CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Marks, Degree, Final Year and Age Limit

CAT 2026 eligibility is simple on paper: a bachelor's degree with the minimum required marks, with no upper age limit reported. The exam is conducted by IIM Indore and is scheduled for 29 November 2026, and registration for this cycle has already closed.

This page explains the degree and marks rule, the final-year provision, accepted professional qualifications, reservation and the extra criteria that institutes apply after CAT. The rules below follow the CAT 2026 eligibility document published on iimcat.ac.in as reported by education sources. We could not read the document line by line, so verify details such as degree equivalence and certificate wording on the official site before you act.

Table of Contents

• CAT 2026 Eligibility at a Glance

• Educational Qualification

• Final-year Students

• Age Limit

• Reservation and Category

• Who May Not Be Eligible

• Eligibility for Admission at Institutes

CAT 2026 Eligibility at a Glance

Educational Qualification

You must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or institution, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education. The minimum is 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, and 45% for candidates in the SC, ST and PwBD categories.

CGPA and percentage

If your university uses CGPA, use its official conversion to a percentage. If no conversion is available, the common method is to divide your CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiply by 100, so 7.5 out of 10 becomes 75%. Check how your university certificate states the conversion, because that is what institutes accept.

Professional qualifications

Candidates who have completed professional qualifications such as CA, CS or ICWA (CMA) are reported to be eligible under the same category-based marks rule. Confirm the exact wording for your qualification in the official eligibility document.

Final-year Students

Final-year bachelor's students can apply, and so can candidates who have completed the degree requirements and are waiting for results. Admission stays provisional until you submit a certificate from your Principal or Registrar confirming that you have completed all degree requirements by the date set by the institute. Keep this in mind when you plan your final-semester exams.

Age Limit

No upper age limit is reported for CAT 2026. The official eligibility document states no upper age limit as per the reports we checked. A separate rule at an institute for a specific programme, such as one for executives, may exist, so check the brochure of the programme you want.

Reservation and Category

Reserved-category candidates must upload the relevant certificates at registration. For reservation, the Central Government lists as on the last date of CAT registration apply. This covers SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS and PwBD candidates. The percentage relaxation to 45% applies only to SC, ST and PwBD candidates.

Who May Not Be Eligible

• Marks below the minimum: Candidates with less than 50% (or 45% for SC, ST and PwBD) in their bachelor's degree.

• Degree requirements incomplete: A final-year candidate who cannot show completion of all degree requirements by the institute's deadline.

• Missing category proof: A reserved-category claim without the required certificate.

Eligibility for Admission at Institutes

Meeting the CAT criteria does not guarantee an interview call or a seat. Each IIM and institute sets its own shortlisting, which may include academic scores in earlier classes, work experience and diversity factors.