The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the important examinations for pursuing MBA from top Indian Institutes of Management or B-Schools. Every year, 3,00,000+ aspirants register for the CAT exam. According to the official report, approx. 2.95 lakh candidates registered and 2.58 lakh appeared in the exam. This examination covers basic CAT eligibility criteria to sit for the exam and to get an admission to the top-tier business schools such as IIMs, FMS Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, MDI Gurgaon, IITs and more. There are 11 months left for the CAT 2026 and if you are planning to apply, then candidates have to understand the basic eligibility criteria. There is no age limit to apply for CAT 2026. As per the latest CAT eligibility criteria, candidates should have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks. Reserved category students get a relaxation of 5%.
Even as a CAT 2026 aspirant, if you are aware of the minimum requirements then 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. This blog is a comprehensive guide for the aspirants to understand the basic CAT eligibility criteria 2026 along with the relevant points that should be maintained before sitting for the Common Admission Test 2026. Let’s deep dive in the blog to discuss the same in a detailed manner.
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Who Conducts the Common Admission Test?
The Common Admission Test is conducted once a year by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. The CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode 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. The complete information about “Who Conducts the Common Admission Test” is mentioned in the table specified below.
| Conducting Year | Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) |
| 2025 | IIM Kozhikode |
| 2024 | IIM Calcutta |
| 2023 | IIM Lucknow |
| 2022 | IIM Bangalore |
| 2021 | IIM Ahmedabad |
| 2020 | IIM Indore |
| 2019 | IIM Kozhikode |
| 2018 | IIM Calcutta |
| 2017 | IIM Lucknow |
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
According to the basic eligibility criteria for the CAT exam, candidates should have minimum 3 years of bachelor’s degree from a recognized university, and covers minimum marks as 50% in case of a General/EWS/OBC candidates whereas 45% marks in case of a SC/ST/PwD. If you are a final year student, then you should have a valid proof from the authorities of a provisional admission. Work experience is not mandatory as well as number of attempts in a CAT exam is also not fixed. To get the complete information in detailed manner, check the table specified 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: What If You Are a Final Year Student?
If you are a final year student and confused about – “Whether you are eligible to sit in a CAT exam or not?” then here is a complete explanation about your query.
Answer – The candidates are eligible to sit for the CAT exam in their final year under conditions where they have to provide the order of proof from institute authorities during the admission process.
CAT Eligibility Criteria for Working Professionals
- The working professional must hold a bachelor’s degree of a minimum 3-year tenure in any discipline from a recognized university.
- The minimum marks required for the working professionals belong to General, EWS, and OBC candidates are 50% marks or equivalent CGPA; for SC, ST, and PwD candidates, it is 45% marks or equivalent CGPA.
- Working professionals must hold degrees awarded by universities or institutes recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, or equivalent bodies like UGC/AICTE.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Complete Breakdown
The CAT exam eligibility is an important criteria that the candidate must fulfill in order to be a part of the entrance test. They should read the official notification PDF which is used to determine whether they meet the basic requirements to appear in the Common Admission Test. This section covers the detailed breakdown of components like academic qualification, final year student eligibility to sit for the examination, “Do Age limit is an important factor to cover as CAT eligibility Criteria?“, important documents required for the verification purpose, and most importantly “Do candidates with backlogs appear for the Common Admission Test?”. Let’s discuss these important components in a detailed manner.
CAT Eligibility Criteria: Academic Qualification
- 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 Criteria: 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 Criteria: 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 Criteria: 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. The table mentioned below covers the CAT age criteria for lower age limit and upper age limit.
CAT Age Criteria 2026
Talking about the age criteria to sit for the CAT exam is not applicable for both lower age limit and upper age limit.
| Age Limit | CAT Criteria |
| Lower Age Limit | Not Applicable |
| Upper Age Limit | Not Applicable |
CAT Eligibility Criteria 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 Criteria : 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 Criteria Based on Reservation
There are certain reservation criteria for reserved categories seeking MBA admissions. Candidates from reserved categories must carefully check the CAT eligibility criteria 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 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.
Download PDF Here – CAT Eligibility Criteria
The CAT exam eligibility criteria is an important arena that aspirants should aware before sitting in the actual CAT exam. This PDF is a gem for you that covers different components such as detailed exam eligibility, syllabus, important dates, and more, so that you will directed towards CAT 2026 preparation.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 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
The table specified below covers the percentage of seat reservations across General Category, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC), Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Person with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD).
| 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% |
CAT Eligibility Criteria for General/EWS/OBC
The basic CAT exam eligibility for General/EWS/OBC candidates require minimum 50% marks in the bachelor’s degree (minimum 3 years) and additional 10% relaxation to the EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) followed by the percentage of seat reservation.
CAT Eligibility Criteria for SC/ST/PwD
The CAT exam eligibility for SC/ST/PwD candidates require minimum 45% marks in the bachelor’s degree (minimum 3 years).
Why Should You Consider Knowing CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026?
It is very important for CAT aspirants to know about the CAT eligibility criteria 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 help 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.
CAT Eligibility Criteria for Top IIMs in India
- 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.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: CAT Eligibility Criteria
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.
No, candidates cannot apply just after class 12th. The basic requirement to sit for the Common Admission Test is a graduation degree.
There is no limit for giving CAT examination.
According to the basic CAT eligibility criteria, candidates should meet a basic requirement of minimum 50% in case of General category but for SC/ST/PwD, it is 45%.
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.
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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.
There is no age limit for the candidates to appear in CAT 2026.
Yes, candidates with the backlog can sit for the CAT 2026 exam but the condition they need to clear their all backlogs during the time of admission.
