Do I need to preserve the CAT admit card after the exam?

Yes, you must preserve the CAT admit card even after the exam as it may be needed at the time of admission. The CAT admit card is one of the main documents, a proof of candidate’s attendance in the exam. Thus, they must preserve it. Many colleges and institutes even ask for the admit card as part of document submission at the time of personal interview round for MBA admission. Moreover, the CAT admit card contains your personal and residential details which can be misused if the admit card lands in wrong hands. Thus, candidates must take care of their CAT admit cards until the admission process is over and even after that. And if they have to discard it after the admission, then they must do so carefully.

Can I download a copy of the CAT admit card after the exam?

It is unlikely that you will be allowed to download a copy of the CAT admit card after the exam is over. The CAT admit card download link is live only from the day of its release till the exam day. After the CAT exam, the admit card download link is removed from the official website. The admit card may also not be accessible in the student dashboard after the exam or result announcement. Moreover, since the signed and stamped admit card will be considered valid for any activity post the exam, even if you can download a fresh copy after the exam day, it will be of no use. So, keep your CAT admit card safe.

In how many cities is CAT exam held?

CAT exam is held in about 170 cities across India. Candidates can choose up to six cities as their preferred test location. The list of test cities for CAT is available in application form. Candidates should choose the test city carefully as the request to change the test city later may or may not be accepted due to non-availability of seats at the centres in that particular city. Given below are the cities where CAT exam is usually held. Port Blair, Hamirpur, Mumbai, Guntur, Jammu, Nashik, Nellore, Bokaro, Satara, Vijayawada, Dhanbad, Palghar, Kakinada, Hazaribagh, Ulhasnagar, Rajahmundry, Jamshedpur, Shillong, Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Aizawl, Kurnool, Belagavi (Belgaum), Kohima, Tirupati, Bengaluru, Balasore, Vizianagaram, Hubballi (Hubli), Cuttack, Itanagar, Mysuru (Mysore), Sambalpur, Dibrugarh, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Berhampur, Silchar, Shivamogga (Shimoga), Dhenkanal, Guwahati, Dharwad, Bhubaneswar, Tezpur, Mangaluru (Bangalore), Rourkela, Jorhat, Udupi, Puducherry, Aurangabad-Bihar, Kannur, Pathankot, Darbhanga, Ernakulam, Ludhiana, Arrah, Kollam, Amritsar, Muzaffarpur, Kottayam, Bhatinda, Bhagalpur, Kozhikode, Patiala, Patna, Thrissur, Jalandhar, Mohali, Trivandrum, Sangrur, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Ajmer, Bhilai Nagar, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Bilaspur, Ujjain, Sikar, Raipur, Gwalior, Alwar, Delhi, Sagar, Jodhpur, Faridabad, Indore, Udaipur, Gurugram, Satna, Bikaner, Ghaziabad, Bhopal, Kotak, New Delhi, Jabalpur, Madurai, Greater Noida, Ujjain, Chennai, Noida, Gwalior, Salem, Meerut, Sagar, Trichy, Panaji, Indore, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, Satna, Vellore, Mehsana, Amravati, Tirunelveli, Vadodara, Jalgaon, Hyderabad, Anand, Nagpur, Karimnagar, Rajkot, Pune, Warangal, Gandhinagar, Solapur, Allahabad, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Bareilly, Ambala, Ahmednagar, Kanpur, Hisar, Kolhapur, Muzaffarnagar, Karnal, Nanded, Agra, Kurushetra, Raigad, Gorakhpur, Panipat, Thane, Lucknow, Rohtak, Vasai, Varanasi, Shimla, Aurangabad, Aligarh, Jhansi, Moradabad, Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee, Asansol, Durgapur, Bankura, Burdwan, Kolkata, Hooghly, Kalyani, Siliguri, Srinagar and Imphal.

Can I download CAT hall ticket after the exam date?

