
CAT exam 2025 will be conducted in computer based test mode at designated test centres across India. The examination body allots a CAT test centre closest to the home address mentioned by the candidate so that they can reach there on time. CAT 2025 will be conducted at nearly 375 CAT exam centres in 170 cities. The list of test cities for CAT 2025 has been released with the application form on August 1, 2025. While filing up the CAT 2025 registration form, candidates can choose up to five cities for CAT 2025 test centre allotment. The last date to apply for CAT 2025 was September 13, 2025 but the deadline was extended till September 20, 2025.
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.
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 CAT exam centre?
- CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
- CAT 2025 Exam Centre Allotment: How to select CAT Test City?
- List of CAT Test Cities 2025
- CAT Test Centre: Dos and Don’ts
- FAQs on CAT Exam Centres and Cities
What is CAT exam centre?
CAT exam centres are well-equipped computer labs, where the candidates are required to take the test on the scheduled day. Over 370 such labs conduct the CAT exam in over 150 cities. CAT 2021 exam was held in 156 cities. In 2022, the exam was conducted at 150 cities. For CAT 2023, the number of test cities was 167. CAT 2024 was held 170 cities. The number of CAT 2025 test cities is expected to be around 170.
CAT is taken by over 3 lakh candidates across India, every year. Since CAT has the highest number of applicants among all MBA entrance exam, it is conducted in three slots at multiple exam centres. The CAT 2025 exam centres list remains with the authorities, candidates get to know their examination centre location and address upon release of the CAT 2025 admit card.
Commonly asked questions
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.
CAT admit card is released at the official website of the exam - iimcat. ac.in. The admit card can be downloaded until the exam day. Download the admit card by using the application number and password. The admit card download process is listed here:
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.
CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CAT 2025 exam
Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
---|---|
05 Nov ' 25 - 30 Nov ' 25 | CAT 2025 admit card download |
30 Nov ' 25 | CAT 2025 exam |
Dates | Past Exam Dates |
---|---|
Oct ' 25 | CAT 2025 form correction |
Sep ' 25 | CAT 2025 form correction process |
01 Aug ' 25 - 20 Sep ' 25 | CAT 2025 registration |
CAT 2025 Exam Centre Allotment: How to select CAT Test City?
For allotment of preferred CAT test centre, the candidates will have to specify their preference of cities in the CAT application form 2025. Candidates will be allotted CAT test centre in the city of their preference. For CAT 2025 aspirants, the number of exam centres/test cities preference will be five. Here’s the process to select preferred test city in CAT 2025 form:
- Register for CAT 2025 on the official website: iimcat.ac.in
- Once the login ID is created, use it to fill the application form
- Go to the section 'select test city'
- Select up to five cities from the drop down i.e. from first to fifth
- Fill up rest of the fields in the form, make payment of exam fee and click on submit
Commonly asked questions
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.
Candidates can fill the CAT form and pay the application fee online by creating a log ID. The CAT 2025 registration cum application process is online and candidates can apply by paying the requisite fee. Given below is the brief description of how to fill the CAT application form:
Step 1. Go to iimcat. ac. in website
Step 2. Click on 'new registration'
Step3. Enter name, date of birth, nationality, country, phone number and email ID
Step 4. Click on submit and use OTP received to generate CAT ID
Step 5. The ID and password will be shared in email
Step 6. Use the CAT ID and password to login and fill the application form
Step 7. In the application form, fill personal details, academic details, work experience, test city preference, courses and Iims.
Step 8. Upload recent passport size photo and signature
Step 9. Pay application fee via debit/credit card, net banking or UPI wallet to complete the form submission process.
Candidates need the following documents while filling the CAT application form:
- A recent passport size photo (color against white background)
- Scanned signature with black pen on white paper
- Any photo ID card like PAN card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Passport
- Class 10 marksheet
- Class 12 marksheet
- Graduation marksheet
- Permanent address proof
- Work experience documents Reserved category students need to upload Category Certificate along with the CAT application form. The Certificate is available on the CAT website. Candidates can download, fill it, get it attested by competent authority and upload it as PDF with the CAT application form.
- The PwD category students also have to fill the PwD form and Scribe affidavit along with the exam application form. This is necessary for getting scribe facility and PwD facility at the test centre. The CAT application form is same for students from all categories. Those belonging to a particular category (SC/ST/PwD) will be required to mention it in the relevant field of the CAT form.
List of CAT Test Cities 2025
Listed below are CAT test cities for reference. There more than one CAT exam centres in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and other cities.
