Are you confused between taking the CAT or GMAT? Wondering what is the right pick for your MBA plans? Have all your questions answered here!
The full form of GMAT is Graduate Management Admission Test and is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). It is used as a selection criterion in more than 7,700 programs at 2,400 universities. CAT or the Common Admission Test is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and is accepted by only Indian colleges for admission to their MBA programs. The exam is conducted by one of the 6 oldest IIMs in a rotational fashion.
Difference between CAT and GMAT
| Differentiator | CAT | GMAT |
| Conducting body | Indian Institute of Management | Graduate Management Admission Council |
| Score Validity | One year | Five years |
| Eligibility | Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks | At least 13 years of age |
| Frequency | Once a year | Round the year |
| Accepted by | Indian business schools (·20 IIMs · Other management colleges in India (SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT, IIFT) ·Accepted for admission in India only) | Global business schools + Select Indian business schools ( 7000+ programs (Including ISB, SPJIMR, MDI, IIMs (Executive Programs) |
| Number of sections | 3 | 4 |
| No. of Questions/ Time limit | 100 Questions in total ·VARC – 34 Questions / 40 minutes ·DILR – 32 Questions / 40 minutes ·QA – 34 Questions / 40 minutes | 80 Questions in total ·QR – 31 Questions / 62 Minutes ·VR – 36 Questions / 65 Minutes ·IR – 12 Questions / 30 Minutes ·AWA – 1 Question / 30 Minutes |
| Exam Duration | 120 minutes | 187 minutes |
| Exam Fee | ₹ 2,000 | USD 250 |
| Nature | Not computer Adaptive | Computer Adaptive |
| Lifetime attempts | No restrictions | 8 lifetime attempts allowed |
| Sections | 3 Sections ·Verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC) ·Data Interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR) ·Quantitative Ability (QA) | 4 Sections · Quantitative reasoning (QR) ·Verbal reasoning (VR) · Analytical writing (AWA) · Integrated Reasoning (IR) |
| Score reporting | Only Percentile score reported | Absolute score (Out of 800) and percentile score reported |
Syllabus of CAT and GMAT
Both CAT and GMAT test quant, verbal, and reasoning skills. The key difference is the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section in GMAT.
Here is a breakdown of the CAT and GMAT syllabi and the differences:
CAT and GMAT: Verbal Syllabus
| CAT | GMAT |
| Fill in the blanks | Verb tense |
| Grammar | Pronoun |
| Para Completion and inference | Subject-verb agreement |
| Reading Comprehension | Modifiers |
| Verbal Logic | Idioms |
| Para jumbles | Parallelism |
| Verbal Reasoning | Comparison |
| Syllogisms | Inference |
| Contextual usage | Assumption |
| Analogies | Evaluate |
| Different usage of the same word | Strengthen and weaken |
| Antonyms | Boldface |
| Sentence completion | Paradox |
| Jumbled paragraphs | |
| Foreign language words used in English | |
| Sentence correction | |
| Idioms | |
| One word substitution |
CAT and GMAT: Quant Syllabus
| CAT | GMAT |
| Geometry | Number properties |
| Trigonometry | Multiples and factors |
| Mensuration | Fractions |
| Ratios and Proportion | Decimals |
| Number system | Percentages |
| Work and time | Averages |
| HCF & LCM | Powers and roots |
| Algebra | Profit and loss |
| Profit & Loss | Simple and compound interest |
| In-equations Quadratic and linear equations | Speed, time, and distance |
| Geometric Progression | Pipes, cisterns, and work time |
| Percentages | Ratio and proportion |
| Averages | Mixtures and alligations |
| Partnership (Accounts) | Descriptive statistics |
| Time-Speed-Distance | Set theory |
| Surds and Indices | Probability |
| Inequalities | Permutation and combination |
| Logarithms | Monomials, polynomials |
| Algebraic expressions and equations | |
| Functions | |
| Exponents | |
| Arithmetic and geometric progression | |
| Quadratic equations | |
| Inequalities and basic statistics | |
| Lines and angles | |
| Triangles | |
| Quadrilaterals | |
| Circles | |
| Rectangular solids and cylinders | |
| Coordinate geometry |
What Should You Take: CAT or GMAT?
Before deciding on the exam, you should consider the following factors:
- Where do you want to pursue an MBA from?
- What are your financial constraints?
- What are your career goals?
- Investment vs Return.
- Score Validity
Here is why it is beneficial to take the GMAT over CAT:
- Avenues available: Needless to say, GMAT opens the door to the best and biggest b-schools in the world. Even if the cost of studying abroad is a deterrent, a high GMAT score can get you significant scholarships. Additionally, IIMs and some of the other top Indian colleges also accept the score, without you needing to choose between India and abroad.
- Attempts: The CAT can only be given once a year and if you do not bring your A-game on the day, you have to wait an entire year. On the other hand, GMAT can be re-taken within 16 days up to 5 times in a year, increasing the chances of acing the exam soon.
- Score Validity: The GMAT score is valid for 5 years. This means you can take the exam in college or at any time it suits you, knowing that you can write your applications at ease, taking the time you need. With CAT, the score is only valid for a year and you are forced to take it within the year you want to apply irrespective of your time availability or bandwidth.
- Performance on Boards: If your Class 10th and 12th marks were average, go for GMAT, because IIMs consider those marks while evaluating you.
Taking the CAT is beneficial, especially in the following cases:
- Cost: The financial aspect becomes an important criterion that favors CAT over GMAT. First, the registration fee for CAT is a mere USD 28 compared to the USD 250 needed for the GMAT. This has a significant impact on the number of attempts a person of modest means can consider for themselves. Secondly, appearing for CAT and seeking admission to Indian business schools is at least 5 times cheaper than going overseas for business education.
- Future goals: If you do not seek to settle abroad, build a global network of professionals, or have the chance to work anywhere across the globe, then CAT can be sufficient for you.
CAT vs GMAT: Which Exam is Tougher?
CAT is tougher than GMAT due to the following reasons:
- The GMAT has a well-defined syllabus and question types, making it easier to prepare for. Further, it is possible to score 700+ on the exam with 90 – 120 hours of dedicated preparation. On the other hand, the CAT syllabus is not very well defined, and thus more preparation time is required as compared to the GMAT.
- The LRDI section of the CAT is more difficult to ace than the IR of the GMAT. The quant section of CAT is tougher than GMAT. However, it is compensated by the relatively easier CAT verbal section.
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To qualify for any of the top IIMs, a student needs a minimum of 99th percentile. Whereas, with a strong profile, even a 96th or 94th percentile in the GMAT can land you admit to some of the best global business schools.
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GMAT does not have negative markings. If you make a mistake, the next question is simply easier than the one you attempted. On the other hand, the negative marking on CAT makes it quite difficult to score the 99th percentile.