CAT hall ticket download link will be deactivated after the exam day, so candidates will not be able to download it after the exam day. Candidates must ensure they preserve their CAT admit card even after the exam as it may be needed at the time of admission. Do not discard your admit card until the admission process is complete as one cannot access it on the official website after the exam.

Do IIMs send CAT admit card by post?

CAT admit card is not sent to any candidate by post. Every candidate has to download their CAT hall ticket from the IIMCAT website by using their login credentials created at the time of exam registration. The announcement of release of CAT admit card is done by the exam convening IIM about 10-15 days before the exam. The CAT admit card release date is also shared beforehand so that candidates can download their admit cards in time.

What are the dos and don'ts for CAT exam day?

On the CAT exam day, candidates have to follow a number of guidelines which include cooperating with the exam centre staff during identification process, following instructions given be the invigilator and following the test navigation for solving the questions. There are some key dos and don'ts that candidates should follow on the CAT exam day, which have been listed below: CAT exam day dos: 1. Reach the examination centre at the reporting time mentioned on your CAT admit card. 2. Carry two copies of the CAT admit card, one photo ID card, passport size photos and duly filled COVID-19 declaration form 3. PwD candidates should carry the relevant certificates and documents as prescribed by the examination authorities. 4. Carry a blue/black ball point pen for signing the attendance sheet 5. Carry personal drinking water, hand sanitizer, face masks and gloves 6. Cooperate with the test centre staff and follow the instructions 7. While entering the answers, use only the computer mouse. Do not touch the keyboard as doing so will lead to screen locking. CAT exam day don'ts: 1. Do not carry prohibited items such as bags, purses, pencil box, beepers, wrist watch, calculators, mobile phones, electronic devices, scanners, cameras, wireless/Bluetooth transmission or any such communication devices. 2. Don't wear closed shoes, jewellery made of metal, jackets, clothes with pockets, mehendi on palms. Socks are allowed inside it. 3. Don't wear caps, hoodies or jackets/shirts with pockets 4. Don't be late for the exam. The entry gates will be closed 15 minutes before the commencement of exam. No candidate will be allowed to enter the exam centre after that. 5. Don't cheat or indulge in mal practice. You can be disqualified due to any such ACT. 6. Don't create a ruckus inside the test lab 7. Don't leave your seat until the exam duration gets over and the invigilator announces exit.

What are the items to carry on the CAT exam day?

Every candidate must carry a blue/black ball point pen and a few copies of their passport size photo to the exam centre. They must not carry any stationary item other than the pen. Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, CAT candidates are required to carry drinking water, hand sanitizer, face mask and gloves along with them. Candidates have to carry drinking water in a transparent bottle and a 100 ml bottle of hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer bottle should also be transparent. Candidates who have diabetes can carry fruits as per medical prescription. No other item will be allowed inside the exam venue. Candidates must not carry bags or valuables as there will be no arrangement for depositing while candidates appear for the exam. Candidates must also not carry notebooks or rough paper to the CAT exam centre. Any candidate found with an unauthorised item will be disqualified.

Which photo should I paste in the CAT admit card?

Candidates can paste a recent passport size photo on the CAT admit card. The photo should have their face clearly visible, without goggles or caps. They should preferably affix the photo that they uploaded in the CAT application form.

What are the CAT exam slot timings?

CAT exam is held in three slots for the past three years. Earlier it used to be held in two slots of three hours each, but since 2020 it is held in three slots of two hours each. The three slots are conducted between 8 am to 4 pm. The first slot is held from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, the second slot is held from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and the third slot is held from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. In these three slots, about 2.22 Lacs candidates are accommodated at over 400 test centres in about 150 plus cities across India. The exam slots are allotted to candidates by the examination authorities as per the receipt of applications and candidates cannot request for change of examination slot. They have to give the test in the slot mentioned on the admit card.

Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?

