CAT OBC Reservation Criteria for Admission to IIMs

CAT OBC Reservation Criteria for Admission to IIMs indicate how many seats are distributed for the OBC category for the CAT 2025 admission cycle, as per the Government of India’s reservation policy. Out of roughly 5,500+ seats offered by various IIMs, around 3,491 seats fall under the open category, nearly 809 are reserved for OBC candidates, and close to 538 seats are allotted to the SC/ST category, with the remaining seats assigned to EWS and PwD applicants.

With CAT being an extremely competitive exam, having a valid OBC certificate can increase your chances of securing a seat for the next academic cycle (2026-28). In this article, you can find an overview of the CAT OBC Reservation Criteria for Admission to IIMs across India.

Also Read: CAT Reservation Policy for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD at IIMs

CAT OBC Reservation Percentage in IIMs for MBA

Aspirants from the OBC category can apply for 27% of the available seats at IIMs for MBA admissions. This equates to almost 809 seats that are exclusively set out for OBC applicants. The expected qualifying percentiles for OBC students for the 2026-28 admissions cycle are predicted to fall between 80 and 90. Each IIM determines its own CAT cutoff for the OBC category.

IIM-Wise Seats Reserved for OBC Category

Here is a detailed analysis of the CAT OBC reservation criteria or seat distribution for admission to IIMs across India:

Note: An asterisk (*) has been used next to the seat numbers to give clarity on colleges where the availability of seats might vary a bit. This should help in giving a more accurate view of seat distribution across institutions.

Total Seats at IIMs Across India

Here’s a breakdown of the total number of seats available across all the IIMs for admissions:

IIMs offer explicit reservation guidelines, as stated in their official notification if you are an OBC candidate preparing for the CAT. Of all the restricted categories, the percentage of OBC candidates' reservations is the highest at 27%. But be careful as only individuals on the list at the time of CAT registration closing will be eligible for this reservation. Make sure to consult the most recent OBC list issued by the Central Government.

Also Read:

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