GMAT Vs CAT Exam: Know Key Difference Between CAT and GMAT, Which is Easier & Tougher
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Is GMAT easier than CAT? Which one is tougher or easier, we will discuss it in this blog. Also know the key differences between CAT and GMAT. 
CAT vs GMAT is a debate that can be solved by understanding the purpose of these exams. Although both are for MBA admission, their purpose is quite different. While CAT is for admission to Indian B-Schools, GMAT is for admission to foreign universities. There are a very few Indian management institutes that accept GMAT score of Indian candidates for full-time MBA admission. GMAT is largely accepted by Indian business schools for Executive MBA courses of fro, NRI/Foreign students. Only some B-Schools like SPJIMR, Mumbai, XLRI Jamshedpur, MDI, Gurgaon accept GMAT scores of domestic candidates too. CAT, on the other hand, is not accepted by any university outside India.
- GMAT vs CAT: Which is Tougher?
- GMAT vs CAT- Key Differences
- Frequency /Mode of Exam
- GMAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern
- CAT vs GMAT: Exam Syllabus
- CAT vs GMAT: Exam Duration
- GMAT vs CAT: Difficulty Level
- CAT vs GMAT: Marking Scheme
- CAT vs GMAT: Exam Fee
- Validity of Exam Score
- Is GMAT easier than CAT? An Overview
GMAT vs CAT: Which is Tougher?
The next question - Is GMAT easier than CAT? Both CAT and GMAT are considered to be tough. They have unique features that aspirants have to understand and prepare for. Their assessment process is also different from each other.
Despite the differences, many management aspirants appear for both CAT and GMAT in the same academic year. It is to be noted that preparation for both exams simultaneously requires high level of focus, dedication and strategy. Although both CAT and GMAT test the candidate’s English Language and Quantitative Ability and Logical Reasoning skills, two are poles apart in many aspects. In this article, we tell you the difference between CAT and GMAT.
GMAT vs CAT- Key Differences
Exam Conducting Body
GMAT: GMAT is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
CAT: CAT is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management.
GMAT eligibility criteria: To appear in GMAT, the aspirant must have a bachelor’s degree in any stream or equivalent degree from a recognized university. Final year graduation candidates are also eligible to apply. There is no minimum marks required to appear in GMAT.
CAT eligibility criteria: To appear in CAT, the aspirant must have a bachelor’s degree in any stream with minimum of 50 per cent aggregate marks or equivalent from a recognized university (45 per cent for reserved category students). Final year Graduation candidates are also eligible to apply.
Frequency /Mode of Exam
GMAT: GMAT is held throughout the year. The candidate can book an exam slot for self from the given calendar as per their convenience. The aspirant can also re-take the exam five times within 12 months. A maximum of eight attempts are allowed to any candidate in his/her lifetime.
CAT: CAT is conducted by the IIM only once a year. CAT application process begins in August and the exam is held in the last week of November or the first week of December. CAT 2026 application window will open in the first week of August and the CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026.
GMAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern
GMAT: GMAT question paper consists MCQs from Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Data Insights. There is sectional time limit for each section but the candidate can choose the order in which they wish to answer each section.
Also Read: GMAT exam pattern
CAT: CAT exam is held in online mode for two hours in two slots on a scheduled date. Candidates are required to follow the chronology of the question paper, i.e. neither they can choose to answer the section of their choice, nor can they go back to the question skipped earlier. The CAT question paper consists of MCQs and a few key-in answer type questions.
Also Read: CAT exam pattern
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Syllabus
GMAT exam syllabus: GMAT includes Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Data Insights.
CAT exam syllabus: CAT includes topics from Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
Also Read:
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Duration
GMAT: GMAT is held for 135 minutes and has sectional time limit.
CAT: CAT is held for 120 minutes and has sectional time limit.
GMAT vs CAT: Difficulty Level
GMAT
GMAT is a very tough MBA entrance exam. Not only due to the tough questions asked but also due to a peculiar marking scheme. However, it is easier to get a good college through GMAT as it is an adaptive test. Which means, the difficulty level of second attempt will be determined by the candidate's performance in the first attempt of GMAT. If a candidate has struggled in the first attempt, he/she will get the question paper of lower difficulty level in their next attempt and if the candidate has performed well in the first attempt, the question paper of their second attempt will have similar difficulty level. Also, GMAT is more structured and has defined syllabus.
