CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 (OUT): Age Limit & Reservation Criteria for General, SC/ST/PwD
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
CAT 2026 admit card download
4 Nov '26 - 29 Nov '26
Applying for CAT 2026? Check here latest CAT exam eligibility criteria and academic requirements to appear for the national-level MBA entrance exam.
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
CAT Eligibility 2026: The Indian Institute of Management conducts the CAT exam every year for MBA/PGDM admissions. CAT eligibility criteria has been released with the exam notification. As per the basic eligibility criteria for CAT 2026, candidates need a 50 per cent aggregate in their UG degree from a recognised institute. Reserved category candidates have a concession fo five per cent in terms of academic qualification. All eligible candidates can proceed for CAT registration 2026.
Ineligible candidates are disqualified from the admission rounds, irrespective of their CAT scores. CAT 2026 eligibility criteria will also vary based on the category of each candidate. Refer to this article below for complete information on CAT eligibility 2026, including category-wise conditions, age limit, IIM CAT reservation policy, and more.
- Direct Link for CAT Registration 2026
- CAT Exam Eligibility 2026: Score in Qualifying Exam
- CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: General and NC-OBC Candidates
- CAT Eligibility Criteria for SC, ST and PwD Candidates
- CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2026: Equivalent Degrees
- CAT Age Limit
- Who is Not Eligible to Apply for the CAT Exam 2026?
- Difference between IIM Eligibility and CAT Eligibility Criteria
- CAT Reservation Criteria 2026
Direct Link for CAT Registration 2026
Candidates who are eligible for CAT 2026 exam and wish to apply for IIM MBA admission can fill the form using the direct links below:
- CAT 2026 Candidate Login for Fee Payment: https://cdn.digialm.com/EForms/configuredHtml/32842/101262/login.html
Commonly asked questions
The CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore hovers between 97-100 percentile. The qualifying CAT cut off required for being eligible for IIM Bangalore's Written Ability test (What) and Personal Interview PI is 85 percentile for General category students, whereas for SC candidates, it is 70 percentile. For ST candidates, it is 65 percentile and for PwD candidates it is 60 percentile. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore.
- General category: 80 VARC 75 DILR 75 Quantitative Aptitude 85 (Overall)
- NC-OBC category: 75 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
- EWS category: 70 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
- SC category: 65 VARC 60 DILR 60 Quantitative Aptitude 70 (Overall)
- ST category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 65 (Overall)
- PwD category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall)
CAT 2026 registration and application link will be available at iimcat.ac.in website. Candidates will have to apply for the exam by visiting the exam website.
CAT Exam Eligibility 2026: Score in Qualifying Exam
The table below indicates the UG degree (or equivalent) score requirements to be eligible for the CAT exam.
| CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria | Affiliation Required | Pass Percentage Required |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Degree - BTech/ BE | Recognised by MHRD/AICTE * | 50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC & 45% for SC, ST, PwD candidates |
| Bachelor’s Degree in any stream | Recognized by UGC | 50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC & 45% for SC, ST, PwD candidates |
| Final Year Bachelor's Students | University Recognised by MHRD/AICTE or UGC | 50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC & 45% for SC, ST, PwD candidates |
| Professional Degrees (CA/CS/ICWA/FIAI) | Respective Certification Granting Organisation | 50% for General/EWS/NC-OBC & 45% for SC, ST, PwD candidates |
Candidates holding a PG qualification or any other professional degree can mention those details in the CAT 2026 application form. Mentioning PG degree details is optional. However, additional educational details can add depth in the academic profile, increasing the chances of getting shortlisted for the Personal Interview (PI) round, as IIMs prefer candidates with diverse training. Ensure to provide all relevant qualifications, as this form directly impacts your IIM PI shortlisting.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: General and NC-OBC Candidates
Check CAT eligibility for General and NC-OBC candidates:
- Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an educational institution recognised by the Government of India.
- Candidates must have scored a minimum of 50 per cent aggregate in graduation (or its equivalent) across any stream.
- Candidates can be in their final year of graduation or currently awaiting results.
- Candidates with professional degrees like CA, CS, or ICWA must secure a minimum 50 per cent aggregate mark.
Also Check: CAT 2026 Eligibility for Working Professionals: Rules, Criteria & Proof
CAT Eligibility Criteria for SC, ST and PwD Candidates
Check CAT eligibility for SC, ST and PwD candidates:
- Candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories must have scored a minimum 45 per cent aggregate in graduation or its equivalent.
- Candidates must be in their final year of graduation or awaiting final marks.
- Candidates who possess professional degrees like CA/CS/ICWA with at least a 45 per cent aggregate are fully eligible to apply.
CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2026: Equivalent Degrees
- If a candidate's university uses grades or CGPA, the percentage conversion will follow the specific guidelines of that respective university or institution.
- If an institution does not maintain any official conversion schema, the score calculation is determined by dividing the candidate's CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, then multiplying the result by 100.
Also Read: CAT Eligibility for engineering graduates
CAT Age Limit
There is no age limit to appear for the CAT exam. This exam is accepted for several Executive MBA programs, PhD pathways, and Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM), ensuring it remains completely open to both fresh graduates and working professionals at any stage of their career path.
Who is Not Eligible to Apply for the CAT Exam 2026?
To avoid complications during the application window, take note of these six specific situations where you would be considered ineligible:
- If you have not scored 50 per cent in graduation (45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD applicants).
- If you do not possess a bachelor's degree or a recognised professional equivalent (CA/CS/ICWA).
- If your two-year average in a bachelor's degree falls short of 50 per cent (45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD).
- If you are not yet in the final year of your ongoing bachelor's programme.
- If you are currently pursuing (but have not yet cleared/completed) your professional CA/CS/ICWA certifications.
