CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Minimum Graduation Percentage, Age Limit and Attempts

CAT 2026 eligibility criteria require a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC, ST, and PwD students), no age limit, and no cap on the number of attempts.

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 is the national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is the gateway to over 1,200 management programmes across India, including all 20 IIMs. Students planning to apply must meet the eligibility conditions set by the conducting IIM before the registration window opens at iimcat.ac.in.

• Minimum marks: 50% aggregate in graduation for General, EWS, and OBC-NCL students; 45% for SC, ST, and PwD students.
• Age limit: None — students of any age can apply for CAT 2026.
• Attempts: No restriction on the number of times a student can appear for CAT.
• Stream: Open to graduates from all disciplines — engineering, commerce, arts, science, law, and others.
• Final year students: Eligible to apply; admission is confirmed only after submitting proof of completing the degree with the required percentage.

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CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria Overview

The eligibility conditions for CAT 2026 are set by the IIM conducting the exam that year. These criteria have remained stable across recent cycles. The table below gives a quick snapshot of all key parameters:

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Educational Qualification for CAT 2026

Students must hold a bachelor’s degree of minimum three years duration from a recognised university, institution, or professional body to be eligible for CAT 2026. Degrees awarded under the 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 system are both accepted. The degree must be from a university or institution recognised by UGC, AICTE, MHRD, or the respective state government.

Professional degree holders such as those who have completed CA, CS, or ICWA are also eligible, provided they meet the minimum marks requirement applicable to their category.

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Minimum Graduation Percentage for CAT 2026

The minimum graduation aggregate required for CAT 2026 is 50% for General, EWS, and OBC-NCL students and 45% for SC, ST, and PwD students. The aggregate is calculated across all semesters and subjects of the bachelor’s degree. Universities that award grades instead of marks use the equivalent percentage as per their official conversion formula.

Students who have a CGPA or grade-point average on their degree certificate should use the conversion methodology specified by their university to determine the equivalent percentage. If no official conversion formula exists, the conducting IIM may apply its own method at the time of shortlisting.

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Age Limit for CAT 2026

There is no age limit for CAT 2026. Students of any age — whether fresh graduates in their early twenties or working professionals in their forties — can apply and appear for the exam without restriction. The IIMs have not set any lower or upper age bar at the CAT eligibility stage.

This makes CAT one of the most open national-level management entrance exams in the country. Individual IIM programmes may evaluate profiles holistically, which can involve work experience, but the exam itself places no age-based bar on who can sit for it.

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Number of Attempts Allowed in CAT 2026

There is no limit on the number of times a student can appear for CAT. Students who appeared in CAT 2023, 2024, or 2025 are free to attempt CAT 2026 again without any penalty or restriction on their application.

However, each year’s CAT score is valid only for admission to programmes starting in that particular academic cycle. A CAT 2025 score cannot be used for 2026–27 admissions — students who wish to apply through the 2026–27 cycle must appear for CAT 2026 specifically. There is no carry-forward of scores between years.

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CAT 2026 Eligibility for Final Year Students

Students appearing in the final year of their bachelor’s degree examination in 2026 are eligible to apply for CAT 2026. They can register, sit the exam, and participate in the subsequent IIM selection rounds (Written Ability Test, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview) on the same footing as students who have already completed their degree.

However, admission will be confirmed only after the student submits proof of completing the bachelor’s degree with the required minimum aggregate at the time of document verification. If a final year student fails to achieve the minimum percentage at the end of their programme, their admission offer will be cancelled even if a valid CAT 2026 score was obtained.

Final year students should plan their application and interview preparation alongside their ongoing degree examinations and keep official mark sheets and degree certificates ready for submission as soon as they are issued by their university.