CAT Eligibility 2026: Qualification, Marks, Age Limit, Final-Year Rules & Reservation Criteria

Before filling the CAT application form, every aspirant should first check whether they satisfy the CAT eligibility criteria. The Common Admission Test is open to graduates from a wide range of academic backgrounds, but candidates must meet the minimum educational requirements specified for the examination.

For CAT 2026, the broad eligibility framework continues to be based on a recognised bachelor’s degree, minimum qualifying marks and specific provisions for final-year students and reserved-category candidates.

The most important point is simple:

A candidate must generally hold a recognised bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. For SC, ST and PwD candidates, the minimum is 45%.

Final-year graduation students and candidates awaiting their results can also apply, subject to the prescribed conditions.

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CAT 2026 Eligibility at a Glance

The core graduation, percentage and final-year provisions are part of the established CAT eligibility framework.

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Who Is Eligible for CAT 2026?

A candidate can generally apply for CAT 2026 if they satisfy one of the following conditions:

• have completed a recognised bachelor’s degree with the required marks;
• are appearing in the final year of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification;
• have completed degree requirements but are awaiting the final result;
• possess an equivalent recognised qualification;
• hold an eligible professional qualification, subject to the applicable CAT rules.

The bachelor’s degree should be awarded by a recognised university or educational institution under the applicable Indian higher-education framework, or the candidate should hold an equivalent recognised qualification.

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Minimum Marks Required for CAT 2026

The minimum graduation marks differ by category.

General, EWS and NC-OBC Candidates

Candidates in these categories generally need:

At least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA in the bachelor’s degree.

SC, ST and PwD Candidates

Candidates belonging to these categories generally need:

At least 45% marks or equivalent CGPA.

CAT Eligibility Marks Table

These percentages refer to the qualifying degree requirement, not the CAT percentile needed for admission to an IIM.

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CAT Eligibility: Graduation Percentage vs CAT Percentile

Students often confuse these two requirements.

They are completely different.

Graduation Percentage

This determines whether you are eligible to appear for CAT and participate in the admission process.

For example:

• General candidate with 52% in graduation → may satisfy the basic CAT degree-percentage requirement.
• General candidate with 47% → normally does not satisfy the 50% requirement.
• SC candidate with 47% → may satisfy the 45% requirement.

CAT Percentile

This is the performance you obtain in the CAT examination.

A candidate may be eligible to sit for CAT with 50% in graduation, but admission to a leading IIM may require a very strong CAT percentile along with other profile factors.

So:

CAT eligibility marks ≠ IIM CAT cutoff.

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Can Final-Year Students Apply for CAT 2026?

Yes.

Candidates who are appearing in the final year of their bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification can apply for CAT.

Candidates who have completed all degree requirements but are still awaiting their final results can also apply.

If such a candidate receives admission, the offer may initially be provisional.

The candidate may be required to submit certification from the university or institution confirming that all requirements for obtaining the bachelor’s degree have been completed by the prescribed deadline.

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CAT Eligibility for Students Awaiting Graduation Results

Suppose you have completed your final semester but your university has not yet declared the result.

You can generally still apply for CAT.

However, if selected by an IIM, you will have to comply with the institute’s deadline for producing:

• final marksheets;
• degree certificate;
• provisional certificate; or
• prescribed university certification.

Failure to meet the final degree requirements by the specified deadline can result in cancellation of provisional admission.

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CAT Eligibility for 3-Year Bachelor’s Degree Students

Yes.

Students with a recognised three-year bachelor’s degree can apply for CAT if they meet the required marks.

Examples include:

• B.A.
• B.Com.
• B.Sc.
• BBA
• BMS
• BCA
• other recognised bachelor’s degrees.

There is no requirement that the bachelor’s programme must necessarily be four years long.

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CAT Eligibility for 4-Year Degree Students

Candidates with recognised four-year undergraduate degrees are also eligible, subject to the required marks.

Examples may include:

• B.Tech.
• B.E.
• four-year B.Sc. programmes;
• four-year undergraduate honours programmes;
• other recognised bachelor’s degrees.

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Can Engineering Students Apply for CAT?

