CAT 2025 Reservation Policy for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD at IIMs

As per the CAT 2025 reservation policy for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD at IIMs,15% of seats are reserved for students from the Scheduled Caste (SC), while 7.5% of seats are reserved for students from the Scheduled Tribe (ST). If you are from the Other Backward Class (OBC) category and belong to the non-creamy layer, you have a reserve of 27%. Additionally, if you are from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, you have a reservation of 10%. It must be noted that there is no reservation quota specifically mentioned for dyslexics and NCC cadets. You must be aware that IIMs will publish separateCAT 2025cutoff lists for each category, after theCAT results 2025, which will be released by the last week of December 2025, tentatively. Your registration will be dismissed if you fail to provide proof of your reservation category at any point during the selection process.

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Reservation Policy at IIMs

Top IIMs in Indiaoffer reservations to members of the underprivileged community, much like every other college in India. This is being done to support those with talent who lack the resources to finish their education. If you have a lower percentile, you can also be admitted into India's top business schools owing to the reservation policy.

However, if you are eligible for reservation under various categories, you must understand that fulfilling the reservation policy does not guarantee admission to IIMs. You must have a prescribedCAT eligibility criteria 2025along with the minimum level of performance in the CAT 2025 and subsequent rounds of the admission process. The reservation policies followed by IIMs are listed below:

• The IIMs reserve 15% of its seats for Scheduled Castes (SC), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 27% for Other Backward Classes belonging to the "non-creamy" layer (NC-OBC). Candidates from the EWS category have a reservation of 10%.

• The only categories taken into consideration for reservation are those listed in the Central Government List on the final day ofCAT 2025 registration.

• IIMs set aside 3% of the seats for Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

• The three types of disabilities that are taken into account for reservations are poor vision blindness, hearing impairment, and locomotor disability or cerebral palsy.

• Candidates who exhibit at least 40% of the above-mentioned disabilities will be considered for reservation.

CAT Reservation Category

The CAT Reservation category needs to be carefully selected by you at the time of registration. No changes are allowed in the CAT reservation category after the final submission of the application form. For the seats reserved in IIMs, the list of CAT reservation categories are:

• OBC

• SC

• ST

• EWS

• PwD

Category-Wise Reservation of Seats in IIMs

​Also Read:IIM CAT Cut off
Note: If youwish to seek admission as per the reservation policies, you must upload the category or disability certificate at the time of CAT registration.

IIM Reservation Criteria 2025

There are specific eligibility criteria for every Reserved category that you must fulfill. The key conditions include:

• If you belong to the SC/ST category, you must ensure your caste/tribe appears in the official Government list.
• If you are applying under the OBC category, you must belong to the non-creamy layer as per the central list.
• If you are applying under the EWS category, must provide valid income and asset certificates.
• In order to apply under the EWS category, you must have 40% or more benchmark disability as defined under the RPwD Act 2016.
• It is crucial that the certificates you furnish must be valid and uploaded at the time of CAT registration and presented again during the interview process.

IIM Reservation Policy 2025 for MBA

• IIM Reservation is applicable at both the stages: shortlisting and final selection.
• If you have already selected one Category during CAT registration, you will not be allowed to change it later.
• Original certificates must be uploaded online and hard copies must be carried during interviews.
• Candidates belonging to the PwD category must obtain a Unique Disability ID (UDID) and provide medical documentation.

The basic eligibility criteria and mandatory documents required to become qualified for each reservation under CAT 2025 have been provided below.

Category-wise MBA Seats at IIMs

Check the table below to know the number of seats for each category in the top B schools in India:

CAT Reservation Certificates 2025 PDF

Certificates & Forms Required for IIM Reservation 2025

All required documents for reservations in CAT 2025 are provided below. At the time of the interview, you must also present the original certificate in the specified format:

• SC-ST Certificate
• NC-OBC Certificate
• DA/PwD Certificate
• Format for Final Year Certificate
• Format for Candidate Identification Affidavit

Download the official CAT reservation certificates PDF from the table below.

Important Documents For Reservation in CAT Exam 2025

If you belong to any of the categories among SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD and are aiming to avail yourselves of the reservation benefits of the CAT exam, you must ensure you possess the following documents for the CAT exam 2025:

CAT Reservation Fees 2025

You are not required to pay any extra fee for CAT reservation in 2025. You must only pay the CAT registration fees depending on your category. You must upload the necessary documents during registration to qualify for reservation in IIM.

