The Indian Institute of Management Indore has postponed the release of the CAT 2026 admit card from 4 November to 6 November, leaving lakhs of management aspirants waiting two extra days for their hall tickets. The revised date was confirmed in an official media release on 4 November, and the change was reflected on the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in, where the earlier date had been listed as tentative.
Under the revised schedule, registered candidates will be able to download their admit cards from 6 November until the examination day, 29 November. The admit cards for all eligible candidates have already been generated, according to the institute, but the download facility will only open on 6 November. Candidates will need their CAT User ID and password to log in to the candidate portal and download the hall ticket.
The official CAT mock test will also go live on 6 November, two days later than originally planned. The mock test gives candidates a chance to familiarise themselves with the computer-based test interface, the navigation between sections and the on-screen calculator before the actual examination. For first-time candidates in particular, the mock is an important rehearsal, and its deferral by two days has been noted alongside the admit card delay.
CAT 2026 will be conducted on Sunday, 29 November, in three sessions across approximately 170 test cities. The examination, the gateway to the Indian Institutes of Management and many other leading business schools, is one of India’s largest management entrance tests, and the admit card is the single most important document a candidate carries into the test centre. It contains the candidate’s roll number, test centre address, reporting time and session, and instructions for the examination day.
IIM Indore has not formally stated a reason for the postponement. The institute has also not announced an exact release time for 6 November, and candidates have been advised to check the official website regularly rather than relying on third-party links. In previous years, admit cards have been released around midday or in the evening, but no such timing has been confirmed for this year.
Candidates are advised to download the admit card as soon as it is available and to check every detail on it carefully: name, photograph, signature, category, test centre and session. Any discrepancy should be raised with the CAT helpdesk immediately, since corrections close to the examination date are difficult. Candidates should also carry a valid photo identity proof, in original, along with the printed admit card on examination day.
The two-day delay, while frustrating for candidates who had planned around the 4 November date, does not change the examination itself. The test remains on 29 November, the download window remains open until that day, and the mock test will be available for more than three weeks before the examination. For aspirants, the practical advice is simple: check iimcat.ac.in on 6 November, download early, attempt the mock, and use the remaining time to focus on preparation rather than on the wait.
