Physics Wallah

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Check Age Limit, Educational Qualification, Total Marks & Reservation

Learn about CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 in detail. Find out the educational qualifications, age limit, and other requirements to apply for the CAT exam.
authorImageAnil Solonki26 Sept, 2024
Share

Share

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: The CAT exam 2024 for admission to MBA/PGPM courses is all set to take place on 24 November. Candidates aspiring to take the CAT exam must fulfil the CAT eligibility criteria 2024 set by IIM Calcutta .

The CAT conducting authority does not set an age limit for CAT exam participants. The basic CAT eligibility criteria require candidates to possess a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories) from a recognized university or educational institution.

Also Read: CAT 2024 Notification OUT

Also Read:
CAT 2024 Exam CAT 2024 Exam Date CAT 2024 Registration CAT 2024 Admit Card
CAT 2024 Colleges CAT 2024 Predictor CAT 2024 Dress Code CAT 2024 Result

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Overview

Candidates planning to take the upcoming exam must meet the CAT eligibility criteria 2024. IIM announces the eligibility criteria every year on the official website, iimcat.ac.in , along with the CAT notification. The table below provides a summary of the key parameters for CAT 2024 eligibility.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Highlight
Academics
  • Completed the graduation degree
  • Studying in the final year of graduation
CAT age limit No specified lower/upper age limit
Work experience Not required
Reservation Policy Based on the category of the candidate

Educational Qualification for CAT 2024

To meet the eligibility requirements for CAT 2024, candidates must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3-year course duration. Additionally, candidates must meet the minimum marks requirement to successfully complete the CAT registration process.

Prior to commencing the CAT registration 2024 process, candidates must first ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for CAT 2024. Those who don't meet the eligibility requirements can not appear for the exam even after having solid preparation.

Here are the notable academic qualification requirements candidates must meet to participate in the CAT exam 2024:
  • Hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a recognized university.
  • Score a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the Bachelor's degree exam for the general category and 45% for the SC/ST/PwD category.
  • Students in the final year of their Bachelor's degree are also eligible to apply. However, such candidates must submit a provisional degree completion certificate issued by the principal or registrar of their university or institution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWoe1zH-N2w

Also Read:

CAT Exam Date 2024 CAT Syllabus 2024

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Registration with Backlogs

Candidates who have academic backlogs during their undergraduate program can apply and register for CAT 2024 without any hindrance. Additionally, candidates who achieve a score above 50% (45% for the reserved category), even with supplementary exams in the final year, are eligible to apply for CAT 2024.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Recognized Degrees

Here is a detailed list of UG and professional degrees accepted for CAT exam 2024:
Qualification University Pass Percentage as per CAT Exam Eligibility
Engineering Degree B. Tech/ B.E. MHRD/ AICTE/UPSC Approved 50% (45% for reserved candidates)
Bachelor's Degree from any University (3-year or more course duration) UGC Approved
Final year students of the Bachelor's degree MHRD/ AICTE/UPSC and UGC Approved
CS/CA/ICWA/FIAI MHRD/ AICTE/UPSC Approved

CAT 2024 Age Limit

The eligibility criteria for the CAT exam in 2024 specify that there is no maximum age limit for candidates to participate in the examination. Those interested in applying for the upcoming CAT exam need to meet other eligibility requirements like education qualification, minimum marks, etc., as there are no restrictions on the maximum age.

Reservation Criteria for CAT 2024

According to the latest official updates, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) adhere to the reservation guidelines outlined by the Central Government for MBA program admissions. The CAT exam eligibility criteria include two main categories of seat reservations at IIM:
  • Caste-based reservations
  • Reservations for differently-abled individuals
Additionally, IIMs follow the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in accordance with the 124th Amendment Bill to the Indian Constitution. The table below provides detailed information on the reservation criteria for CAT 2024.
Candidates’ Category Reserved Seats for CAT
PWD 5%
ST 7.5%
SC 15%
OBC (non-creamy) 27%
EWS Up to 10%

CAT 2024 Reservation Policy for PwD

Candidates falling under the PwD category are required to present a valid PwD certificate issued by the authorised body. The reservation benefits are offered to only those candidates who submit their PwD certificates. Additionally, candidates must come under the specific types of disabilities to be considered for reservation. The following outlines the disabilities to get a reservation under the PwD category:
  • Low vision or blindness
  • Hearing impairment
  • Locomotor disabilities or cerebral palsy

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Work Experience

For CAT 2024, it is not necessary for candidates to have any previous work experience. Although the CAT 2024 application form has a section to enter work experience details, this is not a required field. However, after the CAT exam, IIMs may give some consideration to candidates with work experience during the final selection rounds. The weightage given to work experience varies between different IIMs. To appear for the CAT 2024 exam, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
  • Candidates should have completed a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or an equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST, and PWD/DA categories) from a recognized university.
  • Final-year students or those waiting for their bachelor's degree results can also apply for CAT 2024.
  • Candidates with a professional degree like CA, CS, ICWA, or FCAI, with the required percentage, are also eligible.

Who is Ineligible for CAT 2024?

Besides knowing the CAT eligibility criteria 2024, candidates must also understand the situations which make them ineligible for the CAT exam. Here are the notable points explaining candidates' ineligibility for CAT registration 2024:
  • Candidates preparing for their professional degree (CS/ CA/ ICWA). Without completing the Bachelor's degree, candidates are not considered eligible for CAT.
  • Candidates who are simultaneously pursuing both a bachelor's degree and a professional degree but have not yet completed either are ineligible.
  • Candidates with a score below 50% (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD) in the UG degree exam are not eligible to apply for the CAT exam.
  • Candidates with a degree that is not recognised by UGC/MHRD/ AICTE are ineligible for the CAT examination.

Physics Wallah offers online coaching for the Common Admission Test (CAT) through their MBA Pioneer Pro 2024 batch . This batch includes online classes for management examinations for 2024, including CAT. Join now to enhance your preparation journey.

Also Read
CAT 2024 Exam CAT 2024 Exam Date CAT Registration 2024
CAT Admit Card 2024 CAT Exam Pattern 2024 CAT Syllabus 2024

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 FAQs

Is there an age limit for the IIM CAT exam? 

No, IIM does not include any maximum or minimum age criteria for applying to CAT 2024. 

Does IIM provide reservations for candidates belonging to the NC-OBC category?

Yes, IIM offers a 27% reservation to candidates belonging to the OBC-NC category.

Can students with a final year bachelor's degree apply for the CAT exam 2024?

Yes, candidates who are in the final year of their UG program are eligible to apply for the CAT 2024.

Does IIM consider candidates with a backlog eligible for CAT 2024?

Yes, students with backlogs in the final year of their Bachelor's degree are eligible to apply for the IIM CAT 2024.

When will IIM start the CAT 2024 application process? 

The CAT 2024 application process will start in the first week of August 2024.
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Point IconLive & recorded classes available at ease
Point IconDashboard for progress tracking
Point IconMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
Download ButtonDownload Button
Banner Image
Banner Image
Free Learning Resources
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others

Copyright © 2025 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.