NMAT vs SNAP 2025: Difficulty Level, Syllabus & Cutoff for Top Colleges

SNAP is one of the few MBA entrance exams which is easy in terms of difficulty level. It is much easier The number of questions, as well as the exam duration are less that than other MBA entrance exams. The type of questions asked in SNAP as also pretty straightforward.

Moreover, SNAP exam is held thrice for candidates to repeat attempts, which allows candidates to improve their score if they want to. The SNAP syllabus is same as other MBA entrance exam and there are no questions on Reading Comprehension or Data Sufficiency. This makes the SNAP exam much easier to crack than other exams.

Since 2020, the exam is conducted for only 60 minutes and the total number of questions asked is also 60. The first section of SNAP question paper is General English, the second section is Analytical & Logical Reasoning and the third section is Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency.

The NMAT exam is conducted for MBA admission across multiple B -schools across India and abroad. Based on feedback from test takers of the past exam sessions, test takers found the exam to be moderate to tough in terms of difficulty standards. If compared with other MBA entrance exams, NMAT is comparatively easy as the candidates have the liberty to appear for the test three times and use the best scores for admission. Additionally, candidates can schedule the exam based on his/her convinience.

However, the level of difficulty can vary from year to year. Success in any entrance exam ultimately depends on the candidate's preparation and performance on the exam day.

A good attempt of around 80 per cent of questions with 85-90 per cent accuracy is considered good score in SNAP. The SNAP exam has 60 questions only, so the number of attempts considered good are 40-45. Candidates must aim to solve a good number of questions in every section of SNAP, so that their overall score is good and they have a better chance of getting selected for admission. If you do not clear the SNAP cut off may not be eligible for admission to MBA programmers offered by SIU institutes. Meeting the minimum cut off is a mandatory requirement to be eligible for the Group Exercise (GE), Personal Interview (PI) and Writing Ability Test (WAT). Thus, when preparing for SNAP, keep in mind a target score. The SNAP cut offs are lower for Reserved category candidates.

You may be eligible for admission to the best management colleges in India and abroad based on your NMAT score. Therefore, performing well on this exam becomes essential. You can use the following expert strategy to clear the NMAT:

1. Before beginning your preparation, familiarize yourself with the NMAT's syllabus and exam format.
2. Create a schedule to finish the NMAT syllabus.
3. Choosing the best books and study materials to cover the NMAT syllabus
4. To prepare for the Language section, concentrate on vocabulary since it is a key element of this section.
5. Develop reading habits and conceptual clarity in grammar to perform well on the language section.
6. Basic concepts should be conceptually clear and practiced in order to prepare the quantitative section.
7. You should practice a lot of questions on arrangements and puzzles in order to do well on the logical reasoning section.
8. Before the exam, go over all crucial ideas, calculations, and theorems several times.
9. Start practicing mock tests and previous year's questions one month before the exam.
10. Analysing mock results will help you continuously raise your score over time.

For an effective SNAP preparation, candidates must make a plan which includes the following:

·       Timeline of syllabus coverage, practice and revision session

·       Time bound syllabus coverage (at least a month before the exam day)

·       Daily practice sessions of SNAP mock tests or sample papers

·       Daily revision of important chapters, concepts and formula

·       Regular problem solving sessions with peers and mentors

The sections in CAT and NMAT exam are on similar lines. The space below mentions the similarities in the syllabus and exam sections:

1. Quantitative Aptitude in CAT and Quantitative Skills in NMAT: The Quantitative Aptitude section of the CAT and the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test are both based on very similar topics. If the candidates prepare for the Quantitative Aptitude section of the Common Admission Test, which requires knowledge of higher-level topics, they can easily solve the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test since the same foundation topics are covered thoroughly in the Common Admission Test preparation.
2. DILR in CAT and logical reasoning in NMAT: The DILR section in the Common Admission Test exam is a combination of data interpretation and logical reasoning, whereas, in the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test, the section is solely logical reasoning. These two sections of the respective exams are different from the other sections. As a result, anyone hoping to pass the NMAT by GMAC should devote enough time to studying for the reasoning section of the exam, as the syllabus covered in the CAT-D section will not suffice. 
3. VARC in CAT and Language Skills in NMAT: The VARC section of the Common Admission Test combined verbal ability and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension in Common Admission Test usually comes with tricky passages, whereas the passages in NMAT are relatively straightforward. Vocabulary- and grammar-based questions have more weight in the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test. However, the CAT VA will include reasoning-based questions. Students who want to prepare for NMIMS Management Aptitude Test and Common Admission Test at the same time must pay close attention to the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test after the Logical Reasoning section.