exam Date?

• Revise high-weightage topics instead of starting new ones.
• Take regular section-wise and full-length CAT mocks.
• Analyse mistakes after every mock instead of only checking the score.
• Practise the 40-minute sectional limit used in CAT 2025.
• Download the CAT 2026 admit card on November 4 and keep a printed copy ready.
• Attempt the official CAT 2026 mock test once IIM Indore releases it.
• Avoid making major changes to your preparation strategy in the final few weeks.

Check: CAT Mock Test 2026: Free Full-Length Mocks with Solutions

What Happens After CAT 2026 Exam?

The CAT exam is only the first stage of the MBA admission process. After the result, individual IIMs and other B-schools use their own admission criteria for shortlisting candidates.

The next stages can include WAT, PI and other selection components, depending on the institute. Candidates should therefore track individual college deadlines after the CAT result.

IIM Shortlisting and Admission Schedule: January–May 2027

CAT 2026 has no centralised counselling or seat-allotment process. Each of the 21 IIMs independently shortlists students, conducts its own WAT-PI (Written Ability Test and Personal Interview) rounds, and issues admission offers on its own timeline. Students shortlisted by multiple IIMs must manage separate applications, interview dates, and offer-acceptance deadlines simultaneously.

• Shortlisting Criteria: Each IIM applies its own composite score formula that typically combines CAT percentile, Class X marks, Class XII marks, graduation score, work experience, gender diversity, and academic diversity — weights differ across IIMs
• Shortlist Release (Expected): January 2027 — individual IIMs begin publishing shortlists after the CAT result in the first week of January 2027
• WAT-PI Rounds (Expected): February–April 2027 — personal interviews and written ability tests conducted at IIM campuses or designated cities
• Final Admission Offers (Expected): April–May 2027 — offers released in stages; students must accept within the stipulated deadline or the seat passes to the next shortlisted student
• Academic Session Start (Expected): June–July 2027 for MBA / PGP programmes at IIMs