CAT Exam Eligibility 2026: All Qualification & Age Limit Criteria

CAT Exam Eligibility and Qualification: Overview

Find the eligibility for CAT examination covered in a single snapshot:

Criteria	Details
Educational Qualification	Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent institution under UGC Act
Minimum Marks	50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC 45% for SC/ST/PwD
Final-Year Students	Eligible if they submit a certificate from Principal/Registrar confirming degree completion by deadline
Professional Degrees	CA, CS, ICWA (CMA), FIAI holders are eligible with minimum required marks
CAT Age Limit	No minimum or maximum age limit for CAT exam
CAT Attempt Limit	Unlimited – you can take CAT as many times as you wish
Reservation	• SC: 15% • ST: 7.5% • NC-OBC: 27% • EWS: 10% • PwD: 5%
PwD Eligibility	Benchmark disability (≥40%) as per RPwD Act 2016, with valid certificate
Marks/CGPA Conversion	As per university rules. If no conversion scheme, (CGPA ÷ Max CGPA) × 100
Document Verification	Degree certificates, mark sheets, and valid category/PwD certificates checked at interviews and admission
Provisional Admission	Allowed for final-year students; must submit proof of graduation by Dec 31, 2026

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Education Qualification for CAT Exam

Let’s first understand the CAT exam qualification in terms of your education or academic background:

Category	Qualification	Minimum Marks Required
General / EWS / NC-OBC	Bachelor’s degree from recognized university	50% or equivalent CGPA
SC / ST / PwD	Bachelor’s degree from recognized university	45% or equivalent CGPA
Professional Degree Holders (CA/CS/ICWA/FIAI)	Recognized professional qualification	50% (General/EWS/NC-OBC),  45% (SC/ST/PwD)

• The basic qualification for CAT exam is a bachelor’s degree.
• Your degree must be from a UGC-recognized university or equivalent institution.

Meeting this CAT exam eligibility criteria ensures you can apply, but selection depends on overall performance.

CAT Eligibility Criteria for Final-Year Students

If you are currently in the final year of your undergraduate college, you must know this CAT exam eligibility criteria to be able to appear and qualify:

Candidate Type	Eligibility Condition	Requirement
Final-Year Bachelor’s Students	Eligible to apply for CAT exam	Must provide a certificate from Principal/Registrar confirming completion of degree requirements
Awaiting Results After Graduation	Eligible for provisional admission	Must submit proof of completing graduation by the deadline set by respective IIMs

• Provisional admission is allowed, but you must submit a certificate from your college Principal/Registrar.
• Candidates awaiting results after completing degree requirements can also apply under CAT exam eligibility.
• Final-year students must complete all graduation requirements by the deadline given by IIMs, usually December 31 of the admission year.

Non-fulfilment of these conditions will result in cancellation of admission.

CAT Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

There is no age limit for CAT exam, making it open to all graduates who meet academic qualifications.

Criteria	Details
Minimum Age for CAT	No minimum age limit specified
Maximum Age for CAT	No maximum age limit for CAT exam
Number of Attempts for CAT	No restriction on the number of attempts

• The maximum age of CAT is not defined, so even working professionals or older candidates can apply.
• There is no cap on the number of attempts for CAT, you can take the exam as many times as you want.

The focus is entirely on meeting the qualification for CAT exam and performance in the test. This makes CAT a highly inclusive exam for both fresh graduates and experienced professionals.

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CAT Eligibility: Calculation of Marks & CGPA Conversion

Another part of the eligibility for CAT exam is the marks in your UG, and if your college/university is CGPA-based, then you need to know this conversion method:

Scenario	Conversion Method
University provides percentage system	Use official percentage as awarded by the university
University provides CGPA/Grades with conversion formula	Follow the official conversion procedure certified by the institution
University provides CGPA/Grades but no conversion scheme	Percentage = (CGPA ÷ Maximum CGPA) × 100

If your institution provides both CGPA and percentage, use the certified conversion procedure.

• When no conversion scheme is defined, divide your CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiply by 100.
• Candidates must present official proof of the conversion method at the time of verification.

Correct calculation of marks ensures your qualification for CAT exam is valid and accepted by IIMs.

CAT Exam Eligibility: Reservation Criteria

As per Government of India norms, IIMs follow strict reservation in CAT exam eligibility.

Category	Percentage of Seats Reserved
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Other Backward Classes – NC-OBC	27%
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	Up to 10%
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD)	5%

• All candidates must upload valid caste or disability certificates in the prescribed format during registration.
• No change in category is allowed after CAT registration.

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CAT Eligibility Criteria for PwD Candidates

CAT exam eligibility reserves 5% seats for PwD candidates. A “Person with Benchmark Disability” means at least 40% disability certified by the competent authority.

Support such as scribe facility and wheelchair access can be availed by eligible candidates.

Category of Disability (RPwD Act 2016)	Eligibility Condition
Blindness & Low Vision	Eligible with valid certificate
Deaf & Hard of Hearing	Eligible with valid certificate
Locomotor Disability (e.g., cerebral palsy, dwarfism, acid attack victims)	Eligible with valid certificate
Autism, Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, Mental Illness	Eligible with valid certificate
Multiple Disabilities (combination of above)	Eligible with valid certificate
Other “specified disabilities” in RPwD Act	Eligible with valid certificate

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CAT Exam Eligibility Verification by IIMs

IIMs carefully verify eligibility for CAT examination at multiple stages. Candidates must produce original mark sheets, certificates, and attested copies at the time of interview.

Stage	Documents Required
Interview Shortlisting	Mark sheets, caste/disability certificates, degree/provisional certificates
Final Selection	Original degree certificates, mark sheets of all semesters, valid reservation documents
For Final-Year Students	Certificate from Principal/Registrar stating graduation requirements completed

• Final-year students must submit degree proof by December 31, 2026, else admission will be cancelled.
• Failure to produce valid caste/EWS/PwD certificates during verification leads to rejection.
• Even after admission, if false information is detected, it can result in cancellation of candidature.

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