CAT 2024 Eligibility: Understanding Educational Requirements, Age Criteria, and Category-based Concessions

CAT Exam 2024: Eligibility Criteria

The CAT Exam Eligibility 2024 criteria are a list of some standards or requirements that all students should meet and pass the test. This may include academic qualifications, past academic performance, age limits, and other related factors. Every year, the official CAT conducting authorities release the eligibility criteria for the coming exam.

The interested candidate must have a three-year bachelor's degree from a recognized college in any field. Candidates from the general category must have a minimum of 50% of their graduation grades, and students in the reserved category must have at least 45%. As per the official CAT Exam Eligibility, post-graduation is required to take the CAT exam.

Below are the key points related to the CAT exam eligibility criteria for 2024:

1. A bachelor's degree in any field with at least 50% of the possible grades and 45% for SC, ST, and PWD candidates is required for the application.

2. Any institution announced to be considered a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, must accept the candidate's valid undergraduate degree, or the candidate must have an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

3. The percentage of marks in the bachelor's degree will be calculated according to the common pattern of the relevant university or institution.

4. Candidates who are in their final year of a bachelor's degree program or an equivalent examination, as well as those who have finished their degree programs but have not yet received their results, may also submit an application. If qualified, these candidates may enroll in the course on a conditional basis. upon presenting a certificate issued by the registrar or principal of their university.

5. For CAT, there is no set age limit. Thus, the candidate may sit for the test at any age.

6. Work experience is not a requirement for CAT eligibility. Nonetheless, candidates with and without experience can take the exam. Certain B-schools take work experience into account when admitting students.

7. A candidate may take the CAT exam as many times as they wish during their lifetime.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Key Highlights

Students who are interested in participating in the CAT exam should look at the eligibility standards and requirements. Every year, the CAT exam authority introduces the eligibility criteria on its official website.

The below table shows the important highlights of CAT 2024: 

CAT Eligibility Criteria: Age limit

According to the eligibility criteria for CAT 2024, there is no upper or lower age limit. However, candidates who want to participate in or apply for the upcoming CAT exam should check the other CAT eligibility details:

CAT Eligibility Criteria: Academic Qualification

According to the CAT eligibility requirements, the students must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university. This CAT exam will be offered to candidates who have received pass certifications in any of their bachelor’s degree programs. Meanwhile, the final-year students with an ‘award of grades’ are also eligible to take part in the CAT exam.

Below is the minimum educational qualification according to the CAT Exam Eligibility 2024: 

1. As per CAT eligibility, aspirants should have a degree from a recognized university or have an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD in India.
2. For general and NC-OBC category candidates, the minimum percentage requirement is 50% to 45%.
3. Students' grades, or CGPA, will be turned into the university's or institution's CAT Exam eligibility requirements.

CAT Eligibility: Marks Calculation

The calculation of marks for the CAT exam eligibility is as follows: 

1.The university or institute sets the criteria by which graduation marks are provided. The CAT marks will be calculated via this method.

2. Universities can decide to use grades and CGPAs in instead of marks; in this case, the university will offer a conversion process for changing marks to percentages.

3. If the university does not have a procedure for converting grades or CGPA to percentages, it could be possible to do so directly. The candidate should multiply the result by 100 and divide the achieved CGPA by the highest CGPA that is practical.

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria – Registration with Backlogs

Below are some key points that CAT students with backlogs should read to clear their doubts:
1. Applicants with a backlog in their bachelor's degree are eligible to apply for the CAT 2024.
2. Applicants may also apply to the CAT if they are enrolled in additional examinations.
3. Candidates may apply for the CAT 2024 if they received at least 50% on their graduation exam and on additional re-examinations.
4. When asked if you are in your final year of a bachelor's degree, indicate that you are on the registration form for CAT 2024.
5. Applicants must provide a certificate attesting to their completion of a supplemental re-examination from the principal or registrar of their university (or college).
As part of the registration process, candidates belonging to the reserved categories must confirm their eligibility before submitting a caste certificate. After students have finished the registration process, they are unable to change their category at IIMs.

CAT Eligibility 2024: Reservation Details

IIMs have reserved some seats for candidates who are applying to business administration programs based on their category. The reservation details of the IIMs are summarized below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ques. What is the minimal academic qualification required to be eligible for the CAT exam?

Ans. Candidates should preserve a bachelor`s diploma in any field from a diagnosed college or academic institution.

Ques. Is there any minimal per cent requirement for eligibility to appear in the CAT exam?

Ans. Yes, applicants inside the widespread class should have secured at the very least 50% mixture marks or an equal CGPA of their bachelor's diploma. For the SC, ST, and PwD categories, the minimal per cent required is comfortable at 45%.

Ques. Can college students in their very last year of examination practice take the CAT exam?

Ans. Yes, applicants performing for the very last year in their bachelor's diploma/equal qualification exam or looking forward to consequences are also eligible to practice. However, their admission could be provisional, making it difficult to meet the eligibility standards, especially through the respective IIMs.