CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Marks, Age and Reservation
Before you prepare for CAT, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria. The CAT 2026 eligibility rules are set by the IIMs and published by IIM Indore, the institute conducting CAT 2026. The basic requirement is simple: a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, or 45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
This guide explains the CAT eligibility criteria 2026 in full, including academic qualifications, final-year students, professional degrees, age limit, attempts, reservation, category certificates and common cases such as backlogs, CGPA conversion and dual degrees. All rules are taken from the official CAT 2026 eligibility notice, Information Bulletin and FAQs on iimcat.ac.in.
Table of Contents
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 at a Glance
Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
Educational qualification | Bachelor's degree from a recognised university |
Minimum marks | 50% or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST, PwBD) |
Professional degrees | CA, CS, ICWA (CMA) or FIAI with the required percentage |
Final-year students | Eligible to apply |
Age limit | No age limit |
Number of attempts | No limit (each appearance counts as an attempt) |
Work experience | Not required to appear for CAT |
Foreign nationals and NRIs | Check each IIM's admission policy, as rules differ |
CAT 2026 Educational Qualification
As per the official eligibility notice, a candidate must meet any one of these conditions:
Completed Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwBD). The degree must be awarded by a university established by an Act of Parliament or a State Legislature, a university deemed under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or be an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Completed professional degree: CA, CS, ICWA (CMA) or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI), with the required percentage.
Final year of a Bachelor's degree, with the required percentage.
Engineering and Other Degrees
CAT is open to graduates from every stream: engineering (B.E. or B.Tech), commerce, arts, science, law, medicine, pharmacy and others. There is no subject requirement. The same 50% (or 45%) minimum applies to all degrees.
Minimum Percentage Required for CAT 2026
Category | Minimum marks in Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
General | 50% |
EWS | 50% |
NC-OBC | 50% |
SC | 45% |
ST | 45% |
PwBD | 45% |
The minimum must be met in the Bachelor's degree itself. The official FAQs give two examples:
A General candidate with 49% in graduation and 51% in a Master's degree is not eligible.
An SC, ST or PwBD candidate with 44% in graduation and 46% in a Master's degree is not eligible.
How to Calculate Your Percentage
Use the method followed by your university to calculate the aggregate percentage.
If your university gives CGPA and has a conversion formula, use that formula.
If your university confirms it has no conversion scheme, divide your CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiply by 100. For example, 7.2 out of 10 becomes 72%.
Can Final-Year Students Apply for CAT 2026?
Yes. Students in the final year of their Bachelor's degree, and those who have completed their degree and are awaiting results, can apply.
Enter your aggregate percentage up to the latest marks statement you have received.
If selected by an IIM, you will join provisionally.
You must submit a certificate from your college Principal or university Registrar confirming that you have completed all degree requirements, by the date set by that IIM.
Candidates with a backlog who will complete their degree by June 2027 can apply by selecting "Yes" for the final-year question.
CAT Age Limit and Number of Attempts
The official FAQs confirm that there is no age restriction for CAT. There is also no cap on the number of attempts. However, every appearance counts as an attempt. Candidates who are not eligible cannot appear just for practice.
Special Cases from the Official FAQs
Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
5-year integrated course (e.g., B.Tech + MBA) | Enter the Bachelor's portion under Bachelor's degree and the rest under Master's, as per university norms |
Dual degree (e.g., BTech + MTech, BS + MS) | Enter the marks equivalent to the Bachelor's degree under the Bachelor's section |
Two Bachelor's degrees (e.g., BCom + LLB) | Select the option for two Bachelor's degrees and enter both |
Name changed after graduation | Enter the new name and carry supporting documents at the exam, interview and admission |
University not in the drop-down list | Select "Others" and type the university name |
Professional course in final year, no graduation | Not eligible |
Reservation in IIM Admissions
As per Government of India norms stated in the CAT 2026 Information Bulletin:
Category | Seats reserved |
|---|---|
Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
Other Backward Classes, Non-Creamy Layer (NC-OBC) | 27% |
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | Up to 10% |
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 5% |
Reserved-category candidates must still meet the minimum eligibility and a minimum level of performance set by each IIM. The category cannot be changed after the application is submitted.
Category Certificate Rules for CAT 2026
SC/ST: The certificate must be issued by a competent authority, name the caste or tribe, carry the relevant government order number, and be in Hindi or English.
NC-OBC: The certificate must be issued on or after 1 April 2026 and state that the candidate does not belong to the creamy layer.
EWS: The certificate must be issued on or after 1 April 2026, be valid for 2026–27 and be based on income for the financial year 2025–26. Gross annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh, with limits on land and property ownership.
Old NC-OBC or EWS certificate: Candidates who applied for a new certificate but had not received it could upload the old certificate, an undertaking in the official format and proof of their application.
Certificate formats are available under "Proformas and Forms" on iimcat.ac.in.
PwBD Eligibility
A Person with Benchmark Disability is someone with at least 40% of a specified disability under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, as certified by the competent authority. The categories include blindness and low vision; deaf and hard of hearing; locomotor disability; autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and multiple disabilities. PwBD candidates get 40 extra minutes in the exam and can use a scribe if needed.
IIM-Specific Eligibility
Meeting CAT eligibility lets you take the exam. Each IIM then applies its own criteria for shortlisting, such as minimum CAT percentiles, Class 10 and 12 marks and graduation marks. Some programmes have extra conditions. For example, IIM Raipur's MBA in Public Policy and Governance is only for Chhattisgarh domicile candidates. Executive and working-professional programmes usually require work experience. Always check the admission policy of each IIM you plan to apply to.
Documents Needed to Prove Eligibility
Class 10 and 12 mark sheets
Graduation mark sheets or degree certificate (or latest marks statement for final-year students)
Final-year certificate, if selected (format available on the CAT website)
Category certificate (SC, ST, NC-OBC or EWS), if applicable
PwBD certificate, if applicable
IIMs may check eligibility at any stage of selection. Any mismatch between the details in the application and actual documents can lead to cancellation of candidature.
The CAT eligibility criteria 2026 are open to almost every graduate: a Bachelor's degree with 50% marks (45% for SC, ST and PwBD), or a final-year student on track to reach it. There is no age limit and no limit on attempts. If you meet the criteria, your next focus should be the CAT syllabus, exam pattern and regular mock tests. Testkart's CAT-pattern mock tests and sectional tests can help you prepare for the exam on 29 November 2026.
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