Difference Between CAT and NMAT: Check Difficulty Level, Syllabus, Pattern & Marking Scheme

The major difference between NMAT and CAT is that the former allows a candidate three attempts while in latter, they can appear only once in a year.

CAT vs NMAT: Know the Differences and Similarities

CAT vs NMAT: Masters of Business Administration, or MBA, has a high demand among graduates across different streams. Obtaining an MBA degree boosts an individual’s career prospects and gives them an edge over others. With a plethora of specialisations to choose from, today numerous aspirants are opting for MBA from renowned institutes/colleges in India. And, to secure a seat in a top B-School, candidates need to crack MBA entrance exams. Apart from CAT, there are many popular entrance exams for MBA admission. One of them being NMAT by GMAC. Conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), NMAT is a very popular entrance exam in India. Especially, because it is flexible and modelled on GMAT.

NMAT by GMAC varies from CAT exam on different aspects. NMAT is considered easier than that CAT exam due to its aspirant first approach. Let us have a look at how NMAT is different from CAT: 

NMAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern

NMAT paper consists of three sections. This year, a big change has been introduced in the NMAT exam pattern. According to the news exam pattern, there will be only 108 questions divided equally among three sections. Total duration of the exam remains the same as 120 minutes. 

Also Read: NMAT Exam Pattern

CAT

CAT exam consists of three sections and a total of 100 questions. Candidates need to solve the question paper in a duration of 180 minutes. 

Also Read: CAT Exam Pattern

NMAT VS CAT: Exam Syllabus

Major MBA entrance exams in India have a similar exam pattern and syllabus. Candidates can prepare for NMAT and CAT simultaneously as both the exam share major aspects of the syllabus. Space below mentions the difference between NMAT and CAT syllabus.

NMAT Syllabus

The sections on which NMAT test-takers are assessed are Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. Few core topics covered under these sections are: 

Language Skills

Logical Reasoning

Quantitative Aptitude  & Data Interpretation

Also Read: NMAT Syllabus

CAT Syllabus

The sections on which CAT test-takers are assessed are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Few core topics covered under these sections are: 

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)  

Also Read: CAT Syllabus

NMAT vs CAT: Marking Scheme & Type of Questions

The primary difference between NMAT and CAT comes to light while considering NMAT and CAT marking scheme. In addition to the marking scheme, the type of questions in both CAT and NMAT vary.

Also Read: How to Prepare for NMAT and CAT Simultaneously?

NMAT

NMAT question paper contains only MCQs. Every correct answer in NMAT attracts one mark and there is no negative marking for incorrect answers. The score card is created based on Scaled Score which is a range between 12 to 120 (sectional) and 36 to 360 (overall). 

CAT

CAT question paper contains both MCQ as well as non-MCQ questions. Candidates attempting CAT will be awarded three marks each for every correct. There is negative marking in CAT. In case a candidate chooses not to attempt a given question, there will be no deduction of marks. The final score card created based on Scaled Score and Percentile. 

Number of Attempts in CAT and NMAT

A candidate can attempt NMAT thrice within the test window of 45-days (November to December) in a particular year. On the other hand, CAT is an annual exam. It is held only once in a year in November. For admissions based on NMAT, most of the participating colleges accept best of three scores for MBA admissions. Both of the exams, CAT and NMAT are similar in terms of score validity. 

NMAT vs CAT: Difficulty Level

The difficulty level of the CAT is higher than that of the NMAT. In fact, the CAT is considered the most challenging MBA entrance exam in India. The NMAT, however, is an adaptive exam; that is, the difficulty of questions in subsequent attempts is determined by your performance in the initial attempt. For instance, if you correctly answer difficult questions in your first attempt, you will encounter more challenging questions in the following attempts. However, if you struggle with difficult questions in first attempt of NMAT exam, you will receive more moderate questions next time. This adaptive nature makes the NMAT a more student-friendly entrance test compared to the CAT.

Furthermore, the CAT is conducted only once a year, attracting lakhs of MBA hopefuls. Additionally, some candidates may be taking the CAT for the second or third time, and even those who scored 100 percentiles in the previous year might reappear. All these factors contribute to the heightened difficulty level of the exam.

• List of colleges accepting CAT score
• List of colleges accepting NMAT score

To conclude, though CAT and NMAT are tough in their own respect, CAT exam is tougher as compared to NMAT. However, since the syllabus of both the exams is more or less the same, if a candidate prepares for CAT, s/he will be able to ace NMAT, too.

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