GMAT Vs CAT Exam: Know Key Difference Between CAT and GMAT, Which is Easier & Tougher
Is GMAT easier than CAT? Which one is tougher or easier, we will discuss it in this blog. Also know the key differences between CAT and GMAT. 
Common Admission Test or CAT and Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT are two of the top MBA entrance exams, scores of which are accepted by all the top B-schools in India, including the IIMs. Most of the other MBA entrance exams are similar to CAT. But GMAT is very different from CAT and one should prepare for it separately.
The basic difference between the two is that while CAT is a domestic entrance exam; GMAT is a global exam which is valid for admission to all business schools worldwide. Conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council, GMAT scores are acceptable by Indian B-schools mostly in case of NRI/Foreign students. However, some top India institutes like SPJIMR, Mumbai, XLRI Jamshedpur, MDI, Gurgaon accept GMAT scores of domestic candidates too. Other top MBA colleges including the IIMs accept GMAT score for admission to Executive MBA and FPM programmes. At the same time CAT is also accepted by IIMs and many other MBA colleges for Executive MBA, Phd, MPhil, FPM, etc.
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Both CAT and GMAT are considered to be tough. Every year over two lakh students in India take the CAT exam. Most of the candidates do not get the desired score in their first attempt in both CAT and GMAT. An equal number of MBA aspirants take the GMAT as well. Domestic candidates who plan to pursue management studies in the upcoming academic year, can take either both the exams (if they can manage to prepare for both simultaneously) or choose to appear for one of them, depending on the MBA course and institute they are targeting. Although both CAT and GMAT test the candidate’s English Language and Quantitative Ability and Logical Reasoning skills, the two are poles apart in many aspects. Here we tell you the difference between GMAT and CAT.
Q: What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?
Q: Is the GRE exam easier than GMAT?
The GMAT test might be easy for those go prefer logical problems instead of Geometry as there are more Geometry questions in the GRE. In addition, the Quantitative section is harder in the GMAT in comparison to the GRE. The verbal section in the GRE can be difficult for non-native English speakers. Candidates can go back and forth in the GRE test, whereas in GMAT one doesn't have the freedom to save and return to each section during the exam. The decision to choose a test for studying abroad depends on various factors such the course requirement, university requirements, current level of preparation, comfort level with the exam pattern, etc.
Q: What is the difference between GMAT and CAT?
GMAT or otherwise known as the Graduate Management Admission Test and Common Admission Test or commonly referred to as CAT are the two most widely accepted management entrance tests, scores of which are accepted by all the top B-schools, including the IIMs. The basic difference, between the two, is that while CAT is a national-level entrance exam for students looking for admission to Top Business Schools in India, GMAT is held on a global level and helps students for admission to top B-Schools worldwide. Conducted by Graduate Management Admission Council, GMAT scores are acceptable mainly in the case of NRI/Foreign students who want to study in India. The IIMs accept the GMAT score of domestic candidates for executive management programmes. Candidates can learn in-depth about the difference between GMAT and CAT exams.
GMAT vs CAT: What is the difference between the two?
Exam Conducting Body
GMAT: GMAT is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
CAT: CAT is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management.
GMAT eligibility criteria: To appear in GMAT, the aspirant must have a bachelor’s degree in any stream or equivalent degree from a recognized university. Final year graduation candidates are also eligible to apply. There is no minimum marks required to appear in GMAT.
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CAT eligibility criteria: To appear in CAT, the aspirant must have a bachelor’s degree in any stream with minimum of 50 per cent aggregate marks or equivalent from a recognized university (45 per cent for reserved category students). Final year Graduation candidates are also eligible to apply.
Frequency /Mode of Exam
GMAT: GMAT is held throughout the year. The candidate can book an exam slot for self from the given calendar as per their convenience. The aspirant can also re-take the exam five times within 12 months. A maximum of eight attempts are allowed to any candidate in his/her lifetime.
Q: Which is better IIM Jammu or IIM Sambhalpur?
Both IIM Jammu and IIM Sambalpur accepts CAT score for admission to the Management courses. IIMs cutoff 2023 will be released after the CAT result. However, considering the 2022 cutoff, IIM Jammu CAT percentile was 90 and for IIM Sambhalpur, the percentile stood at 92 for the General ALL India category candidates. So, considering the previous year CAT percentile for both the IIMs, Sambhalpur is more competitive than Jammu.
Talking bout the NIRF Ranking 2023 under the Management category, IIM Jammu ranked 41, whereas, IIM Sambalpur secured the 58th position. Candidates can refer to the table given below to compare both IIM Jammu and IIM Sambalpur considering several aspects such as total MBA fees, highest package, NIRF ranking and CAT cutoff 2022 to make a clear decision:
| Parameters | IIM Jammu | IIM Sambhalpur |
|---|---|---|
| NIRF Management Ranking 2023 | 41 | 58 |
| CAT Cutoff 2022 | 90 | 92 |
| Total MBA fee | INR 10.5 L - INR 20.7 L | INR 10.5 L |
| Highest package 2023 | INR 64 LPA | INR 64.61 LPA |
Q: Is GMAT harder than CAT?