Yes.

Engineering graduates are among the largest groups of CAT applicants.

Candidates with degrees such as:

• B.Tech.
• B.E.

can apply provided they satisfy the minimum graduation requirements.

However, engineering is not compulsory for CAT.

Students from almost any recognised academic background can apply.

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Can Arts Students Apply for CAT?

Yes.

Graduates with degrees such as:

• B.A. English;
• B.A. Economics;
• B.A. Psychology;
• B.A. Political Science;
• B.A. Sociology;
• other recognised arts degrees

can appear for CAT if they satisfy the minimum marks requirement.

Some IIM selection systems may even award academic-diversity points to candidates from non-engineering backgrounds.

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Can Commerce Students Apply for CAT?

Yes.

Candidates with qualifications such as:

• B.Com.;
• B.Com. (Hons.);
• BBA;
• BMS;
• BBM

can apply for CAT, subject to the minimum graduation percentage.

Commerce and management graduates often find that parts of CAT Quantitative Ability, business-school academics or interviews connect naturally with their academic background, but they do not receive any special exemption from CAT sections.

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Can Science Students Apply for CAT?

Yes.

Students with recognised science degrees such as:

• B.Sc. Mathematics;
• B.Sc. Statistics;
• B.Sc. Physics;
• B.Sc. Chemistry;
• B.Sc. Computer Science;
• other recognised science programmes

can apply for CAT.

CAT does not restrict candidates to a particular graduation stream.

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Can Medical, Law and Other Professional Graduates Apply?

Yes, subject to the qualification being recognised and meeting the applicable eligibility requirement.

Applicants may come from backgrounds such as:

• medicine;
• law;
• architecture;
• pharmacy;
• agriculture;
• design;
• humanities;
• commerce;
• science;
• engineering.

This diversity is one reason why MBA classrooms often include students from very different academic backgrounds.

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CAT Eligibility for CA, CS and CMA Candidates

Candidates holding recognised professional qualifications such as:

• Chartered Accountancy;
• Company Secretary;
• Cost and Management Accountancy

may be eligible under the professional-qualification provisions applicable to CAT, subject to the required marks/equivalent conditions.

Historically, CAT eligibility has explicitly recognised eligible professional qualifications alongside bachelor’s-degree routes.

Candidates should enter qualification details exactly as requested in the application form.

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CAT Eligibility for Distance Education Graduates

A candidate with a degree obtained through distance or online mode may be eligible if the degree and institution are recognised under the applicable regulatory framework.

The important issue is not whether the programme was completed through regular classroom attendance or distance mode.

The important questions are:

• Is the university/institution recognised?
• Is the qualification valid?
• Does the candidate satisfy the minimum marks requirement?

Candidates should verify the status of their degree before applying.

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CAT Eligibility for Online Degree Students

Students completing a recognised online bachelor’s programme may also be eligible if:

• the degree is legally recognised;
• the awarding institution is authorised to offer the programme;
• the candidate satisfies the minimum marks requirement.

Do not assume that every online course or private certificate is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.

A short-term online certificate does not replace the bachelor’s qualification required for CAT.

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CAT Eligibility for Open University Graduates

Candidates graduating from recognised open universities can generally apply if the qualification satisfies the required recognition and marks criteria.

For example, the key consideration is whether the degree is recognised as a valid bachelor’s qualification.

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CAT Eligibility After Diploma

A diploma by itself does not automatically satisfy the bachelor’s-degree requirement.

However, candidates who entered a recognised bachelor’s programme through lateral entry after completing a diploma may be eligible once they hold the required bachelor’s degree.

For example:

Diploma → Lateral Entry B.Tech → Completed Bachelor’s Degree

Such a candidate may apply subject to the CAT eligibility conditions.

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Can a Student in the First or Second Year of Graduation Apply for CAT?

Normally, no.

A student should either:

• have completed the bachelor’s degree; or
• be appearing in the final year of the bachelor’s/equivalent qualification.

A student who is only in the first or second year of a standard three-year graduation programme is not yet at the required stage.

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CAT Age Limit 2026

There is no standard upper age limit for appearing in CAT.

