CAT 2022: Seat Reservation Policy at IIMs

Reservation Policy at IIMs: CAT is a national-level management examination for which more than two lakh students register every year. CAT 2022 will be conducted on November 27, 2022, and the applicants will be able to evaluate their results using our CAT percentile predictor.

For getting admission to the Post Graduate Programme in Management at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) across the country, one must qualify the CAT examination. As far as seat reservation policy is concerned, IIMs follow the central government reservation policy. Candidates must be aware that IIMs publish separate CAT cutoff lists for each category, and hence, forging documents is not advised. The registration will be dismissed if the candidate fails to provide proof of their reservation category at any point during the selection process.

Reservation Policy at IIMs

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

However, candidates who are eligible for reservation under various categories must understand that fulfilling the reservation policy does not guarantee admission to IIMs. The candidates must have a prescribed eligibility criterion along with the minimum level of performance in the Common Admission Test or CAT 2022 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).

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

Category-Wise Reservation of Seats in IIMs

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Note: Candidates who wish to seek admission as per the reservation policies must upload the category or disability certificate at the time of registration of CAT 2022. 

Reservation Policy at IIMs: Who are Included Under the EWS category?

The following individuals are covered under the EWS category:

• 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 the purpose of reservation..
• An Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority must be presented in order to receive the advantage of reservation under the EWS category.

Officials with the Power to Issue an "Income and Asset Certificate"

Here is a list of the authorities who are qualified to issue a "Income and Asset Certificate":

• Collector, District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, First Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Executive Magistrate
• The Chief Presidency Magistrate, Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate, Presidency Magistrate 
• Revenue Officer not at a lower rank than that of Tehsildar.
• Sub-divisional Officer of the region where the candidate and/or his family dwell.

Who are Ineligible for EWS Reservations Offered by the IIMs?

No matter how much money their family makes, candidates who fall within any of the following categories 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.

Reservation Policy at IIMs: Who is Offered Reservation Under the Person with Benchmark Disability (PwD) Category?

A person with Benchmark Disability is a person with not less than 40% of specified disability as specified in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Check all the disabilities that fall under the PwD category.

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

Reservation Requirements for Differently Abled Candidates 

Candidates taking the exam must be aware of the CAT reservations 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.

Documents Required for CAT Reservation for SC/ ST Category

Candidates belonging to SC/ ST category 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
• Union Territory or District and the State of the ordinary residence
• Name of the belonging caste or tribe of the candidate.
• Signatures of required authorities

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Certificates & Forms Required for Reservation at IIMs

All required documents for reservations in CAT 2022 are provided below. At the time of the interview, candidates 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

Reservation Policy at IIMs: Necessary Details of Reservation at IIMs

Before filling the CAT 2022 Application Form, candidates must read all guidelines thoroughly.

• Prior to filling out the application, those who wish to avail of the reservation facilities must first confirm their eligibility. 
• Candidates who fall under one of the following categories: SC, ST, PWD, or OBC must fill out a separate caste certificate. 
• To demonstrate their eligibility, candidates must also attach their caste certificate in addition to filling out the required information. The certificates must be signed by the competent authorities.
• Candidates who fall under the category of Physically Handicapped individuals must present a disability certificate that has been duly signed by a licensed physician. 
• The disability certificate must include a statement on the degree of the disability. Furthermore, a brief explanation of the disability should be included on the certificate.

Key Information for Candidates in the Reserved Category

The following key information applies to SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS, and PwD:

• Candidates must have been included in the Government of India schedule if they fall under the SC/ST category.

• Candidates will be allowed to submit caste or category certificates only in the formats specified by the government.

• The following should be included in the specified format:

  • Name of the caste or tribe

  • Whether the candidate is from an SC or ST background

  • The candidate's native district, state, or union territory of residence

• An appropriate Government of India schedule under which the caste or tribe of the candidate has been recognized as SC or ST.

• When registering for CAT, upload the certificates.

• A copy of the certificates will be needed while conducting interviews.

However, there is a disadvantage to the reservation policy. Many deserving students are denied admission to the preferred IIMs as a result of the reservation policy simply because they fall under the general category. The selection process for candidates for an IIM is extremely rigorous, yet, owing to the reservations, some individuals pass the process only for the sake of it. These students are not deserving enough to attend these colleges, which lowers the standard of the batch. The students who enter through reservations are unable to compete with the rest of the class and students who were admitted to the institution on the basis of merit, and this affects the decorum of the classes.

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