CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Age limit, Qualification, Reservation

CAT 2024 eligibility criteria has been released by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta along with the CAT notification. The CAT eligibility criteria 2024 is a list of requirements that one has to fulfill to appear for and clear the CAT exam. Academic qualifications, past academic performance, the CAT age limit, and other related requirements are included in CAT eligibility criteria. More than 3 lakh eligible candidates apply for this entrance exam annually for PGDM and MBA admission at IIMs and 1,200+ B-schools in India. Check out this article to know who can apply for CAT 2024, what the age limit is, etc.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024

As per the eligibility criteria for CAT 2024, candidates have to meet certain parameters set up by the conducting body. Candidates, before filling out the CAT application form and starting their preparation for CAT exam should, first of all, know who is eligible for CAT exam. Aspirants wishing to appear in this MBA entrance exam should meet the following eligibility criteria for CAT exam:

• Candidates have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a recognized university
• Should secure a minimum of 50% for the open category and 45 % for the SC/ST/PwD category
• Final year of bachelor's degree students are also eligible to apply for CAT exam 2024. However, such candidates will have to submit the certificate of completion from the principal or registrar of their university or institution on or before the date stipulated by the respective IIMs.
• Candidates with work experience will have some added preference/ weightage. But work experience is not mandatory as per CAT exam eligibility 2024.

Also read- CAT Attempt Limit

Question: What is the pass mark for CAT?

Answer: According to the pass mark for CAT or the CAT eligibility criteria, candidates who have completed any bachelor’s degree or its equivalents from a recognized university with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) can apply for the CAT exam 2024.

Question: Can 12 pass apply for CAT?

Answer: No, a 12th-pass student is not eligible for CAT. Since the CAT exam is an MBA entrance test, so a candidate must have a bachelor's degree.

CAT Age Limit

All MBA aspirants need to know what is CAT exam eligibility and how to match the specified age criteria for CAT exam beforehand. Candidates appearing for this MBA entrance exam can check the CAT exam age limit below.

• Minimum age eligibility for CAT exam: There is no age limit for appearing in the CAT exam 2024. Candidates, regardless of age, can apply for this CAT exam. The only criteria for CAT exam eligibility is that candidates must have a degree with required marks.
• CAT maximum age limit: Any person can apply for CAT 2024 at any stage of their career. According to the CAT entrance exam eligibility, there is no maximum age for CAT exam.

Also, Check

• When and How to Start CAT Preparation?
• CAT Preparation - How to prepare for CAT without coaching

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024- Academic Qualification

For CAT 2024 exam eligibility criteria IIM mentions the academic qualifications and the marks that the candidates must secure to be able to appear for the CAT exam.

CAT Eligibility for IIM

There is no CAT eligibility criteria 12th marks required for the CAT exam. A bachelor's degree is required with a minimum of 50% after completing the intermediate education.

MHRD/ AICTE: The University shall be declared annexed by an Act of the Parliament or the State Legislature of India or shall be treated as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

NOTE: The candidates who appeared in the final year of the degree examination should submit the certificate from the Registrar/ Principal of the respective institution or university. The certificate must state that they have met all the requirements for equivalent qualification on the date the certificate is issued.

Also Check: Download Sample Paper for CAT Preparation

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024: Graduation Marks

The minimum education qualification required to apply for CAT 2024 exam is graduation. Check out below, the CAT eligibility criteria and minimum marks required for general and reserved category candidates.

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria - Registration with Backlogs

One of the most common questions of students with any academic backlogs in their graduate program is whether they can enroll for the CAT 2024 exam. It should be clarified that CAT aspirants who have academic backlogs during their graduate program can apply and register for the CAT exam without any problem.

Any candidate who scores above 50% (45% for the reserved category) in the degree (even in supplementary) can apply for CAT 2024. When completing the CAT 2024 registration form, ask, "Are you in your final year of your bachelor's degree?" Select "Yes" to the question.

IIM CAT 2024 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria

IIMs will have their own individual selection criteria for admission. They follow the reservation guidelines set by the Government of India. To know the CAT eligibility criteria for OBC, MBC, SC, ST, PwD, and General, see the table below:

Reservation Criteria

Reservation Policy for Person with Disability (PwD)

For the PwD category candidates, they must bring a PwD certificate issued by a competent authority. Candidates can avail of the benefit provided for PwD only upon submission of the PwD certification issued by a competent authority. Details of various types of disabilities accepted under the PwD reservation are given below:

• Low vision/ blind candidates.
• Candidates with hearing impairment.
• Candidates with a locomotive disability or cerebral palsy.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 - Marks Calculation

• The CAT percentile calculation will be based on the fact that the respective institutions or universities where the candidates have passed their degrees will follow their own procedure for calculating the total marks.
• For the calculation of CGPA and grades as per CAT entrance exam eligibility, marks will be converted into percentages based on the practice certified by the respective institution or university.
• In another case, if no institution or university offers any plans for change, the percentage will be calculated by dividing the student's CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiplying the result by 100.
• For example, if a candidate has a CGPA of 8.8 and a maximum of 10 CGPA, then 8.8/10 = 0.88 and multiplying the result with 100 = 0.88 X 100 = 88%

Quick Links

• Check CAT Score vs Percentile
• CAT Percentile Predictor

Who is not eligible for CAT 2024?

• If the candidate is in the process of completing their professional degree (CS/ CA/ ICWA) without appearing for their bachelor’s degree.
• The candidate is pursuing both a bachelor’s degree and a professional degree but has not yet completed both.
• If the candidate's score in the degree is less than 50% (45% for SC/ ST/ PWT candidates), he or she is ineligible to apply for the CAT exam.
• If the degree is not recognized by MHRD/ AICTE/ UGC, the candidate will be considered ineligible for the CAT examination.

CAT Eligibility Criteria - Work Experience Requirements

• Candidates are not required to have any prior work experience.
• Even if the CAT application form 2024 asks for it, there is no necessary condition to fulfill it.
• It should be noted that during the final examination, some weightage may be given by IIMs for this work experience. However, the exact weightage has never been revealed and it will vary from one IIM to another IIM.

CAT Registration 2024

The CAT application form will be released on August 1, 2024. Candidates who fulfill the CAT exam eligibility 2024 can fill out the registration form in online mode. The CAT 2024 form window will be closed on September 13, 2024. After providing all the necessary information in the CAT application form and uploading the documents, candidates have to pay the necessary fees depending upon the category to which they belong. The fees have to be paid in online.

Quick Links

• Know how to fill out CAT Application Form
• Check details of CAT Application Form Correction Window

IIM Eligibility Vs CAT Eligibility

• When IIMs convene CAT exam, their eligibility criteria are not the same. There are some minor contradictions that every candidate who wants to study at IIMs should be aware of.
• Although, as per the age criteria for CAT exam, there is no age limit for both the CAT exam qualification and the qualification for IIM admission, the two-year bachelor’s degree accepted as per the requirement for the CAT exam qualification criteria is not accepted by IIMs, and their management programmes require a three-year bachelor’s degree.
• Other than that, there are no discrepancies between the CAT exam qualification and the IIM qualification.