Both GMAT and CAT entrance exams for MBA admissions. While CAT is required for Indian B-schools, GMAT is required for both Indian and international B-schools. GMAT is tougher than CAT because:
- GMAT records more applicants since it is accepted globally, which means there is a higher competition among applicants, in comparison to CAT.
- GMAT tests applicants holistically across its three broad sections - Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights.
- Also, GMAT is tougher than CAT because, questions on GMAT have stronger emphasis on global business school entrance exams and their specific requirements. CAT only focuses on Indian business specific requirements.
Check: GMAT vs CAT: Key Differences
Q: What is the equivalent of 700 in GMAT Focus?
An equivalent of 700 on the old GMAT for the new GMAT can have two instances,
| Old GMAT | New GMAT (Focus) | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 700 | 645 | 91.3% |
| 700 | 655 | 87.7% |
Thus, there can be either of the two scores - 645 of 655 on the GMAT Focus. Their percentiles are also given above. Each old GMAT score will usually have two corresponding scores, only one GMAT score will be awarded based on the number of questions the applicants have answered.
Q: What is the difference between taking GMAT exam at test centre and online?
Let us understand the difference between the GMAT test centre and online in the table below:
| Parameters | GMAT Exam at Test Centre | GMAT Exam at Home or Online |
|---|---|---|
| GMAT Dates Availability | 7 days a week, but at different time slots which are also limited. | 7 days a week, at all times of the day (that is, 24x7) |
Cost of GMAT in India | USD 275 | USD 300 |
| Rough Work Resources | At the GMAT test centre, 5 laminated pages and 2 dry-erase markers are provided. | For home testing of GMAT - a physical whiteboard, dry-erase marker and eraser are permitted. Additionally, there is also access to whiteboard online. |
This is how the two modes of GMAT exams differ from one another. Rest other aspects remain the same.
Q: What is common between the two modes of GMAT testing?
What is common between the GMAT at the test centre and online is the:
- GMAT exam eligibility, syllabus, structure, preparation and registration are the same for both these modes of GMAT exams.
- The costs for rescheduling or cancelling the GMAT are also the same for both modes of the exam.
- GMAT scores, GMAT score reports and up to 5 free score reports are also the same.
- Plus, the unoffical GMAT scores also reflect on the screen temporarily for both test centre and online test takers of GMAT.
CAT: CAT is conducted by the IIM only once a year. CAT application process begins in August and the exam is held in the last week of November or the first week of December. CAT 2024 application window is open from August 1 to September 20, 2024 and CAT 2024 will be held on November 24, 2024.
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Pattern
GMAT: GMAT question paper consists MCQs from Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning and an Analytical Writing. There is sectional time limit for each section but the candidate can choose the order in which they wish to answer each section.
Also Read: GMAT exam pattern
CAT: CAT exam is held in online mode for two hours in two slots on a scheduled date. Candidates are required to follow the chronology of the question paper, i.e. neither they can choose to answer the section of their choice, nor can they go back to the question skipped earlier. The CAT question paper consists of MCQs and a few key-in answer type questions. What makes CAT easier than GMAT is that there is no Analytical Writing Assessment.
Also Read: CAT exam pattern
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Syllabus
GMAT syllabus: GMAT assesses a candidate on Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning and the Analytical Writing Assessment.
CAT syllabus: CAT syllabus includes topics from Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
Also Read:
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Duration
GMAT: GMAT is held for 187 minutes and has sectional time limit.
CAT: CAT is held for 120 minutes and has sectional time limit.
CAT vs GMAT: Difficulty Level
GMAT
GMAT is the toughest MBA entrance exam. Not only due to the tough questions asked but also due to a peculiar marking scheme. However, it is easier to get a good college through GMAT as it is an adaptive test. Which means, the difficulty level of second attempt will be determined by the candidate's performance in the first attempt of GMAT. If a candidate has struggled in the first attempt, he/she will get the question paper of lower difficulty level in their next attempt and if the candidate has performed well in the first attempt, the question paper of their second attempt will have similar difficulty level.
CAT
CAT is known as a tough MBA exam. The difficulty level of the questions remain on the higher side year on year. Getting a good B-school with CAT score is tough if you've not scored a minimum of 95 percentile. There are no multiple attempts in CAT, so to improve the score candidates have to drop a year. However, there is no guarantee that in the next year, the CAT question paper will be easier than previous year.
CAT vs GMAT: Marking Scheme
GMAT: GMAT has a peculiar marking scheme. Candidates are marked between 200 and 800. Section wise, candidates are scored 0-6 for Analytical Writing Assessment, 1-8 for Integrated Reasoning, 0-60 for Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.
