CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Know Age Limit, Educational Qualifications, and Exam Requirements

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Know Age Limit, Educational Qualifications, and Exam Requirements

Ongoing Event

CAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 13 Sep' 25

Switch toEnglish IconHindi Icon
SundararajanUpdated on 31 Jul 2025, 01:10 PM IST
Switch toEnglish IconHindi Icon

The CAT 2025 eligibility criteria are released by IIM Kozhikode on their official website iimcat.ac.in on July 31, 2025. Candidates who wish to appear for the CAT exam 2025 can check the CAT eligibility criteria 2025 online at iimcat.ac.in. The eligibility criteria of CAT 2025 is a list of requirements to be fulfilled to appear for the CAT exam. Academic qualifications, past academic performance, the CAT age limit, and other related requirements are included in the CAT 2025 eligibility criteria for MBA. An MBA aspirant who has completed their bachelor's degree can apply for the CAT exam. There is no fixed age limit to attend the CAT exam. Check out this article to know who can apply for CAT 2025, CAT eligibility criteria for MBA, CAT exam age limit, etc.

This Story also Contains

  1. Overview of CAT Exam 2025
  2. Detailed CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Who can give CAT exam?
  3. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Academic Qualification
  4. CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2025: Graduation Marks
  5. CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria - Registration with Backlogs
  6. IIM CAT 2025 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria
  7. CAT 2025 Eligibility: Reservation Criteria
  8. CAT Registration 2025
  9. IIM Eligibility Vs CAT Eligibility
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Know Age Limit, Educational Qualifications, and Exam Requirements
CAT Eligibility Criteria

Overview of CAT Exam 2025

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive entrance exam in India, primarily for admission to prestigious management programs such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools. The CAT exam is the gateway to some of the best management programs in India, and thorough preparation is key to achieving a high percentile.

Detailed CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Who can give CAT exam?

As per the eligibility criteria for CAT 2025, candidates have to meet certain parameters set up by the conducting body. Candidates, before filling out the CAT application form and starting their preparation for CAT exam, should, first of all, know who is eligible for the CAT exam. Aspirants wishing to appear in this MBA entrance exam should meet the following eligibility criteria for the CAT exam:

Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026

Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024

IBSAT 2025-ICFAI Business School MBA/PGPM 2026

IBSAT 2025-Your gateway to MBA/PGPM @ IBS Hyderabad and 8 other IBS campuses | Scholarships worth 10 CR

  • Educational Qualification: Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a recognised university.
  • Minimum Score for General: Should secure a minimum of 50% for the open category in their Bachelor's Degree
  • Minimum Score for SC/ST: Graduation score of 45% for SC/ST/Pwd candidates.
  • Professional Courses: Candiates with professional courses like CA/CS/ICWA/CMA can apply for the CAT 2025
  • Final Year Studnets for CAT 2025: Final Year Final year of bachelor's degree students are also eligible to apply for CAT exam 2025. However, such candidates will have to submit the certificate of completion from the principal or registrar of their university or institution on or before the date stipulated by the respective IIMs.
  • Work Experience for CAT 2025: Candidates with work experience will have some added preference/ weightage. But work experience is not mandatory as per the CAT exam eligibility 2025.
  • SC/ST Criteria: The respective caste/tribe must be listed in the GOI schedule.
CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Download Now

CAT Exam Number of Attempts

The Common Entrance Test (CAT) does not impose any restrictions on the number of times a candidate can write it. If you meet the CAT eligibility criteria for a particular year, you can appear for the CAT exam as many times as you want.

Also read:

XAT- Xavier Aptitude Test 2026

75+ years of legacy | #1 Entrance Exam | Score accepted by 250+ BSchools | Apply now

Symbiosis MBA - SNAP 2025

1 Exam accepted by 17 Top Symbiosis Institutes for 29 MBA programmes.


Question: What is the pass mark for CAT?

Answer: According to the pass mark for CAT or the CAT eligibility criteria, candidates who have completed any bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognised university with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) can apply for the CAT exam 2025.

