Difference between CAT and GMAT Syllabus: Topic-wise Comparison
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CAT and GMAT are two MBA entrance exams that are very different from each other. Their purpose is different from each other and so is the syllabus. Check here the key difference between CAT and GMAT syllabus.
Difference between CAT and GMAT syllabus
Difference between CAT and GMAT syllabus is stark. Since both exams are of entirely different nature, their syllabus is also vastly different. Applicants for CAT do not prepare for GMAT or vice versa, in the same year. Both exam are completely different in pattern and evaluation thus dedicated preparation is required for either.
Common Admission Test or CAT and Graduate Management Aptitude Test or GMAT are the two top MBA entrance exams but serve different purposes. CAT is a domestic exam in which nearly 2.5 lakh candidates appear every year. GMAT on the other hand is conducted for admission to international universities, thus the difference in syllabus.
One can't prepare for both CAT and GMAT simultaneously. For both CAT and GMAT, single minded focus and dedicated exam preparation is necessary. So, in the choice between GMAT vs CAT, you must choose the one based on your future plan - MBA in India or MBA abroad. In this article we have listed the difference between CAT and GMAT to help you in making a decision.
Also Read: CAT Admit Card
- What is the Difference between CAT and GMAT Syllabus?
- CAT vs GMAT: Difference in Syllabus
- GMAT syllabus
- CAT syllabus
- CAT vs GMAT: Difference in Exam Pattern
What is the Difference between CAT and GMAT Syllabus?
The biggest difference between CAT syllabus and GMAT syllabus is the composition of topics and difficulty levels of chapters.
CAT vs GMAT: Difference in Syllabus
CAT syllabus comprises - Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
GMAT syllabus comprises - Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights. Let’s take a look at the topics included in CAT and GMAT.
Real prep plan shared by CAT toppers who scored 99+ to 100 percentile:
- 2025 CAT Topper Anmol Gupta (99.96%): Solved 5 DILR sets in under 35 mins.
- 2024 CAT Topper Vagish Nangia (100%): Mastered VARC using a 7-8 min RC drill and prioritised sectional mocks.
- 2025 CAT Topper Pranshav Shah (99.80%): Followed daily timed routine of 4 RCs, 4 DILR sets, 30-40 Quant questions.
GMAT syllabus
A key aspect of GMAT is that, it doesn't include Essay Writing anymore. The Quants section of GMAT does not have Geometry. There is no sentence correction either in Verbal Reasoning. So, what you read for CAT is completely non-applicable for GMAT.
GMAT Syllabus: Verbal Reasoning section
Check the table below for Verbal Reasoning topics included in the GMAT exam syllabus.
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GMAT Syllabus: Quantitative Reasoning
Check the table below for Quantitative Reasoning topics included in the GMAT exam syllabus.
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Also Read: GMAT vs CAT: Differences and Similarities
GMAT Syllabus: Data Insights
Check the table below for Data Insights topics included in the GMAT exam syllabus.
| Data Insights topics for GMAT |
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CAT syllabus
The syllabus of CAT is prescribed by the IIMs and it is the most comprehensive set of topics related to Language Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning.
CAT Syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude
Check the table below for Quantitative Aptitude topics included in the CAT exam syllabus.
| Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT |
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CAT Syllabus: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
Check the table below for VARC topics included in the CAT exam syllabus.
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CAT Syllabus: Logical Reasoning
Check the table below for Logical Reasoning topics included in the CAT exam syllabus.
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CAT Syllabus: Data Interpretation
Check the table below for Data Interpretation topics included in the CAT exam syllabus.
| Data Interpretation topics for CAT |
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CAT vs GMAT: Difference in Exam Pattern
Let’s take a look at the main difference between GMAT exam pattern and CAT exam pattern:
| Features |
GMAT exam pattern |
CAT exam pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Sections |
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| Number of sections |
Four |
Three |
| Total number of questions |
64 |
68 |
| Exam duration |
2 hours 15 minutes |
2 hours |
| Question type |
MCQs |
MCQs and key-in answers |
| Sectional flexibility |
Can decide order of sections to answer |
Have to follow chronology of the CAT question paper |
| Total number of attempts |
Can take the exam five times a year |
Can take the exam only once a year |
| Marking scheme |
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Bottomline
Conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, CAT is a national level entrance exam accepted by over 1,600 B-Schools in India for admission. GMAT, is a global exam valid for admission to 2,100 management institutes across the world and over 100 Indian B-schools. IIMs accept GMAT for Executive MBA programmes and in case of foreign category students. But many MBA colleges in India accept CAT and GMAT both for admission to their MBA/PGP, EPGP, PhD and other courses. So, the choice of exam solely depends on choice of college.
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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