CAT 2026 admit card on November 4: exam on November 29 in 3 slots

By TUF News Desk · Published 27 October 2026 · 3 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

Eight days from now, CAT 2026 candidates will get the one document that settles where they sit on exam day. The Indian Institute of Management Indore will release the admit card on November 4 at the official CAT website, and registered candidates can download it from the candidate login with the user ID and password they created during registration.

The admit card is the only confirmation of the allotted test centre and session. IIM Indore does not entertain centre-change requests once it is out, so the city, centre name, address and session printed on it are final. Candidates should open the PDF the day it appears and check every detail against their application: name, photograph, signature, centre address, session and reporting time. If anything is wrong, the helpdesk and the official grievance dashboard are the routes to raise it, and sooner is better than later, since the correction window closed on October 6.

How to download the admit card

The download itself takes a few minutes, provided the login details are at hand. Visit iimcat.ac.in and open the registered candidate login. Enter the user ID and password, then open the admit card link on the dashboard and save the PDF. Take a printout on A4 paper and keep a second copy somewhere safe. The link stays live until exam day, but downloading early leaves time to fix errors and avoids the last-day rush on the portal.

Candidates who have forgotten their credentials can use the forgot user ID or forgot password options on the login page. Our admission documents checklist covers the photo ID and other papers worth keeping ready before any exam day.

Three sessions on November 29

The exam itself is on Sunday, November 29, in computer-based mode. It runs in three sessions: morning from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, afternoon from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and evening from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Each candidate is allotted one of these sessions, and the admit card states which one.

The paper lasts 120 minutes, split into three sections of 40 minutes each: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. A correct answer earns 3 marks, a wrong multiple-choice answer loses 1 mark, and leaving a question unattempted costs nothing.

About 2.84 lakh candidates registered for CAT 2026, down from 2.95 lakh last year. Their scores will feed admissions to the 22 IIMs and other participating business schools for the 2027-29 batch. Students still comparing schools can read our guide to choosing a university in India alongside their preparation.

What to carry on exam day

No candidate is allowed into the hall without a hard copy of the admit card. A digital copy on a phone, tablet or laptop is not accepted, and mobile phones are prohibited inside the hall. Carry the printed admit card along with a photo ID, and reach the centre by the reporting time printed on the hall ticket, since the gate closes before each session begins.

Frequently asked questions

When will the CAT 2026 admit card be released?

On November 4, 2026, at iimcat.ac.in. The download link stays live until exam day, November 29.

How do I download the CAT 2026 admit card?

Log in to the registered candidate login at iimcat.ac.in with your user ID and password, open the admit card link on the dashboard, and download the PDF.

Can I change my CAT 2026 test centre after the admit card is out?

No. IIM Indore does not entertain centre-change requests after the admit card is released, so the centre printed on it is final.

What must I carry to the CAT 2026 exam centre?

A printed copy of the admit card and a photo ID. A digital copy on a phone is not accepted at the centre.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: NDTV, The Times of India