CAT 2026 Eligibility for OBC, SC, ST and EWS: Percentage Relaxation and Fee Waiver

SC and ST students can apply for CAT 2026 with a minimum of 45% marks in graduation, while OBC-NCL and EWS students need the standard 50% — and SC, ST and PwD students pay a reduced application fee of Rs. 1,200 against Rs. 2,400 for all other categories.

The IIMs conduct CAT 2026 under Government of India reservation norms, which mandate category-specific relaxations in eligibility and fees. If you belong to OBC-NCL, SC, ST or EWS, you must select your category during registration and upload the corresponding certificate. An invalid or expired certificate can result in your reserved-category status being rejected at the IIM admission stage, even after scoring well in CAT 2026.

• Graduation eligibility: SC, ST and PwD students need 45% marks; General, OBC-NCL and EWS students need 50%.
• Application fee: SC, ST and PwD — Rs. 1,200; General, OBC-NCL and EWS — Rs. 2,400 (based on CAT 2025 notification, expected to remain the same for 2026).
• OBC-NCL certificate must be in the Central Government format and issued within 12 months of the application date.
• EWS certificate must confirm family income below Rs. 8 lakh per annum for FY 2025-26.
• SC and ST certificates carry lifetime validity once issued by a competent authority.

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CAT 2026 Category-wise Eligibility and Percentage Relaxation

CAT 2026 requires a minimum aggregate of 50% marks (or equivalent CGPA) in the bachelor’s degree for General, OBC-NCL and EWS students. SC, ST and PwD students need a minimum of 45% marks or equivalent CGPA in graduation. This 5-percentage-point relaxation is the core eligibility benefit for SC, ST and PwD students at the entrance stage. Students in the final year of graduation can also apply, subject to completing the degree before the IIM admission deadline.

Your category is verified again at the IIM admission stage and not just at CAT registration. Ensure your certificate is valid and in the correct format before you apply.

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CAT 2026 Application Fee by Category

SC, ST and PwD students pay Rs. 1,200 as the CAT application fee — half the Rs. 2,400 paid by General, OBC-NCL and EWS students. These figures are based on the CAT 2025 notification and are expected to remain the same for CAT 2026. The fee is paid online through the registration portal and is non-refundable once submitted.

Payment is accepted through net banking, credit card and debit card on the CAT registration portal at iimcat.ac.in.

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Documents Required for Each Reserved Category

Keep scanned copies of your category certificate ready before you start the CAT 2026 application form. The document type, required format and issuing authority differ by category — uploading an incorrect format is a common reason for category claim rejection at the IIM stage.

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OBC-NCL Certificate: Format and Validity

Your OBC-NCL certificate must be in the Central Government prescribed format, not the state government format. Many state governments issue caste certificates that do not explicitly confirm Non-Creamy Layer status — these are not accepted by the IIMs.

• The certificate must explicitly state you belong to the Non-Creamy Layer, with family income below Rs. 8 lakh per annum from all sources.
• Validity: issued within the last 12 months of the CAT 2026 application date. An OBC-NCL certificate older than one year will not be accepted.
• Your community must appear in the Central List of OBCs maintained by the National Commission for Backward Classes — a state OBC list entry alone does not qualify.
• Must be issued by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, District Magistrate or Tehsildar — not by a Gram Panchayat or municipal councillor.
• The community name in the certificate must match the Central List spelling exactly.

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SC and ST Certificate Requirements

SC and ST caste certificates have lifetime validity and do not expire once issued. However, the caste or tribe mentioned must appear in the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes lists applicable to your state under the Constitution of India.

• The certificate must be issued in your own name — a certificate in a parent’s name is not accepted.
• Issued by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, District Magistrate, Tehsildar or equivalent competent authority.
• The caste or tribe name must match the relevant Presidential Order list for your home state.
• State-issued SC and ST certificates are accepted — unlike OBC-NCL, there is no Central vs State format distinction for SC and ST.
• If your caste name has a spelling variation across documents, get an affidavit or official rectification before applying.

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EWS Certificate Requirements

The EWS reservation provides a 10% quota in IIM admissions. To qualify, your family’s gross annual income from all sources must be below Rs. 8 lakh, and your family must not own agricultural land of 5 acres or more, a residential flat of 1,000 sq ft or more, or a residential plot of 100 yards or more in a notified municipality.

• Obtain the Income and Asset Certificate in the Government of India prescribed format — specified in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions OM dated January 31, 2019.
• The certificate must be for FY 2025-26 — an EWS certificate from an earlier financial year is not valid for CAT 2026.
• Issued by a Tehsildar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or District Magistrate.
• Students eligible for OBC-NCL, SC or ST reservation cannot simultaneously claim EWS — the EWS quota is meant exclusively for General category students not covered under any other reservation.

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How to Upload Category Documents in the CAT 2026 Form

Category documents are uploaded at iimcat.ac.in during the online registration window. Follow these steps to avoid upload errors:

1. Log in to your CAT 2026 account on iimcat.ac.in.
2. In the application form, select your category (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS or PwD) from the dropdown menu.
3. Scan your certificate at a minimum of 200 DPI — the issuing authority’s seal, signature and date must be clearly legible.
4. Upload in PDF or JPG format within the file size limit shown on the portal.
5. Review the uploaded preview to confirm all text and stamps are readable before proceeding.
6. Submit the form and save the confirmation page along with your application number.

Do not wait until the last day to upload documents. Portal traffic peaks in the final 48 hours of the registration window and upload failures are common during that period.