CAT 2023 Eligibility

Common Admission Test
CAT   Online
Exam Dates: 26th Nov 2023

By: Avantika Bhardwaj on Aug 29, 2023

CAT Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for CAT Exam have been defined as per the recent notification released by IIM Lucknow, which is the current examination conducting body of CAT Exam 2023. The defined eligibility criteria must be followed by candidates in order to be eligible for taking the examination. CAT Exam 2023 is scheduled to be conducted on 26 November 2023 and here is the detailed minimum educational qualification required.

Since it is the most awaited and most sought after Management Entrance Examination, lacs of students apply and appear for CAT Exam. The eligibility criteria vary for students applying at different levels.

  • The basic requirement is to possess a bachelor's degree in any field securing at least 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university.
  • Candidates in final year are also eligible to apply for examination.
  • There is no restriction to number of attempts each student has.

A brief description of the eligibility criteria is given below:

Qualifications

Academic

Degree

Final Year Students

Work Experience

Bachelor's Degree

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Technology

Candidates will be admitted only if they graduate securing at least 50% marks

Firstly, it is not mandatory to hold work experience

50% marks in aggregate for General Category

Degree equivalent to bachelor's degree in Engineering & Technology of Professional Societies

Must show an original certificate in case of qualifying the examination

It contributes to some weightage by the IIMs

45% marks in aggregate for Reserved Categories

Bachelor's degree recognized by Association of Indian Universities

Must submit the photocopy of original certificates when asked

It does not contribute to selection until the final stage of selection

 

Any qualification not mentioned here are also eligible to apply

 

 

CAT Exam Eligibility 2023

  • Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in any field securing at least 50% marks in aggregate (45% for Reserved Categories i.e. SC/ST/PwD). The degree must be awarded by a recognized university as incorporated by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature in India.
  • The degree awarded by a university which has been declared to be deemed as a university under section 3 of the UGC Act 1956 or recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.
  • Final year students of bachelor's degree/ or equivalent degree are also eligible to apply for taking the examination or students who have completed the degree requirement, but the result is awaiting are also eligible to apply for admission.

NOTE* The required conditions must be fulfilled while applying for CAT 2023:

  • Candidates with a bachelor's degree with required qualification.
  •  A completed professional degree with required percentage.

For candidates belonging to Reserved Categories:

The aggregate of Minimum Educational Qualification marks for SC/ST candidates and Person with Disability (PwD) should be at least 45% marks. 

Reservation criteria for CAT:

  • 15% of the total seats are reserved for candidates of Scheduled Caste category. 
  • 7.5% of the seats are reserved for candidates of Scheduled Tribe category. 
  • 27% of the seats are reserved for candidates of Other Backward Classes category belonging to non-creamy layer.
  • In accordance with Section 39 of PwD Act 1995, 3% of the seats are reserved for Persons with Disability candidates. The three categories of disability are detailed as Low vision blindness, locomotor disability problem, cerebral palsy and hearing impairment. The provision stands applicable if the applicant is suffering from the listed disabilities to the extent of not being less than about 40%, as prescribed by a medical authority.

CAT Eligibility

FAQs related to CAT

CAT

Is qualifying CAT 2023 the only criterion for admission to IIMs?

No. CAT score is used to shortlist candidates for admission. The final admission procedure takes place based on candidates’ performance in all the rounds conducted by respective IIMs.

CAT

How long does the CAT Score remain valid for?

The marks obtained by candidates in CAT 2023 will remain valid only for one year. After one year, candidates are required to reappear in CAT Exam and clear the cat cutoff again to get admission.

CAT

I am in third year of graduation. Can I apply for CAT Exam?

Depends. If third year is the final year of your graduation, then you are eligible to apply for exam. As per the eligibility criteria, final year students are eligible to take cat exam.

CAT

What is the age limit for taking the GMAT or CAT exam?

There is no age limit for taking GMAT or CAT Exam, as long as candidates fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria defined by the examination conducting body.

Latest Articles on CAT

CAT

IIM Admission Process

29-Jan-2024

The admission/selection procedure for candidates for various programs provided by the Indian Institute of Management is also known as IIM Admission Criteria. Students seeking admission to the IIM must first complete an online application form. The IIMs are management education and research institute

... Read more
CAT

CAT 2023 Exam was successfully conducted on 26th November 2023. The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate to difficult for all three slots, according to the CAT 2023 Analysis. The exam sections, which included VARC, DILR, and QA, were moderately tough for all candidates. The full CAT Exa

... Read more
CAT

Latest Update - IIM Lucknow successfully conducted CAT Exam 2023 on 26 November 2023. Students who qualify CAT Exam with a valid CAT Score will be considered eligible for admission to IIMs. They must secure marks within the range of CAT Cutoff released by respective IIMs. Read in Detail - CAT Cutoff

... Read more
CAT

CAT Books 2024

19-Dec-2023

CAT Books are very important to begin your CAT preparation and play a vital role in bracing you for the CAT Exam 2022. If you intend to take the CAT exam in 2022 and want to get selected in one of the top MBA colleges in India, then the best time to start preparing is now. Know about the best CAT bo

... Read more
CAT

CAT Answer Key 2023

05-Dec-2023

CAT Answer Key 2023 – IIM Lucknow releases CAT Answer Key on the official website – iimcat.ac.in. According to the latest updated on official website, the CAT 2023 answer key for slots 1, 2, and 3 has been made available at iimcat.ac.in. A response sheet will also be released soon along with the

... Read more
CAT

MBA is one of the most sought – after management programs in India. As per a study, of the 150-lakh people around the globe who age between 20 and 34 possessing a Graduate Management Degree (GME), 15.6% (almost 23.4 lakh) are Indians. India stands amongst the top 10 nations when it comes to studen

... Read more
CAT

CAT Mock Test

14-Nov-2023

CAT 2023 Mock Test – IIM Lucknow releases CAT Mock Test on the CAT Official Website – iimcat.ac.in. Candidates who successfully register themselves for the exam will be able to practice the mock test papers on the official website. In order to take practice mock tests, candidates will have to lo

... Read more
CAT

CAT Question Paper

02-Nov-2023

 CAT question papers are renowned for their high level of difficulty. Despite alterations in the exam pattern over the years, CAT question papers have consistently maintained their challenging nature. As part of their CAT exam preparation, candidates are advised to consult official CAT previous

... Read more
CAT

The CAT 2023 Exam is scheduled for November 26, 2023. Candidates must deliberately and methodically prepare for each segment. They must be equally prepared for each of the four portions of the Common Admission Test (CAT) in order to succeed. Also, candidates must decide where to start their preparat

... Read more
CAT

Understanding the complexities of a language requires the capacity to read, comprehend its context and meaning, absorb the information offered, and retain the information given. There is no better way to evaluate this skill than to include a reading comprehension question on an exam. This ability is

... Read more