The detailed CAT Eligibility 2022 is explained here for CAT 2022 exam aspirants. The eligibility for the CAT exam has remained the same for the past several years. Before going with the preparation detail, candidates need to know the complete CAT 2022 eligibility criteria to understand whether they are eligible for CAT or not.
CAT Eligibility 2022: Overview
| Age Limit For CAT | None |
| Educational Eligibility | Graduate |
| Work Experience | None |
| Minimum Marks in Graduation | 50% (45% for Reserved Category) |
| Reservation | As per Category |
The detailed eligibility has been provided below. The points that a candidate must remember are as below:
- CAT eligibility concerning the educational qualification.
- CAT exam eligibility for final year graduate students.
- CAT eligibility criteria for students with backlogs.
- CAT eligibility and reservation details.
What is the CAT exam?
Candidates preparing for CAT (Common Admission Test), is a computer-based test conducted in India by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). The CAT exam is conducted annually by one of the IIMs based on a policy of rotation. The CAT Exam is an important criterion for taking admission into prestigious management institutes in India. The CAT Exam consists of mainly 3 sections Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning & Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension.
CAT 2022 will be conducted in the last week of November 2022. The result will be declared in the second week of January 2023. Individuals aspiring to take CAT 2022 exam must check the latest CAT 2022 eligibility criteria before registering for the exam.
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2022: Academic Qualification
| Qualification | Required Affiliation | Required Pass Percentage |
| Engineering Degree – B.Tech/ B.E. | Recognized by MHRD/AICTE * | 50% (45% for SC, ST, and PWD candidates) |
| Bachelor’s Degree from any University | Recognized by UGC | 50% (45% for SC, ST, and PWD candidates) |
| Students who are in their final year of Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are also eligible to take CAT Exam** | Continuing graduation from University Recognized by MHRD/AICTE or UGC | 50% (45% for SC, ST, and PWD candidates) |
Important Notes:
* The University has to be declared incorporated by an Act of the Parliament or State legislature in India or declared as deemed to be a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.
** Such candidates have to submit a certificate from the Registrar / Principal of their respective institution or University. The certificate must state that they have completed all the requirements for obtaining the equivalent qualification on the date of the issue of the certificate.
Important Note:
It should be noted that the percentage an individual gained in a bachelor’s degree would be calculated based on the practice followed by the concerned institution (or University). If a percentage conversion scheme is unavailable for a particular University, the candidate’s CGPA will be divided by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplied by the result by 100.
CAT Eligibility with Backlogs
It should be noted that the official IIM admission policy does not state that candidates with backlogs cannot apply for the CAT exam. So, any candidate with a backlog in the final year of graduation is also eligible to apply for CAT and complete the registration. To get more information about this, visit CAT Registration with Backlogs.
Reservation Details
The IIMs have some reservations about the different category students applying for any of the business administration programs. The reservation details of the IIMs are explained below in a comprehensive way.
| Category | Reserved Percentage |
| SC (Scheduled Caste) | 15% |
| ST (Scheduled Tribe) | 7.5% |
| ST (Scheduled Tribe) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | Up to 10% |
| PWD (Person with Disability) | 5% |
It must be noted that the candidates belonging to any of the above-mentioned cases are required to upload the caste certificate during registration and must carry a photocopy of it during document verification. For further details about the caste certificate, check the below-given article.
- In the case of PWD category students, they must bring a PWD certificate issued by a competent authority. The different categories of disabilities that are accepted under PWD reservation are the individuals with:
- Blindness or partial blindness.
- Hearing disabilities.
- Locomotor disabilities (dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, and acid attack victims).
- Other disabilities like autism, any mental illness, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, etc.
PWD candidates are suggested to go through Section 39 of the PWD Act, 1995 to check the list of all disabilities under this category. Candidates applying for the PWD category should have at least 40% of disability as certified by any medical authority