Updated on 10th September 2025 | 2:51 PM | #CATExamCenter
CAT 2026 will be conducted across 170+ cities in India, giving candidates multiple test city options during registration. The CAT exam centres 2026 will cover major cities as well as several Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations across the country.
Candidates can choose their preferred test cities while filling out the application form, while the final centre allotment will depend on availability. On this page, you can check the state and city-wise list of CAT test centres, understand the allotment process, and get useful tips for choosing your preferred exam city.
The CAT exam centres are designed to provide a seamless and comfortable test-taking experience. Each centre is equipped with a secure computer lab and the necessary facilities to ensure the exam is conducted smoothly.
With over 2 lakh aspirants appearing every year, the CAT remains one of the most widely taken management entrance exams in the country. The test is conducted in three slots across all designated centres to accommodate the large number of candidates. The exact CAT 2026 exam centre allotted to each candidate will be mentioned on their CAT admit card, while the complete city-wise list of centres is shared here for easy reference.
The CAT 2026 exam will be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026, across 180+ test cities in India. Here’s a quick overview of the CAT 2026 important dates and schedule to help you stay updated with all key events.
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CAT Exam Dates & Schedule 2026 |
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CAT 2025 Important Event |
CAT Exam Timeline |
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CAT Admit Card Release & Download |
November 9, 2026 |
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CAT Exam Date |
November 29, 2026 |
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CAT Result Announcement |
Fourth Week of December 2026 (Tentative) |
To select your preferred CAT test centre, candidates must indicate their city preferences in the CAT application form. Each applicant can choose up to 5 cities. Given below is the step-by-step process for selecting your preferred test city and CAT exam centre:
Step 1: Register for CAT 2025 on the official website iimcat.ac.in.
Step 2: Once your login ID has been created, use it to complete the application form.
Step 3: Navigate to the 'select test city' section.
Step 4: Choose up to five cities in order of preference from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: Complete the remaining fields in the form, pay the exam fee, and click submit.
The official list of CAT 2026 exam centres was shared at the time of registration, allowing candidates to choose up to five preferred test cities. CAT registration is still ongoing and it will continue till 15th September 2026. You can check your allotted CAT test centre by downloading your CAT admit card 2026 once it’s available on the official website.
Here’s how you can verify your CAT exam centre details:
Every year, the conducting IIM updates the CAT test centre list to make the exam accessible to candidates from all parts of India. The following tables provide a zone-wise and state-wise breakdown of CAT 2026 exam centres, based on the official IIMCAT portal and previous data.
Northern India
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States |
CAT Test Cities |
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Delhi |
Delhi-New Delhi |
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Haryana |
Faridabad, Gurugram, Ambala, Hisar, Kurukshetra |
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Himachal Pradesh |
Bilaspur (HP), Hamirpur, Kangra, Shimla |
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Jammu & Kashmir |
Jammu, Samba, Srinagar |
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Punjab |
Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana-Phagwara, Patiala |
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Uttarakhand |
Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee |
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Uttar Pradesh |
Agra, Noida-Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Prayagraj, Varanasi |
Southern India
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States |
CAT Test Cities |
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Andhra Pradesh |
Anantapur, Chirala, Chittoor, Guntur, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Nellore, Ongole, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram |
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Karnataka |
Belagavi (Belgaum), Bengaluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Mysuru (Mysore), Shivamogga (Shimoga), Udupi |
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Kerala |
Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Trivandrum |
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Tamil Nadu |
Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore |
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Telangana |
Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Warangal |
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Union Territories |
Puducherry, Kavaratti (Lakshadweep) |
Western India
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States |
CAT Test Cities |
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Gujarat |
Ahmedabad, Anand, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Vapi |
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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 |
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Goa |
Panaji-Madgaon |
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Rajasthan |
Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sikar, Udaipur |
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Union Territories |
Silvassa (Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) |
Eastern India
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States |
CAT Test Cities |
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Assam |
Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur |
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Arunachal Pradesh |
Itanagar-Naharlagun |
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Bihar |
Arrah, Aurangabad, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Purnea |
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Jharkhand |
Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ranchi |
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Odisha |
Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Rourkela, Sambalpur |
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West Bengal |
Asansol-Durgapur, Bankura, Burdwan, Howrah, Kalyani-Hooghly, Kolkata, Siliguri |
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North-East States |
Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Aizawl (Mizoram), Kohima (Nagaland), Agartala (Tripura), Gangtok (Sikkim) |
Central India
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States |
CAT Test Cities |
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Madhya Pradesh |
Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain |
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Chhattisgarh |
Bhilai Nagar, Bilaspur (CG), Raipur |
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Union Territories |
Leh (Ladakh), Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) |
Note: The following list is compiled from past years’ official data and the latest reliable sources. The final list of CAT 2026 exam centres published by the conducting body may be subject to changes.
The candidates must carry the following documents and required items inside the allotted CAT exam centres:
Candidates can carry any one of the following valid photo IDs to the exam center:
Note- The CAT exam centre once allotted cannot be changed after the admit card is released.
Every CAT test centre follows strict identification and verification protocols. Candidates are advised to reach the CAT 2026 exam center at least two hours before the scheduled slot to complete the entry formalities on time.
For example, if your exam starts at 9:30 AM, you should arrive by 7:30 AM.
You can check your allotted CAT 2026 exam centre on your CAT Admit Card, which mentions the exact location, city, and Google Map link for your test venue.
No, once the registration window closes, the CAT exam centre cannot be changed. However, during the application correction window, you may edit your test city preferences if allowed by the conducting IIM.
CAT centres are allotted based on the preferences you select while filling the form. You can choose up to five test cities, and the final centre is assigned according to availability and order of preference.
Electronic devices, mobile phones, calculators, watches, stationery items, bags, wallets, and food items are strictly prohibited. Candidates are only allowed to carry their Admit Card, Photo ID, and a transparent water bottle.
Carry a printed CAT Admit Card, original photo ID, and a passport-size photograph. PwD candidates should also bring the disability certificate and scribe affidavit, if applicable.