CAT 2026 Admit Card: How to Download, Exam Slots and What to Carry on 29 November

If you registered for CAT this year, the admit card is the one document you cannot do without. IIM Indore, the conducting institute for CAT 2026, has scheduled the admit card release for 6 November 2026, pushed back from the earlier date of 4 November. The exam itself is on Sunday, 29 November 2026, in three slots.

Below you will find how to download the hall ticket, the slot timings, what to carry, what to leave at home and a quick look at the paper pattern. If the link is not live for you yet, keep checking iimcat.ac.in. It is the only official place to get it.

CAT 2026 Admit Card: Key Dates

• Conducting institute: IIM Indore

• Admit card release: 6 November 2026 (rescheduled from 4 November)

• Download window: until the exam day, 29 November 2026

• Exam date: Sunday, 29 November 2026, computer based test in about 110 cities

• Result: expected in the first week of January 2027

How to Download the CAT 2026 Admit Card

• Go to iimcat.ac.in, the official CAT website.

• Click on the registered candidate login.

• Enter your User ID and password. If you have forgotten them, use the "Forgot User ID / Password" option.

• Open the admit card link and check every detail.

• Download the PDF and take a clear printout. Keep a soft copy as a backup.

Only the official website hosts the CAT hall ticket. Do not trust any other site or message that offers a download link.

Check These Details on Your Admit Card

• Your name, registration number, date of birth and category

• Photograph and signature

• Exam date and slot

• Reporting time

• Exam centre name and address

If anything looks wrong, contact the CAT helpdesk straight away instead of waiting for exam week. The helpdesk toll-free number is 1-800-210-8720 (Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM). Confirm the helpdesk email on iimcat.ac.in.

CAT 2026 Slot Timings

• Slot 1: exam 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM; reporting 7:00 AM; last entry 8:15 AM

• Slot 2: exam 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM; reporting 11:00 AM; last entry 12:15 PM

• Slot 3: exam 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM; reporting 3:00 PM; last entry 4:15 PM

Reach the centre at least 30 minutes before the test starts. Entry is not allowed after the last entry time.

What to Carry to the Exam Centre

• A printed copy of your admit card

• An original, valid photo ID such as Aadhaar, PAN, passport, voter ID or driving licence

• A passport size photograph, if the instructions ask for one

• Your PwD certificate, if you are applying under that category

What Not to Carry

Mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches, study material, handwritten notes, bags and food are not allowed inside. Dress simply. Heavy jewellery, caps, scarves and high heels can cause problems at the security check.

CAT Paper Pattern (Same as Last Year, as Expected)

The exam is expected to follow last year's format. That means three sections, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability, with 40 minutes for each section and 120 minutes overall. In total there are 68 questions for 204 marks. You get 3 marks for every correct answer, you lose 1 mark for a wrong multiple choice answer, and there is no negative marking for non-MCQ (typed answer) questions. Please confirm the pattern in the official notification and the mock test on iimcat.ac.in.

Last Week Checklist

• Download and print the admit card today so you are not stuck later.

• Visit or at least map the route to your exam centre before the day.

• Take full length mocks in the same slot time as your exam.

• Sleep on time the night before. A rested mind will beat one more late night revision.

• Pack your ID and admit card the evening before.