CAT Reservation 2025 for SC/ ST Category

You will find the CAT Reservation policy 2025 for SC/ST categories in the CAT official notification 2025. In CAT 2023, the reservation percentage for SC candidates was observed to be 15%, while it was 7.5% for ST candidates. However, only those who meet the CAT 2025 eligibility criteria and cutoffs will become eligible for CAT reservation for the SC/ST category in IIMs in 2025. To avail the reservation benefits, you must keep your caste certificates along with other mandatory information handy.

Documents Required for CAT Reservation for SC/ ST

If you belong to the SC/ ST category, you will have to submit the caste certificate along with some other documents. These documents must comprise some information provided below.

• Whether the candidate belongs to the Scheduled tribe or Scheduled caste category (Mention of caste clearly)
• Union Territory or District and the State of the ordinary residence
• Name of the belonging caste or tribe of the candidate (Identification as ST)
• Signatures of required authorities/ Approval from Government of India

CAT Reservation 2025 for OBC

You will find the CAT Reservation policy 2025 for OBC in the CAT official notification 2025. In CAT 2025, the reservation percentage for OBC category candidates will go as high as 27%. Notably, the CAT reservation 2025 for the OBC category in IIMs depends on the latest Central Government list of OBC categories on the last date of exam registration. According to the list, if you fall under the OBC category can avail yourself of the reserved seats in IIMs only if you meet the necessary eligibility criteria and cutoff as mentioned below:

• Only candidates listed under the Central Government’s OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) list can avail themselves of this reservation.
• You must not fall under the ‘creamy layer’ category.
• OBC certificate furnished by you must be valid as of the last CAT registration date for the year 2025.
• You are not eligible if you belong to State OBCs that are not included in the central list.

IIM Reservation 2025 for EWS

Only those whose family has a gross annual income of less than Rs 8 lakh and those who are considered to be ineligible for the SC, ST, and OBC reservation schemes are designated as EWS for reservation.An Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority must be presented to receive the advantage of reservation under the EWS category.The income and asset criteria used to determine eligibility under the EWS category have been provided below.

If you are planning to apply under the EWS quota, you are required to get your Income and Asset Certificate from one of the following competent authorities that have obtained the legal permission to issue the EWS certificate required during CAT registration.

• District Magistrate / Additional District Magistrate
• Collector / Deputy Commissioner / Additional Deputy Commissioner
• Sub-Divisional Magistrate / Taluka Magistrate / Executive Magistrate
• Revenue Officer not below rank of Tehsildar
• Chief Presidency Magistrate / Presidency Magistrate
• Sub-Divisional Officer of candidate’s residence area

Who is Ineligible for EWS Reservations Offered by IIMs?

No matter how much money your family makes, if you fall within any of the following categories, you are not eligible for the EWS quota:

• Candidates whose families have agricultural lands of 5 acres or more.
• Candidates who have their own residential apartment that is at least 1,000 square feet.
• Candidates with parents who own a residential plot in certain municipalities that are at least 100 square yards.
• Candidates whose parents reside outside of eminent municipalities and who possess a residential plot of 200 square yards or more.

CAT Reservation 2025 for PwD Candidates

Thoses under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD) category with 40% or more certified disability can avail themselves of 5% reservation under CAT. The accepted disabilities as per the RPwD Act 2016 for availing PwD reservation in CAT 2025 have been provided below:

• Category of Disability
• Blindness and low vision
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy
• Autism, intellectual disability, mental illness, learning disability
• Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d)
• Other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD Act 2016

If you have applied under the PwD category, you must upload your UDID and medical certificate at the time of CAT registration. In case you wish to use a scribe, you are required to submit a filled scribe affidavit.

CAT Reservation 2025 for Women

No specific percentage of seats has been reserved for women in IIMs. However, women can avail themselves of the benefit of gender diversity points during the selection process, and this enhances the representation of women in management education. For example,to promote gender diversity in IIMs, the following bonus points are awarded:

• 5 additionalpoints are awarded by IIM Bangalore
• 4 additionalpoints are allotted for women candidates at IIM Calcutta

Reservation Requirements for Differently Abled Candidates at IIMs

When taking the CAT exam, you must be aware of the CAT reservation requirements:

• In IIMs, 3% of the seats are reserved for different abled candidates.
• Differently abled candidates must have a graduate degree with a minimum aggregate of 45%.
• Differently abled candidates (such as those who are blind or have a locomotor disability) will be given a wheelchair at the exam location.
• Differently abled candidates who fall under the low vision category are allowed to bring a scribe with them. Scribes are not subject to any specified requirements.

Check the links below to learn more about CAT 2025 and MBA admissions!

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