There is no pattern to which CAT question paper can be the toughest. The CAT question paper of every slot has unique questions. The examination body strives to maintain the same difficulty level of the paper across all slots but it may happen that a question can be more difficult from another. It is seen that, to keep the uniqueness of the question paper intact, the examination authority also changes the topic wise weightage a little bit across the exam slots. In most of the previous years, it is seen that the morning slot of the CAT exam is tougher than the rest two. However, candidates must not worry about the difficulty level of the slots as, the scores of all the candidates are normalised on a common scale to root out the possibility of advantage or disadvantage to any student due to difference in difficulty level. To know how the CAT scores are normalised, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.

What are the items prohibited inside the CAT exam centre?

The CAT conducting authorities have provided a comprehensive list of forbidden objects that are not permitted to be brought to the CAT exam centre. These are the items: Bags, mobile phones, calculators, IPADs, IPODs, Bluetooth headsets, digital wrist watches, laptop computers, and cameras are not permitted within the CAT test hall. Carry no electronic equipment, such as beepers, electronic devices, or scanners. Candidates who have a metal implant, pacemaker, or other medical device in their body must present a medical Certificate to the CAT exam centre. Metal jewellery is not permitted to be worn by candidates. Candidates are not permitted to wear boots, metal headpins, or clips within the test hall after the frisking point. Carry no pencil boxes into the examination hall. Candidates must make their own personal belonging arrangements at the CAT exam centre.

How to make changes in CAT admit card?

There is no option to make changes in the CAT admit card. Details printed on the candidate's hall ticket will be final and non-editable. Incase, there is any error in the details mentioned on the CAT admit card, like name or roll number of the candidate., etc. then that can be rectified by contacting the CAT help desk.

What is the process to download CAT admit card?

CAT admit card is released at the official website of the exam - iimcat. ac.in. The CAT admit card is available for download until the exam day. Candidates will be able to download their admit card by using the application number and password. The process to download the CAT admit card is as follows: 1. Go to iimcat. ac. in website 2. Click on 'login' tab 3. Enter application number and password 4. Click on 'sign in' 5. Go to 'admit card' option reflecting on student dashboard 6. Click on the option to see your admit card 7. Click on 'save' option to download the CATadmit card Candidates can download it for free any number of times until the CAT exam day. Candidates should preserve the CAT admit card until their admission to a management institute as it is an important document for student identification.

What is the process to select CAT test city for exam centre allotment?

There are over 170 cities where CAT exam is held. These 170 cities are spread across India consist of metropolitan cities, capital cities, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Candidate can select up to five cities for allotment of test centre. The process of test city selection is a part of CAT application process. In the CAT application form, there is a field in which candidates have to select the cities. They need to select the city of preference in order of 1 to 5. The examination authorities will try to allot the test centre in the city of first preference. Thus, candidates must fill all the five cities carefully. They must choose their home city of city of current residence as the first preference. The test city option can only be changed during the form correction window. After that, the request for change of the city will not be accepted by the exam authorities.

How much percentile is a good score in the CAT exam?

The Common Admission Test CAT is a national-level management entrance examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to various postgraduate management programs in India. The CAT score is measured in terms of percentile, which indicates the percentage of candidates who scored less than the candidate in the exam. Since CAT is a highly competitive exam, a good score percentile is dependent on various factors such as the number of candidates who appeared for the exam, the difficulty level of the exam, and the admission criteria of the participating institutes. However, in general, a percentile score of 90 or above is considered to be a good score in the CAT exam. With a percentile score of 90 or above, candidates can expect to receive calls for interviews from some of the top management institutes in the country. However, it's important to note that the admission process for management institutes is holistic and takes into account various factors such as academic performance, work experience, extracurricular activities, and the candidate's overall profile. Therefore, a good percentile score is just one of the many factors that are considered during the admission process.

What is the sectional time limit in CAT?

In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.

Can I show digital copy of the CAT admit card at the exam centre?