This means candidates can take CAT whether they are:

• fresh graduates;
• working professionals;
• professionals with several years of experience;
• candidates planning a career change later in their careers.

Age itself does not prevent an otherwise eligible candidate from appearing for CAT.

However, individual MBA or specialised programmes can have their own requirements, so candidates must separately check programme eligibility.

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Is There a Minimum Age for CAT?

CAT does not generally specify a separate minimum age beyond the educational qualification requirement.

In practice, candidates must have reached the appropriate stage of their bachelor’s qualification.

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Is There a Limit on CAT Attempts?

There is no fixed overall attempt limit under the standard CAT framework.

A candidate who remains eligible can appear in CAT again in a later year.

For example, a candidate can take:

• CAT 2024;
• CAT 2025;
• CAT 2026;

provided the applicable eligibility requirements are met each year.

This is different from some entrance examinations that impose a strict attempt cap.

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Is Work Experience Required for CAT?

No.

Work experience is not compulsory to appear for CAT.

Both fresh graduates and working professionals can apply.

A fresher with no work experience can take CAT and seek admission to a two-year MBA/PGP programme.

However, some IIMs award points for relevant work experience during their selection process.

Therefore:

Work experience is not required for CAT eligibility, but it may influence IIM selection.

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How Much Work Experience Is Best for CAT?

There is no universal ideal duration.

Different IIMs use different work-experience scoring formulas.

Some may reward a certain range of experience more than very short or very long experience.

This is a selection-policy issue—not a CAT eligibility requirement.

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CAT Eligibility and Backlogs

Having an academic backlog does not necessarily mean you can never appear for CAT.

However, final-year candidates must ultimately satisfy the degree-completion conditions within the deadline prescribed by the admitting institution.

Students with backlogs should carefully check:

• whether they will complete all degree requirements in time;
• whether final results will be available;
• whether the IIM’s admission deadlines can be met.

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CAT Eligibility if Graduation Marks Are Below 50%

For General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates, a graduation score below the required threshold would normally make the candidate ineligible under the standard CAT eligibility criteria.

For SC, ST and PwD candidates, the applicable minimum is generally lower at 45%.

Candidates should not assume that a very high CAT percentile can compensate for failure to satisfy the basic graduation eligibility requirement.

The degree requirement and CAT score are separate conditions.

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How Is Graduation Percentage Calculated for CAT?

This is especially important for students whose universities award CGPA instead of percentage.

The percentage is calculated according to the method followed by the candidate’s university or institution.

If the university provides an official conversion formula:

Use that university-certified formula.

If the university confirms that it does not have a percentage-conversion scheme, the established CAT framework uses:

Equivalent Percentage = (CGPA ÷ Maximum Possible CGPA) × 100

For example:

If CGPA = 7.5 on a 10-point scale:

7.5 ÷ 10 × 100 = 75%

But do not automatically use this formula if your university already prescribes its own conversion system.

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CAT Eligibility for CGPA Students

Students with CGPA should keep:

• semester-wise grade sheets;
• consolidated marksheet;
• university CGPA conversion policy, where available.

Incorrect conversion can cause problems during document verification.

Do not simply multiply CGPA by 10 unless your university’s official rule says so.

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CAT Eligibility for Candidates With Grades Instead of Marks

If your institution awards:

• CGPA;
• GPA;
• letter grades;
• grade points

instead of marks, use the conversion method officially prescribed by your institution.

The CAT authorities and IIMs may verify the calculation during the selection process.

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CAT Eligibility and Reservation Categories

CAT applicants can fall under categories such as:

• General;
• EWS;
• NC-OBC;
• SC;
• ST;
• PwD.

Reservation benefits apply according to the relevant legal and admission provisions.

Historically, IIM admissions have provided reservation for:

• SC;
• ST;
• NC-OBC;
• EWS;
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.

Candidates claiming a reserved category must possess valid documentation in the required format.

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CAT Eligibility for NC-OBC Candidates

Candidates applying under NC-OBC should ensure:

• their community is included in the applicable Central list;
• they satisfy non-creamy-layer requirements;
• their certificate meets the prescribed requirements.

