CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Check Age Limit Toady!

India’s most illustrious and ordinary and hardest entrance exam, usually known as the Common Admission Test (CAT), is given for admission to postgraduate management programs. This entrance exam’s conduction body is the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs); the CAT exam is an entrance to MBA (Master of Business Administration) programs proffered at numerous different IIMs and non-IIM colleges or b-schools nationally. This exam is your first step towards moving ahead with your goal of pursuing an MBA or master of business administration from a top and reputed university. 

Consequently, this blog will provide in-depth information about the CAT exam eligibility criteria, including the age limit, qualifications, work experience terms, and other necessary components. 

Moreover, before adhering to the CAT Exam eligibility criteria in detail, one must comprehend the CAT exam. This exam can evaluate the applicant’s dexterity in some sections, such as verbal ability, logical reasoning, data interpretation, and quantitative ability. This exam can be done online because it is a computer-based exam conducted in a year between November and December. 

The CAT exam includes three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)

The CAT exam is mandatory for admission to management or business administration programs, which can be tendered by more than 20+ IIMs, non-IIMs, and top colleges or B-schools.

Eligibility Criteria for the CAT Exam

The basic eligibility criteria of the CAT exam mainly rely on the age limit, academic qualifications, and maestro experience, which can be explored in the brief under this blog; consider it:

Age Limit: Over the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam, there is no age limit to be eligible. However, CAT applicants must meet or submit the educational qualification provisions before the deadline. 

All aspirants of all ages are allowed to have appeared in the CAT Exam, which applies to all students, professionals, learners, or those who are moving to switch careers in the management field. 

Educational Qualification

There are educational qualifications that must be ensured that the applicant meets with these requirements, get through about it:

• Bachelor’s Degree: Applicants who fill out the CAT Registration form must have an undergraduate degree in any discipline from an accredited or authorized university or college. Ensure that the university or degree is authorized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or any other Indian government regulatory body. 

Minimum Marks:

• General Category: Marks required more than 50% marks in their bachelor’s degree or graduation.
• Reserved Category (SC/ST/PwD): Aspirants of the CAT exam must have more than 45% marks in graduation.

• Final Year Students: CAT applicants in their final year can take the exam but must submit proof of attendance in the final year exam for graduation.
• Distance Learning Degrees: Applicants who completed their graduation online or in correspondence must have their degree from an authorized university with recognition or accreditation from the UGC and AICTE regulatory bodies. 

Nationality Criteria: Both Indian and foreign aspirants are allowed to take the CAT exam, but eligibility varies. However, foreign applicants can get admission to other institutions by meeting the particular institute's eligibility. Therefore, international applicants must have the appropriate and valid Graduate Management Admission Test score instead of a CAT exam. 

Eligibility for Reserved Categories: In India, there are some government policies of the reservation in some categories, which consist of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD), or more. In addition, these classes will result in some relaxation in scores, which will readily help them appear in the underrepresented groups. So, here is the detailed information on the eligibility for each category must get it in detail:

• SC/ST/PwD candidates: these applicants must have 45% or more marks in their graduation or bachelor’s degree.
• OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer): OBC applicants are more relaxed than SC/ST candidates. Therefore, they should provide a valid OBC-NCL certificate that can be issued or authorized by the accomplished authority.

OBC-NCL Certificate

• The certificate should be issued on or after April 1 of the admission year.
• Candidates who do not possess an OBC-NCL certificate will be considered under the General Category.
• EWS (Economically Weaker Section): As per the Indian government’s guidelines, candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) are also given a 10% reservation in the CAT exam. To avail of this reservation, candidates must have an income certificate issued by a competent authority and meet the eligibility criteria set by the Government of India.

Work Experience: No particular work experience is required during the CAT entrance examination. Therefore, work experience is necessary when applying for admission to the top colleges in IIMs or non-IIMs pursuing MBA or management courses. However, the work experience is optional; if a candidates have it, it must be beneficial for admission, or if the candidate doesn’t have it, don’t worry; you are eligible to sit in the CAT exam and be admission to the top MBA colleges. 

Important Deliberations for CAT Eligibility: some other important aspects of CAT exam eligibility must be considered: 

Admit Card and Application Process

CAT applicant are required to meet the eligibility criteria; you may go through the application process, which procedures are readily situated below: 

• Registration: Open the CAT official website and register. After completing the registration, you must enter your details, educational qualifications, and other mandatory information.
• Application Submission: After completing the registration, applicants are required to complete the application form. You need to transmit your imperative documents (photograph and signature) and continue to the payment page, where you may pay the application cost.
• Admit Card: After completing the application, submit it, and you can download your admit card. However, the admit card consists of the required details of the exam date, timing, and exam center, or more information. 

Conclusion

As a consequence, the Common Admission test exam is considerably competitive, but it is also one of the most rewarding for candidates aspiring to pursue a career in business management. Ensuring you meet the eligibility criteria is crucial before applying for the exam. While academic qualifications and category reservations are the primary criteria, other factors such as work experience, the institution you are using, and your overall profile also play a role in the final selection process.

Once you are clear about the eligibility criteria, your next steps should be to prepare for the exam with dedication and consistency. Whether you are a fresh graduate or someone with years of work experience, the right preparation strategy can help you perform well in the CAT exam and secure admission to one of India’s top business schools.