The digital copy of the CAT 2024 admit card will not be accepted at the test centres as a valid document, thus you cannot show it, to gain entry. As per the official guidelines, only the colour print out of the admit card on A4 size sheet will be accepted as valid. Candidates must also affix a passport size photo, preferably the same as uploaded in the CAT application form. The examination authority does not accept digital admit card as valid document as it is to be signed and stamped by the test centre staff for proof of candidate’s attendance. One copy of the CAT admit card of every candidate is also retained by the authorities, thus the need for the print out.

How would I know my CAT exam centre?

Candidates will know their allotted CAT exam centre only from the admit card. There is no way to know the test centre before the release of the CAT admit card. The examination authority allots a test centre to aspirants in the city of their first preference as mentioned in the city. So, candidates can atleast be assured that they will get a test centre in the city they had chosen as first preference in the CAT application form. However, the venue will be mentioned only on the candidate’s admit card. So as soon as the CAT admit card is released, candidates must check the test city and test centre details. In order to avoid any confusion, they must visit the centre at least once before the exam day.

What is the CAT exam duration? Can I change my exam slot?

The CAT exam is held for 2 hours. There are three slots of CAT exam. Every slot will have 40 minutes of sectional time limit. Which means candidates will have to finish solving each of the three sections of CAT question paper within 40 minutes. Candidates must take care of saving their answers at every step as the moment 40 minutes will get over, the screen will automatically move to the next section. PwD candidates will get 53 minutes for each section. The exam slot allotted by the exam authorities cannot be changed. There is no provision to apply for the same. Candidates will have to appear for the exam in the allotted slot only. CAT exam timings: Slot 1: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, reporting time: 7:00 AM, Last entry allowed: 8:15 AM Slot 2: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, reporting time: 11:00 AM, Last entry allowed: 12:15 PM Slot 3: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, reporting time: 3:00 PM, Last entry allowed: 4:15 PM.

Is the CAT admit card required at the time of admission?

Some B-schools ask for the CAT admit card and some do not, during admission. So, it is better to preserve the CAT admit card even after the exam. One must not discard it until they have secured admission in an MBA college. Having unsigned soft copy may not be helpful if any college asks for it. The signed and stamped copy (by the exam invigilator) of the CAT admit card will be considered actual proof of candidature.

CAT 2025 Admit Card: Expected Date, How to Download IIM CAT Admit Card

13.4K Students Q&A

Exam On - 30 Nov '25

Updated on Apr 29, 2025 15:33 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CAT admit card 2025 will be released at iimcat.ac.in website. The date of admit card download will be announced at the time of CAT 2025 exam date announcement in July 2025. To download the CAT 2025 admit card, candidates will have to use their CAT login ID and password. Shiksha will share direct CAT admit card download link 2025 on this page. CAT admit card is a mandatory document to be carried to the CAT exam centre. Candidates will not be allowed to appear for the exam without presenting the CAT 2025 admit card. Read below, all about CAT admit card 2025 including dates, download process, exam day guidelines, dos and don'ts, etc.

Q: What is the CAT 2025 admit card release date?

CAT 2025 admit card release date has not been announced yet. It will be notified in the CAT 2025 notification to be released in July 2025. The CAT admit card download window will open 10-15 days before the exam and the facility to download the hall ticket will be available till the exam day. CAT 2025 exam will be held on November 30, 2025.

Q: Will CAT exam 2025 also be conducted in three shifts?

Yes, the CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts. Until 2019, CAT was conducted in two shifts and the exam duration used to be 180 minutes. However, in 2020, the number of shifts were increased to three and exam duration was reduced to 120 minutes in order to follow the social distancing guidelines for COVID-19. Since the COVID-9 pandemic appropriate behaviour had to be followed at public places and gatherings, the examination authorities increased the number of exam slots to ensure a limited number of candidates can be accommodated at any exam centre in a given exam slot by following social distancing and seating arrangement with gap. Since then, the CAT is conducted in three shifts - morning, afternoon and evening. In CAT 2025 too, there will be three slots which will be allotted to applicants in no particular order. The CAT exam slot timings will be - 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Q: Can the test centre be changed after the release of CAT admit card?

