The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams in India. Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear for CAT to get an admission into top-tier business schools such as IIMs, FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, IITs, and others. Only few days are left for CAT 2025, and if you are planning to appear for CAT 2026, first, you need to understand the CAT eligibility criteria 2026. There is no age limit to apply for CAT. As per the latest CAT eligibility criteria 2026, candidates should have a bachelor’s degree with atleast 50% marks. Reserved category students gets a relaxation of 5%. Even if you are aware of the minimum requirements, it is very important to know the finer details, such as how final-year students get evaluated, whether professional qualifications are accepted, and what role academic percentage plays during the admission process. In this blog, we’ll break down CAT eligibility criteria 2026, along with academics, age, category-wise considerations, etc.
Join this free WhatsApp group to get the latest information about CAT exam along with the strategies by CAT experts
Who Conducts the Common Admission Test (CAT)?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted once a year by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. This year, IIM Kozhikode is conducting CAT 2025 on 30th November 2025. The official notification for CAT 2026 is expected around July 2026, and the exam will be held in the month of November 2026.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Highlights
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam for aspirants seeking admission into various management courses. Let’s have a quick snapshot of the basic eligibility criteria for CAT 2026 in the table mentioned below.
| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Body | IIMs |
| Academic Qualification | Minimum 3 years of bachelor’s degree |
| Minimum Marks (For General/EWS/OBC) | 50% or equivalent CGPA |
| Minimum Marks (For SC/ST/PwD) | 45% or equivalent CGPA |
| Final Year Students | Eligible for provisional admission |
| Work Experience | Not mandatory |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| No. of CAT Attempts Allowed | No limits on CAT attempts |
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: A Complete Breakdown
The CAT exam eligibility is an important criterion that the candidate must fulfill in order to be a part of the entrance test. They must read the official notification PDF to determine whether they meet the necessary qualifications to appear in the CAT admission test. As the CAT pattern followed in previous years, the CAT eligibility criteria for 2026 are expected to follow the norms laid down by the IIMs, which include academic qualifications, percentage criteria, category-wise relaxations, and eligibility for final-year students.
CAT Eligibility 2026: Academic Qualification Required
- A candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree of a minimum of 3 years in any discipline from a recognized university.
- The minimum marks required for General, EWS, and OBC candidates are 50% marks or equivalent CGPA; for SC, ST, and PwD candidates, it is 45% marks or equivalent CGPA.
- Candidates must hold degrees awarded by universities recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, or equivalent bodies like UGC/AICTE.
CAT Eligibility 2026: Final Year Student
- Candidates in their final year of a bachelor’s degree or awaiting results are eligible to apply.
- They must provide a certificate from an authorized person at their university stating that they are in their final year of graduation. Such candidates are provisionally admitted, and admission will get confirmed once their proof of graduation with the required percentage is submitted.
CAT Eligibility 2026: Professional Degree Holders
Candidates who have completed professional courses such as Chartered Accountant (CA), Company Secretary (CS), and Cost Accountant (ICWA) are also eligible to appear for CAT 2026, provided they have scored the minimum percentage required (50% for General/EWS/OBC and 45% for SC/ST/PwD).
CAT Eligibility 2026: Age Limit
There is no upper or lower age limit for appearing in CAT 2026. As long as you meet the academic qualifications, you can appear for the exam – whether you are a graduate, a working professional, or someone returning to academics after a gap.
CAT Age Criteria 2026
| Age Limit | CAT Criteria |
| Lower Age Limit | Not Applicable |
| Upper Age Limit | Not Applicable |
CAT Eligibility 2026: Documents Required for Eligibility Verification
The following documents are required for stages like WAT-PI and final admission:
- Bachelor’s degree certificate and all semester/year mark sheets
- Final year certificate (for final year students)
- SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD certificate (if applicable)
- Identity proof
- Work experience certificate
CAT Eligibility 2026: Candidates with Backlogs
The candidates with backlogs in their undergraduate courses are eligible to apply for the CAT exam. However, they must clear their backlogs before the final admission round, as respective institutes may ask for an undertaking or clarification during WAT-PI rounds. Candidates should be very careful if having a backlog because their admission can get canceled if final graduation requirements are not met on time.
