CAT Eligibility Criteria

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) has made the CAT eligibility criteria 2023 available on its official website alongside the CAT notification 2023 on July 30, 2023. The CAT examination date 2023 is set to take place on November 26, 2023, for the MBA and PGDM admissions in 21 IIM campuses and 1200+ Business colleges and institutions. The CAT Admit cards will be made available shortly on 7 November 2023. The CAT registration began on August 2, 2023, and closed on September 21, 2023, after two extensions. The correction window was made available from September 25 to 28, 2023 till 5:00 PM. To qualify for the CAT exam 2023, students must satisfy the CAT eligibility criteria guided by the IIM. See this article for a complete list of the IIM CAT eligibility criteria 2023, including educational background, qualifying exam scores, minimum and maximum age requirements, CAT Examination Date 2023, and other exam requirements.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023

To be eligible for the Common Admission Test 2023, candidates must satisfy specific requirements set by the testing authority. So what is the CAT pass mark? Candidates who have completed a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) or higher may apply for the CAT exam 2023. Before beginning their CAT exam 2023 preparation, candidates should make it clear that they meet the eligibility requirements. Those planning to take the CAT exam 2023 should be able to satisfy the following CAT eligibility criteria:

• The candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or its equivalent.
• Students from the general category must obtain at least 50% and 45% for the PwD, SC, and ST categories.
• Students who are in their last year of the bachelor’s program will need to turn in their completion certificate from the registrar or principal of their university or other institution by the deadline set by the individual IIMs.

Exam Age Limit for CAT

All MBA candidates planning for the exam set to take place on 26 November should know beforehand about the CAT eligibility Criteria and how to meet the exam's age requirements. Applicants should review the CAT exam age limit below if they plan to take the MBA entrance exam.

Minimum age to be eligible for the CAT exam:

There is no upper age limit to take the CAT exam 2023. Any candidate may apply for this exam, regardless of age. The CAT exam has no minimum age requirement. Having a degree is the sole requirement for eligibility to take the CAT exam.

Maximum age limit for CAT:

Anybody at any point in their career is eligible to apply for CAT exam 2023. There is no maximum age for the CAT exam, per the CAT eligibility criteria for the Common Admission Test 2023. Candidates having a bachelor's degree and at least 50% (45% SC/ST/PwD) are eligible to apply. CAT examination date 2023 is set to take place on 26 November 2023.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023 - Key Highlights

The official web portal of Common Admission Test 2023 provides the full list of eligibility requirements. The CAT eligibility Criteria 2023 include a few aspects relating to academic background. A few of the crucial points are listed below:

• Eligibility for the CAT exam based on educational qualifications
• CAT eligibility for graduate students in their last year
• CAT eligibility for students with backlogs
• CAT Eligibility criteria under reservations
• Calculating CAT marks and determining ineligibility for CAT exam 2023
• Work experience prerequisite for the 2023 CAT exam

Candidates who review the CAT eligibility criteria should also be familiar with the CAT examination date 2023, including its registration date, admit card date and result dates. Below is a quick overview of the CAT examination date 2023. Read the entire article to learn more about IIM CAT eligibility criteria for the exam.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023: Academic Background

IIM lists the educational requirements and test scores that applicants must meet to be eligible to take the CAT exam 2023.

CAT Exam Eligibility for IIM

The 12th grade is not a prerequisite for taking the CAT exam 2023. After finishing the intermediate education, a minimum of 50% of marks must be earned in the bachelor's degree to qualify for the exam.

MHRD/AICTE: The University shall be deemed a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or shall be declared annexed by an Act of the Parliament of India or a State Legislature of India.

NOTE: The certificate from the Registrar/Principal of the relevant institution or university must be submitted by the candidates who took part in the final year of the degree examination. It must indicate that the holder has fulfilled all the prerequisites for an equivalent qualification.

IIM CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023: Reservation

IIMs will each have their own unique admissions requirements. They adhere to the Indian government's reservation policies. See the chart below to learn the CAT eligibility criteria for OBC, MBC, SC, ST, PwD, and General.

Reservation Guidelines for Individuals with Disabilities (PwD)

Candidates in the PwD category are required to bring a PwD certificate that has been issued by an authorized body. Only after submitting the PwD certification granted by an authorized authority can candidates take advantage of the benefits bestowed to PwD. The following lists the several kinds of disabilities that are covered by the PwD reservation:

• Blind or low vision applicants.
• Applicants who have trouble hearing.
• Applicants with cerebral palsy or a motor disability.

CAT 2023 Eligibility Requirements - Marks Calculation

The CAT percentage computation will be predicated on the fact that the individual colleges or universities where the candidates have earned their degrees will compute the total marks per their protocols.

Marks will be converted into percentages based on the practice verified by the relevant school or university to calculate the CGPA and grades per CAT Eligibility Criteria.

In a different scenario, the percentage will be determined by dividing the student's CGPA by the highest CGPA and multiplying the result by 100 if no institution or university offers any improvement plans.

For instance,

With a maximum CGPA of 10 and a candidate's CGPA of 8.8, 8.8/10 = 0.88 and 100 = 0.88 X 100 = 88% are the results.

Who is not qualified for CAT 2023?

• If the applicant is finishing up their professional degree (CS, CA, or ICWA) without taking the bachelor's degree exam.
• The applicant is working toward a professional degree as well as a bachelor's degree, but neither has been finished yet.
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for the CAT if their degree score is less than 50% (45% for applicants who identify as SC, ST, or PWT).
• The candidate will not be permitted to take the CAT exam if the degree is not accepted by the MHRD, AICTE, or UGC.

CAT Eligibility Criteria: Work Experience Requirements

• Candidates don't need to have any previous work experience.
• There is no requirement to meet regarding work experience even if the CAT Application Form 2023 asks for it.
• It should be mentioned that IIMs may give this work experience considerable weight during the final exam. The precise weighting, which varies from IIM to IIM, has never been made public.

CAT Eligibility Criteria vs. IIM Eligibility Criteria

IIMs have different eligibility requirements for holding CATs. A few small inconsistencies should be noted by every applicant hoping to study at an IIM.

While there is no age restriction for both the CAT exam and the IIM qualification, the two-year bachelor's degree that meets the CAT Eligibility Criteria is not recognized by IIMs, and their management programs demand a three-year bachelor's degree.

There are no differences between the IIM qualification and the CAT exam qualification other than that.

FAQs

Q1. Is there a maximum age to take the IIM CAT exam? Are 12^th-grade grades relevant for the CAT?

IIM does not advise applying for CAT 2023 based on any age requirements. The CAT 2023 exam considers the candidate's entire academic history.

Q2. How can I confirm if I fall under the NC-OBC group?

By using the CAT official website, candidates can find out if they fall within the NC-OBC category.

Q3.Is a final-year studenteligible to apply for CAT 2023?

Indeed, applicants for the Common Admission Test 2023 may be those who took or plan to take the final year exam.

Q4. When does the application procedure for CAT 2023 start? Which IIM is planning the 2023 CAT?

The CAT 2023 application process was made available on August 2, 2023. CAT 2023 will take place in IIM Lucknow on November 26, 2023.

Q5. Is it possible for a candidate to take the CAT exam more than once?

No, a candidate is not permitted to appear for the exam more than once.