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CAT Eligibility Criteria

Shihij Kaul

Updated on 11th July, 2024 , 3 min read

The Indian Institute of Management will release the CAT notification on its official website iimcat.ac.in. Candidates who want to opt for the CAT examination are advised to check the CAT eligibility criteria 2024 to understand the requirements they need to fulfill to appear and pass the CAT examination. The CAT eligibility criteria consist of Academy Qualification past academic performance, the CAT age limit, other related requirements, etc.  
 

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024

Taking from the eligibility criteria for CAT 2024, candidates need to meet certain parameters set up by the conducting body. CAT aspirants are advised to check the eligibility criteria before opting for the CAT examination. The CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 are mentioned below: 

  • Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a renowned university.
  • The applicants belonging to the open category must hold a minimum score of 50% and candidates coming from the SC/ST/PwD category must secure a minimum 45%.
  • Candidates after completing their final year’s bachelor are eligible to apply for the CAT examination 2024. However, the new graduates are required to submit the certificate of completion from the principal or registry of the university/ institution on or before the date provided by the respective IIMs.
  • Candidates holding work experience will have some added preference. However, work experience is not a mandatory criterion as per CAT exam eligibility criteria 2024.

CAT Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

All the CAT aspirants are advised to know the CAT eligibility criteria and how to come under the described age criteria for the CAT exam beforehand.

There is no particular age limit for appearing in the CAT exam 2024. Candidates, despite their age, can apply for this CAT exam. The primary criteria for CAT exam eligibility is that candidates must have a degree with the required percentage of marks.
Candidates can apply for the CAT examination at any stage of their career. Taking from the CAT entrance exam eligibility, there is no maximum age for the CAT examination.


CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024-Academic Qualifications

The CAT eligibility criteria based on academic qualifications are mentioned below:

CAT Eligibility for IIM 

 

Qualification

Affiliation

Percentage/ CGPA

Bachelor’s Degree from any University/ Institute

Recognized by UGC

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

Engineering Degree - B.Tech/ B.E. from any University/ Institute

Recognized by MHRD/ AICTE

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

Students who appeared in the final year of the degree examination

Recognized by MHRD/ AICTE/ UGC

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

 

Note: For CAT eligibility criteria, there is no requirement for a 12th standard result for the CAT exam. 

 

Graduation Marks for CAT Exam Eligibility

 

The minimum academic qualification a candidate requires to apply for the CAT 2024 exam is his/her graduation. The CAT eligibility criteria and passing marks required for general and reserved category candidates are mentioned below:

 

Academic qualification for the CAT exam

Required

  affiliation

Bachelor’s/ Graduation Degree in any stream from any University

Recognized

  by UGC

Engineering Degree – BTech/ BE

Recognized

  by MHRD/AICTE *

(CA/CS/ICWA/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)

Certificate

  granting organization

Students in their final year of graduation (or its equivalent) are also eligible to take CAT exam

Graduation

  fro University which should be recognized by AICT/ MHRD or UGC

Registration with Backlogs of CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who have any academic backlogs in their graduate program have a common concern about whether they can enroll for the CAT 2024 exam.
The CAT applicants need to clarify who has academic backlogs during their graduate program and can apply and register for the CAT exam without any issue.
General category applicants who have scored above 50% and reserved category applicants who scored 45% in the degree (even in supplementary) can apply for CAT 2024. When a candidate is completing the CAT 2024 registration form, it asks, “Are you in your final year of your bachelor’s degree?”The candidate needs to select, “Yes” to fill that.

 

IIM CAT 2024 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria

Reservation Criteria of CAT Eligibility


The Indian Institute of Management will have its own individual selection criteria for admission. IIMs follow the reservation guidelines set by the Government of India. The reservation criteria for OBC, MBC, SC, ST, PwD, and General are mentioned below:
IIMs will have their own individual selection criteria for admission. They follow the reservation guidelines set by the Government of India. To know the CAT eligibility criteria for OBC, MBC, SC, ST, PwD, and General, see the table below:

Category

Reserved Percentage

NC-OBC (Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes)

27%

SC (Scheduled Caste)

15%

Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

up to 10%

ST (Scheduled Tribe)

7.5%

PwD (Person with Disability)

5%




 

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