No, there is no provision of changing the test centre after the CAT admit card has been released. In fact, there is no option to change the test centre allotted at any point of time during the exam cycle. Candidates get only one opportunity to change the test city choice at the time of form correction. Thus, it is very important to select test cities very carefully in the CAT application form. They must choose their first city preference as home town or the city where they are likely to be on the exam day or choose a city which is the closest to their hometown and they can reach there on time on the exam day. Also, to be allotted the desired test city, candidates must fill the CAT application for at the earliest, as the exam slot and test centres are allotted on first cum first served basis. If the seats get filled fore centres in one city, candidates are allotted a centre in the second city of their preference. Moreover, the CAT admit card is released a month before the exam so candidates must check the location of their allotted centre much in advance and make arrangements for reaching there on exam day on time.

Q: What are the details mentioned on CAT admit card?

The CAT admit card is a main document of identification of the candidate. It is the proof that the candidate has fill the examination form and is eligible to appear in the exam. To help in candidate identification, the following details are mentioned on every candidate's CAT admit card 2024. Candidate's name Candidate's roll number Candidate's gender Candidate's category Candidate's date of birth Candidate's signature Candidate's photo Candidate's address Examination year Examination date Examination slot Examination timings Reporting time Test centre address Google link to locate test centre Along with these details, other information such as exam day guidelines, examination process in the test lab, items to carry, items not to carry, activities prohibited, dress code and entry process are also mentioned on the CAT admit card.

Table of content

CAT 2025 Admit Card Highlights
CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
How to Download CAT Admit Card 2025?
Problems in Downloading CAT Admit Card
CAT Exam Day Instructions 2025
FAQs Regarding CAT 2025 Admit Card

CAT 2025 Admit Card Highlights

The CAT admit card is session specific, which means candidates have to appear only in that exam slot, which is mentioned on their CAT admit card. Check out key highlights of CAT admit card 2025:

CAT Admit Card 2025	Details
CAT admit card 2025 download start date	To be announced
Download start time	To be announced
Download end date	Available till exam day
CAT 2025 admit card release mode	Online
CAT admit card login link	iimcat.ac.in
Credentials required	CAT login ID and password
Browsers for CAT hall ticket download	Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer
CAT help desk	+91-080-26993388 / 3017 / 3013

How to Download CAT Admit Card 2025?

CAT admit card 2025 will be available for download in online mode only. To download the CAT 2025 admit card, candidates will have to follow the steps given below:

Visit the official CAT 2025 website - iimcat.ac.in
Click on 'Login'
Enter registration ID and password
Click on 'admit card'
Click on download and save the admit card on desktop
Take a print out of the CAT 2025 admit card

Details Mentioned on CAT Admit Card 2025

Candidates must check the following information printed on their CAT 2025 admit card. In case of any error, they must seek help of the examination authority for rectification to avoid any hassle during the identification process on the exam day.

Candidate's name
Candidate's caste
Candidate's date of birth
Candidate's photo
Candidate's signature
Registration number
Date and time of the exam
CAT 2025 exam slot
CAT 2025 exam centre address
Emergency contact number
CAT exam related instructions

Problems in Downloading CAT Admit Card

At the time of downloading the CAT 2025 admit card, candidates may face technical problems. Given below are the three problems candidates usually face while downloading the CAT admit card and their solutions:

Problem	Solution
Technical issue in the official website	The CAT 2025 website may face technical glitches due to heavy traffic on the first day of admit card download. In such a case, do not continuously try to log in. Log out and visit the website after some time to download your CAT 2025 admit card. But make sure you have downloaded the admit card atleast a week before the exam date.
Slow internet speed	Check the internet speed of your system. If it is slow, switch to a faster internet connection to download your CAT admit card. Or wait for your interent connection to get back to normal.
Wrong password or login credentials	In case you have forgotten the login credentials, you must use the ‘forgot password’ option given on the IIMCAT website and change the password and use it for downloading the CAT admit card 2025.