CAT Eligibility 2026: Reservation Criteria
There are certain reservation criteria for reserved categories seeking MBA admissions. Candidates from reserved categories must carefully check the CAT exam eligibility conditions before applying. Applicants must fulfill the minimum eligibility and performance standards to be considered for admission through the CAT exam for MBA.
| Category | Reservation (%) |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
| OBC-NCL | 27% |
| EWS | 10% |
| PwD | 5% |
To claim the reservation, candidates must submit the valid certificates in the prescribed format, and they should be issued by recognized authorities.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Gap Years and Work Experience
Having gap years and work experience doesn’t affect your CAT eligibility criteria 2026 to appear for the CAT 2026. The IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) does not have any restrictions regarding the number of gap years after graduation. In the similar manner, work experience is also not mandatory to appear for the CAT 2026 exam. Later, having work experience with any candidate can add weightage during the IIM selection process.
- Candidates with the gap years can easily apply for CAT 2026 without any restrictions as long as they meet the CAT eligibility criteria 2026.
- It is important for candidates that they must explain the reason behind gap years during interviews like in WAT and PI rounds of the IIM admission process.
- Having prior work experience is not a mandatory thing, but if any candidate possess work experience then they can fetch extra marks or points during the selection process.
CAT Eligibility 2026: Important Points to Remember
During the application process of CAT Exam (Common Aptitude Test), it is important for students to note a few but again important points in mind to avoid any rejection or confusion during the IIM admission process.
There are some important points that students need to remember.
- They should hold bachelor’s degree from the recognized university.
- They should meet the minimum marks criteria (Like 50% required if the candidate belongs to General/EWS/OBC whereas 45% required if belongs to SC/ST/PwD).
- Keep all their important academic documents ready during the CAT 2026 application form or for later stages (if applicable).
Percentage of Seat Reservation
| Categories | Reservation Percentage |
| General Category | 40.5% |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.50% |
| Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD) | 5% |
Why it is Important for Aspirants to Know About CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026?
It is very important for CAT aspirants to know about the CAT eligibility criteria 2026 because it ensures that you will meet the basic requirements set by the IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management). Knowing all the eligibility conditions in advance helps students avoid rejection at the later stages and will check with all the important documents required prior. These rules are for everyone whether it is final-year students, reserved category students, professional degree holders and more. You will later check the CAT 2026 website for the guidelines and what are other important documents required in detail.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Who Is Not Eligible?
The aspirants who will not be eligible for the CAT 2026 exam are mentioned below:
- Candidates who have not completed any recognized bachelor’s degree.
- Candidates who have scored below the required minimum percentage. (50% or 45%)
- Candidates who have a diploma degree without a full-time bachelor’s degree.
- As per CAT exam eligibility criteria, candidates who are not able to submit required academic or category documents during admission.
- Candidates with unrecognized or unapproved degrees, including fake universities.
Conclusion: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
The CAT exam is a dream for lakhs of aspirants who are dreaming to pursue their MBA degree from top IIMs or B-Schools. Meeting these CAT eligibility criteria 2026 is the very first and important step towards appearing for the CAT 2026. It is important for students to make sure they complete check with the guidelines and fulfill all the respective requirements before applying to avoid last minute issues.
Join the Largest CAT Preparation Community in India
iQuanta CAT Course 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
Yes, you can appear for CAT in the final year of your graduation, but make sure to complete your degree with the required minimum percentage as per the CAT eligibility criteria 2026.
As per the CAT eligibility criteria 2026, there is no age limit.
No, work experience is not compulsory, but some IIMs consider it during the selection process.
Yes, if your distance education degree is from a recognized university, it will be accepted for CAT eligibility in 2026.
