CAT 2024 Reservation Policy for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD at IIMs

As per the CAT 2024 reservation policy for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD at IIMs, 15% of seats are reserved for students from the Scheduled Caste (SC), while 7.5% of seats are reserved for students from the Scheduled Tribe (ST). Candidates from the Other Backward Class (OBC) category who belong to the non-creamy layer have a reserve of 27%. Additionally, candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category have a reservation of 10%.

Candidates must be aware that IIMs will publish separate CAT cutoff 2024 lists for each category, after the CAT results 2024 , which will be released by the last week of December 2024. The registration will be dismissed if the candidate fails to provide proof of their reservation category at any point during the selection process. If you are planning to appear for the CAT exam 2024 and are seeking admission into IIMs, check the reservation policy for the OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwD categories here.

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Reservation Policy at IIMs

Top IIMs in India offer reservations to members of the underprivileged community, much like every other college in India. This is being done to support those with talent who lack the resources to finish their education. A candidate with a lower percentile can also be admitted into India's top business schools owing to the reservation policy.

However, candidates who are eligible for reservation under various categories must understand that fulfilling the reservation policy does not guarantee admission to IIMs. The candidates must have a prescribed CAT eligibility criterion along with the minimum level of performance in the CAT 2024 and subsequent rounds of the admission process. The reservation policies followed by IIMs are listed below:

• The IIMs reserve 15% of its seats for Scheduled Castes (SC), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 27% for Other Backward Classes belonging to the "non-creamy" layer (NC-OBC). Candidates from the EWS category have a reservation of 10%.

• The only categories taken into consideration for reservation are those listed in the Central Government List on the final day of CAT registration 2024 .

• IIMs set aside 3% of the seats for Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

• The three types of disabilities that are taken into account for reservations are poor vision blindness, hearing impairment, and locomotor disability or cerebral palsy.

• Candidates who exhibit at least 40% of the above-mentioned disabilities will be considered for reservation.

Category-Wise Reservation of Seats in IIMs

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Note : Candidates who wish to seek admission as per the reservation policies must upload the category or disability certificate at the time of CAT registration.

CAT Reservation Certificates 2024 PDF

Candidates must upload the category/ disability certificates in PDF format during the CAT application process 2024 if they wish to avail the benefits of category reservation. Download the official CAT reservation certificates PDF from the table below.

Reservation Certificate	PDF Download Link
NC-OBC Certificate	Click Here
SC/ ST Certificate	Click Here
EWS Certificate	Click Here
Disability Certificate (PwD)- Form V	Click Here
Disability Certificate (PwD)- Form VI	Click Here
Disability Certificate (PwD)- Form VII	Click Here

CAT Reservation Fees 2024

Candidates are not required to pay any extra fee for CAT reservation in 2024. They must only pay the CAT registration fees depending on their categories. It is mandatory for the candidates to upload the necessary documents during registration to qualify for reservation in IIM.

Category	CAT Reservation Fees
OBC	INR 2400
EWS	INR 2400
SC	INR 1200
ST	INR 1200
PwD	INR 1200

CAT Reservation 2024 for SC/ ST

Candidates will find the CAT Reservation policy 2024 for SC/ST categories in the CAT official notification 2024. In CAT 2023, the reservation percentage for SC candidates was observed to be 15%, while it was 7.5% for ST candidates. However, only those candidates who meet the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria and cutoffs will become eligible for CAT reservation for the SC/ST category in IIMs in 2024.

CAT Reservation 2024 for OBC

Candidates will find the CAT Reservation policy 2024 for OBC in the CAT official notification 2024. In CAT 2023, the reservation percentage for OBC category candidates was observed to go as high as 27%. Notably, the CAT reservation 2024 for the OBC category in IIMs depends on the latest Central Government list of OBC categories on the last date of exam registration. According to the list, candidates falling under the OBC category can avail themselves of the reserved seats in IIMs only if they meet the necessary eligibility criteria and cutoff.

