The CAT 2026 application form is expected to be released soon for the MBA aspirants who want to apply for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and several other top business schools across India. Candidates should carefully check the CAT 2026 eligibility criteria to avoid rejection at later stages of the admission process before filling out the application form. The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the gateway to MBA and PGDM programmes offered by IIMs and many other management institutes.
CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?
Candidates applying for the CAT 2026 application form must hold a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification from a recognised university or institution.
For candidates belonging to the General, EWS, and NC-OBC categories, a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA in graduation is required. Applicants from the SC, ST, and PwD categories need at least 45% aggregate marks.
Students who are currently in the final year of their bachelor's degree or are awaiting their final results are also eligible to apply, provided they complete their degree within the prescribed timeline.
Apart from regular graduates, candidates with professional qualifications such as CA, CS, ICWA, or equivalent professional degrees can also apply if they meet the required minimum marks.
CAT 2026 Age Limit and Other Important Conditions
One of the biggest advantages of the CAT exam is that there is no age limit. Fresh graduates as well as working professionals can appear for the examination regardless of their age.
If a university awards grades or CGPA instead of percentage marks, the conversion will be done according to the university's official method. If no conversion formula is available, the percentage will generally be calculated as per the prescribed guidelines.
Candidates may also mention postgraduate qualifications while filling out the application form. Although this is optional, providing complete academic details can strengthen the candidate's profile during the admission process.
Who Is Not Eligible for CAT 2026?
Candidates who do not meet the minimum educational requirements cannot apply for the CAT exam. Those who have scored below the required qualifying marks, do not possess a recognised bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification, or are not yet in the final year of graduation will not be considered eligible.
It is important to note that qualifying for CAT only makes candidates eligible to participate in the admission process. Final admission to IIMs and other institutes depends on CAT scores, institute-specific cut-offs, academic performance, work experience, and performance in further selection rounds such as the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT), wherever applicable.
