CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Reservation – Are you Eligible?

24 Sep 2024
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By GN Group Of Institutes
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CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Reservation – Are you Eligible?

The CAT 2024 eligibility criteria are a set of documents that candidates must provide to sit for the CAT exam 2024. These documents cover things like age restrictions, employment experience, and academic background, among other things. The official CAT 2024 eligibility criteria for the upcoming CAT exam 2024 have been made public by IIM Calcutta alongside the CAT Notification on 28 July 2024. Before taking the test, it is crucial to comprehend the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria in depth.

The CAT 2024 eligibility criteria have remained mostly the same over the past few years, and they will remain the same for the CAT exam 2024 as well. Aspirants to the CAT should be fully aware of these conditions since failure to do so at any time would result in automatic exclusion from the application process.

If you intend to take the CAT exam 2024, read the article through to gain a thorough understanding of the CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria and make sure you follow them.

Latest News and Updates

  • There were no changes made to the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria by the IIM. 
  • Release of the CAT Admit Card 2024 is set to start on November 5, 2024, and students can download the admit card till 24 November 2024.
  • The CAT exam 2024 is set to take place on 24 November 2024.
  • The CAT Notification was released on 28 July 2024 along with an updated CAT 2024 syllabus.
  • The CAT 2024 registration started on 1 August 2024 till 13 September 2024, which was later extended to 20 September 2024.
  • The CAT 2024 application correction window was opened from 27 September to 30 September 2024.
  • This time the CAT exam 2024 will be administered by IIM Calcutta.
  • There are no significant changes in the CAT 2024 syllabus and CAT 2024 exam pattern.
  • The exam will take place across 170 cities in India and abroad compared to 167 last year.
  • This year the CAT 2024 application fees was raised from 2400 to 2500 for general candidates and 1200 to 1250 for SC/ST candidates.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Overview

To be eligible to take the CAT exam 2024, candidates must fulfil the following requirements:-

Qualification

Requirement

Age

NA

Educational Qualification

Bachelor’s Degree

Marks in Graduation

50% (General Category)

Work Experience

Not Compulsory

Reservation

As per category

Before aspiring to do well on the CAT exam 2024, applicants who want to get into the best B-schools in the nation must make sure they match the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria. Before you apply for the exam, it is crucial to ascertain if you are qualified to take it. For your reference, a more thorough explanation of the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria is provided below, along with a thorough comprehension of the exam's prerequisites.

Verify Your CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates need to confirm their eligibility for the CAT exam 2024 because a high CAT score makes a candidate qualified for the majority of the leading B-Schools in India, including the IIMs that administer the exam. The elements and prerequisites for the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria should be understood by applicants to prevent any additional disqualification during the admissions process. The following are key elements to keep in mind:

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria –Academic Requirements

Candidates must ensure that they satisfy all the prerequisites of the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria before deciding on taking the CAT exam 2024. This is a quick summary of the academic requirements for CAT exam 2024:

  • Applicants from the General and NC-OBC categories must have received a cumulative grade point of 50% in their Bachelor's degree. CGPA varies depending on the category of students. Candidates who identify as SC/ST or DA must have a minimum of 45%.
  • The University that conferred the degree must be approved by the MHRD for it to be taken into account.
  • The conversion factor provided by the university must be applied if grades or CGPA are awarded in place of marks. If the university does not specify a conversion factor, the CGPA must be directly translated into a percentage by dividing it by the maximum CGPA that may be obtained and then multiplying the result by 100.
  • Candidates are also eligible to take the CAT exam 2024 if they have earned more than 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD) in professional degrees like CS, CA, or ICWA.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limitation

As per the IIM regulations, applicants of all age groups are qualified to apply for the CAT exam 2024. There is no age limit in the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria, thus students planning to take the exam in 2024 should focus on the other factors of the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria - Marks Evaluation

The following score must be met for you to be eligible for the CAT exam 2024:

  • Universities and other educational institutions use their own standards to determine graduation marks. This procedure will be the basis for calculating the CAT marks.
  • The institution-provided conversion method must be used to convert the marks to percentages if the universities award grades or CGPA in place of marks.
  • If the university does not have a system in place to convert grades or CGPA to percentages, this can be accomplished directly. This indicates that the candidate needs to multiply the result by 100 and divide the acquired CGPA by the highest CGPA that is feasible.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria - Final-year students

One question that boggles the minds of all CAT aspirants in their final year of graduation is that if they meet the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria. When determining their eligibility, these pupils should bear the following in mind:

  • A final-year student can apply for the exam only if they pass the final exam with the required percentage.
  • If these students are chosen for further rounds, they must, nevertheless, complete their bachelor's degree with the necessary percentage and present documentation at the time of selection.
  • The candidate's performance in the subsequent admissions stages will be deemed invalid if they are unable to fulfil this condition.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria - General and NC-OBC candidates

  • A bachelor's degree from any stream or its equivalent from a university or other educational establishment approved by the Indian government is required.
  • They must attain a cumulative score of 50% to qualify for the exam.
  • Applicants must be in their last year of graduation or be awaiting the release of their results.
  • Applicants holding professional degrees in ICWA, CS, or CA must have earned a cumulative grade of 50%.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria – PwD, SC, and ST Candidates

  • Candidates from the SC, ST, or PwD categories must have received at least 45% of their aggregate marks in graduation (or the equivalent) in all fields.
  • Applicants must be in their last year of study or be awaiting the release of their final results.
  • Applicants with professional degrees like CA, CS, or ICWA are also qualified to register for the exam only if they satisfy the minimum percentage requirement of 45%.

