As per Government of India requirement 15% and 7½% seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, respectively. In addition, the Government of India has proposed to reserve seats for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC) starting from academic year 2007-08. The details of the reservation for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC) would be notified by the IIMs on their web-sites and through an advertisement in national newspapers on receipt of an official communication from the appropriate authority.

3% seats are reserved for Persons with Disability (PWD) as per PWD Act 1995. The three categories of disability are: a) low-vision/blindness, b) hearing impairment, and c) locomotor disability/cerebral palsy.

Candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD/OBC are advised to enclose a photocopy of their category certificate at the time of submission of CAT application form. They also need to mark carefully the category to which they belong while filling the application form.

The candidates belonging to categories for which seats are reserved need to note and read carefully the eligibility requirements before applying. It should be noted that while it is the endeavour of IIMs that the candidates belonging to OBC/SC/ST/PWD categories join the programme in proportions mandated by the law, they have to meet the minimum eligibility criteria and a certain minimum level of performance in the admission process. The candidates should read carefully the description of admission process followed by each IIM in CAT bulletin.