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CAT
CAT is known as a tough MBA exam because it is unpredictable. The difficulty level of the questions remain on the high year on year. Getting a good B-school with CAT score is tough if you've not scored a minimum of 95 percentile. There are no multiple attempts in CAT, so to improve the score candidates have to drop a year. However, there is no guarantee that in the next year, the CAT question paper will be easier than previous year.
CAT vs GMAT: Marking Scheme
GMAT: GMAT exam has a peculiar marking scheme. Candidates are marked between 200 and 800. Section wise, candidates are scored 60-90 for all three sections.
Also Read: GMAT scoring process
CAT: Three marks are awarded to every correct attempt and there is negative marking of one mark for each wrong answer. There is no negative marking for non-MCQ typw question though. Total marks of CAT is 204.
Also Read: CAT score vs percentile
CAT vs GMAT: Exam Fee
GMAT: GMAT exam fee is USD 250 for all countries.
CAT: CAT exam fee is INR 2,600 for General and NC-OBC candidates and INR 1,300 for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Physically Disabled candidates.
Validity of Exam Score
GMAT: GMAT score is accepted by more than 2,100 management institutes across the globe. GMAT score is valid for admission for up to five years.
CAT: CAT score is accepted by 21 IIMs and over 1,300 management institutes in India. It is not valid outside India. CAT score is valid for admission for only one year.
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
Both GMAT and CAT entrance exams for MBA admissions. While CAT is required for Indian B-schools, GMAT is required for both Indian and international B-schools. GMAT is tougher than CAT because:
- GMAT records more applicants since it is accepted globally, which means there is a higher competition among applicants, in comparison to CAT.
- GMAT tests applicants holistically across its three broad sections - Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights.
- Also, GMAT is tougher than CAT because, questions on GMAT have stronger emphasis on global business school entrance exams and their specific requirements. CAT only focuses on Indian business specific requirements.
Check: GMAT vs CAT: Key Differences
Only five attempts in a year are permitted for taking GMAT exam. Also those who take the GMAT exam on a particular date but want to appear again, will have to wait for 16 days to re-appear. This rule applies for both GMAT's home testing and taking a test at the centre. Thus, applicants can take GMAT exam back to back every month, but they have to keep this in mind, that they will have to give 16 days break between testing dates and can appear for the exam only five times in a year.
CAT exam is held in about 170 cities across India. Candidates can choose up to six cities as their preferred test location. The list of test cities for CAT is available in application form. Candidates should choose the test city carefully as the request to change the test city later may or may not be accepted due to non-availability of seats at the centres in that particular city. Given below are the cities where CAT exam is usually held.
India's premiere b-schools accept CAT for MBA admissions. More than 2.5 lakh candidates fighting for limited seats at these institutes make the exam tough to crack.
| CAT_Mock_Test_1 | CAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| CAT_Mock_Test_Set_2 | CAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Is GMAT easier than CAT? An Overview
Before concluding this blog, let us take a quick glance at how GMAT exam and CAT exam are different from each other to assess which one is more difficult:
| Features |
GMAT |
CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Full Form |
Graduate Management Admission Test |
Common Admission Test |
| Conducting body |
Graduate Management Admission Council |
Indian Institute of Management |
| Validity |
Global/for five years |
In India only, valid for only one year |
| Eligibility |
No minimum percentage required in bachelor’s degree |
Bachelor’s degree with minimum of 50% marks (45 % for SC/ST/PwD candidates) |
| Frequency |
Anytime of the year |
Once a year (November last week) |
| Mode of Exam |
Online |
Online |
| Exam Sections |
|
|
| Number of sections |
3 |
3 |
| Number of questions |
64 Questions |
68 questions |
| Exam Duration |
135 minutes |
120 minutes |
| Sectional time limit |
|
40 minutes for each section |
| Difficulty level |
High |
High |
| Marking Scheme |
|
|
| Exam Fee |
USD 250 |
|
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Commonly asked questions
