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The NC OBC Certificate for CAT is an official document in India that certifies that an individual belongs to the 'non-creamy' layer of the Other Backwards Classes (OBC) category. This is for all those who have a family income below a certain threshold, typically Rs. 8 lakhs per year.
The NC OBC certificate for the CAT exam helps the NC OBC category candidates authenticate their identity. The NC OBC certificate for CAT is effective in availing of the prescribed reservation benefits in CAT. Along with NC OBC, the candidates from other reserved categories like SC, ST, EWS, and PwD also need to have the category certificate for CAT to avail the same benefits.
The NC OBC certificate for CAT is a document that needs to be attached to the CAT application form ensuring that the candidate belongs to the stated reserved category. It comes in the format of a form that needs to be filled by the candidate. Similarly to that candidates from SC, ST, EWS, and PwD categories are also mandatorily required to attach their category authentication certificates while filling out the application form for CAT.
The application process for the NC OBC certificate is simple. The steps to get the NC OBC certificate and other reserved category certificates are mentioned below.
The NC OBC certificate has to be filled with important details for authentication purposes. The details should be correct according to the government records. If false information is found in the certificate, it can lead to the termination of the candidature for a candidate. The same is the case for candidates belonging to other reserved categories (SC, ST, EWS, and PwD). Therefore cross-check all the necessary details before submitting. The important details to be mentioned on the NC OBS certificate for CAT are given below.
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If you belong to the Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC), you must produce the NC-OBC certificate for CAT duly signed by the competent authority and enclose its photocopy at the time of interviews. Moreover, the NC OBC certificate must be submitted at the time of joining the programs of any of the IIMs. Failure to do so during the post CAT selection process will result in you not being considered under the reserved category.
If you belong to SC or ST categories, your caste/tribe must be listed in the Government of India schedule. The caste certificate that you send to IIM should be in the Government format and should clearly state:
A copy of the SC/ST and /or PWD (DA) certificate(s) must be uploaded at the time of CAT
Application online. Failure to upload a copy of the caste/class certificate will result in the rejection of your CAT registration.
The SC/ST and/or PWD (DA) certificate(s) must be shown and a photocopy should be submitted at the time of the interviews. Moreover, the certificate(s) must be submitted at the time of joining programs of any of the IIMs.
As per the Government of India requirements, 15% of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. 27% of seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer (NC - OBC).
As per the provision under section 39 of the PWD Act, 1995, 3% of seats are reserved for Differently Abled (DA) candidates. The three categories of disability are
This provision is applicable if the candidate suffers from any of the listed disabilities to the extent of not less than 40%, as certified by a medical authority as prescribed and explained in the said Act.
The candidates belonging to categories for which seats are reserved need to note and read the eligibility requirements carefully before applying. It should be noted that while it is the endeavor of IIMs that the candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD/Non-Creamy OBC categories join the Program in proportions mandated by the law, they have to meet the minimum eligibility criteria and a certain minimum level of performance in the admission process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The CAT (Common Admission Test) cutoff for the Non-Creamy layer Other Backward Class (NC-OBC) varies by IIM, and it is determined by both sectional and overall percentile.
An OBC-NCL (Other Backwards Classes - Non-Creamy Layer) certificate is generally valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance for Central Government purposes. While for the State Government application, the validity may differ, and in some cases, a District Magistrate (DM) issued certificate might be valid for three years.
The time to receive an OBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificate varies by location and the application status of the candidate. The certificate is typically available within 10 to 30 days or more after the application, with some expedited processes available for renewals.
The following are the list of documents required for CAT registration 2025:
Yes, a valid NC-OBC certificate authenticated by an appropriate authority must be submitted by the candidate in the admission process to IIMs.
The validity of the NC OBC certificate for CAT is limited to one year. If a candidate fills out the CAT form for the subsequent year under a reserved category, they would have to attach a scanned copy of a newly issued NC OBC certificate.
The CAT form has the field of category that is mandatory to be filled by the candidates. The candidates can choose their category. Candidates choosing any reserved category such as SC, ST, SBC, EWS, and PwD are required to attach a category certificate for authentication purposes.
The NC OBC certificate for CAT is an important document for the candidates belonging to the non-creamy layer of the Other Backward Classes. The NC OBC certificate for CAT helps the NC OBC category candidates authenticate their identity.
The difference between an OBC and an NC OBC certificate is that of net family income. The OBC category is the one with above 8 lakh net family income while the NC OBC category is the one with a net family income of below 8 lakhs.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Here are some top colleges accepting XAT and CAT exams :
Top colleges accepting CAT:
IIMs (All Indian Institutes of Management)
FMS Delhi
SPJIMR Mumbai
MDI Gurgaon
IIT Bombay (SJMSOM)
IIT Delhi (DMS)
IIFT
IMT Ghaziabad
JBIMS Mumbai
Top colleges accepting XAT:
XLRI Jamshedpur
XIMB Bhubaneswar
IMT Ghaziabad
Great
Hi there,
A female candidate with a CAT percentile of 67.97 and low sectional scores should target private and tier-2/3 B-schools that accept overall CAT scores in the 60–70 percentile range and have flexible sectional criteria.
Some suitable options include AIMS Institute Bangalore, Doon Business School Dehradun, Christ Institute of
Hi there,
Yes, you are eligible for XISS Ranchi with a CAT percentile of 67.60.
According to recent admission trends, the CAT cutoff for the PGDM in Human Resource Management for the general category has been around 60 percentile. For other programs such as Marketing, Finance, and Rural Management, the
Hi there,
Careers360 offers a wide range of eBooks and study materials to assist with CAT preparation. You can access past CAT question papers with solutions to understand the exam pattern and difficulty level. Additionally, there are quantitative aptitude handbooks, cheat sheets, and section-specific practice sets for arithmetic, algebra, and
Hi there,
The minimum eligibility criteria for a general candidate to receive a call from IIM Sambalpur are as follows:
VARC: 65%ile
QUANTS: 65%ile
LRDI: 65%ile
Overall: 90%tile
Keep practising and aim to improve your score. You can also focus on other management exams where you may secure a strong
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