State-level OBC status does not automatically mean a candidate qualifies for NC-OBC benefits in a central institution.

This distinction is extremely important.

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CAT Eligibility for EWS Candidates

Candidates applying under EWS should ensure that they satisfy the prevailing eligibility criteria and have the required valid certificate.

EWS candidates still generally need the same minimum bachelor’s marks as General and NC-OBC candidates for CAT eligibility:

50% or equivalent CGPA

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CAT Eligibility for SC and ST Candidates

SC and ST candidates generally receive relaxation in the minimum bachelor’s marks requirement.

The standard requirement is:

45% marks or equivalent CGPA

Candidates should have valid category documentation as required during admission and document verification.

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CAT Eligibility for PwD Candidates

PwD candidates generally require:

45% marks or equivalent CGPA

Reservation and examination accommodations are subject to the applicable disability criteria and documentation requirements.

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities are treated according to the prevailing statutory framework, including the prescribed benchmark-disability threshold where applicable.

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CAT Eligibility for Foreign Nationals

International or foreign-national admissions can differ from the domestic CAT route.

Some IIM programmes may accept examinations such as GMAT or other qualifications from specified categories of international applicants.

Foreign nationals, NRIs and overseas applicants should therefore check the admission policy of each target IIM rather than assuming that domestic CAT rules apply identically.

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CAT Eligibility Is Not the Same as IIM Eligibility

This distinction deserves special attention.

Being eligible for CAT means:

You meet the basic conditions to appear for the examination.

It does not mean:

You automatically satisfy every individual IIM programme’s admission criteria.

An IIM may additionally consider:

• CAT sectional percentile;
• overall CAT percentile;
• Class 10 marks;
• Class 12 marks;
• graduation performance;
• specific academic qualifications;
• work experience;
• programme-specific conditions.

Always check the programme-specific criteria after confirming CAT eligibility.

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CAT Eligibility Is Also Not the Same as IIM Shortlisting

Consider this example.

A General-category student has:

• Graduation: 65%
• CAT eligibility requirement: satisfied
• CAT percentile: 88

The candidate may be eligible to take CAT, but whether they are shortlisted by a particular IIM depends on that IIM’s admission policy.

Another candidate may have:

• Graduation: 85%
• CAT percentile: 98
• excellent Class 10 and 12 scores
• relevant work experience

Their admission prospects may be very different.

Therefore:

CAT Eligibility

↓

CAT Examination

↓

CAT Percentile

↓

IIM-Specific Shortlisting Criteria

↓

PI / Selection Process

↓

Final Admission

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Does Class 10 Percentage Affect CAT Eligibility?

No specific Class 10 percentage is normally prescribed merely to appear for CAT.

However, Class 10 performance can matter later because several IIMs consider academic history in shortlisting or final selection.

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Does Class 12 Percentage Affect CAT Eligibility?

Similarly, there is no standard Class 12 percentage requirement simply for appearing in CAT beyond satisfying the broader bachelor’s-degree pathway.

But IIMs may consider Class 12 marks as part of their selection formula.

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Do Graduation Marks Matter After CAT?

Yes.

Graduation marks can matter at two stages:

Stage 1: Eligibility

You must satisfy the required minimum marks.

Stage 2: IIM Selection

Some institutes give additional weight to graduation performance when calculating composite scores.

Thus, a graduation score can influence more than basic eligibility.

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Can a Candidate With a Gap Year Apply for CAT?

Yes.

A gap year does not automatically make a candidate ineligible.

A candidate may have a gap:

• after Class 12;
• during graduation;
• after graduation;
• between jobs.

The key requirement is meeting the educational eligibility.

However, during interviews, you may be asked to explain significant gaps.

Be prepared with a clear and truthful explanation.

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Can Working Professionals Apply for CAT 2026?

Yes.

Working professionals can appear for CAT if they satisfy the academic eligibility requirements.

Many CAT aspirants work full-time while preparing.

For a two-year MBA, candidates with work experience can also bring valuable professional exposure to the classroom.

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Can Government Employees Apply for CAT?

Yes, provided they meet the standard eligibility conditions.

