CAT Exam Eligibility 2024: Check Age Limit, Qualification, Reservation

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Check your CAT Exam Eligibility Requirements for Academics, Age, Category and Others

CAT 2024 exam eligibility criteria do not require high academic score and has no age requirements. IIM Calcutta will Conduct CAT 2024 exam on November 24, 2024. IIM CAT 2024 is the largest MBA entrance exam. Last year 3.30 lakh candidates applied for CAT exam. The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 will be conducted in three slots of two hour duration each. CAT is the mandatory exam for MBA admission in 21 IIMs and other top MBA colleges. The exam Notification is expected on July 28 and the CAT 2024 registration process will begin in August 2024 first week.

You need to prepare well as per CAT exam syllabus to score high to become eligible for IIM Admission 2025 through CAT 2024. If you qualify the CAT eligibility criteria, you will become eligible for IIM Admission 2025 without paying any extra application fee. Read below in detail the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria for Academics, Age, key concessions in CAT eligibility and more:   

Table of Contents

1. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Overview
2. CAT Exam Eligibility 2024 Educational Qualifications
3. CAT Eligibility Age Criteria 2024
4. IIM CAT 2023 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria
5. CAT Exam Eligibility 2024: Work Experience
6. CAT Exam Eligibility and IIM Eligibility: Is there a Difference?
7. Who is Not Eligible for CAT 2024? IIMs Define
8. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: FAQ

1. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Overview

A graduate with minimum 50% marks is eligible to appear in CAT exam. However, the CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024 consist of various important points to determine CAT exam eligibility as well as eligibility for IIMs with CAT eligibility latest changes.

CAT Exam Eligibility Highlights:

• CAT Eligibility Age – CAT Age limit
• CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Academic Qualification (Completed Degree Requirement)
• CAT Eligibility Criteria for Final Year Students
• CAT Exam Eligibility 2024 for Work Experience
• CAT Exam Eligibility for IIM Admission
• CAT Eligibility Criteria regarding Documents Required for Final Year Students, Reservation Criteria, who is Ineligible for the CAT Exam among other key important criteria to become eligible to register and apply for CAT 2024 and for IIM Admission 2025. Below are shared the point wise details for CAT eligibility criteria 2024.

2. CAT Exam Eligibility 2024 Educational Qualifications

CAT Eligibility vs IIMs Eligibility Criteria is same as regards to Academic qualification from class 10 onwards. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Academic Qualification require you to have a consistent good academic record. 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:

2.1 CAT Eligibility for Class 10 & Class 12

• Candidates must have a consistent record of academic performance in class 10 & 12
• Score above 60% in class 10 & 12 will give you additional weightage

2.2 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

2.3 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 final year of graduation or have completed graduation but are waiting for result, you are also eligible to apply for CAT 2024, but with a rider. In both the cases, you are required to furnish following documents before your final year result is out.  

2.3.1 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, 2025 
• The applicant will be given only provisional admission by IIM. He has to score minimum 50% marks in graduation when final result is declared.

2.4 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.

2.5 CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Academic Qualification: Concession for Covid Pandemic

• The candidates who had completed the bachelor’s degree in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 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 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

2.6 CAT Academic Eligibility Criteria for Old & New System

• Eligibility for CAT further allows you to appear in CAT 2024 even if you have done graduation in old system of 2 years graduation provided the degree is UGC recognized
• One of the 3 main points in the CAT eligibility criteria 2024 must be fulfilled-

A. Completed Bachelor’s degree, or
B. Completed professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA) with required percentage, or 
C. Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree  

2.7 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

2.7.1 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.

2.8 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. Clarifying on CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria - Registration with Backlogs, IIMs have confirmed, “As per the CAT 2024 eligibility norms, candidates who are completing their degree by June 2025 are eligible to appear for CAT. However, the candidate should select “Yes” to the question “Are you in the final year of Bachelor’s Degree".

3. CAT Eligibility Age Criteria 2024

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 who are applying for IIM-CAT 2024 exam. Check details below:

Minimum CAT Age Limit: No minimum age is required to appear in 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.  

4. IIM CAT 2024 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria

CAT Eligibility & Reservation of Seats in IIMs will be as per Government of India norms. The category wise Reservation of Seats in IIMs through CAT 2024 is as below:

4.1 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; Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) f) Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016

4.2 Cut Off Date for CAT Reservation of Seats: Last Date of CAT 2024 Reservation

Regarding the cut off date for CAT Reservation eligibility criteria, IIMs have confirmed, “For the purpose of being considered for reservations, the applicable Central Government list as on the last date of CAT registration shall be binding. No subsequent changes will be effective for CAT 2024 and any subsequent selection process of the IIMs.”   

5. 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.

6. CAT Exam Eligibility and IIM Eligibility: Is there a Difference?

Over the years the CAT exam eligibility criteria have more or less remained same. Some changes in CAT eligibility were introduced in 2014. After that, IIM eligibility Vs CAT eligibility criteria have faced few clashing points.

• CAT exam eligibility for IIM Admission 2025 prescribes ‘No Age Bar’ to appear in the CAT 2024 exam nor the IIM MBA eligibility restricts any candidates to seek admission on the basis of age bar.

• IIM Eligibility Vs CAT eligibility criteria clearly allow you to appear in CAT 2024 exam with 2 years of graduation in old system, but you are not allowed to pursue the management course at IIM unless you have completed graduation degree with minimum 3 years duration. As such, on this point, IIM Eligibility Vs CAT eligibility is different
• Except this anomaly, CAT exam eligibility for IIM MBA admission 2025-27 batch remains the same. 

7. Who is Not Eligible for CAT 2024? IIMs Define

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 completed your Bachelor’s degree or any Professional degree like CA/CS/ICWA, you are not eligible to appear for CAT 2024
• If you have not completed any graduation course but you are in the final year of a professional course, which will not award recognized graduate degree, you are not eligible for CAT 2024 exam.
• If your Graduation is not recognized by UGC/AICTE/MHRD-Govt. of India, you are not eligible to apply for CAT 2024 

8. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: FAQ

Q. I'm 2022 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 B tech final year, my B tech will complete in almost June 2025, 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 Pdf download document free at iimcat.ac.in or can also copy this document to understand the CAT eligibility criteria. The CAT eligibility criteria 2024 is available at this link.

Q. Can I get CAT Exam Eligibility and Syllabus document from one place?
A. Yes, you can read and understand CAT exam eligibility and syllabus at MBAUniverse.com where complete details of CAT exam eligibility and syllabus are available.

Q. Is there maximum age limit to appear in CAT 2024 exam?
A. No, there is no maximum age limit to appear in CAT exam. A candidate of 80+ age can also appear in CAT 2024

Q. Is there any Minimum Age requirement to appear in CAT?
A. No, if you complete graduation even at 18 or 19 years of age, you are eligible to appear in CAT

Read More: CAT 2024 - Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus, Preparation, Books