Question: Can 12 pass apply for CAT?

Answer: No, a 12th-pass student is not eligible for CAT. Since the CAT exam is an MBA entrance test, so a candidate must have a bachelor's degree.

Question: Who is not eligible for CAT?

Answer: Those who have completed their graduation but unable to secure 45% marks in the same are not eligible to apply for CAT entrance exam.

Question: How many students appeared for CAT 2025?

Answer: Around 3.29 lakh eligible candidates attended the previous year's CAT entrance exam for PGDM and MBA admission at IIMs and 1,200+ B-schools in India.

Question: How many attempts for a CAT?

Answer: There is no limit on the number of CAT exam attempts set by the authorities. A candidate can attempt the CAT entrance test as many times as they want.


Age Limit for CAT Exam

All MBA aspirants need to know what is CAT exam eligibility and how to match the specified age criteria for the CAT exam beforehand. Candidates appearing for this MBA entrance exam can check the age limit for CAT exam below.

  • Minimum age eligibility for CAT exam: There is no age limit for appearing in the CAT exam 2025. Candidates, regardless of age, can apply for this CAT exam. The only criterion for CAT exam eligibility is that candidates must have a degree with the required marks.
  • CAT maximum age limit: Any person can apply for CAT 2025 at any stage of their career. According to the CAT entrance exam eligibility, there is no maximum age for the CAT exam.

Check out the CAT notification to know more about CAT 2025 eligibility.

Also, Check

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Academic Qualification

For CAT 2025 exam eligibility criteria, IIM mentions the academic qualifications and the marks that the candidates must secure to be able to appear for the CAT exam.

CAT Exam Educational Qualifications

CAT Exam Qualification

Affiliation

Percentage/ CGPA

Bachelor’s Degree from any University/ Institute

Recognised by UGC

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

Engineering Degree - B.Tech/ B.E. from any University/ Institute

Recognised by MHRD/ AICTE

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

Students who appeared in the final year of the degree examination

Recognized by MHRD/ AICTE/ UGC

50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)

There is no CAT eligibility criterion; 12th marks are required for the CAT exam. A bachelor's degree is required with a minimum of 50% after completing intermediate education.

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

NOTE: The candidates who appeared in the final year of the degree examination should submit the certificate from the Registrar/ Principal of the respective institution or university. The certificate must state that they have met all the requirements for equivalent qualification on the date the certificate is issued.

Also Check: Download Sample Paper for CAT Preparation

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2025: Graduation Marks

The minimum education qualification required to apply for the CAT 2025 exam is a graduation. Check out below the CAT eligibility criteria and minimum marks required for general and reserved category candidates.

Academic qualification for the CAT examRequired affiliationRequired pass percentage
Bachelor’s/ Graduation Degree in any stream from any UniversityRecognized by UGCCandidates belonging to General/ EWS/ NC-OBC category should have secured 50% marks and 45% for candidates belonging to SC/ ST/ PwD category
Engineering Degree – BTech/ BERecognized by MHRD/AICTE *

(CA/CS/ICWA/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)

Certificate-granting organisation
Students in their final year of graduation (or its equivalent) are also eligible to take the CAT examGraduation from a University which should be recognised by AICT/ MHRD or UGC

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria - Registration with Backlogs

One of the most common questions of students with any academic backlogs in their graduate program is whether they can enrol for the CAT 2025 exam. It should be clarified that CAT aspirants who have academic backlogs during their graduate program can apply and register for the CAT exam without any problem.

Any candidate who scores above 50% (45% for the reserved category) in the degree (even in supplementary) can apply for CAT 2025. When completing the CAT 2025 registration form, ask, "Are you in your final year of your bachelor's degree?" Select "Yes" to the question.

