The CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria specify the minimum academic qualifications and other requirements that candidates must satisfy to appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026. Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility conditions can apply for the examination; however, fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee shortlisting or admission to any IIM. The final selection process is conducted independently by each participating IIM.

Educational Qualification

To be eligible for CAT 2026, a candidate must possess a Bachelor’s Degree with the following minimum marks:

• General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates: Minimum 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA.
• SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Minimum 45% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA.

The Bachelor’s degree must be awarded by:

• A university or educational institution established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature in India.
• A university declared to be a Deemed University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.
• An institution offering an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Eligibility of Final-Year Students

Candidates who are:

• Appearing for the final year of their Bachelor’s degree or equivalent examination, or
• Have completed all degree requirements but are awaiting their final results,

are also eligible to apply for CAT 2026.

If selected for admission, such candidates will be offered provisional admission only after submitting a certificate issued by the Principal or Registrar of their University/Institution. The certificate must confirm that the candidate has completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification on the date of issue. The certificate should be submitted within the timeline prescribed by the respective IIM.

Eligible Professional Qualifications

Apart from a Bachelor’s degree, candidates possessing any of the following professional qualifications are also eligible, provided they meet the required minimum percentage:

• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Company Secretary (CS)
• Cost and Management Accountant (CMA/ICWA)
• Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)

Who Can Apply?

Candidates applying for CAT 2026 must satisfy any one of the following conditions:

• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks.
• Have completed a professional qualification (CA/CS/CMA/FIAI) with the required percentage.
• Be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree programme with the required percentage of marks.

Calculation of Percentage

The percentage of marks will be calculated according to the rules followed by the candidate’s University or Institution.

For candidates awarded grades or CGPA:

• The percentage will be calculated using the official conversion formula certified by the respective University or Institution.
• If the University does not provide any CGPA-to-percentage conversion formula, the percentage will be calculated using the following formula:

Equivalent Percentage = (Candidate’s CGPA ÷ Maximum Possible CGPA) × 100

Verification of Eligibility

The IIMs reserve the right to verify the eligibility of candidates at various stages of the admission process.

Applicants should note that:

• Meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not ensure shortlisting by any IIM.
• Each participating IIM has its own admission policy, academic cut-offs, and selection process.
• Candidates must maintain a valid and unique email ID and mobile number throughout the admission process, as all official communications will be sent through these channels.

CAT 2026 Reservation Policy

Reservation of seats will be provided according to the Government of India norms.

Reservation Rules

• Reservation will be based on the Central Government list applicable on the last date of CAT registration.
• Any change in category after the CAT registration deadline will not be considered during CAT 2026 or the subsequent admission process.
• NC-OBC candidates must belong to the Non-Creamy Layer as notified by the Government of India.

PwBD Reservation

Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, 5% of the seats are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).

A Person with Benchmark Disability is one who has not less than 40% of a specified disability, as certified by the competent authority.

Eligible Disability Categories

The recognized disability categories include:

• 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
• Mental illness
• Multiple disabilities
• Other specified disabilities mentioned under the RPwD Act, 2016.

Important Notes for Reserved Category Candidates

Candidates belonging to reserved categories should carefully verify that they meet all eligibility conditions before applying.

Although IIMs reserve seats according to Government of India norms, candidates must still satisfy:

• The minimum eligibility criteria.
• The minimum performance standards prescribed by the participating IIMs for admission.

Candidates are also advised to review the latest admission policies published by individual IIMs.

Additional Information for SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS and PwBD Candidates

SC/ST Certificate Requirements

Candidates belonging to the SC or ST category must ensure that:

• Their caste or tribe is included in the Government of India Schedule.
• The caste certificate is issued in the prescribed Government of India format.

The certificate must clearly mention:

• Name of the caste or tribe.
• Whether the candidate belongs to SC or ST.
• District and State/Union Territory of ordinary residence.
• The relevant Government of India Schedule recognizing the caste or tribe.

Upload of Category Certificates

Candidates claiming reservation under SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS or PwBD categories must upload a copy of the relevant certificate during CAT registration.

Failure to upload the required certificate will result in rejection of the CAT application.

Document Verification During Admission

Candidates must produce the original category certificate and submit a photocopy:

• At the time of the interview.
• At the time of joining the programme at the allotted IIM.

Failure to produce the required certificate during the post-CAT admission process will result in the candidate not being considered under the reserved category.

UDID Card for PwBD Candidates

Candidates applying under the PwBD category are encouraged to obtain a Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card and upload it along with their application.