CAT Reservation 2022: Check SC/ST, OBC, EWS, and PWD Reservation Criteria

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CAT 2022 Reservation policy is based on the norms specified by the Government of India. As per rules OBC, SC, ST, EWS category candidates can avail 27%, 15%, 7.5%, and 10% reservation benefits during the time of admission process.

The option to fill your category comes at the time CAT Registration process which is expected to start from the 1^st week of August 2022. Candidates must upload a caste certificate, disability proving certificate along with the form to claim reservation.
It should be noted that IIMs releases separate CAT cut off lists for all categories, thus no forging of documents should be done. If found guilty in proving one’s reservation category at any stage of selection, the candidature shall be cancelled.
Read the article to check the details of CAT Reservation Criteria.

Table of Contents

CAT Reservation 2022 of EWS
1.1 Who falls under the EWS category?
1.2 Who can’t access the EWS quota?
1.3 Authorities to Issue Income Certificate
CAT Reservation 2022: Category Wise
CAT Reservation for Differently Abled Candidates
CAT Mandatory Certificates and Forms
CAT Reservation 2022 FAQs

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CAT 2020 Question Paper	CAT 2019 Question Paper
CAT 2018 Question Paper	CAT 2017 Question Paper

CAT Reservation 2022 Highlights

Each Indian institute of Management has a reservation policy for:

Scheduled Caste (SC): 15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5%
Other Backward Classes (OBC): 27%
People with Disability (PWD): 5%
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 10%

CAT Category-Wise Reservation

CAT Reservation 2022: Category Wise

Candidates belonging to reserved categories and planning to appear in CAT this year should know the reservation policies of IIMs for a clear understanding. The different number of seats are reserved for each category as per the rules of the Government of India. A policy of up to 10 % reservation of seats for the EWS category shall be implemented by IIMs for their coming batch. IIMs adhere to the following CAT Reservation Criteria for their post-graduate management courses:

Category	Reservation (%)
Schedule Caste	15%
Schedule Tribe	7.5%
Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes	27%
Person with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD)	5%
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	Up to 10%

Also CheckCAT Cutoff

CAT EWS Reservation

CAT Reservation 2022 of EWS

As per CAT EWS quota, 10% reservation shall be granted to the EWS candidates belonging to the General quota candidates.

Who falls under the EWS category?

Persons who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs and whose family has a gross annual income below Rs 8 lakh are only identified as EWS for benefit of reservation.
The benefit of reservation under EWS can be availed upon production of an Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority.

Who can’t access the EWS quota?

Regardless of what the family income is, if the candidates fall under any of the following, they can’t avail the benefits of the EWS quota:

Candidates whose families own 5 acres of agricultural land and above.
Candidates who owe a residential flat of 1,000 sq. ft. and above.
Candidates whose parents possess a residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities.
Candidates whose parents own a residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.

Authorities to issue an ‘Income and Asset Certificate’

Following is the list of the competent authorities who can issue an ‘Income and Asset Certificate’:

District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate/ Collector/ Deputy Commissioner/Additional’ Deputy Commissioner/ 1st Class Stipendiary Magistrate/ Sub-Divisional Magistrate/ Taluka Magistrate! Executive Magistrate/ Extra Assistant Commissioner
Chief Presidency Magistrate/Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate/ Presidency Magistrate
Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar
Sub-Divisional Officer or the area where the candidate and/or his family normally resides

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CAT Reservation PWD

CAT Reservation Policy for Differently Abled Candidates

There is a separate reservation policy for differently-abled candidates. The criteria for differently-abled candidates are defined as below:

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, specific learning disability and mental illness
Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (1) to (4)
Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016

This reservation is, however, applicable only for those candidates who suffer from the said disabilities at least to the extent of 40% or more. These candidates must possess a medical certificate stating the same, issued by an authorized medical authority.

Reservation Criteria for Differently Abled Candidates

Following CAT reservations criteria must be understood by candidates appearing for the exam.

There is a reservation of 3% seats for differently abled candidates in IIMs.
Differently abled candidates need to have 45% marks in their graduate degree.
Differently abled candidates will be provided with a wheelchair (blind candidates or those affected with a locomotor disability) at the exam center if selected during CAT Registration.
Differently abled candidates in the low vision category can bring a scribe with them. There are no eligibility criteria set for scribes.