IIM CAT 2025 Eligibility- Reservation Criteria

IIMs will have their own individual selection criteria for admission. They follow the reservation guidelines set by the Government of India. To know the CAT eligibility criteria for OBC, MBC, SC, ST, PwD, and General, see the table below:

CAT 2025 Reservation Criteria

Category

Reserved Percentage

NC-OBC (Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes)

27%

SC (Scheduled Caste)

15%

Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)up to 10%

ST (Scheduled Tribe)

7.5%

PwD (Person with Disability)

5%

Reservation Policy for Persons with Disability (PwD)

For the PwD category candidates, they must bring a PwD certificate issued by a competent authority. Candidates can avail of the benefit provided for PwD only upon submission of the PwD certification issued by a competent authority. Details of various types of disabilities accepted under the PwD reservation are given below:

  • Low vision/ blind candidates.
  • Candidates with hearing impairment.
  • Candidates with a locomotive disability or cerebral palsy.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Marks Calculation

  • The CAT percentile calculation will be based on the fact that the respective institutions or universities where the candidates have passed their degrees will follow their own procedure for calculating the total marks.
  • For the calculation of CGPA and grades as per the CAT entrance exam eligibility, marks will be converted into percentages based on the practice certified by the respective institution or university.
  • In another case, if no institution or university offers any plans for change, the percentage will be calculated by dividing the student's CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiplying the result by 100.
  • For example, if a candidate has a CGPA of 8.8 and a maximum of 10 CGPA, then 8.8/10 = 0.88 and multiplying the result by 100 = 0.88 X 100 = 88%

Quick Links

Who is not eligible for CAT 2025?

  • If the candidate is in the process of completing their professional degree (CS/ CA/ ICWA) without appearing for their bachelor’s degree.
  • The candidate is pursuing both a bachelor’s degree and a professional degree but has not yet completed both.
  • If the candidate's score in the degree is less than 50% (45% for SC/ ST/ PWT candidates), he or she is ineligible to apply for the CAT exam.
  • If the degree is not recognized by MHRD/ AICTE/ UGC, the candidate will be considered ineligible for the CAT examination.

CAT Eligibility Criteria - Work Experience Requirements

  • Candidates are not required to have any prior work experience.
  • Even if the CAT application form 2025 asks for it, there is no necessary condition to fulfill it.
  • It should be noted that during the final examination, some weightage may be given by IIMs for this work experience. However, the exact weightage has never been revealed and it will vary from one IIM to another IIM.

CAT 2025 Eligibility: Reservation Criteria

Candidate's categoryReserved seats for CAT
PwD5%
ST7.5%
SC15%
OBC (Non-creamy)27%
EWSUpto 10%

CAT Registration 2025

The CAT application form will be released on August 2, 2025. Candidates who fulfilled the CAT exam eligibility 2025 can fill out the registration form online mode. After providing all the necessary information in the CAT application form and uploading the documents, candidates pay the CAT exam fees depending upon the category to which they belong. The fees have to be paid online.

Quick Links

IIM Eligibility Vs CAT Eligibility

  • When IIMs convene CAT exam, their eligibility criteria are not the same. There are some minor contradictions that every candidate who wants to study at IIMs should be aware of.
  • Although, as per the age criteria for CAT exam, there is no age limit for both the CAT exam qualification and the qualification for IIM admission, the two-year bachelor’s degree accepted as per the requirement for the CAT exam qualification criteria is not accepted by IIMs, and their management programmes require a three-year bachelor’s degree.
  • Other than that, there are no discrepancies between the CAT exam qualification and the IIM qualification.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who will prescribe the CAT exam eligibility criteria? Which IIM will set CAT 2025 paper?
A:

IIM Kozhikode specifies the CAT exam eligibility criteria for 2025. IIM Kozhikode is expected to set the CAT 2025 question paper.

Q: Is there any age limit for IIM CAT Exam? Is 12th marks important for CAT?
A:

IIM does not set any CAT exam age limit to apply for CAT 2025. All the academic records of the candidate play a role in the CAT 2025 exam.

Q: What is CAT? When can I give CAT exam?
A:

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance examination which permits aspirants to get into top management institutes. Candidates can take the CAT exam 2025 on November 30, 2025.

