CAT 2026 Reservation Policy Explained: SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS & PwD Seat Percentage Details

CAT 2026 reservation policy plays a significant part in the admission process in IIMs for applicants who belong to the categories of SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, and PwD categories.

Reservation norms for admission to the courses offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are followed according to the guidelines laid down by the Government of India.

CAT 2026 will be organized by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026, in three sessions. The process for registering for CAT 2026 is on and candidates can apply for the test till September 15, 2026, 5 PM.

CAT 2026 Reservation Policy: Category-Wise Seat Breakdown

Candidates can check the category-wise reservation percentage followed by the IIMs below:

SC, ST, OBC-NCL and EWS reservations together account for 59.5% of seats. The remaining seats fall under the open category before the horizontal PwD reservation is applied.

The 5% PwD reservation is horizontal, which means it applies across different social categories instead of operating as a separate vertical category.

CAT Reservation 2026: What Does PwD Reservation Mean?

Reservation of 5% for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities shall be provided on a horizontal basis.

For instance, a person belonging to the SC community with benchmark disabilities will get the benefit of PwD reservation in the SC community.

Those who claim to fall in the category of PwD reservation shall be required to satisfy the specified criteria of disabilities. In addition, they shall produce relevant documentation during the admission process.

CAT 2026 Reservation: SC Category

The total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes is 15% in the IIM programs.

The SC applicants need to choose the right category during the CAT 2026 application process. It is advised that the candidate should have a valid category certificate prepared as per the required format.

CAT 2026 Reservation: ST Category

Eligibility criteria for reservation for ST category candidates is 7.5% reservation in IIM admission process.

It is advised to ST candidates to make sure that their category certificate is valid as per the stipulations laid by concerned admission body.

CAT 2026 OBC-NCL Reservation

Students from the Other Backward Classes (non-creamy layer) are entitled to the 27% reservation quota.

Reservation is provided only to those students who qualify for the non-creamy layer. Hence, it becomes essential for them to hold the OBC-NCL certificate.

CAT 2026 EWS Reservation

IIM admission seekers who fall in the category of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) are entitled to avail 10% reservation according to the Government of India regulations.

Applicants applying for the EWS category need to satisfy the eligibility criteria as per the set standards. Also, it is advisable for them to have an EWS certificate.

CAT 2026 PwD Reservation

A 5% horizontal reservation is available for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.

This reservation applies across SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and open categories. Candidates claiming PwD benefits should check the disability eligibility rules and certificate requirements before submitting their CAT 2026 application.

CAT 2026 Exam Date and Important Dates

IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2026 on Sunday, November 29, 2026. The computer-based entrance test will be held in three sessions at exam centres across India.

Candidates can check the important CAT 2026 dates below:

Candidates should regularly check the official CAT website for any updates related to the result date or other important events.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

CAT 2026 will be held as a computer-based test (CBT). The question paper will have three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Quantitative Ability (QA)

The total exam duration will be 120 minutes. Candidates will get 40 minutes for each section and won't be allowed to switch between sections during the sectional time limit.

CAT 2026 Session Timings

The examination will be conducted in three slots:

CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Applicants seeking admission to CAT 2026 should hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks or CGPA equivalent.

In case of candidates from the SC/ST/PwD category, the minimum qualifying criterion is 45% marks or CGPA equivalent.

Applicants who are in the final year of their undergraduate program are also eligible to apply on the basis of the eligibility criteria stated in CAT notification.

Professional qualification holders may also be eligible for CAT 2026 depending upon the eligibility criteria set for the same.

CAT 2026 Application Fee

The CAT 2026 application fee varies according to the candidate's category:

Candidates should pay the application fee within the registration deadline to complete their CAT 2026 application successfully.

How Does Reservation Affect CAT Admission?

Reservation through CAT does not provide any admission to IIMs. Reservation through CAT ensures the number of seats which are reserved for candidates who fall in different categories.

Candidates are required to clear the required percentile as well as section-wise cut-offs, and the other conditions of admission to each of the IIMs.

Different IIMs have their own admission policies. In addition to CAT score, each institute will also consider the performance of the candidates in academics, work experience, and subsequent selection processes to finalize the admission list.

Candidates seeking reservation must make sure that the category-related data provided by them in the CAT 2026 application form is completely correct.

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