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Certificates for CAT Reservation

Mandatory Certificates and Forms for CAT Reservation

Given below are all important documents required for reservation in CAT 2022. Candidates also need to produce the original certificate at the time of interview in the desired format:

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

Necessary Reservation Details

Candidates shall read all the instructions carefully before filling up CAT 2022 Application Form. Those who want to avail reservation facility shall confirm their eligibility and then fill the application form. A separate caste certificate shall be filled by the candidates who belong to SC/ST/ PWD/ OBC category. Apart from filling the details, it is equally important for the candidates to attach their caste certificate to prove their eligibility. The competent authority should sign the certificates. Those candidates who belong to Physically Disabled category shall produce the disability certificate duly signed by the registered doctor. It is compulsory that the degree of disability should be mentioned on the disability certificate. Also, the certificate should have a small description of the disability.

Important Information for Reserved Category Candidates

Additional Information for SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS, and PwD is as mentioned below:

Candidates belonging to the SC/ ST category must have been listed in the Government of India schedule.
Submit the caste or category certificates in government-approved formats only.
The format should state the following:
- Name of the caste/tribe
- Whether the candidate belongs to SC or ST
- District and State or Union Territory of the candidate’s residence
- An appropriate Government of India schedule under which the candidate’s caste/tribe is approved by it as SC or ST.
Upload the certificates during the time of CAT Registration.
The certificates will be required during the time of interviews.

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CAT Reservation FAQs

CAT Reservation 2022 FAQs

Question: I have SC/ ST certificate in the format uploaded on CAT official portal, can I use the same or do I have to download the certificate template from CAT website and fill it again?

Ans: Candidates can use the format for SC/ST certificate provided at the official website of CAT. All the candidates are advised to upload the documents in the prescribed or provided format only.

Question: Is there any validity process for NC-OBC certificate?

Ans: Generally the validity of NC-OBC certificate is 1 year. If a candidate has obtained the NC-OBC certificate before 1 year time period then he/ she is advised to get the new and updated NC-OBC certificate.

Question: What all categories are available when applying online for CAT 2022?

Ans: The following categories will be provided while filling CAT application form and candidates will only be allowed to select one category.

General
SC
ST
NC-OBC
PWD
EWS

Question: Which documents should I submit if I belong to SC/ ST category?

Ans. Candidates need to submit the caste certificate that provides proof that a candidate belongs to that particular category. Providing the right and authentic certificates is very important as forged documents could lead to disqualification of the candidate.

Question: Is there any defined eligibility for a scribe or reader in CAT 2022?

Ans. PWD candidates with not less than forty percent (40%) of a specified disability where the specified disability has not been defined in measurable terms and includes a person with disability where the specified disability has been defined in measurable terms, as certified by the certifying authority. Only such candidates will be allowed to take the facility of a scribe in CAT.

CAT 2024 : 314 Answered QuestionsView All

• Top Answer By Ankit Sinha on 17-Nov-2022

Ans. Before taking any decision, you must go through all three options that you have in great detail. There are a few reasons why you should not go for IIM-Kozhikode. First, the fees are extremely high, estimated to be around Rs 19.00 lakh. Second, the average package offered at IIMK is around 16-17L, and you will earn more than that after two years. But, once again, if you are desperate for an MBA, you can enroll in IIMK, which comes with the 'IIM' label, which will be very useful in the long run. Give CAT once more. You only need to get a high CAT score and then leave the rest up to their selection process. Second, CAT is extremely unpredictable. With proper preparation, you can achieve excellent results. So, if you're willing to work another year and are confident enough to take the CAT, this is the perfect way to take it. You should look into PGPX from ISB or elsewhere. This option is appealing, but it requires hard work and careful consideration. If you enjoy working in IT and want to advance quickly, this is the path to take. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Orchid Chowdhury on 07-Dec-2021

Ans. Every IIMS and other management colleges make a shortlist based on the percentile after CAT result is declared. With percentile, IIMs also consider other factors like academics, category, gender factor, diversity, etc. The list is made for the second round i.e. GD/PI or WAT/PI. GD/WAT will have a generic topic. There can be a topic from current affairs. PI is taken by some of the faculty and alumni of the institute. In institutes like FMS, there is an extempore after PI. After these rounds, a final shortlist is made with weightage given to GD/PI or WAT/PI performance and CAT percentile. Individual IIMs also have some additional factors. The offer letters are then sent out to top candidates in each category up to the maximum number of seats. The rest candidates are waitlisted. As students choose admissions, the waitlist continues to change. Read more

1 Answer

• Top Answer By Aditya Mahatha on 06-Jan-2023

Ans. I know this decision is a bit difficult to make. What you need to keep in mind is that these two colleges should not be compared to other great IIMs or even ISBs. Those B Schools are at another level and cannot be on par with Kashipur or Raipur. To facilitate a better decision, I will mention the circumstances of these B Schools then you can choose after considering all options. IIM Indore and IIM Kashipur: Both these colleges are not worth a year drop as they will help you earn only an extra 1.5-2 LPA. Moreover, in the coming years, Kashipur and Raipur will have almost the same brand value as that Indore and Kozhikode. IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Lucknow and Bangalore: All these top IIMs are definitely worth a year's drop provided that you are confident enough to cope with the cutoff. All these IIMs consider your academics while selecting so if that is your reason for the year drop I don’t think it will help. There is no surety of admission even after a percentile of 100. ISB: This one is at a whole different level and is in the category of elite B Schools like UCB, NYU, HBS, etc. The top-notch faculty offers amazing pedagogy at relatively low fees. CAT is sufficient for IIMs. But if you want to go for ISB, a work experience of 4+ years and a GMAT are a must. Read more

