CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025- Check Qualification, Age Limit, Reservation, Marks Details

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

If you are going to appear for the CAT 2025 exam, it is important that you know the CAT 2025 eligibility criteria, which will be released by IIM Kozhikode on their official website shortly. You should have a Bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognized university with at least 50% marks in aggregate. However, if you are from the SC, ST, or PwD category, the minimum percentage is reduced to 45%. The same conditions apply to final-year students. You may apply for the exam even if you are in your final year, and provisional admission can be offered to you if you reach the percentage required once your result is announced. Here's the direct link to check the official CAT eligibility criteria 2025 PDF:

The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on November 30, 2025. The CAT 2025 Notification will be released by July 30, 2025, and registration will start in August 2025. Before applying, ensure that you read the eligibility criteria as per IIM Kozhikode carefully. If you do not meet the required criteria, your CAT 2025 registration form will be rejected, and you will not be permitted to appear for the test. Get the complete information related to the CAT eligibility criteria 2025 below. 

CAT Eligibility 2025 for General & NC-OBC Category

You can find the CAT eligibility 2025 for the General and NC-OBC categories below.

• Minimum Qualification for CAT 2025: A Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized University or educational institution is the minimum CAT eligibility 2025 required for registration. You can also have professional degrees such as CA/CS/ICWA.

• Minimum Percentage Required for CAT 2025: You must score 50% in graduation or its equivalent in any stream.

• CAT 2025 Eligibility for Final Year Students: If you are in your final year of graduation degree or awaiting results, you can also do the CAT registration. However, the final admission will be subject to the aggregate score in the graduation.

CAT Eligibility 2025 for Reserved (SC/ ST/ PwD) Category

If you are interested in applying for the CAT exam 2025 under the SC, ST, and PwD categories, you must note the following CAT Eligibility 2025.

• Minimum Qualification for CAT: The required CAT exam qualification is a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University or educational institution. You can also have professional degrees such as CA/CS/ICWA.

• Minimum Percentage Required for CAT: You must score 45% in graduation or equivalent in any stream.

• CAT 2025 Eligibility for Final Year Students: If you are in your final year of graduation or awaiting results can also apply. However, the final admission will be subject to the aggregate score in graduation.

CAT 2025 Age Limit

There is no age limit set by the exam conducting authorities of CAT for any category of candidates who are applying for the exam. All groups who meet the minimum qualification and percentage required for the CAT exam are eligible to apply for it.

Since the CAT eligibility 2025 requires you to have completed a Bachelor's degree, it is expected that you will be over a certain age automatically. Also, it is important to note that even though you need not meet a certain age limit to appear for CAT, when applying for MBA admissions, you may be required to meet an age criteria depending on the course and institute you pick.

CAT Eligibility 2025 for Equivalent Degrees

If you have professional degrees such as Chartered Accountancy/ Company Secretary/ ICWA (Cost Management Accountant) with 50% marks (45% for reserved categories), you also satisfy IIM CAT eligibility. The CAT exam percentage is calculated based on the procedure followed by the respective university or institution. If there is no provision at the university or institution for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by dividing the CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the result by 100. 

Note: The authorities may verify your eligibility at various stages during the CAT selection process at IIMs. Another thing that you must keep in mind is that meeting the minimum CAT Eligibility 2025 will not guarantee admission to the IIMs. In addition, throughout the selection process, you must maintain a valid and unique email account and phone number.

CAT Eligibility 2025 for Final Year Students

If you are in your final year, it is common to feel uncertain of your eligibility for the CAT entrance exam. Check the following points to know the CAT exam eligibility for final-year students.

• All bachelor's degree students in their final year are eligible to apply for the CAT exam.
• However, if chosen for further consideration, you must complete your bachelor's degree with the requisite grade and present documentation of this at the time of selection.
• Your results in the subsequent admissions stages will be invalid if you are unable to satisfy this requirement.

Documents Required for Final Year Students

Freshers and individuals with previous work experience typically make up between 40% and 60% of CAT applicants. Thus, the number of students taking the CAT in their last year is relatively considerable. Clearing the CAT exam eligibility is the first step. The following additional documentation must be provided by you to meet the CAT eligibility 2025:

• An additional document is required, given that you do not already have your final degree certificate indicating the overall grade you received.
• The signatures of the Principal, Head of Department, Registrar, and Director of the Institute are required on the certificate, confirming your passing grade of at least 50% on the day the certificate is issued.

