If you’re preparing for the Common Admission Test, keeping track of the CAT exam important dates is just as critical as revising Quant or Verbal Ability. A single missed deadline — a late registration, a forgotten form-correction window, or a delayed admit card download — can derail months of preparation. This guide lays out every CAT 2026 important date in one place, from notification release to result declaration, so you always know what’s coming next and when to start your next round of practice.
We’ll also show you how each date on the CAT exam calendar connects to a specific stage of your prep, so you’re not just noting dates but actually using them to build a study plan.
CAT 2026 Important Dates at a Glance
Here is a quick-reference table of the CAT exam schedule for 2026. Bookmark this section and check back regularly, since a few dates are still tentative and may be updated once the official notification is out.
| Event | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 Notification Release | Last week of July 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Registration Start | August 3, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Registration Last Date | September 15, 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | Last week of September 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Admit Card Release | November 4, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Exam Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday) |
| CAT 2026 Answer Key Release | Second week of December 2026 |
| CAT 2026 Result Declaration | First week of January 2027 |
Note: Dates marked “tentative” are based on previous-year patterns and will be updated once the conducting IIM confirms them officially.
CAT 2026 Registration Dates and Process
Registration is the first — and most unforgiving — date on the CAT important dates list. The CAT 2026 application window opens on August 3, 2026, and closes on September 15, 2026. Unlike some other entrance exams, CAT rarely extends its registration deadline, so it’s worth applying at least a week early rather than waiting for the final day, when the servers tend to slow down under traffic.
Documents You’ll Need Before You Start
- A recent passport-size photograph and scanned signature
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD), if applicable
- Graduation mark sheet or provisional degree certificate
- A valid ID proof for verification on exam day
Once you submit the form, keep an eye on the application correction window. This short period — usually open for about a week after registration closes — lets you fix mistakes in your exam city preference, category, or uploaded photo. Errors left uncorrected here often can’t be fixed later.
CAT Admit Card Date and Download Process
The CAT 2026 admit card is expected to go live on November 4, 2026, roughly three and a half weeks before the exam. Once released, it stays downloadable until exam day, but it’s best to download and print it as soon as it’s out rather than waiting.
Your admit card confirms your exam city, date, session, and reporting time — details you should cross-check immediately against your application. If anything looks wrong, most IIMs provide a short grievance window to raise the issue before the exam.
CAT 2026 Exam Day: Date, Slots & Timing
CAT 2026 will be conducted on November 29, 2026, a Sunday, in three sessions across the day. Choosing which session you’re allotted isn’t up to you, but knowing the slot timings in advance helps you plan your sleep schedule, meals, and last-minute revision.
| Session | Reporting Time | Exam Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 (Morning) | 7:00 AM onward | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM |
| Slot 2 (Afternoon) | 11:00 AM onward | 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM |
| Slot 3 (Evening) | 3:00 PM onward | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
Each session runs for 2 hours, split across the three sections — VARC, DILR, and Quantitative Aptitude — with a fixed 40-minute limit per section. You cannot move time from one section to another, which is exactly why practicing under sectional time pressure matters more than practicing the paper as a whole.
CAT 2026 Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Full Form | Common Admission Test |
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| Sections | VARC, DILR, Quantitative Aptitude |
| Duration | 120 minutes (40 minutes per section) |
| Marking Scheme | +3 for correct, -1 for incorrect MCQs |
| Exam Cities | 170+ across India |
| Participating Institutes | 21 IIMs and 1,000+ other B-schools |
CAT Exam Date Trend: Past Five Years
Looking at the historical pattern of the CAT exam date can help you anticipate how much time you’ll realistically have once the official notification drops.
| Year | Exam Date | Conducting IIM |
|---|---|---|
| CAT 2026 | November 29, 2026 | IIM Indore |
| CAT 2025 | November 30, 2025 | IIM Kozhikode |
| CAT 2024 | November 24, 2024 | IIM Calcutta |
| CAT 2023 | November 26, 2023 | IIM Lucknow |
| CAT 2022 | November 27, 2022 | IIM Bangalore |
One pattern holds steady year after year: CAT is almost always conducted on the last Sunday of November. That consistency is useful — it means you can start building your prep calendar backward from late November even before the official notification is out.
