Eligibility Criteria of Common Admission Test (CAT)
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 – Every year, IIM CAT publishes information on who is eligible to take the CAT Exam. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 will be published on the official website along with the CAT official notification. All aspiring candidates may verify their CAT eligibility here in this article, which includes a number of parameters including academic background, age restriction, and the reservation policy. The CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria have not seen any substantial modifications in the past few years.
The organisation in charge of administering the exam may withdraw your application at any time throughout the selection process if there are any inconsistencies in your eligibility. So, before submitting the CAT Application Form, you should confirm your eligibility for the CAT 2024. Read through the article to know all the crucial information regarding CAT 2024 Exam Eligibility.
CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria
| CAT 2024 Eligibility Parameters | Details | ||||||||||||
| CAT Exam Academic Qualifications | Completed Graduation
OR Promoted to Final Year of Graduation
|
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| CAT Exam Age Limit | NO lower or upper age limit | ||||||||||||
| CAT Exam Work Experience | Not mandatory | ||||||||||||
| CAT Exam Reservation Policy |
|
CAT 2024 Age Limit
CAT eligibility age criteria 2024 do not impose any age bar to appear in CAT 2024 exam. There is No Minimum or Maximum CAT age limit Restraints for CAT Eligibility 2024 for any category of candidates. Check details below:
Minimum CAT Age Limit: No minimum age is required to appear in the CAT exam. However, the candidate should have done or should be in the final year of graduation. If you complete graduation at 18 or 19 years of age, you are eligible to appear in CAT, and if you complete
graduation at 21 or 22 years of age, again you are eligible to appear in CAT 2024.
Maximum CAT Age Limit for CAT Eligibility: CAT eligibility 2024 does not prescribe any maximum age. A candidate with 60 years of age or 80 years of age can also apply and appear in CAT 2024.
CAT 2024 Education Qualification
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Academic Qualification requires you to have a consistent good academic record and higher the score from class 10 onwards, more weightage you will get in shortlisting for IIM Admission. To appear in CAT 2024, you should have following academic qualifications:
CAT Eligibility 2024 for Completed Graduation Course
For those who have completed graduation degree, the CAT Exam Eligibility 2024 Educational Qualifications is as below:
- For General Category: A graduate in any discipline with minimum 50% marks in bachelor’s degree is eligible to appear in CAT 2024.
- For Reserved Category (SC/ST): A graduate in any discipline with minimum 45% marks in bachelor’s degree
| Qualification | University | Pass Percentage as per CAT Exam Eligibility |
| Engineering Degree B. Tech/ B.E. | MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE Approved | 50%
(45% for reserved candidates) |
| Bachelor’s Degree from any University | UGC Approved | |
| Students who are pursuing the final year of their Bachelor’s degree can also take the examination. | MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE or UGC Approved | |
| CA/CS/ICWA/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) | MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE Approved |
CAT Eligibility Criteria: Final Year Students
The CAT Eligibility 2024 for Final Year Students in Bachelor’s Degree program is different.
If you are in your final year of graduation or have completed graduation but are waiting for the result, you are also eligible to apply for CAT 2024.. In both the cases, you are required to furnish the following documents before your final year result is out.
CAT Eligibility Criteria: Documents Required for Final Year Students
- If you are in the final year of graduation and are appearing in final graduation exam in 2024 you can apply for CAT 2024. However, you should furnish the Aggregate Percentage up to the last marks statement received from the University/Institute.
- If you have completed graduation and are waiting for result, your CAT eligibility criteria for CAT 2024 will be based on marks obtained in previous years of bachelor’s degree.
- You need to submit a certificate by the head of institution that all the requirements of completing bachelor’s degree are completed by you
- You need to submit your final graduation marks sheet on release of result latest by December 31, 2024
- The applicant will be given only provisional admission by IIM. He has to score at least 50% marks in graduation when the final result is declared.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Different Academic Streams
There is no discrimination on any academic stream and all the UGC/AICTE/MHRD recognized graduation programs qualify for CAT eligibility criteria 2024 including Arts/Humanities; Commerce; Science; Engineering; Technology; Fine Arts; Medical and Paramedical; CA/CS/ICWA and all other academic streams.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Academic Qualification: Concession for Covid Pandemic
The candidates who had completed the bachelor’s degree in 2020, 2021, 2022 but were not awarded percentage in marks are allowed to appear in CAT exam
Such candidates are not required to fill percentage of marks in CAT application form and should fill promotion/pass, if not awarded percentage of marks in 2022, 2021 and 2020.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 – Marks Calculation
If your marks sheet shows maximum marks, marks obtained with percentage of marks, the calculation of marks and percentage of marks are taken as per your marks sheet. However, in other cases the calculation of marks to determine the CAT eligibility criteria will be as under:
- Aggregate Percentage of marks obtained by the candidate would be taken into account
- In case of grades/CGPA, it will be converted to percentage of marks
CAT Eligibility Criteria: Marks Calculation from CGPA/Grades
The process of CAT Eligibility Determination by converting CGPA/Grades to Percentage of Marks is done as below:
- To determine CAT Eligibility, in case CGPA is given and no percentage of marks is shared on the marks-sheet, the percentage of marks obtained by the candidate would be calculated based on the practice as followed by the respective University/Institution.