The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT is the third and the last section of the question paper. It has 22 questions and the total marks is 66. This section of the CAT exam is usually dominated by Arithmetic and Algebra. Most of the questions out of 22 are asked from these two topics. There are about 7-9 Algebra questions and 7-9 Arithmetic questions (the exact number varied for all three slots). Apart from these two topics, there are questions from Mensuration Modern Math and Number System in the Quantitative Aptitude section CAT. Some of the important sub topics in this section include: Arithmetic topics: Ratio and Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Profit and Loss Mixtures and Allegations Averages, Percentages, Mean Median Mode, Time and Work, Time Speed and Distance Algebra topics: Basics Algebraic Formulae, Number of integer solutions, Quadratic Equations, Finding out roots, Maxima and Minimal, Higher Degree Equations, Linear Equations, Problems on ages, Descartes Rule of Signs, Inequalities, Logarithm, Functions, Modifications of Graphs, The smallest Value in a Maximum Function Number System topics: Finding Out Last Two Digits, Number of Trailing Zeroes, Finding out Remainders based on, Basic Divisibility Rules, Binomial Theorem, Simplifying the Dividend (Single and/or Multiple Divisors), Basics of Numbers, Properties of Numbers, Divisibility Rules, Divisibility and Factors, the highest Common Factor and the lowest Common Multiple, Finding Out the Last Digit, Fermat's Theorem, Euler's Theorem, Pattern Recognition and Cyclicity of Remainders, Wilson's Theorem, Base Systems, Conversion of Bases, Addition/Subtraction/ Multiplication in different bases Geometry Topics: Lines and Angles, Triangles Basic Concepts, Area, Angles, Similar Triangles Polygons, Circles, Solids / Mensuration 3D Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry Modern Math topics: Sequence and Series Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Permutation and Combination, Probability.
GMAT is a standardized exam, score of which are used for obtaining admissions to B-schools abroad and in India as well. Most of the US, UK, Italian, Australian and Canadian universities accept GMAT scores for admissions to MBA programs. Students who are pplying for MBA or MS in Management related courses may have to submit GMAT scores. GMAT is now GMAT Focus Edition, thus, those who are applying for the first time can submit GMAT Focus scores, while those who have previously taken GMAT can submit the scores if they still are valid.
The table given below provides an overview of the GMAT exam slot booking:
Head | Details |
|---|---|
Number of GMAT attempts per year | 5 |
Number of GMAT attempts per slot booking | 1 |
Number of GMAT attempts in one’s lifetime | 8 |
Time between 2 consecutive GMAT retakes | At least 16 calendar days |
Appointment availability |
|
GMAT Exam Fees | $275 for the test centre GMAT and $300 for the online GMAT |
Commonly asked questions
The total number of questions in the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section of CAT exam is 22 (as per CAT 2024 question paper). Earlier, the number of DILR questions was 20.
There is equal number of question distribution between Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, which means both sections have 11 questions each. The total marks for DILR is 66. The questions on Data Interpretation as based on Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, whereas Logical Reasoning questions are based on Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Caselets and Syllogism. This section of the CAT is usually moderate in terms of difficulty level and about 12-14 correct attempts are good enough to score high marks. Some of the other important topics include Series, Proposition, Direction Sense, Coding-Decoding, Assumptions, Clocks and Calendars, Statements, Binary Logic, Data Structures, Data Sufficiency and Data Arrangement. To score high in this section, candidates must practice a good number of practice tests and sectional mock tests. The better you learn to interpret given data and apply reasoning to a given situation, the better you get at solving related questions.
Based on following parameters, know which is better - GMAT Online or at test centre:
| Parameters | GMAT Online | GMAT at Test Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Tested | Online on the applicant's laptop or computer from home. | Taken at the chosen test centre during GMAT registration. |
| Flexibility | Easy to give in the comfort of home and personal settings, that is, more informal. | More formal, as the applicants have to appear for the exam in a typical exam setting. |
| Good Internet Requirement | Applicants taking GMAT online must ensure they have a high-speed internet connection. | Test centre applicants do not have to worry about the high-speed internet connections, as it is already taken care of. |
| Cost | Higher cost of taking the GMAT exam. | Lower cost of taking the GMAT exam. |
Based on personal choices, choose whichever is better and register. GMAT at home is more expensive than the test centre testing.
Commonly asked questions
CAT exam conducted only once a year in the month of November. It is conducted in three shifts on a single day.
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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