Q: I am pursuing graduation from correspondence. Can I apply for CAT 2025?
A:

Yes, candidates pursuing an undergraduate course from correspondence are eligible to apply for the CAT 2025 exam.

Q: Can I give CAT after MSc?
A:

Yes, those who have completed their master's program are also eligible to apply for the CAT entrance test. 

Q: Is CAT 2025 registration opened?
A:

No, the CAT registration 2025 window is expected to open on August 2, 2025.

Q: I am pursuing a final year Bachelor’s degree, can I apply for CAT 2025?
A:

Yes, the candidates who appeared or are appearing in the final year examination are eligible to apply for the Common Admission Test 2025.

Q: I have a backlog, am I be eligible to apply?
A:

Yes. Students who have a backlog, "Are you in your final year of your bachelor's degree?" You must select the Yes option at the time of completing the IIM CAT 2025 application form.

Q: When will CAT 2025 application process begin? Which IIM will conduct CAT 2025?
A:

The CAT 2025 application process probably commence on August 2, 2025. IIM Kozhikode is expected to conduct CAT 2025 on November 30, 2025.

Q: Who can give CAT exam?
A:

According to the CAT eligibility criteria, candidates who have completed any bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with 50% aggregated marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) are eligible to apply.

Articles
|
Next
Certifications By Top Providers
Online MBA Business Analytics
Via Centre for Distance and Online Education, Anna University, Chennai
Online MBA
Via Centre for Distance and Online Education, Anna University, Chennai
Corporate Law
Via National Law University, New Delhi
Management of Commercial Banking
Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Marketing Management
Via Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Online MBA
Via Centre for Distance and Online Education, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology
Udemy
 703 courses
Edx
 467 courses
Swayam
 236 courses
Emeritus
 231 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe
University of Essex, Colchester
Wivenhoe Park Colchester CO4 3SQ
Oxford Brookes University, Oxford
Headington Campus Oxford OX3 0BP UK
Northumbria University, Newcastle City Campus
Sutherland Building, Northumberland Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST
Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff
Llandaff Campus, Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2YB
University of Reading, Reading
Whiteknights PO Box 217 Reading Berkshire RG6 6AH
Bristol Baptist College, Bristol
The Promenade, Clifton Down, Bristol BS8 3NJ

Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hello,

Thank you for your question!

KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).

CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.

CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.

Hello it will clear your doubt!

Hello Aspirant,

  1. I saw a cat. The cat found an old map inside a drawer of the king's palace.

Here's why:

  • "a cat": It's the first time we mention the cat, so it's indefinite.

  • "The cat": Now we're talking about that specific cat we just mentioned, so it's definite.

  • "an old map": It's the first time we mention a map, and "old" starts with a vowel sound, so "an."

  • "a drawer": It's one of possibly many drawers, not a specific one known to us yet.

  • "the king's palace": This is a specific, unique place, so "the."

Hello Kapish

You can find the last 5 year questions of DILR for CAT at Careers360 website. Moreover, you can find the previous year papers of all the subjects i.e. DILR, Quants and VARC. I am attaching the link through which you would be able to access the same.

Here's the link: CAT Previous Year Papers by CAREERS360
Sample paper of DILR: CAT Sample Paper (DILR) by CAREERS360

Thank You!!!


Hello Divya,

Yes, candidates with an online BBA can sit for both CAT and GMAT provided that the degree is from a recognized (UGC approved in India or accredited abroad) institution. The leading B-schools in both India and abroad do not look down upon online degrees as long as the degree is from a recognized body, they will mostly be looking at your test scores, academic performance, work experience, and profile holistically. What matters is the legitimacy of the institution and how you showcase your abilities, not whether your degree was obtained online or in-person.

Yes, someone with an online BBA can sit for both CAT and GMAT, provided the degree is from a UGC recognized university. Top B-schools in India (like IIMs) and abroad generally accept online degrees if they are valid, and you won’t be marked down just because it’s online. What matters more is your entrance exam score, academic record, work experience, and overall profile.