- The conversion to percentage of marks from Grades/CGPA would be based on the procedure as certified by the respective University/Institution.
- If any University/Institution confirms that there is no scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, and multiplying the result with 100.
CAT Exam Eligibility for Backlogs Candidates in Graduation
If you have completed your graduation but have a backlog, you can apply for CAT 2024 and will be treated as the final year student of bachelor’s degree.
CAT Exam Eligibility 2024: Work Experience
There is no mandatory CAT exam eligibility criteria – work experience requirements. However, IIMs award additional weightage to work experience obtained by the candidate after completing his/her graduation as below:
- The maximum weightage of 10 to 20 percent is given in shortlisting and/or final selection for the quality work experience of supervisory category
- Maximum weightage is awarded to the work experience period of 24 to 36 months.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 – Main Points to Remember
Candidates should check the eligibility before filling the CAT 2024 application form. Here are important details about general eligibility criteria for CAT 2024.
- Students should have passed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree from any recognized university or college.
| CAT 2024 Eligibility | Graduation or Equivalent Degree Percentage |
| General | Minimum 50% |
| SC, ST & PwD/DA candidates | Minimum 45% |
- The percentage of marks secured by students will be calculated on the basis of practice followed by the college/university from which candidates have obtained the bachelor’s degree.
- Students appearing in the final year of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification are also eligible to apply.
- Students appearing in the qualifying exam are required to produce a certificate from the principal/registrar of their college stating that the candidate has completed all the requirements for obtaining the bachelor’s degree/ equivalent qualification.
CAT Exam Eligibility 2024: Reservation Policy
CAT Eligibility & Reservation of Seats in IIMs will be as per GoI norms. The category wise Reservation of Seats in IIMs through CAT 2024 is as below:
| Category | Percentage of Reserved Seats in IIMs |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
| Other Backward Classes of NC-OBC | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
| PWD | 5% |
CAT Eligibility on Reservation Policy for Person with Disability (PwD)
CAT eligibility criteria prescribe that 5% seats are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD). “Person with Benchmark Disability” means a person with not less than forty percent (40%) of a specified disability. “Specified disability” means the disabilities as specified in the Schedule of the RPwD Act 2016. The categories of disability are:
- Blindness and low vision
- Deaf and hard of hearing
- Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy.
- Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness
- Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016
CAT 2024 Application Form Dates
Candidates can check the following details regarding the CAT 2024 exam schedule. The following dates are tentative based on previous CAT exam calendars.
| CAT 2024 Events | CAT 2024 Date |
| CAT 2024 Notification | Last week of July 2024 |
| CAT 2024 Registration Start Date | First week of August 2024 |
| CAT 2024 Last Date to Apply | Second week of September 2024 |
| CAT 2024 Admit Card | Last week of October 2024 |
| CAT Exam Date | Last week of November 2024 |
| CAT 2024 Declaration of Result | 2nd week of January 2025 |
CAT Eligibility Criteria FAQs
Q. I’m 2020 BE passed out but I have an arrear am I eligible to write the CAT exam?
A. Yes you can write provided the arrear is cleared with required percentage of marks/CGPA/Grade.
Q. I am just appearing in my B tech final year. My B.tech will complete in almost June 2024, am I eligible for CAT 2024?
A. Yes, you are eligible for CAT 2024.
Q. Where can I get the CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 PDF Download document?
A. You can get CAT eligibility criteria 2024 document free at iimcat.ac.in or can also read this document to understand the CAT eligibility criteria. The link to Off
Q. I have not completed any graduation course but I am in the final year of a professional course; am I eligible for CAT 2024?
A. No. You must fulfill one of the following criteria to apply for CAT 2024:
- Completed Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks.
- Completed professional degree (For example, CA) with required percentage
- Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree with required percentage.
*Minimum percentage requirement for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates is 50 and for SC/ST/PwD candidates is 45.
Q.I am not pursuing nor have I completed my Bachelor’s degree or any Professional degree like CA/CS/ICWA. Am I eligible to appear for CAT 2024?
A. As you are not appearing/have not completed any Bachelor Degree nor have you completed any Professional degree like CA/CS/ICWA you are not eligible to appear for CAT 2024.
Q. Who is not eligible for CAT 2024?
A. IIMs conducting CAT exam have clearly clarified about who is ineligible for the CAT exam? The key criteria to understand who is not eligible for CAT 2024 are:
- If you are not pursuing or have completed your Bachelor’s degree or any Professional degree like CA/CS/ICWA, you are not eligible to appear for CAT.
- If you have not completed any graduation course but you are in the final year of a professional course, which will not award a recognized graduate degree, you are not eligible for CAT.
- If your Graduation is not recognized by UGC/AICTE/MHRD-Govt. of India, you are not eligible to apply for CAT.
Conclusion
CAT Aspirants need to be completely acquainted with the CAT Exam Eligibility in detail before applying for the exam. During registration, candidates will be asked to fill in their details and submit their educational and other documents on the application portal. If the exam authority finds any discrepancies in candidates’ CAT Eligibility 2024, the candidature of the candidates will be cancelled without any notice.
Note that fulfilling CAT Exam Eligibility requirements do not guarantee final admission into the IIMs or any other B-school. CAT scores 2024 will be used to shortlist candidates for further selection rounds (Written Ability Test and Personal Interview).
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