You should move quickly to complete the CAT registration 2024 form if you fall into one of the aforementioned categories and meet the necessary qualifying requirements, as the application deadline is September 20, 2024.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Documents Needed for Students in Their Final Year

Annually, there is a significant rise in the number of candidates taking the CAT, with 60% of the candidates being fresh graduates and 40% being those with previous work experience. As a result, the quantity of senior-year students taking the CAT each year is rather substantial. Determining the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria is the first step toward passing the CAT exam 2024, and to do so, the applicant needs to submit the following documentation:

  • Candidates must present a provisional document if they don’t have their official degree certificate with their final grade. The Principal, Head of Department, Registrar, or Director of the Institute must sign the document attesting to the candidate's completion of the course with a grade of at least 50% on the day the certificate is awarded.
  • Upon acceptance into any B-School, applicants must provide their official graduation certificate to remain enrolled in the program.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria – Additional Requirements for Candidates with Work Experience

Candidates frequently question whether work experience would affect their application and exam scores because it is a crucial part of the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria. Here's more information on how work experience affects the CAT exam 2024:

  • Applicants don't need to have previous work experience to sit for the CAT exam 2024.
  • Even though there is a section on job experience on the CAT application form, it is not required.
  • Work experience is taken into consideration in the final phases of IIM admissions. On the other hand, prior experience will not impact one's eligibility or score on the CAT exam.

Is there a difference between CAT eligibility and IIM eligibility?

Even though the exam is hosted by the IIMs, both organizations have different criteria for the CAT exam and IIM admission. There are a few small inconsistencies between them that candidates should be aware of:

  • CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria does not have an age restriction but IIM has.
  • Although the CAT entrance exam accepts a two-year bachelor's degree, the IIMs do not. Only three-year bachelor's degrees are accepted into IIMs' management programs.
  • CAT 2024 eligibility criteria indicate that admission to IIM does not require students to have work experience but it sure givesan added advantage.

Other than this, the CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria and the IIM Eligibility do not conflict.

Who Cannot Take the CAT Exam?

  • A candidate who did not show up for their bachelor's degree and did not fulfill the mandatory prerequisites for the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria.
  • A candidate is not eligible to take the CAT exam if they received less than 50% for General Category and NC-OBC graduates, or less than 45% for SC, ST, and PWD graduates.
  • An applicant who is working toward a professional degree as well as a bachelor's degree but has not yet finished either does not meet the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria.
  • A degree from an institution not accredited by the MHRD, AICTE, or UGC does not meet the requirements to be eligible for CAT exam 2024. The applicant will be deemed ineligible to take the CAT exam.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria for Reservation

Every student wants to get into the IIMsafter satisfying the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria and passing the exam. However as IIMs are government-run colleges, they must abide by the laws related to reserves for the less fortunate.

  • IIMs strictly follow the reservation criteria for the CAT exam.
  • In the reserves, there is a distinct category for people with disabilities or differently abled individuals.
  • To be eligible for Caste Based Reservation, individuals must submit an application with documentation in the form of a SC/ST/OBC certificate. After that, the original document might be needed for the last step of the admissions procedure.
  • The official CAT website offers the standard formats for caste certificates, allowing for some regularity and somewhat simple certificate verification.

For your reference, the following reservation percentage is based on the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria:

Category

Reservation

Scheduled Caste

15%

Scheduled Tribe

7.5%

Other Backward Classes of NC-OBC

27%

Economically Weaker Section

Up to 10%

Person with Disability

5%

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria for PwD

The PwD will comprise applicants with the following disabilities or difficulties:

  • Applicants with auditory impairments
  • Those who are visually impaired or blind
  • Applicants with cerebral palsy, leprosy that has been treated, dwarfism, victims of acid attacks, and muscular dystrophy
  • Mental illness, autism, intellectual disability, and specific learning disability
  • Multiple disabilities among the individuals listed in clauses (a) through (d) of the RPwD Act 2016 Other "specified disabilities" included in "The Schedule"

Also Read

FAQs for CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit & Reservation

Q1. Will a 12-pass appear on the CAT?

A Big NO. A 12th-pass student cannot apply for the CAT exam. A final-year graduation student can apply for the exam only if they pass the final exam with the required percentage.

Q2. Can a BA graduate take the CAT exam 2024?

Yes, if a student has completed their graduation with a minimum grade of 50% in the general category and 45% in the reserved category, they are eligible to take the CAT exam.

Q3. Who determines the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria?

The IIM CAT sets the CAT 2024 eligibility criteria for the national MBA test each year.

Q4. Are candidates with backlogseligible to apply for the CAT exam 2024?

Candidates with backlogs in the CAT are welcome to apply. A minimum grade of 50% is required for graduation, and a minimum grade of 45% is required for individuals in the reserved category.