CAT 2025 Reservation Policy: Category-Wise Seats, Eligibility & Documents

Latest Update

• CAT Exam date: 30 November 2025

The Indian Institutions of Management (IIM) and other top B-schools have great reservations in the admission to CAT-exam under the existing 2025 rules by the Central Government. 

It gives the details of the policy of the CAT exam reservation such as types of the exam, eligibility requirements and documentations to give a clear insight to the Reservation in CAT Exam 2025.

CAT Reservation 2025: Overview

The Government of India fixes the CAT Reservation 2025  across certain categories which include Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL), Economically Weak (EWS), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).The objective of the IIM reservation 2025 (CAT Reservation 2025) is to provide a fair and accessible opportunity to students with diverse backgrounds in the highly competitive Indian management education environment.

Latest CAT Exam Reservation Data

The following is a brief look at the category-wise reservation in CAT 2025 which decides the seat allocation at IIMs and 1,200 plus MBA colleges accepting CAT scores:

Minimum Marks in Graduation for CAT 2025

Here is the table for Minimum Marks in Graduation to be eligible for CAT 2025:

CAT Sectional Cut-Off Relaxation

Reserved categories also get relaxation in sectional cut-offs (VARC, DILR, QA). For example:

CAT Reserved Categories Advantages

During the IIM admission process, reserved category candidates benefit from:

• Reduced levels of CAT required to shortlist.
• Extra credit to academic diversity, work experience and interview.
• In all IIMs there was a strict allocation of reserved seats.

CAT Reservation 2025 Eligibility 

In order to take advantage of the CAT exam category-wise reservation, applicants are required to submit the genuine evidence during application and admission. This is a breakdown by category:

• SC & ST: One should be included in SC/ST Categories prescribed by the Central Government.
• OBC-NCL: There are no requirements as long as the candidates are in the Non-Creamy Layer category that is in the central list. Applicants who are creamy layers are regarded as General. The issue of certificates should take place.
• EWS: Households having yearly income up to ₹8 lakhs. Needs Income & Asset Certificate.
• PwD: Benchmark disabilities are provided in the rights of persons with disabilities act, 2016. UDID card/disability certificate is compulsory.

CAT Reservation for Women

For CAT 2025, there is no percentage of seats allocated to women. But the ladies do have the advantage of getting the gender diversity points provided in the selection. Individually, IIM Bangalore has 5 additional points and IIM Calcutta has 4 additional points to facilitate gender diversity within IIMs.

Document Requirements for CAT Reservation 2025

• SC/ST Certificate
• OBC-NCL Certificate
• EWS Certificate 
• PwD Certificate

CAT Registration Fees 2025

The CAT registration fee differs by category, making it affordable for reserved applicants:

How to Avail CAT Reservation?

1. Check Eligible Category: Check your category against the official central government list
2. Paperwork: Gather new caste, EWS or disability certificates
3. Fill Registration Form: Fill the Registration Form with care to be qualified as a CAT exam.
4. Upload Certificates: In the course of registration, submit PDFs.
5. Keep Originals Prepared: Show at IIM admission process.

CAT 2025: List of Category-Wise MBA Seats

Based on official data, the IIM reservation 2025 seat matrix looks like this:

Conclusion

The 2025 CAT reservation policy statistically reallocates the MBA admissions in India where 27 percent of the seats are allocated to OBC-NCL (already 1,485 seats), 15 percent to SC (already 825 seats), 7.5 percent to ST (already 413 seats), 10 percent to EWS (already 550 seats), and 5 percent to PwD (already 275 seats), of the total 5,500 required in all IIMs These quotas have a great impact in the inclusion of marginalized groups, enhancing diversity and accessibility of the top management programs, and 40 percent of the seats will be left unrestricted to the applicants of the general category. Eligibility and documentation are taken seriously, to make the aspirants get the best opportunities in admission and make the utmost social contribution of CAT exam reservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. Who will be the beneficiary of reservation in CAT 2025?

Ans. The CAT has provisions to reserve students based on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer), Economically Weaker Sections and Persons with Disabilities category, as long as they produce valid documents.

Ques. At what time are reservation certificates to be presented to CAT?

Ans. Every reservation certificate, SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS or PwD, should be uploaded in the right format at the time of CAT registration and displayed in original at the time of admission or interview.

Ques. What are the required certificates to make reservations in CAT 2025?

Ans. Applicants will need a valid SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS certificate, issued by a competent authority in the central government or disability certificate/UDID card in PwD, all in prescribed format to use in CAT 2025.

Ques. What is the minimum income eligibility of EWS reservation in CAT?

Ans. According to the central government, the annual family income of EWS applicants of CAT 2025 should be less than 8 lakhs, and they should not be enrolled under any other reserved category.

Ques. What is the CAT reservation of the IIM seat matrix?

Ans. IIMs will have a 27 percent quota of OBC-NCL, 15 percent SC, 7.5 percent ST, 10 percent EWS and 5 percent PwD with an approximate quota of 40 per cent under the general category.