1 Answer

• Top Answer By Surbhi Mishra on 08-Jul-2022

Ans. IIMs shortlists students for admission based on their CAT score. The second step of selection is GD-PI. For final selection, students are usually shortlisted based on their past academic performance, entrance examination score, and performance in GD-PI. IIMs also consider other factors such as work experience, gender diversity, academic diversity, etc. while shortlisting students. Weights given to these factors are different for different IIMs. Having relevant work experience can certainly help you get a shortlist. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Ahana Mishra on 29-Nov-2022

Ans. Everyone knows that IIM A values diversity over grades. There have been students who were not even waitlisted at IIM K but were at IIM A due to their extremely unique profiles. If you want to build a profile for IIM A, strive for originality. Do something that no one else is doing, such as starting a blog, having a strong digital presence on Instagram, writing on Quora, and so on. Consider what students with a 99 percentile typically do, such as being brilliant in academics and receiving a call from IIM Ahmedabad. Choose a domain in which these students are unlikely to excel and excel in that domain. Furthermore, activities such as writing a blog or hosting a YouTube channel will undoubtedly help you, in the long run, to secure summer and final placements during your MBA. As a result, you will gain valuable insights and hands-on experience with various social media tools such as SEO, SEM, Analytics, and so on. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Abhiraj Mahera on 21-Apr-2022

Ans. If you are aiming for old IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, you will need to score above 99 percentile in CAT. For IIMs and other top-tier B-Schools in India, the CAT cutoff stays above 90 percentile. If you have a good profile, and 99+ CAT score, you can expect to get calls from old IIMs, XLRI, JBIMS, IIFT, FMS, etc. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Trisha Dasgupta on 21-Apr-2022

Ans. Here are some of the things that you will realize after appearing for the CAT examination. Spend the first few minutes going over the papers before diving in. Browse through the problems and start with the ones that you know you can solve in one go. CAT prioritizes solving not sequence. If you aren’t sure about an answer, leave it. Concentrate on other problems. You shouldn’t spend more than 2-3 minutes on a single problem. Don’t use the elimination method, if you can solve the problem in less than 1 minute. Do rough work thoroughly. Don’t answer any questions, just by guessing. There will be a few lengthy questions. Try to ignore these. Even CAT toppers don’t score the full marks. CAT doesn’t test your knowledge. The only thing matters are how much you score. So, try to attempt as many questions as you can correctly. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Arushi Sinha on 04-Sep-2022

Ans. You need to practice a lot in order to be able to solve Quantitative Aptitude in the CAT examination. Quants involve using mathematical ability as well as imagination. You need to memorize some concepts as well as formulas. CAT syllabus for Quants includes a lot of topics that we have studied in 9th and 10th and only the application is different for topics such as PNC & Algebra, Numbers, etc. Most important topics in terms of weightage are as follows. Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Numbers P&C, Series, Log Several chapters are easy and can be completed in a short period of time. You should start your preparation with numbers, it is the base for the quants topics. Once you are a clear knowledge of the topics, start giving time-based mocks. Analyze the mocks and work on the common mistakes that you made. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Rajashree Mukharjee on 27-Apr-2022

Ans. Yes, average students can crack CAT. Students who get through CAT at one go, have the right aptitude for CAT, which was built over time. They have been practicing Maths right from their school days and have been avid readers. If you are average at your studies, you need to spend a lot of time practicing, in order to score good percentile in CAT. Most students usually have gaps in Maths or DILR or English. You need to put in the extra hours to bridge the gap. Find out the subjects in which you are weak, clear the basics, and practice as much as you can. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Sohini Gupta on 27-Apr-2022

Ans. Take a look at the below table to know what CAT score will fetch what CAT percentile, for 2022. Percentile Score VA-RC Score DI-LR Score QA Overall Score 90% 29 1 26 72 95% 32 20 29 81 In 2021, for 90 percentile the required score was 59 and for 95 percentile the required score was 72. Read more

2 Answers

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College

Table of Contents

CAT Reservation 2022: Check SC/ST, OBC, EWS, and PWD Reservation Criteria

CAT Reservation 2022 Highlights

CAT Reservation 2022: Category Wise