CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for SC/ST/PWD: Percentage Relaxation and Special Provisions

SC/ST and PWD students need a minimum of 45% aggregate marks in their bachelor’s degree to apply for CAT 2026, compared to 50% required from General and OBC students.

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) extend several relaxations to students from reserved categories to make MBA admissions more accessible. CAT 2026 provisions for SC/ST/PWD students cover the eligibility percentage, registration fee and seat reservation at IIMs. They also include lower shortlisting cutoffs during the selection process.

• SC/ST/PWD students need 45% aggregate marks in their bachelor’s degree; General and OBC students need 50%.
• Registration fee for SC/ST/PWD students is Rs. 1,200 — half the General/OBC fee of Rs. 2,400.
• IIMs reserve 15% seats for SC, 7.5% for ST and apply a 5% horizontal reservation for PWD students across all categories.
• Most IIMs set lower CAT percentile cutoffs for SC/ST/PWD students during shortlisting for interviews.
• Final year bachelor’s degree students from all categories including SC/ST/PWD can apply for CAT 2026.

CAT 2026 Eligibility: Category-wise Comparison

CAT 2026 requires you to hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or be appearing in the final year of your degree. The minimum aggregate percentage in the qualifying degree differs by category. There is no restriction on the discipline of your bachelor’s degree.

Fee figures are expected based on CAT 2025 trends and will be confirmed in the official CAT 2026 notification on iimcat.ac.in.

Percentage Relaxation for SC/ST/PWD in CAT 2026

SC, ST and PWD students get a 5-percentage-point relaxation in the minimum qualifying marks for CAT 2026. This applies to the overall aggregate of the qualifying bachelor’s degree, not individual semester or year scores.

• The 45% threshold applies to the cumulative aggregate across all years of your bachelor’s degree.
• If your university uses a grade point system, the equivalent percentage is calculated as per your university’s official conversion formula — IIMs typically accept the conversion stated on your official transcript.
• Students in their final year of the bachelor’s degree in 2026 can apply but must complete the degree with 45% or more before joining an IIM programme.
• There is no minimum percentage requirement in Class 10 or Class 12 for CAT 2026 eligibility — only the bachelor’s degree marks count.
• Degrees from open universities and distance education institutions are accepted if the institution is recognised by DEB/UGC/AICTE.

CAT 2026 Registration Fee for Reserved Categories

SC/ST/PWD students pay Rs. 1,200 as the CAT 2026 registration fee — exactly half the Rs. 2,400 paid by General, OBC-NCL and EWS students. The fee is paid online at the time of form submission on iimcat.ac.in and is non-refundable under all circumstances.

The official registration fee for CAT 2026 will be announced with the notification. Figures above are expected based on 2025 trends.

Seat Reservation at IIMs for SC/ST/PWD Students

All IIMs follow the Government of India’s reservation mandate for their MBA (PGP) and other management programmes. The distribution of seats across categories is as follows:

PWD reservation is horizontal — 5% of seats within each vertical category are reserved for PWD students. A student who is both SC and PWD, for example, competes within the SC-PWD pool. This structure applies to PGP, PGPX and Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) at most IIMs.

CAT 2026 Score Cutoff Relaxation for SC/ST/PWD at IIMs

Most IIMs apply lower CAT percentile cutoffs when shortlisting SC/ST/PWD students for Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The table below shows expected cutoffs based on 2024-25 shortlisting trends at major IIMs.

These are expected figures based on 2024-25 shortlisting data. Each IIM sets its own cutoffs after CAT results are declared. The final shortlist also weighs academic profile, work experience and diversity alongside CAT percentile.

Documents Required for SC/ST/PWD Students During CAT 2026 Registration

You must upload valid category certificates when filling the CAT 2026 application form to claim reserved category benefits. Applications with missing or invalid certificates are processed under the General category.

• PWD students must have a minimum 40% disability certified by a government medical board to claim PWD reservation.
• OBC-NCL certificates must be issued in the current financial year; older certificates are not accepted.
• All certificates must be in the applicant’s name, not a parent’s or guardian’s name.
• Carry original documents to WAT/PI rounds and at the time of joining — IIMs verify certificates at every stage of the admission process.