MBA aspirants must meet the below-given criteria to appear for the CAT 2024 entrance exam:
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Educational Qualification |
Bachelor’s degree |
|
Graduation Percentage |
50% (For General Category) & 45% (For SC/ST) |
|
Work Experience |
Not mandatory |
|
Age |
No lower or upper age limit |
|
Reservation |
Depends on the category |
To appear for the CAT 2024 exam, aspirants are required to follow eligibility criteria based on academics. The general category candidates must have a minimum pass percentage of 50% in graduation. While SC/ST/PwD/DA category candidates are required to have a Bachelor's degree with at least 45%. The degree must be from a university, which is recognized by the Ministry of Education of India (MHRD). In case a university awards students with CGPA or grades in place of percentage, then, it has to be changed into a percentage. Candidates can apply the direct CGPA to a percentage converting formula, i.e., CGPA received divided by the highest CGPA and multiplied by 100 or use the conversion method specified by the university.
Candidates having professional degrees with 50% (Gen) or 45% (SC/ST/PwD/DA) are also eligible to appear for CAT 2024.
Students in their final year of graduation having confusion regarding their eligibility for the CAT 2024 exam must note that they are eligible to appear for the exam only if they have scored over 50% marks in the course. However, to appear for the later stages of the admission process, they are required to provide an additional document containing a minimum of 50% pass percentage in the first two years of the graduation, signed by the Head of the Department/Director/Principal of the college. It is important to note that if the candidate fails to meet this requirement, his/her results will be nullified. If selected for the B-school, the candidates will be asked to provide the final-year certificate with the required pass percentage.
CAT application form asks candidates about work experience but it is significant to note that it is not a prerequisite. Candidates appearing for CAT 2024 exam are not required to have any prior work experience and it will have no effect on their eligibility or scores. However, work experience holds some weightage in the final stages of the admission process in many B-schools including IIMs.
The eligibility for the CAT exam and admission to IIMs is different. Candidates appearing for CAT 2024 exam must consider these points while aiming for admission to IIMs:
The CAT entrance exam accepts a 2-year bachelor's degree, but not the IIMs. They accept only 3-year bachelor's degrees for their MBA programs.
IIMs allot weightage to prior work experience but the CAT does not. So, to appear for CAT 2024 work experience is not required but to get into the IIMs, work experience holds a great weightage.
IIMs are the most prestigious MBA colleges, run by the Government of India. These educational institutions follow all governmental policies on the reservation of students falling under the category of underprivileged. The below-given table represents category-wise reservation:
|
Category |
Reservation (%) |
|
Scheduled Caste (SC) |
15% |
|
Scheduled Tribe (ST) |
7.5% |
|
Other Backward Class (OBC/NC-OBC) |
27% |
|
Economically Weaker Section (EWS) |
Up to 10% |
|
Person with Disability (PwD) |
5% |
The CAT 2024 entrance exam will follow the same reservation criteria. To avail this caste-based reservation facility, candidates are required to furnish an original document in the later stages of the admission process to B-schools for their management programs. Candidates must provide caste certificates in a standard format, which is provided on the official website of CAT.
The PwD category includes candidates having the following disabilities/problems:
Candidates falling under this category will be provided extra 20 minutes per section for their special handicap condition. For candidates having vision-related problems, a wheelchair, and a scribe will be allotted at the center to support them in giving the CAT exam.
No, a third-year b.tech student cannot give the CAT exam because b.tech is a four-year undergraduate program. Only final-year students are eligible to give the CAT exam.
Yes, there is a reservation for SC/ST in IIMs- 15% for the scheduled caste and 7.5% for the scheduled tribe.
Candidates belonging to all the reservation categories including PwD, SC, ST, and OBC are required to provide a certificate signed by the authority to avail of the reservation facility.
No, there is no reservation for female candidates in the IIMs. However, if a female candidate belongs to the category of SC/ST/EWS and more, she can avail reservation facility upon furnishing the caste certificate.