CMAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria – Age, Qualification, Attempts & Reservation

Before applying for CMAT 2025, it’s important to check the age criteria set by the National Testing Agency. For CMAT, there is no strict upper age limit for appearing in the examination. Any individual, regardless of their career stage, can apply for CMAT, provided they have completed or are in the final year of their graduation. While no specific minimum age is officially stated, it is implied that a candidate would typically be at least 20 years old upon completing a graduation degree. As there is no upper age limit for the examination itself, age relaxation details for categories like SC, ST, OBC-NCL, and PwD are not directly applicable for the CMAT exam. However, individual B-schools accepting CMAT scores may have their own age-related admission criteria or relaxations for specific programs. Knowing the age rules in advance ensures you apply within the permitted criteria and make full use of any relaxation benefits.

CMAT 2025 may offer relaxations for candidates belonging to specific reserved categories as per National Testing Agency guidelines, although the CMAT examination itself does not have a reservation policy. The reservation benefits, such as reduced qualifying marks or fee concessions, are primarily applied by the B-schools and institutions that accept CMAT scores, adhering to the Government of India’s reservation criteria. For instance, central government-controlled institutions typically reserve 15 percent of seats for Scheduled Caste, 7.5 percent for Scheduled Tribe, 27 percent for Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer), 10 percent for General Economically Weaker Sections, and 5 percent for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities across all categories. To avail these benefits, candidates must correctly mention their reservation status in the CMAT application form and be prepared to upload valid and up-to-date category certificates during the application or admission process. Verification will follow the official protocol set by the respective admitting authority, and candidates claiming OBC-NCL status must adhere to the Central list of Other Backward Classes. By understanding and following the process, eligible candidates can make full use of the category-based benefits available for CMAT.

CMAT 2025 is open to Indian citizens as per National Testing Agency rules. Candidates must hold valid Indian citizenship to be eligible for the examination. As CMAT is a national-level entrance examination, there are no specific domicile requirements stipulated for appearing in the exam itself. However, for admissions to state-level colleges or university departments, a domicile certificate of the respective state may be required by the admitting institution. As per the latest information for CMAT, foreign nationals, Persons of Indian Origin, Overseas Citizens of India, and Non-Resident Indians are generally not eligible to apply for the CMAT examination directly. Such applicants should verify their eligibility and admission procedures directly with the individual colleges or authorities they intend to apply to, as some institutions may have specific provisions for international candidates through their direct admission processes. By understanding these rules early, candidates can ensure they meet the required nationality or domicile conditions before applying.

Before preparing for CMAT 2025, it’s essential to know if there’s a cap on the number of attempts. Most national-level examinations, including CMAT, allow unlimited attempts. There is no official restriction on how many times a candidate can appear for the Common Management Admission Test. While some competitive exams like UPSC, JEE Advanced, or CLAT UG impose a maximum number of attempts, CMAT does not. Candidates can take the CMAT examination as many times as they wish to improve their scores. However, it is important to note that CMAT is typically conducted once a year by the National Testing Agency. Since there is no attempt limit, category-based relaxations regarding the number of attempts are not applicable for the CMAT examination. Being aware of attempt limits helps you plan your preparation strategy effectively and avoid exhausting your chances prematurely.