CAT 2026 Reservation Policy: Category-Wise Seats, Fees, Documents & Eligibility

CAT Reservation 2026: Documents Required

To verify the category of the applicants, it is necessary to submit the relevant documents as proof of the category certificate and the income certificate. The certificate must be collected from the government officials. A copy of the category/caste certificates must be submitted at the time of document verification in front of the IIMT CAT admission cell of the institution. The candidate must carry the original CAT 2026 reservation documents for verification. If the candidates fail to submit the CAT exam documents, the admission process of the candidates will be cancelled.

CAT 2026 Reservation: List of Documents

Candidates must be ready with the following CAT exam reservation documents to apply for the CAT 2026 and further rounds of the admission process. The documents below are to be uploaded at the time of CAT 2026 registration in the prescribed size and format. Candidates can refer to the points mentioned below for more information.

• ID proof
• OBC Certificate (applicable for OBC candidates only)
• SC Certificate (applicable for SC candidates only)
• ST Certificate (applicable for ST candidates only)
• EWS Certificate (applicable for economically backward candidates only)
• Disability certificate (applicable for specially challenged candidates only)
• Income certificate
• Identification affidavit
• Scribe Educational Qualifications Affidavit
• Academic certificates
• CAT authorisation form

Browse for the Reservation in CAT 2026 Cut-off Marks (Category-Wise)

CAT 2026 Reservation Policy: Exam Fees

As per the CAT 2026 registration policy, there are no additional fees to be paid for the CAT registration to apply under any category. Based on the category where candidates are in can fill out the CAT application form. The table below shows the expected CAT registration fees to be paid by candidates from various categories.

Also Read: How to fill out the CAT application form

IIM Admission Reservation Criteria 2026

Indian Institute of Management reserves seats for the candidates from SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PWD categories. Based on the IIM reservation policy, candidates from these categories also get reservations in the CAT cut-off marks and a relaxation of 5% of marks in the bachelor's degree to get shortlisted for the next rounds of the IIM Admission criteria.

See also: IIM Fees for MBA

CAT Reservation 2026 for General Category

There is no reservation for the general candidates in applying for the CAT exam, the CAT 2026 cutoff marks and MBA admission criteria. As per the Government of India reservation policy, the candidates from the general category are not eligible for any reservation in getting seats at IIMs. General candidates can get the IIM MBA admission straightforwardly without any reservations in the CAT exam.

CAT 2026 Reservation for OBC Category

CAT 2026 exam reservation for the OBC candidates is 27%. The reservation policy for the non-creamy layer backward class is mentioned in the CAT notification 2026. CAT reservation for the OBC category is fully dependent on the central list of state-wise OBCs eligible for the reservation. For the latest updates on the Central Government list of OBC candidates, applicants can visit the official website of the National Commission for Backwards Classes - ncbc.nic.in. before filling out the NC OBC Certificate for CAT 2026.

CAT Reservation 2026 for SC/ST Category

The CAT reservation 2026 for SC and ST categories is 15% and 7.5%, respectively. The candidates who meet the MBA eligibility criteria and submit the SC/ST certificate documents will get the benefits of reservation for IIM admission under the SC/ST category. Candidates from SC or ST categories can use the same certificate as proof to submit to the authorities of the IIM MBA admission for reservation in the CAT exam.

CAT Reservation 2026 for PWD Category

As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, Government of India, candidates with disabilities, irrespective of any category, will get 5% of seats for the IIM MBA admission. Based on the physical disability of the applicant, candidates can fill out the certificate from the CAT official website and attest it by the notified medical authority. The physical disabilities considered for the CAT exam under the CAT 2026 reservation policy for the PwD category are below:

• Blindness or low vision
• Deaf
• Locomotor disability
• Autism or intellectual disability
• Other disabilities are mentioned under 'The Schedule' of the RPwD Act 2016.

Also Read:

• MBA Admission Guide for PwD: Eligibility, Cutoff, Fees, Selection Criteria
• IIM Admission Guide for PwD Candidates: CAT Exam, Seat Intake, Eligibility, Cutoff, Selection Criteria

CAT Reservation 2026: Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the CAT exam, the applicants must fulfil the minimum CAT eligibility requirements as mentioned below. The candidates who failed to meet the MBA eligibility requirements will not be allowed to attend the CAT 2026 exam.

• Candidates from the general category must have a 3-year bachelor’s degree from an approved university with 50 the minimum aggregate of 50% marks.
• As per the reservation in the CAT exam, Candidates from the reserved category are eligible to apply for the CAT exam with 45% marks from a bachelor’s degree as minimum aggregate.

IIM Admission 2025-2027: Category-wise Class Composition