State |
CAT Test Cities |
---|---|
Andaman & Nicobar |
Port Blair |
Andhra Pradesh |
Anantapur, Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Chirala, Kadapa, Nellore, Tirupathi, Vizianagaram, Chittoor, Kakinada, Ongole, Vijayawada |
Arunachal Pradesh |
Itanagar- Naharlagun |
Assam |
Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur |
Bihar |
Arrah, Darbhanga, Patna, Aurangabad, Gaya, Purnea, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur |
Chandigarh |
Chandigsarh-Mohali |
Chhattisgarh |
Bilaspur CG, Bhilai Nagar, Raipur |
Delhi |
Other-New Delhi |
Dadra and Nagra Haveli Daman and Diu |
Silvassa |
Goa |
Panaji-Madgaon |
Gujarat |
Ahmedabad, Anand, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Vapi |
Haryana |
Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Kurukshetra |
Himachal Pradesh |
Bilaspur-HP, Hamirpur, Kangra, Shimla |
Jammu & Kashmir |
Jammu, Samba, Srinagar |
Jharkhand |
Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ranchi |
Karnataka |
Belagavi (Belgaum), Bengaluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Mysuru (Mysore), Shivamogga (Shimoga), Udupi |
Kerala |
Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Trivandrum |
Ladakh |
Leh |
Lakshadweep |
Kavaratti |
Madhya Pradesh |
Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain |
Maharashtra |
Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad (CS Nagar), Bhiwandi, Chandrapur, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Palghar-Boisar, Pune, Raigad, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Thane, Vasai, Wardha |
Manipur |
Imphal |
Meghalaya |
Shillong |
Mizoram |
Aizawl |
Nagaland |
Kohima |
Odisha |
Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Rourkela, Sambalpur |
Puducherry |
Puducherry |
Punjab |
Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana- Phagwara, Patiala |
Rajasthan |
Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sikar, Udaipur |
Tamil Nadu |
Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore |
Telangana |
Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Warangal |
Tripura |
Agartala |
Uttar Pradesh |
Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, NOIDA-Greater NOIDA, Prayagraj, Varanasi |
Uttarakhand |
Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee |
West Bengal |
Asansol-Durgapur, Bankura, Burdwan, Howrah, Kalyani-Hooghly, Kolkata, Siliguri |
Also Read: Official CAT exam day guidelines
Commonly asked questions
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.
The digital copy of the CAT 2025 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.
CAT Test Centre: Dos and Don’ts
Each CAT exam centre has elaborate identification process for which 1.5 hours are allotted before commencement of the exam. If a candidate’s exam starts at 8:30 AM, they need to reach their CAT test centre by 7:00 AM. For candidates taking the exam in second slot, reporting time is 10:00 AM. We have listed down a few dos and don’ts to follow at their CAT 2025 exam centre.
CAT Dos
- Carry two print outs of CAT admit card 2025, ID proof (in original) and a pen to the exam centre.
- Show the original print out of your CAT 2025 admit card to gain entry into the exam centre.
- Follow the instructions and cooperate in identification and frisking at the entry gate.
- Use the Reference Number printed on your CAT admit card to locate your exam hall, go inside and be seated at your designated work station.
CAT Don’ts
- Do not carry electronic items to the exam centre. Closed shoes, belts, caps, jackets and other outfit and accessories with metal are prohibited inside the exam hall.
- Test centre gates will close 15 minutes prior to the exam, thus do not get late for the exam.
- Do not argue with test centre staff or other candidates. Unruly behavior may invite disqualification.
- Do not use keyboard at any point of time during the exam or your system will automatically get locked.
Also read:
Commonly asked questions
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. 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.
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 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.
FAQs on CAT Exam Centres and Cities
Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for CAT Test Centres 2025:
Commonly asked questions
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. 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.
CAT Exam
Student Forum
Answered Yesterday
Candidates who did not appear for the CAT entrance exam can apply St. Xavier's College, Kolkata admissions as it is not a mandatory entrance exam. The candidates who wish to gain admissions into the MBA course of the institute have to appear for the Kolkata University entrance test for St. Xavier's
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
With a 300 SC category rank in CAT, your chances for NIT Trichy MBA are relatively high. Based on 2025 data, NIT Trichy generally shortlists SC candidates with CAT percentiles around 60-65. To achieve a 300 rank under SC category, you would need about a 65-70 percentile, or a score of roughly 60-65
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
PGCET and CAT serve distinct purposes. The PGCET is primarily conducted for MBA admissions in colleges in the state of Karnataka, specifically for government colleges and private universities with lower fees. CAT is a national level exam for top-ranking B-schools and colleges such as the IIMs that h
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
That's a wonderful goal to push your son toward right at the start. To obtain previous CAT model papers, you can check many available popular exam preparation books in any bookstore or online store. Coaching interest such as TIME, IMS, Career Launcher, etc., usually have mock tests and sample papers
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, you can get admission to Jaypee Business School (JBS), Noida for MBA even if you don't have CAT. JBS accepts scores from several other exams such as MAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, ATMA, and also CUET-PG. Just make sure you have a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, then apply with any of those va
Answered 3 weeks ago
I
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
For candidates pursuing MBA, the eligibility criteria includes merit and entrance based selection. Whereas, for BBA, candidates must qualify Class 12 with a minimum aggregate. JIIT CDOE MBA on the other hand, is offered based on the minimum aggregate of graduation. However, for the final admission,
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, students can get MBA admission into Galgotia University without CAT. The university accepts other national entrance exams for MBA programme. The university accepts entrance exams such as MAT, CMAT, XAT, SAT, and other. It is mandatory to qualify one of the entrance exams.
K
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, students can get admission in Greater Noida Institute of Technology without CAT. CAT is one of the accepted entrance exams at Greater Noida Institute of Technology. The other accepted entrance exams are MAT, NMAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. If a student's CAT score is not good, worry not other acce
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi offers various programmes and specilisations across various streams. For obtaining IIFT Delhi admission, candidates are required to appear for the prescribed entrance tests. Students can visit the official website of the IIFT Delhi to learn more regarding the
U
Contributor-Level 8
1640 Institutes accepting CAT
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
Andheri West, Mumbai • Private
Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM)
Electronic City, Bangalore • Private
Can I get into St. Xavier's College Kolkata without CAT?