However, if selected, they may need to comply with their employer’s:

• resignation;
• leave;
• sponsorship;
• service-related rules

before joining a full-time residential programme.

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Can Married Candidates Apply for CAT?

Yes.

Marital status has no bearing on normal CAT eligibility.

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CAT 2026 Eligibility Checklist

Before applying, use this simple checklist:

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CAT Eligibility: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Confusing 50% graduation marks with 50 CAT percentile

They are unrelated.

Mistake 2: Using your own CGPA conversion formula

Use your university’s prescribed method.

Mistake 3: Selecting the wrong reservation category

Verify your category eligibility before registering.

Mistake 4: Assuming a backlog does not matter

If you cannot complete the degree by the required deadline, your admission may be affected.

Mistake 5: Thinking work experience is compulsory

Fresh graduates are fully eligible.

Mistake 6: Thinking only engineers can appear

CAT is open to candidates from varied academic backgrounds.

Mistake 7: Assuming CAT eligibility guarantees IIM admission

It does not.

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CAT 2026 Eligibility FAQs

What is the minimum qualification for CAT 2026?

A candidate generally needs a recognised bachelor’s degree or eligible equivalent qualification.

What percentage is required for CAT?

General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates generally require 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, while SC, ST and PwD candidates generally require 45%.

Can final-year students apply for CAT 2026?

Yes. Final-year bachelor’s students can apply, subject to completing the degree requirements within the prescribed admission timeline.

Can I apply for CAT if my result is awaited?

Yes. Candidates who have completed degree requirements but are awaiting their results can generally apply.

Is there an age limit for CAT?

CAT does not normally prescribe an upper age limit.

Is there an attempt limit for CAT?

There is no standard fixed number of lifetime CAT attempts.

Is work experience compulsory for CAT?

No. Freshers and working professionals can both apply.

Can B.Com students apply for CAT?

Yes.

Can B.Sc students apply for CAT?

Yes.

Can BA students appear for CAT?

Yes.

Can B.Tech students appear for CAT?

Yes.

Can BCA students apply for CAT?

Yes, subject to the recognised bachelor’s degree and minimum marks requirements.

Can CA students appear for CAT?

Eligible recognised professional qualification holders may apply subject to the applicable CAT eligibility conditions.

Can a student with 49% in graduation apply for CAT?

For a General/EWS/NC-OBC candidate, 49% would ordinarily be below the standard 50% minimum. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the standard minimum is generally 45%.

Do Class 10 and 12 marks matter for CAT eligibility?

They generally do not determine basic CAT examination eligibility, but they can matter significantly during IIM shortlisting.

Is CAT eligibility the same for all IIMs?

CAT’s basic eligibility is common for the examination, but individual IIMs may have additional programme-specific admission and selection criteria.

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CAT Eligibility vs CAT Cutoff

A useful way to remember the difference is:

For cutoff information, visit:

CAT Cutoff →   Click Here

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What to Do After Checking CAT Eligibility

Once you confirm that you satisfy the CAT eligibility criteria, move through the CAT journey in this order:

Check Eligibility

↓

Complete CAT Registration

↓

Understand CAT Syllabus

↓

Understand Exam Pattern

↓

Start Preparation

↓

Attempt Mock Tests

↓

Take CAT

↓

Check Score vs Percentile

↓

Explore CAT Colleges

This makes your preparation more organised and avoids missing important admission stages.

Final MBA4U Guidance

The CAT eligibility criteria are straightforward for most applicants, but students should not treat them casually.

Before registering, confirm three things:

1. Is your qualification recognised?

Your bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification must meet the applicable requirements.

2. Do you meet the minimum marks?

Generally:

50% – General / EWS / NC-OBC

45% – SC / ST / PwD

3. Can you complete your degree on time?

Final-year students must ultimately satisfy the degree-completion requirements within the prescribed admission timeline.

Once these conditions are clear, your focus should shift from:

“Am I eligible for CAT?”

to:

“What CAT percentile do I need for the MBA colleges I want?”

That is where CAT preparation, mock tests, Score vs Percentile and College Predictor become the next important steps in your MBA journey.

For Details  Click Here