- If your underlying degree-granting institution is not fully recognised by UGC, AICTE, or MoE.
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.
CAT cut off is prepared by all accepting colleges individually. There is no one authorized body to do so. Even the IIMs determine their admission cut offs separately.
Difference between IIM Eligibility and CAT Eligibility Criteria
The academic benchmarks for CAT and the IIMs are the same. However, while qualifying for the CAT exam relies on your graduation metrics, getting an admission offer from an IIM demands that you clear the strict CAT cutoff percentiles and perform well across their specific selection rounds.
CAT Reservation Criteria 2026
There are no specific seat reservation quotas for the core CAT exam itself (beyond the 5 per cent graduation marks relaxation for reserved cohorts). However, IIMs follow the strict reservation allocations set by the Government of India during final seat allotment schedules.
| Categories | Percentage of Seats Reserved in IIMs & MBA Colleges |
|---|---|
| SC | 15 per cent |
| ST | 7.5 per cent |
| NC-OBC | 27 per cent |
| PwD | 5 per cent |
What is the meaning of Person with Benchmark Disability (PwD) in CAT?
This denotes any candidate with at least 40 per cent of a specified health limitation as defined under the Schedule of the RPwD Act 2016. Disabilities falling under this category include:
- Blindness and low vision
- Deafness and hearing limitations
- Locomotor disabilities (including cerebral palsy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, and acid attack survivors)
- Autism spectrum variations, learning limitations, and intellectual/mental illnesses
- Multiple complex conditions stemming from the criteria above
Commonly asked questions
To get 99 percentile and above, candidates must attempt 40-45 out of 68 questions in CAT, with maximum accuracy.
CAT sectional cutoff is the minimum percentile score required in each individual section (VARC, DILR, and QA) to qualify for an institute's selection process. All IIMs have a distinct admission policy, including the sectional cutoffs and overall cutoff scores.
Estimate Your CAT Performance
Calculate your realistic ranking metrics early. Utilise the custom simulator tool built by Shiksha to map out performance percentiles directly matching your expected raw examination scores.
Try CAT Percentile PredictorRead More:
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- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 60-70 Percentile Range
- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 70-80 Percentile Range
- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 80-90 Percentile Range
Commonly asked questions
Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of Iims for Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI are listed below. Candidates who MET the qualifying CAT cut off, were eligible for What-PI round. These qualifying CAT cut offs are for General Category. The cut offs for Reserved category students are lower:
- IIM Ahmedabad: 95 percentile
- IIM Bangalore: 85 percentile
- IIM Calcutta: 85 percentile
- IIM Lucknow: 90 percentile
- IIM Kozhikode: 85 percentile
- IIM Indore: 90 percentile
- IIM Udaipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Shillong: 75 percentile
- IIM Trichy: 93 percentile
- IIM Visakhapatnam: 80 percentile
- IIM Rohtak: 95 percentile
- 1IIM Nagpur: 85 percentile
- IIM Jammu: 93 percentile
- IIM Ranchi: 90 percentile
- IIM Sirmaur: 92 percentile
- IIM Bodhgaya: 93 percentile
- IIM Sambalpur: 93 percentile
- IIM Kashipur: 94 percentile
- IIM Raipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Amritsar: 90 percentile
For complete details of IIM selection and admission process read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-shortlist-selection-admission-criteria-blogId-18787.
CAT fee is non-refundable. Candidates must note that under no circumstances will the CAT fee be refunded to any candidate. The fee amount of INR 2600 (INR 1300 for Reserved category students) once paid cannot be claimed for refund.
The general category CAT percentile cutoff at IIM Raipur normally lies between 92 and 95%, though it could differ somewhat depending on the category (OBC, SC, ST) and applicant pool. At somewhat lower percentiles, candidates with a solid academic background and pertinent professional experience may be given consideration. A comprehensive review that takes into account the candidate's performance on the Written Ability Test (WAT), academic background, and personal interview (PI) is required for the ultimate selection. The likelihood of being shortlisted for the following round of the selection process increases with higher scores.
On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 4 years:
Exam year | CAT 100 percentilers | State wise numbers |
|---|---|---|
CAT 2025 | 12 | 1- Uttar Pradesh 1- Karnataka 1- Maharashtra 3- Delhi 2- Haryana 2- Gujarat 1- Jharkhand 1- Odisha |
CAT 2024 | 14 | 1- Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2023 | 14 | 1 – Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2022 | 11 | 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
Some frequent traps in CAT exam are:
- Confusing the counts of original and new members in replacement vs. inclusion problems.
- Weighting by values instead of quantities or frequencies in weighted average setups.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
Yes. Most CAT-level problems involving replacements, group additions, or combinations are designed to test logical shortcuts rather than heavy calculations.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
Direct questions on Averages typically range from 1 to 2 per slot in the CAT exam. However, the concept appears across several other topics, including Mixtures & Alligations, etc.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates can refer to How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma and DILR for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, Routes and Networks is an important topic for CAT DILR. It tests logical thinking, visualisation and the ability to analyse connections and pathways.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
CAT does not have a fixed number of questions from Routes and Networks. The topic may appear as part of a DILR set, usually comprising 4-5 questions.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates should spend no more than 1.5 to 2 minutes on an Odd One Out question.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Many top scorers spend the first 8-10 minutes tackling independent VA questions, including Odd One Out and Para Summary, before settling into long RC passages.
Candidates preparing for CAT must devise a exam day plan based on how they perform during mocks.
V
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
In most of the recent CAT exam sessions, Odd One Out questions have appeared as TITA (Type In The Answer) questions with no negative marking.
L
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates can refer to How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma and DI & LR for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha.
P
Contributor-Level 10
What are the common traps in CAT Averages questions?