Is IPMAT tougher than SET Exam 2026? Know the Key Differences and Similarities
IPMAT vs SET Exam - IPMAT and SET are two of the most popular BBA entrance exams in India. Both the BBA entrance exams are accepted by the prestigious BBA institutes in the country. Read here the key differences between IPMAT and SET.
IPMAT vs SET
IPMAT vs SET Exam: Every year, many students appear for BBA entrance exams to get admission to some of the top BBA colleges in India. Some of the popular BBA entrance exams include IPMAT, SET, UGAT, Christ University Entrance Test, CUET, etc. Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test (IPMAT) and Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) are the two BBA entrance exams that are taken by many students aspiring to pursue the BBA course. There are about ten colleges which accept IPMAT scores for IPM admissions 2026. These include IIM Indore, IIM Ranchi, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Shillong, Nirma University, IIFT Kaikananda, etc.
On the other hand, SIU's eight colleges accept SET exam scores, including colleges such as SICSR, SCMS Pune, SCMS Noida, etc. Often students think about which entrance exam to take and whether is IPMAT tougher than SET. Comparing the difficulty level of the IPMAT and SET exam can be subjective and depends on factors such as individual strengths, preparation, and familiarity with the exam pattern, etc.
IPMAT 2026 will be held on May 4, 2026, and the SET 2026 exam will also be held on May 2 and May 10. The IPMAT and SET exams are very similar in terms of syllabus but very different in terms of the exam pattern, marking scheme, difficulty level, programme, etc. In this article, Shiksha.com has presented a comparative study of the IPMAT and SET exam to understand if IPMAT is tougher than SET.
The choice between CAT and IPMAT is based on the career goal. CAT is the most recognised test for admission into MBA programs, mainly for those who have completed their undergraduate studies. It is accepted by the top management institutes like IIMs. Whereas IPMAT is targeted at those students who would like to join directly for a 5-year integrated programme BBA+MBA immediately after schools and institutes such as IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak are providing this integrated program. And if one looks for the MBA, post-graduation CAT would be more suitable for it.
MDI Gurgaon placement has been rated 4.6 based on 78 Shiksha verified reviews and for IIM Indore the placement rating is 4.2 based on 203 Shiksha verified reviews. As per NIRF 2023, Management Development Institute Gurgaon has been ranked 13 among the top MBA colleges in India and IIM Indore has been ranked 8 under the Management category.
- IPMAT vs SET Exam: Conducting Body
- IPMAT vs SET: Eligibility Criteria
- IPMAT vs SET: Fees
- IPMAT vs SET: Exam Pattern
- IPMAT vs SET: Syllabus
- IPMAT vs SET: Programme
- Colleges Accepting IPMAT Scores
- Colleges Accepting SET Exam Scores
IPMAT vs SET Exam: Conducting Body
IPMAT: IPMAT is conducted annually by the Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore). The exam is conducted for admission to the Integrated Program in Management (IPM). The exam is conducted in the computer-based test mode (CBT).
SET: The SET exam is conducted by the Symbiosis International University. SET exam is also conducted in the computer-based test mode (CBT). The exam is conducted only once a year for admission to the BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) course.
IPMAT vs SET: Eligibility Criteria
IPMAT Indore eligibility criteria: The students appearing for the IPMAT exam must have cleared Class 12 from a recognised board. Students must have secured a minimum of 60% aggregate in Class 10 and Class 12. They must have also passed the qualifying exam in 2024, 2025, or 2026. Those completing Class 12 by July 30, 2026, are also eligible.
The student must be a maximum of 20 years of age as of July 30, 2026.
Also Read: Detailed IPMAT eligibility criteria 2026
SET eligibility criteria: The students appearing for the SET exam must have also cleared Class 12 from a recognised board. They must have secured a minimum of 50% aggregate in Class 12. Students appearing for the Class 12 Board exams are also eligible to apply for the SET exam.
There is no age limit to appear for the SET 2026 exam.
Also Read: Detailed SET 2026 eligibility criteria
IPMAT vs SET: Fees
IPMAT: The registration fee is INR 4,130 for General and NC-OBC candidates. For SC/ST/PWD (DA) categories, the fee is INR 2,065.
SET: The registration fee for SET is INR 2,250 for one paper. Candidates need to pay INR 1,000 for each institute to which they choose to send their SET scores.
Also Read:
IPMAT vs SET: Exam Pattern
To understand if the IPMAT Indore is tougher than the SET exam, one needs to understand the exam pattern of both exams.
| Details |
IPMAT |
SET |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions |
100 |
60 |
| Total marks |
400 |
60 |
| Exam duration |
2 hours |
1 hour |
| Marking Scheme |
|
|
| Type of Questions |
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and Short-Answer Type Questions (SA) |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Sectional time limit |
Yes, 40 minutes per section |
No sectional time limit |
There are 100 questions in the IIM Indore IPMAT which are to be solved within 120 minutes, whereas, there are only 60 questions in the SET BBA exam which are to be solved in 60 minutes. This means, the students will get one minute per question to solve each question in the SET exam. But since the IPMAT exam has short-answer type questions as well and there is a sectional time limit too, IPMAT becomes a speed-based exam. This also makes IPMAT a tougher exam in terms of execution. However, if the candidates prepare for IPMAT keeping the sectional time limit in mind, they can easily score well.
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IPMAT vs SET: Syllabus
The syllabus of both these exams is not very different from each other, but there are three sections in the IPMAT 2026 exam whereas there are four sections in the SET question paper. The IPMAT question paper has three sections based on two subjects- Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability. Look at the table below to know the syllabus of the two exams.
| IPMAT |
SET |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability (MCQs) |
Quantitative Aptitude |
| Quantitative Ability (Short-Answers) |
General Awareness |
| Verbal Ability |
General English |
|
|
Analytical and Logical Reasoning |
Also Read:
| IPMAT syllabus 2026 | Download Here |
| SET syllabus 2026 | Download Here |
IPMAT vs SET: Programme
IPMAT: The IPMAT exam is conducted for admission to the five-year Integrated Program in Management (IPM). IPMAT is a combination of a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree (under the dual-degree programme) offered by the IPMAT score-accepting institutes. Students will be provided with a BA (Foundations of Management) and an MBA by IIM Indore at the end of the programme. Students choosing IIFT as their college will be awarded a BBA (Business Analytics) and MBA (International Business) after the programme.
SET: The SET exam is a gateway for admissions to undergraduate courses offered by SIU such as Management, Law, Engineering, Economics, Mass Communication and Computer Studies. On completing the course through SET, students will only be awarded a bachelor's degree.
Also Read:
Colleges Accepting IPMAT Scores
Given below is the list of colleges in India accepting IPMAT score.
| Colleges Accepting IPMAT Scores in India |
|
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM Indore) |
|
| IIM Shillong |
IIM Amritsar |
| IIM Sirmaur |
Alliance University |
| NICMAR University |
|
Also Read:
| How to Prepare for IPMAT and Boards Together? | Mistakes to Avoid While Preparing for IPMAT exam 2026 |
| IPMAT PYQs with Solutions PDF |
Colleges Accepting SET Exam Scores
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SET exam is conducted by SIU and is accepted by the colleges affiliated to Symbiosis International University. Check the table below to know the colleges accepting SET exam scores:
| Colleges Accepting SET Scores in India |
|
|---|---|
| Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research [SICSR], Pune |
|
| Symbiosis Artificial Intelligence Institute (SAII), Pune | |
No the IPMAT cutoff for IIM INdore and IIM Rohtak are not the same. Both the IIMs conduct different IPMAT exams. IIM Indore conducts IPMAT Indore and the exam conducted by IIM Rohtak is called the IPMAT Rohtak exam. Thus, both the institues have different cutoff and selection processes. Various factors such as number of applicants, difficulty level, number of seats available for the programme and overall performance of the candidates affect different cutoffs.
PGP is the flagship course of all the IIMs. Below is the comparison between IIM Lucknow and IIM Calcutta based on PGP fee, NIRF ranking and average package:
| PGP Colleges | PGP Fee | Average Package | NIRF Ranking (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Indore | INR 17.30 Lacs - INR 35 lakh | INR 22.65 LPA | 8 |
| IIM Lucknow | INR 9.50 Lacs - INR 12.60 lakh | INR 32.20 LPA | 6 |
SET and UGAT are undergraduate entrance exams conducted for BBA admissions.
- SET exam is conducted by Symbiosis International University for admission to the BBA course at its institutes. Eight SIU colleges accept SET scores for admissions. The duration of the exam is one hour and students have to take the exam in the CBT format.
- UGAT is another BBA entrance exam conducted by AIMA. With UGAT scores, students can get admission to various courses and colleges under AIMA. The exam is conducted in the PBT format.
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Saumya Jain is an English Literature graduate from the University of Delhi. She has over 8 years of editorial and content writing experience. At Shiksha.com, she has spent more than six years creating research, stud
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IPMAT and IPM Aptitude Test (IIM Rohtak) have similar syllabus but the difficulty level is different. Both exams have Quantitative Aptitude and Verbal Ability sections. However, IIM Rohtak's IPMAT exam has an additional section- Logical Reasoning. While IPM Aptitude Test is an easy exam, IIM Indore's IPMAT is moderately tough but to say which is better totally depends upon the college a candidate is targeting for the five-year integrated programme. The participating colleges for both exams are different. If a candidate's dream college accepts IPMAT score, then they should appear for IPMAT exam. The IPMAT exam conducted by IIM Indore is accepted by other institutes such as IIFT, IIM Ranchi, Nirma University, Alliance University, NICMAR University, Department of Management Studies and NALSAR University of Law. The benefit of IPMAT by IIM Indore is that the exam is accepted by multiple top management insitutes in country, whereas the one conducted by IIM Rohtak is only accepted by IIM Rohtak.