Also Read: GMAT scoring process
CAT: The CAT used to be a 100-question exam till 2019, but in 2020 the number of questions reduced to 76. The CAT exam in 2021 had 66 questions. Since then the CAT has 66 questions. Three marks are awarded to every correct attempt and there is negative marking of one mark for each wrong answer. Total marks of CAT is 198.
Also Read: CAT score vs percentile
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Fee
GMAT: GMAT exam fee is USD 250 for all countries.
CAT: CAT exam fee is INR 2,500 for General and NC-OBC candidates and INR 1,250 for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Physically Disabled candidates.
Validity of Exam Score
GMAT: GMAT score is accepted by more than 2,100 management institutes across the globe. GMAT score is valid for admission for up to five years.
CAT: CAT score is accepted by 21 IIMs and over 1,300 management institutes in India. It is not valid outside India. CAT score is valid for admission for only one year.
Also Read:
| CAT_Mock_Test_1 | CAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| CAT_Mock_Test_Set_2 | CAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Is GMAT easier than CAT? An Overview
Before concluding this blog, let us take a quick glance at how GMAT and CAT are different from each other to assess which one is more difficult:
| Features |
GMAT |
CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Full Form |
Graduate Management Admission Test |
Common Admission Test |
| Conducting body |
Graduate Management Admission Council |
Indian Institute of Management |
| Validity |
Global/for five years |
In India only, valid for only one year |
| Eligibility |
No minimum percentage required in bachelor’s degree |
Bachelor’s degree with minimum of 50% marks |
| Frequency |
Anytime of the year |
Once a year (November last week) |
| Mode of Exam |
Online |
Online |
| Exam Sections |
|
|
| Number of sections |
4 |
3 |
| Number of questions |
80 Questions |
66 questions |
| Exam Duration |
187 minutes |
120 minutes |
| Sectional time limit |
|
40 minutes for each section |
| Difficulty level |
High |
High |
| Marking Scheme |
|
|
| Exam Fee |
USD 250 |
|
Read More:
- Difference between CAT and XAT
- Difference between CAT and IIFT exam
- Difference between CAT and NMAT
- Difference between CAT and MAT
FAQs on CAT vs GMAT
q: Is GMAT easier than CAT?
A: The difficulty level of both CAT and GMAT exams is high. However, GMAT is considered easier than CAT as it has a predefined syllabus unlike CAT. Also, in GMAT candidates can make multiple attempts. Moreover, GMAT is an adaptive test so with subsequent session, the difficulty level of the test is increased or decreased as per their performance in the first session.
Q: Which is more candidate friendly? CAT or GMAT?
A: GMAT is considered more candidate friendly as it allows candidates five attempts. CAT on the other hand is conducted on annually on a single day. In GMAT, there is flexibility of choosing the day and slot of the exam, on the other hand CAT is conducted on a single day for all candidates.
Q: What is the major difference between CAT and GMAT?
A: Some of the main differences between CAT and GMAT are listed below:
- CAT candidates get only one attempt in a year whereas GMAT candidates get five attempts.
- CAT score is valid for one year only whereas, GMAT score is valid for five years.
- CAT is conducted on a single day for all applicants. GMAT candidates can choose exam day and slot as per convenience.
- CAT score is valid for admission to MBA colleges in India only, while GMAT score is valid for admission to MBA colleges in India and abroad.
Q: What is the fees of GMAT exam for Indian students?
A: The fees of GMAT is USD 250 which is approximately for INR 17,700 Indians students is approximately. This fee amount includes 5 attempts that candidates can make in GMAT.
Q: Which top MBA colleges in India accept GMAT scores?
A: About 50 MBA colleges in India accept GMAT score including the IIMs, IIFT Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi, ISB Hyderabad, Great Lakes Institute of Management, KJSIMSR Mumbai, XUB Bhubaneswar, BIMTECH Noida, etc.
Q: How many times can I take GMAT?
A: A candidate can take GMAT five times a year as per their convenience with one time registration. Exam score of the latest appearance will be taken as valid for admission.
Q: Is there an option of retake in CAT exam?
A: No, there is no option of retake in CAT exam. If a candidate is dissatisfied with their CAT score of the current year, they will have to take the exam next year to improve score.
Q: How different is CAT syllabus from GMAT syllabus?
A: GMAT syllabus includes Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning and the Analytical Writing Assessment, while CAT syllabus includes topics from Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
Q: Which exam offers more options of MBA colleges in India. CAT or GMAT?
A: Since CAT is a national level exam and GMAT a global exam, the former offers more options of MBA colleges in India. Over 1,300 MBA colleges in India accept CAT score for MBA admission. On the other hand, only a handful of tier-1 MBA colleges in India accept GMAT score (domestic candidates) for admission.
is GMAT and CAT syllabus same?
A: GMAT syllabus is similar to CAT syllabus. Both include, English, Reasoning and Quants. However, the nature of questions are different.
GMAT syllabus are categorised as Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning and the Analytical Writing Assessment. CAT syllabus includes Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
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