Is XAT Tougher Than CAT Exam? Know Differences and Similarities & Difficulty Level
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MBA aspirants are caught between XAT vs CAT debate every year when it is time for MBA admission. So, is XAT tougher than CAT? Both these MBA entrance exams are similar in many ways but have unique aspects. Check here the differences between CAT and XAT.
Is XAT easier than CAT? Or is it tougher?
Is XAT tougher than CAT? This is a question MBA aspirants often ask while choosing an entrance test. The answer to this is that XAT is neither tougher nor easier than CAT. Both exams are two of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India, thus their difficulty level is high. They are conducted one month apart and have different test pattern so you will need to do exam specific preparation in both cases.
For example, CAT exam has sectional time limit for each and follow the chronology of the test form. XAT exam also has sectional time limit but you can still divide time between English, QA and Decision Making as per your preparation. While CAT has long and dense RC paragraphs, XAT has a poem in the form of RC. In a way, XAT and CAT are entirely different exams and need separate preparation plan.
A major difference between the two are the sections included. XAT has five subjects whereas CAT has three. The Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation topics are the same for both, but XAT has two more subjects - Decision Making and GK. Extra preparation is mainly required for Decision Making and GK. Another major difference between the two is marking scheme. While CAT marking scheme is simple with positive and negative marking, XAT too has the same but with a condition. In this article we'll discuss XAT vs CAT in detail and cover important aspects such as difficulty level, number of questions, pattern, syllabus, exam timing, etc.
- CAT vs XAT: Differences and Similarities
- XAT vs CAT: Exam Syllabus
- Is XAT Easier Than CAT? Pattern and Marking Scheme
- XAT Preparation 2027
- CAT Preparation 2026
CAT vs XAT: Differences and Similarities
Both XAT and CAT are more difficult than other MBA entrance exams. When compared to each other they both are tough but it has often been seen that in CAT, the DILR section is more difficult than other sections and in XAT, the Quantitative Aptitude section is often tougher than the rest of the sections. Let’s take a look at key highlights of CAT and XAT before moving to differences and similarities:
| Particulars |
CAT |
XAT |
|---|---|---|
| Full form |
Common Admission Test |
Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Conducting Body |
||
| Eligibility Criteria |
Graduate with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates) from a recognized university |
Graduate in any stream from a recognized university |
| Sections |
3 |
5 |
| Exam mode |
Online |
Online |
| Exam duration |
120 minutes |
180 minutes |
| Difficulty level |
Moderate to Difficult |
Moderate to Difficult |
| Exam fee |
INR 2,600 (INR 1,300 for Reserved category students) |
INR 2,300 |
| Registration process |
Online |
Online |
Also Read:
- List of Colleges Accepting XAT score
- List of Colleges Accepting CAT score
XAT vs CAT: Exam Syllabus
XAT's Decision Making and General Knowledge sections are absent in CAT syllabus. The table below indicates section-wise subjects in CAT and XAT exams:
| CAT Syllabus |
XAT Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Decision Making |
|
| Verbal and Logical Ability |
|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
|
| - |
General Knowledge |
CAT vs XAT Syllabus
Check out free Shiksha PDFs for XAT syllabus and XAT syllabus
Check Topic wise CAT exam syllabus
Check Topic wise XAT exam syllabus
Is XAT Easier Than CAT? Pattern and Marking Scheme
Both exams are MCQ type but CAT has TITA questions also. There is sectional time limit and negative marking in both. Check the table below for difference between exam patterns of CAT and XAT:
| Details |
CAT Marking Scheme |
XAT Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Questions |
68 |
95 |
| Total Marks |
204 |
95 |
| Negative Marking |
Yes. 3 marks for correct answer -1 mark for incorrect answer No negative marking for non-MCQs |
Yes. 1 marks for correct answer – 0.25 mark for incorrect answer. 0.10 marks will be deducted for more than 8 un-attempted questions. No negative marking in GK section |
| Number of choices in MCQs |
4 |
5 |
| Sectional Time limit |
Yes (40 minutes for each section) |
170 minutes for Part 1 (VA, QA, DM) 10 minutes for Part 2 (GK) |
Check CAT exam pattern 2026
Check XAT exam pattern 2027
Download XAT Previous Year Papers
Check below and download free PDFs of previous years' XAT question papers for practice.
Download CAT Previous Year Papers
Check below and download free PDFs of previous years' CAT question papers for practice.
While there are many similarities between CAT and XAT, the major differences are sectional time-limit and marking scheme, number and types of questions. Candidates preparing for CAT and XAT must focus on solving sample sample papers and mock tests of both these exams. This will help them identify the differences and develop skills to tackle each exam with much each.
Is XAT Easier than CAT? Find Out with Mock Tests
CAT Mock Tests by Shiksha
A very important aspect of MBA exam preparation is mock test. Whether it is CAT or XAT or any other exam, the preparation is not complete unless candidates have practiced a good number of mock tests. Mock test not only help candidates in assessing their preparation level so far but also help them learn time management viz the exam duration. Shiksha has created CAT mock test and XAT mock tests, for aspirants to practice and measure their improvement.
| CAT Mock Test 1 | CAT Mock Test 1 Solutions |
| CAT Mock Test 2 | CAT Mock Test 2 Solutions |
XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
| XAT Mock Test 1 | XAT Mock Test 1 Solutions |
| XAT Mock Test 2 | XAT Mock Test 2 Solutions |
XAT Preparation 2027
Check out Shiksha's most read articles on XAT preparation and learn key tips and tricks:
| How to prepare for XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
|
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CAT Preparation 2026
Check out Shiksha's most read articles on CAT preparation and learn key tips and tricks:
| CAT Preparation Plan for Verbal Ability | |
| CAT Preparation Plan for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | |
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Commonly asked questions
Yes CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.
The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.
Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.
CAT is a speed-based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or Commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advanced-level problems.
However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.
Hope it was helpful!!!
To prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, stick to the traditional path of concepts first and practice later. Study English grammar and Verbal Ability first to understand the concept. Then practice a number of sample questions of different kinds to gain confidence, speed and accuracy. For RC passages, develop the habit of reading from early stages. Read books from all walks of life.
Practicing sample Reading Comprehension passages and questions in a crucial part of VARC preparation. This will help you understand the types of questions and RC passages asked in various entrance exams.
As an aspirant, you will be appearing for more than one entrance exam, thus you need to have the practice of different types of RC passages.
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Commonly asked questions
While candidates belonging to Science and Engineering background do have an edge over Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), it is not impossible for students from non-Science background to crack this section of an MBA entrance exam. They do need to prepare harder which includes going back to study fundamentals of Mathematics such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration.
With regular practice and understanding of the question types and topics, candidates, irrespective of the educational background, can crack this section. Aspirants must note that it is important to identify the weak areas and improve on them to get a stronghold on this section. For Logical Reasoning, a good amount of practice of sample questions will be enough.
Yes, it is possible to prepare for DILR with self study. To score well in this section is to follow a strategy. First step is to go through previous years question papers and know various topics. Refer top books for DILR preparation. Practice adequate number of DILR questions with the help of mock tests, sample papers and previous years' papers.
Maximum marks in CAT is 204. There are 68 questions each carrying 3 marks. VARC is of 72 marks and DILR and Quants are of 66 marks each.
In CAT Quantitative Aptitude, Arithmetic has the highest weightage with 7-8 questions in every shift. In VARC, Reading Comprehension has the maximum weightage with about 16 questions. In DILR, the number of questions are equally distributed.
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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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