CAT 2025 Work Experience

It is frequently questioned whether your job experience will have an impact on the whole application and exam procedure because it is a requirement for the CAT application form. The significance of job experience in the CAT exam is clarified in the following points:

• Work experience is not a mandatory eligibility requirement for you to take the CAT entrance exam.
• Although there is a section on the CAT application for prior work experience, it is not a mandatory requirement for completion of the registration process.
• In the final phases of the IIMs admissions process, work experience is given some consideration. The CAT exam, however, will not take experience into account when determining scores or eligibility.

IIM CAT Reservation Criteria 2025

A certain percentage of seats are reserved for the unreserved category in the IIMs required by law. If you are from the Reserved category, you must go through the CAT eligibility 2025 before applying. Check the table below to learn about the CAT reservation criteria for different categories:

Note: Being eligible for reservation under various categories does not guarantee admission at IIMs. You are shortlisted if you fulfill the prescribed eligibility criteria, score the minimum required percentile in the CAT exam, and perform well in subsequent rounds of the admission process.

Also Read: CAT 2025 Reservation Policy

CAT Eligibility 2025 for PwD Category

If you have a benchmark disability, you are categorized as PwD when it comes to the CAT exam. If you fall under this category, you are allowed certain concessions and benefits in order to compensate for your disabilities. If you fall under this category, you must not be less than 40% of a specific disability as specified in the Schedule of the RPwD Act 2016. The disabilities that fall under the CAT PwD category are as follows:

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

Who is Not Eligible for CAT 2025?

You are not eligible for the CAT exam according to the CAT eligibility criteria 2025 if you:

• Have not completed your Bachelor’s degree or any professional degree such as CS/CA/ICWA 
• If you have not completed your graduation but are pursuing a professional course and are in the final year of the same.
• Belong to the general category and have secured less than 50% aggregate in graduation to meet the CAT eligibility 2024.
• Belong to SC/ST/PwD category and have secured less than 45% aggregate in graduation
• Have completed your graduation from a college or institution to satisfy the CAT eligibility 2025 that is not recognized by either AICTE/UGC/MHRD-Government of India.

Additional CAT Eligibility 2025 Facts

Here are some additional CAT Eligibility 2025 facts that you should know:

• If you have completed your graduation in the old system are eligible to appear for the CAT exam. The degree obtained by you under such a system must be approved and recognized by UGC to meet the CAT eligibility 2025 requirements.
• Keeping in view the CAT 2025 eligibility, your shortlisting in the IIMs is based on various factors and does not depend only on your fulfilling the CAT 2025 eligibility.
• You must furnish your valid and working email addresses and cellular numbers throughout the selection process.
• There is no maximum age limit for appearing for the CAT exam.

Important Information for Reserved Category CAT 2025 Applicants

SC or ST category students must submit the caste certificate in a format approved by the Government under the CAT eligibility 2025. Also, the caste/tribe that you belong to must be listed in the Government of India schedule. The caste certificate should clearly state:

(a) Name of your caste/tribe;

(b) Whether you belongs to the SC or ST category;

(c) District and the State or Union Territory of your ordinary residence; and

(d) The appropriate Government of India schedule under which the caste/tribe is approved by it as SC or ST.

You must upload a copy of the SC/ ST/ NC-OBC/ PwD certificate(s) during CAT registration 2025. Failure to do so will lead to the rejection of your CAT registration.

At the time of interviews, you must show the SC/ ST/ NC-OBC/ PwD certificate(s) and submit a photocopy to clear the CAT exam eligibility criteria. If you fail to do so during the selection process at IIMs, you will not be considered under the reserved category.

Also Read: How to Apply for Category Certificates for CAT 2025

IIM vs CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

Many times, you ponder over the question of whether there is any difference between IIM and CAT exam eligibility. To ensure all the speculations over this question are put to rest, CollegeDekho provides you with the only difference in the CAT exam and IIM eligibility criteria. If you have graduated from the old two-year graduation system and satisfy the CAT exam 2025 eligibility criteria, but you cannot pursue your desired management course at IIM. If you want to pursue management at any of the IIMs after qualifying for the CAT exam must have completed your graduation from the contemporary three-year graduation system. Except for this, there is no difference in IIM and CAT exam eligibility criteria.

Also Read: