Is XAT Tougher Than CAT Exam? Know Differences and Similarities & Difficulty Level
MBA aspirants are caught between XAT vs CAT debate every year when it is time for MBA admission. So, is XAT tougher than CAT? Both these MBA entrance exams are similar in many ways but have unique aspects. Check here the differences between CAT and XAT.
CAT and XAT are two of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India. They are conducted one month apart. Most of the MBA aspirants appear both of them as they provide wide options of B-Schools. Both are high difficulty level exams but is XAT tougher than CAT? Or Is CAT tougher than CAT? The answer lies in candidate’s ability. Both the exams have similar syllabus but the exam pattern is different and so it the nature of questions.
For example, CAT exam has sectional time limit for each and follow the chronology of the test form. XAT exam also has sectional time limit but you can still divide time between English, QA and Decision Making as per your preparation. While CAT has long and dense RC paragraphs, XAT has a poem in the form of RC.
On the other hand, CAT exam doesn’t have Decision Making and GK sections unlike XAT which requires extra preparation. Both the exams are conducted in a gap of one month. CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026. XAT 2027 will be held on January 3, 2027. Those who plan to appear for both exams can do the preparation simultaneously. They will need to do a bit of practice for XAT as most of the preparation is already done by the time XAT exam day arrived. Extra preparation is mainly required for Decision Making and Essay Writing. In this article we'll discuss XAT vs CAT in detail and cover important aspects such as difficulty level, number of questions, pattern, syllabus, exam timing, etc.
- CAT vs XAT: Differences and Similarities
- XAT vs CAT: Exam Syllabus
- XAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
- XAT Preparation 2027
- CAT Preparation 2026
CAT vs XAT: Differences and Similarities
Although, the syllabus of both exams are same (apart from Decision Making and GK) the difference lies in the types of questions and difficulty levels. In terms of the difficulty level, both XAT and CAT are more difficult than other MBA entrance exams. When compared to each other they both are tough but it has often been seen that in CAT, the DILR section is more difficult than other sections and in XAT, the Quantitative Aptitude section is often tougher than the rest of the sections.
To determine which exam is tougher, one needs to know the difference between the two. Let’s take a look at key highlights of CAT and XAT before moving to differences and similarities:
| Particulars |
CAT |
XAT |
|---|---|---|
| Full form |
Common Admission Test |
Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Conducting Body |
||
| Eligibility Criteria |
Graduate with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates) from a recognized university |
Graduate in any stream from a recognized university |
| Sections |
3 |
5 |
| Exam mode |
Online |
Online |
| Exam duration |
120 minutes |
180 minutes |
| Difficulty level |
Moderate to Difficult |
Moderate to Difficult |
| Exam fee |
INR 2,600 (INR 1,300 for Reserved category students) |
INR 2,200 |
| Registration process |
Online |
Online |
Watch Video to understand the difference between CAT and XAT.
Also Read:
- List of Colleges Accepting XAT score
- List of Colleges Accepting CAT score
XAT vs CAT: Exam Syllabus
XAT's Decision Making and General Knowledge sections are absent in CAT syllabus. The table below indicates section-wise subjects in CAT and XAT exams:
| CAT Syllabus |
XAT Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Decision Making |
|
| Verbal and Logical Ability |
|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
|
| - |
General Knowledge |
Check Topic wise CAT exam syllabus
Check Topic wise XAT exam syllabus
XAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
The test patterns of both the exams are similar. Both the exams contain MCQs with four options to choose the right answer from. However, the marking schemes of both the exams are different. Check the table below for difference between exam patterns of CAT and XAT:
| Details |
CAT Marking Scheme |
XAT Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Questions |
68 |
95 |
| Total Marks |
204 |
95 |
| Negative Marking |
Yes. 3 marks for correct answer -1 mark for incorrect answer No negative marking for non-MCQs |
Yes. 1 marks for correct answer – 0.25 mark for incorrect answer. 0.10 marks will be deducted for more than 8 un-attempted questions. No negative marking in GK section |
| Number of choices in MCQs |
4 |
5 |
| Sectional Time limit |
Yes (40 minutes for each section) |
170 minutes for Part 1 (VA, QA, DM) 10 minutes for Part 2 (GK) |
Check CAT exam pattern 2026
Check XAT exam pattern 2027
Download XAT Previous Year Papers
Check below and download free PDFs of previous years' XAT question papers for practice.
Download CAT Previous Year Papers
Check below and download free PDFs of previous years' CAT question papers for practice.
While there are many similarities between CAT and XAT, the major differences are sectional time-limit and marking scheme, number and types of questions. Candidates preparing for CAT and XAT must focus on solving sample sample papers and mock tests of both these exams. This will help them identify the differences and develop skills to tackle each exam with much each.
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CAT Mock Test
A very important aspect of MBA exam preparation is mock test. Whether it is CAT or XAT or any other exam, the preparation is not complete unless candidates have practiced a good number of mock tests. Mock test not only help candidates in assessing their preparation level so far but also help them learn time management viz the exam duration. Shiksha has created CAT mock test and XAT mock tests, for aspirants to practice and measure their improvement.
| CAT_Mock_Test_1 | CAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| CAT_Mock_Test_2 | CAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
XAT Mock Test
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Commonly asked questions
Yes CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.
IIM shortlist is the list of CAT test takers who make it to the second phase of IIM admission process, which is Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The IIM shortlist is the list of candidates who are eligible to participate in the WAT-PI rounds of IIMs for MBA admission.
Yes, you can crack CAT exam even if you haven't studied Maths in class 12. CAT Quant and DI have Mathematical questions of advance level, from the topics studied in Class 9 and 10. You will only need to brush up the basic and practice advance level questions.
XAT Preparation 2027
Check out Shiksha's most read articles on XAT preparation and learn key tips and tricks:
| How to prepare for XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
|
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Commonly asked questions
While it is not mandatory to attempt all sections in CAT, the IIMs and all top B School consider sectional percentiles too for selecting candidates for admission. Thus, you cannot afford to skip a CAT section all together. You can skip some questions though.
The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.
Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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