Errors to Check in CAT Admit Card 2025

As soon as candidates download the CAT admit card, they areadvised to check all the information mentioned on it. The below-listed information on admit card should match the information on the CAT application form 2025:

Name of the candidate printed on the CAT admit card 2025 should be same as in CAT 2025 application form
Registration number on the CAT admit card 2025 must be the same as the registered user ID
Date of birth should be the same as mentioned on the CAT application form and official documents
Caste category status should same as in CAT application form 2025
PwD/DA status should be same as mentioned in the CAT application form
Test centre location must be in one of the cities mentioned in the application form
The candidate's photograph and signature must be clearly visible on the CAT 2025 admit card

How to Correct Errors in CAT Admit Card 2025?

In case, any candidate found an error in their CAT 2025 admit card, the could contact the exam authority to get it corrected. Given below are the contact details:

CAT helpline: 1-800-210-8720 (Toll Free)

Email at cathelpdesk@iimcat.ac.in

CAT Exam Day Instructions 2025

CAT 2025 admit card will contained all the important guidelines for the exam day. Shiksha has listed below some key CAT exam day instructions and guidelines to follow at the test centre:

Candidates must carry two copies of the CAT 2025 admit card and a photo ID proof (original and photocopy)
Only CAT 2025 admit card and photo ID card are allowed inside the exam hall
Writing pad and pen will be provided by the authorities for rough work which will have to be submitted before leaving the test hall.
Candidates will be required to write their name and registration number on the writing pad.
Candidates must reach the CAT exam centre as per the reporting time mentioned in their admit card.
Candidates must use the Reference Number printed on the CAT 2025 admit card for identifying the door/wing/lab at the test venue on the day of the test.
Candidates are not supposed to sign their CAT admit card beforehand. The admit card is to be signed only inside the exam hall in front of the invigilator.
Candidates must affix their photo on the admit card printouts, same as the one uploaded with the CAT application form.
Mobile phone, calculator, IPad or any other gadget is prohibited inside the examination hall.
Candidates are advised not to carry bags or luggage to the CAT 2025 exam centre as there will be no provision of bag deposit.
Clothes like jackets, hoodie, coats, cardigans with pocket, caps and headgeard will not be allowed.
Jewellery that contains metal, clothes with pockets, jackets and footwear are prohibited inside the exam hall.
Candidates with a metal implant, pacemaker, etc. in their body will be required to bring medical certificate of the same.
Candidates must leave the invigilator's copy of their CAT admit card 2025 in the examination hall.

Documents to Carry Along With CAT 2025 Admit Card

Candidates are required to carry an ID proof issued by the Government of India or their previous college/university along with the CAT 2025 admit card to the examination hall. Given below is the list of documents that they can carry as ID proof:

Aadhaar card
Voter ID
Passport
PAN card
E-Aadhaar
Ration Card
College/University ID
Driver's license

Locate CAT Test Centre Through Admit Card

The CAT admit card has a google link of the test centre venue allotted to the candidates for locating it easily. Here's how to use this feature:

Open your CAT 2025 admit card
Click on the google map link provided in it
You will be directed to the google maps
Click on the ‘Directions’ option
Enter your starting point and choose a mode of conveyance

The exam centre location, distance and time will be displayed. You can use this information to reach the CAT test centre without any hassle or delay. It is advised to visit the location a day before to check the distance, time taken and availability of mode of transport.

CAT Exam Timings 2025

CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on a single day in three slots. The exam slots will be allotted to candidates on first-come-first-serve basis (application submission). Given below are the CAT exam timings: