NPAT vs IPMAT: Which Is Easier for BBA?
Candidates passing Class 12 with Commerce stream often look for UG admission into BBA and BCom courses. NPAT and IPMAT are among the top choices of candidates considering a UG course under Commerce or Business Management.
NPAT vs IPMAT: Candidates often get confused between NPAT and IPMAT after completing Class 12 with Commerce. NPAT aids admission process into BBA, BSc and BCom courses offered at NMIMS campuses. Whereas, IPMAT offers admission into integrated programme in Management at IIMs. IPMAT exam is accepted by IIM Indore, IIM Rohtak, IIM Shillong, etc. Whereas the NPAT exam is only accepted by NMIMS campuses. Scroll down for a detailed comparison between NPAT and IPMAT exam, including selection process, exam pattern, participating colleges, and more.
- NPAT vs IPMAT: Conducting Bodies
- NPAT vs IPMAT: Eligibility Criteria
- IPMAT vs NPAT: Exam Pattern
- NPAT vs IPMAT: Selection Criteria
- NPAT vs IPMAT: Courses Offered
NPAT vs IPMAT: Conducting Bodies
IPMAT is a national-level entrance test conducted for admission to the five-year Integrated Program in Management (IPM). IPM courses combine UG and PG management degree. There are two separate IPM Admission Test conducted with the same nomenclature.
- IPMAT Indore: Conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore.
- IPMAT Rohtak: Conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Rohtak.
- NPAT: Conducted by SVKMs NMIMS.
NPAT vs IPMAT: Eligibility Criteria
To appear for IPMAT Indore or IPMAT Rohtak, candidates must satisfy the following eligibility conditions:
- Age Limit: General category candidates must be below 20 years of age. SC/ST and PwD candidates have an age relaxation extending up to 25 years.
- Academic Qualification: Candidates must have passed the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations (or equivalent) with a minimum aggregate of 60% for General/OBC categories and 55% for SC/ST/PwD categories.
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.
IPMAT Indore and IPMAT Rohtak have similar syllabus but they differ in terms of difficulty level. IPMAT Indore exam has 3 sections based on Verbal Skills and Quantitative Skills but the IPMAT Rohtak exam has an extra section on Logical Reasoning.
Level of difficulty of IPMAT Indore is slightly higher than IPMAT Rohtak as seen in the previous years. Also, IPMAT Indore scores are accepted by over 10 BSchools including IIM Sirmaur, IIM Shillong, IIM Ranchi, etc. but IPMAT Rohtak scores are accepted only by IIM Rohtak.
The criteria for NPAT differ slightly, specifically in terms of subject requirements:
- Age Limit: Candidates must be under 25 years of age to be eligible.
- Academic Qualification: Candidates must have passed Class 12 with a minimum aggregate of 50% to 60%, depending on the specific program.
- Subject Requirement: A crucial distinction is that for admission to BBA and certain other programs through NPAT, Mathematics or Statistics is often a mandatory subject in Class 12. IPMAT does not strictly mandate Mathematics as a subject in Class 12, provided the candidate meets the percentage aggregate.
IPMAT vs NPAT: Exam Pattern
The structural differences between IPMAT and NPAT leads to a separate preparation strategy for both the exams. Both the exams will require a focused preparation. However, some parts of NPAT and IPMAT are similar. Check the table below for primary differences between IPMAT and NPAT exam structure:
| Particulars |
NPAT Exam Pattern |
IPMAT Indore Exam Pattern |
IPMAT Rohtak Exam Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sections |
Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning |
Quantitative Ability (Multiple Choice Questions), Quantitative Ability (Short Answers), Verbal Ability |
Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning |
| Total Number of Questions |
120 |
90 |
120 |
| Exam duration |
100 minutes |
120 minutes |
120 minutes |
| Marking scheme |
+1 for correct answer; No negative marking |
+4 for correct, 0 for Short Answer incorrect, -1 for MCQs only |
+4 for each correct answer; -1 for incorrect response |
| Selection rounds after entrance test |
Performance based on merit of the exam |
Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) |
Personal Interview (PI) |
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NPAT vs IPMAT: Selection Criteria
The selection process for IIMs via IPMAT is a multi-stage process. Admissions via IPMAT are based on the cumulative performance of the candidate in multiple selection rounds.
- Aptitude Test: Candidates must clear the sectional and overall cutoffs in the IPMAT exam.
- WAT and PI: Shortlisted candidates are called for a Personal Interview and a Written Ability Test. The final selection is based on a composite score of the entrance exam, interview performance, and past academic records.
NMIMS selection process is done based on the entrance exams scores only. There is no additional selection round for admissions at NMIMS.
NPAT vs IPMAT: Courses Offered
IPMAT is conducted for a five-year IPM course at IIMs. After completing the course, students are awarded with a BBA and MBA degree from an IIM. On the contrary, NPAT offers admission to NMIMS campuses. Candidates appearing for NPAT exam have course options, including BBA, BCom (Hons), BSc Finance, BA Liberal Arts, etc. Students get a Bachelor's degree after three or four years of degree course from NMIMS.
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Check the table below to know the section wise difficulty level of the three exams:
| Section | IPMAT Indore | IPMAT Rohtak | JIPMAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Very Difficult | Moderate | Easy |
| Verbal Ability | Moderate | Easy | Easy |
| Logical Reasoning/Data Interpretation | - | Moderate | Moderate |

Abhishek is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He completed his graduation from University of Delhi with a BA Degree. At Shiksha.com, he handles content for MBA, BBA, an
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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.