Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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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 CAT 2025 exam will have three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). For the VARC section, candidates should focus on the following key topics:
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.
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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.
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,
To get admitted to the Institute of Management Studies (IMS), BHU, for an MBA in 2026, you must clear the CAT entrance exam. For that you need to fill out the application form of the CAT in August 2026, which you can get on the Official CAT website
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hello
You can get all the papers on the Careers360 website. To access the paper and download it for practice, just visit here:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-cat-2024-question-paper-with-solutions
Hope it will help you!!
Hello dear candidate,
Yes, you have a very good chance of getting a BPT seat with 488 out of 600 and TS EAMCET rank of 14,000 under the ST category.
As the cut off of BPT for ST category students are generally between 25,000 to 45,000 ranks, depending upon the college and you have TS EAMCET rank of 14,000.
Thank you.
If you got 802 marks in Telangana Intermediate and belong to the ST category, you have a fair chance to get admission in a BPT course in 2025, but it depends on the college and cut-off. Most BPT colleges in Telangana ask for 12th marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and some also use the TS EAMCET rank for admission. The cut-off for ST students is usually lower than for general students, but it changes every year. It is better to check the previous year’s cut-offs of the colleges you want to apply to.
Hello, Getting shortlisted for IIM Lucknow or IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) with your profile is challenging, primarily due to your 58% in Class 10th, which significantly impacts the composite score calculation for both institutes. While your 98 percentile CAT score is excellent, and your 24 months of work experience, B.Com (Hons) background (providing academic diversity, especially for IIM-L), and KVS National player status are valuable additions, top IIMs and IITs heavily weigh consistent academic performance. Your 74% in 12th is also on the lower side. IIM Lucknow places substantial weight on 10th and 12th marks, making a call quite difficult despite your strengths. You likely have a relatively better, though still uncertain, chance at IIT Bombay, as their weighting might be slightly less penalizing for past academics compared to IIM-L, and your high CAT score is a major factor. However, the low 10th score remains a significant hurdle for both prestigious institutions.
I hope you found this information helpful and for study related queries you can ask in careers360 app, Have a great day and!
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