CAT Reservation 2024 for Women

No specific percentage of seats have been reserved for women in IIMs. However, women can avail themselves of the benefit of gender diversity points during the selection process and this enhances the representation of women in management education. For example, additional 5 points are awarded by IIM Bangalore while 4 points are allotted for women candidates at IIM Calcutta to promote gender diversity in IIMs.

Who is Included Under EWS category at IIMs?

The following individuals are covered under the EWS category:

• Only those whose family has a gross annual income of less than Rs 8 lakh and those who are considered to be ineligible for the SC, ST, and OBC reservation schemes are designated as EWS for reservation.
• An Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority must be presented to receive the advantage of reservation under the EWS category.

Who can Issue "Income and Asset Certificate" for IIM Reservation?

Here is a list of the authorities who are qualified to issue an "Income and Asset Certificate":

• Collector, District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, First Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Executive Magistrate
• The Chief Presidency Magistrate, Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate, Presidency Magistrate
• Revenue Officer not at a lower rank than that of Tehsildar.
• Sub-divisional Officer of the region where the candidate and/or his family dwell.

Who is Ineligible for EWS Reservations Offered by IIMs?

No matter how much money their family makes, candidates who fall within any of the following categories are not eligible for the EWS quota:

• Candidates whose families have agricultural lands of 5 acres or more.
• Candidates who have their own residential apartment that is at least 1,000 square feet.
• Candidates with parents who own a residential plot in certain municipalities that are at least 100 square yards.
• Candidates whose parents reside outside of eminent municipalities and who possess a residential plot of 200 square yards or more.

Who is Offered Reservation Under PwD Category at IIMs?

A Person with Benchmark Disability is a person with not less than 40% of specified disability as specified in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Check all the disabilities that fall under the PwD category.

• Blindness and low vision
• Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d)
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness
• Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy.
• Other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD Act 2016

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Reservation Requirements for Differently Abled Candidates at IIMs

Candidates taking the exam must be aware of the CAT reservation requirements:

• In IIMs, 3% of the seats are reserved for different abled candidates.
• Differently abled candidates must have a graduate degree with a minimum aggregate of 45%.
• Differently abled candidates (such as those who are blind or have a locomotor disability) will be given a wheelchair at the exam location.
• Differently abled candidates who fall under the low vision category are allowed to bring a scribe with them. Scribes are not subject to any specified requirements.

Documents Required for CAT Reservation for SC/ ST Category

Candidates belonging to the SC/ ST category will have to submit the caste certificate along with some other documents. These documents must comprise some information provided below.

• Whether the candidate belongs to the Scheduled tribe or Scheduled caste category
• Union Territory or District and the State of the ordinary residence
• Name of the belonging caste or tribe of the candidate.
• Signatures of required authorities

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Certificates & Forms Required for Reservation at IIMs

All required documents for reservations in CAT 2024 are provided below. At the time of the interview, candidates must also present the original certificate in the specified format:

• SC-ST Certificate
• NC-OBC Certificate
• DA/PwD Certificate
• Format for Final Year Certificate
• Format for Candidate Identification Affidavit

However, there is a disadvantage to the reservation policy. Many deserving students are denied admission to the preferred IIMs as a result of the reservation policy simply because they fall under the general category. The selection process for candidates for an IIM is extremely rigorous, yet, owing to the reservations, some individuals pass the process only for the sake of it. These students are not deserving enough to attend these colleges, which lowers the standard of the batch. The students who enter through reservations are unable to compete with the rest of the class and students who were admitted to the institution based on merit, and this affects the decorum of the classes.

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If you have further queries related to CAT 2024, you ask questions on our QnA zone . You can even check our CAT College Predictor 2024 and CAT Percentile Predictor 2024 to get an idea of your results based on your performance in the CAT 2024 exam. For admissions-related inquiries, fill out our Common Application Form (CAF) or call 1800-572-9877 to talk to the experts.