How to Track CAT Important Dates Without Missing Deadlines
1. Set Reminders Around Each Milestone, Not Just the Exam Date
Most aspirants set a single reminder for exam day and forget the smaller deadlines in between. Set separate alerts for registration close, the correction window, and admit card release — each one affects your eligibility to sit for the exam.
2. Match Your Study Plan to the Dates
Use the registration period to lock in your syllabus and study resources. Use the gap between admit card release and exam day for full-length, timed practice rather than fresh topics — this is when sectional speed matters most.
3. Practice Under Real Exam Conditions
Since CAT enforces strict 40-minute sectional limits, timing discipline matters more than raw knowledge. Taking a full-length CAT mock test under these exact sectional constraints, ideally starting from the week your admit card is released, is one of the most reliable ways to convert prep into exam-day performance.
Why Important Dates Matter for Your CAT Preparation Strategy
The CAT exam timeline isn’t just an administrative checklist — it’s effectively your preparation roadmap. The four months between registration and the exam typically break down into three phases: concept-building (registration to admit card), timed practice (admit card to exam week), and final revision (the last few days before the exam). Structuring your study plan around the official CAT exam calendar, rather than an arbitrary personal timeline, keeps your pace aligned with how much real time is actually left. Pair this with a full CAT syllabus breakdown and a regular mock test schedule to convert these dates into a working study plan rather than just entries on a calendar.
Common Mistakes Candidates Make Around CAT Important Dates
Even well-prepared aspirants sometimes slip up on the administrative side of CAT. Here are the errors that come up most often, and how to avoid them.
Waiting Until the Last Day to Register
Server load spikes sharply in the final 24–48 hours before the registration deadline. Submitting your form even a week early removes this risk entirely and gives you a buffer to fix upload issues if your photo or signature gets rejected.
Skipping the Application Correction Window
Many candidates assume their form is final once submitted and ignore the correction window entirely. This is often the only chance to fix your exam city or category selection — skipping it can mean traveling further than necessary on exam day or losing a fee concession you were eligible for.
Not Verifying Admit Card Details Early
Downloading the admit card at the last minute leaves no time to raise a correction request if your name, photograph, or exam center is misprinted. Check it the day it’s released, not the night before the exam.
Treating the Exam Date as the Only Deadline That Matters
The exam date gets all the attention, but the dates around it — registration close, correction window, admit card release — each carry real consequences if missed. Building your prep calendar around all of them, not just November 29, is what actually keeps you on track.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CAT 2026 exam date?
CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 29, 2026 (Sunday), conducted in three sessions across the day.
When does CAT 2026 registration close?
Registration opens on August 3, 2026, and the last date to apply is September 15, 2026.
When will the CAT 2026 admit card be released?
The admit card is expected on November 4, 2026, and will remain downloadable from the official website until exam day.
When will CAT 2026 results be declared?
Results and percentile scores are expected in the first week of January 2027.
Can I edit my CAT 2026 application form after submission?
Yes, a short correction window typically opens a few days after registration closes, allowing changes to category, photograph, or exam city.
Is the CAT exam date the same every year?
Not exactly the same date, but CAT is almost always conducted on the last Sunday of November, a pattern that has held for several years running.
Summary
- CAT 2026 registration: August 3 – September 15, 2026
- Admit card release: November 4, 2026
- CAT 2026 exam date: November 29, 2026
- Answer key: second week of December 2026
- Result declaration: first week of January 2027
- Exam conducted in three sessions, 120 minutes each, with a fixed 40-minute sectional limit
Conclusion
Every date on the CAT exam important dates calendar serves a purpose beyond just marking time — it signals when to switch gears in your preparation. Treat registration as your starting gun, the admit card release as your cue to begin full-length timed practice, and the exam date itself as the finish line you’ve been building toward for months. Keep this page bookmarked, check it against the official notification once released, and pair it with consistent, timed CAT mock test practice so that when November 29 arrives, the date on the calendar is just a formality — you’ll already be ready.
For the most accurate, officially confirmed dates, always cross-check with the official CAT website once the notification is released.
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