Can You Change Your Exam Center After Applying for CAT?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a high-stakes national examination conducted by the IIMs. Aspirants often wonder if they can modify their exam city preferences after the initial application. Under current guidelines, the CAT organizing body provides a very restricted 'correction window' shortly after the application deadline. However, this window is primarily designed for rectifying errors in uploaded documents, such as photographs or digital signatures, rather than changing test center locations.

Unlike some other national exams where city changes might be facilitated through a request process, the CAT infrastructure relies on complex seat allotment algorithms that finalize center capacities early. Once the application process concludes, the system allocates seats based on the initial preferences provided by the candidate. Therefore, it is critical to select your preferred cities with absolute certainty during the application phase.

The allotment of CAT exam centers is a logistical operation involving thousands of test nodes across India. According to official IIM admission notifications, the allocation is managed through an automated system that balances candidate density with infrastructure availability. Because these centers are pre-booked for the specific exam date, the IIMs do not entertain individual requests for center changes after the process is finalized. This ensures that the examination remains secure and the logistical integrity of the test is maintained across all zones. Students are advised to monitor the official CAT website (iimcat.ac.in) for any specific notifications regarding the correction window, but should not expect a change in exam city to be granted.