Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree from an Indian university or an institution approved by the Indian government in order to be eligible for the CAT 2025 Exam. They need to have graduated with at least 50% of the possible points or an equivalent CGPA. However, a minimum of 45% marks or an equal CGPA is necessary for applicants who fall into the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories.
Applications are also accepted from candidates who are in their last year of study or who have finished their degree but are awaiting the institution to announce their results. If such individuals are chosen, they will only be granted temporary admission to the program by the respective IIM provided they provide a certificate from their university or institution's vice-chancellor or registrar. This certificate, which must be issued on or before the date specified by the relevant IIM, must attest to the candidate's completion of all prerequisites for a Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification as of the certificate's issuance date.
It is crucial to remember that fulfilling the minimal requirements does not ensure admission to the IIMs or any other participating institutions. Additionally, candidates must fulfill the requirements set forth by the institutes for selection. These requirements may include things like grades in secondary and senior secondary school, prior work experience, and—above all—performance on the CAT exam.
CAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria
Read the following section to become familiar with the CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025 before registering for the exam:
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | The applicant must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or hold a comparable credential accepted by the Indian government's Ministry of Education. |
| Minimum Score | In order to be considered for a qualifying degree, candidates must have earned at least 50% of the possible points for General, EWS, OBC-NC, or PWD (45% for ST, SC, or PWD). Students' percentage of marks earned will be determined using the procedures that the relevant institution or university follows. |
| Appearing | Candidates who are awaiting their results or who are in their last year of a bachelor's degree or its equivalent may also apply. |
| IIMs Criteria | Students need to be aware that during the selection process, IIMs will check candidates' eligibility at several points. Accordingly, meeting the requirements for admission to IIMs alone will not guarantee admission. |
CAT 2025 Reservation Criteria
Students can check below the CAT Reservation Criteria as legally prescribed by authority:
| Category | Seat Reservation |
|---|---|
| ST | 7.50% |
| SC | 15% |
| OBC-NC | 27% |
| EWS | 10% |
| PWD | 5% |