CAT vs CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP & Other MBA Entrance Exams

Sakunth KumarUpdated On: November 20, 2023 01:59 pm IST | CMAT

MBA exam season has begun and it is time for the candidates to keep a track on the latest events of all the upcoming popular entrance exams. The detailed comparison between CAT, CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, ATMA and MAT can be checked here.

Table of Contents

Comparison between CAT, CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, ATMA, and MAT
CAT Vs XAT
CAT Vs SNAP
CAT vs CMAT
CAT vs MAT
CAT vs NMAT
Popular MBA Colleges in India
Faqs

CAT vs CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP & Other MBA Entrance Exams: Candidates looking forward to MBA admissions 2023-2024 may have started preparing for the numerous entrance exams being conducted in 2023-24. The notifications of several entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, etc. have been released on their respective websites. It is advisable for candidates to have complete awareness of the schedule of upcoming MBA entrance exams in India so that they do not miss out on any of the important dates. Almost all the top Master of Business Administration (MBA) entrance exams have a similar syllabus and exam structure, however, it may vary a bit from exam to exam.

Candidates should also understand that if they appear for multiple entrance exams, then the chances of getting admission to top management schools in the country will be higher. Preparing for various entrance exams will also enhance the knowledge of the candidates and will enable them to perform well in upcoming entrance exams.

It is often challenging to choose the best entrance exam for getting admission to an MBA course. The Common Admission Test, which is the CAT full form, is one of the popular management exams conducted by IIMs. CAT score is also considered by 3,000 non-IIM B-Schools across the country.

In this article, a detailed comparison has been made between the Common Admission Test (CAT) and other MBA entrance exams such as CMAT, NMAT by GMAC, XAT, SNAP, ATMA, and MAT. The comparison will help the candidates to choose the best exam depending on their time and preparation.

Also Read: Important Topics for CAT 2023 Algebra and Modern Maths

Comparison between CAT, CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, ATMA, and MAT

The detailed comparison between CAT and other popular MBA entrance exams such as CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, ATMA, and MAT can be checked below.

Exam Name	CAT	CMAT	NMAT by GMAC	XAT	SNAP	ATMA	MAT
Conducting Body	IIMs	National Testing Agency (NTA)	GMAC	XLRI Jamshedpur	Symbiosis International Deemed University	Association of Indian Management Schools	All India Management Association
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test	Computer-Based Test	Computer-Based Test	Computer-Based Test	Online Test	Online & Offline Test	Computer-Based and Paper-Based test
Frequency of Exam	Once a Year	Twice a Year	Candidates can re-take the exam within the stipulated exam dates	Once a Year	Once a Year	Five Times a Year	Four Times a Year
Duration	2 Hours (120 Minutes)	3 Hours (180 Minutes)	2 Hours (120 Minutes)	210 Minutes (3 Hours 30 Minutes)	60 Minutes (1 Hour)	3 Hours (180 Minutes)	2 ½ Hours (150 Minutes)
Number of Sections	3	5	3	4	3	6	5
Sectional Time Limit	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – 40 Minutes Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning – 40 Minutes Quantitative Ability – 40 Minutes	No Time Limit	Language Skills (22 Minutes) Quantitative Skills (60 Minutes) Logical Reasoning (38 Minutes)	Verbal and Logical Ability Decision-Making Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation General Knowledge	No Time Limit	30 Minutes for Each Section	Language Comprehension – 30 Minutes Mathematical Skills – 40 Minutes Data Analysis & Sufficiency – 35 Minutes Intelligence & Critical Reasoning – 30 Minutes Indian & Global Environment – 15 Minutes
Types of Question Format	48 MCQs, 18 Non-MCQs.	Objective Type MCQs	Objective Type MCQs	Objective Type MCQs	Objective Type MCQs	Objective Type MCQs	Objective Type MCQs
Total Marks	198	400	120	100	60	180	200
Marking for Correct Answer	03	04	01	01	01	01	01
Marking for Incorrect Answer	-1	-1	No Negative Marking	-0.25 (MCQs in XAT. GK section are free from Negative Marking)	Each wrong answer attracts 25% negative marks	No Negative Marking	¼ of the total marks or 0.25 mark
Difficulty Level	Difficult	Moderate to Difficult	Moderate to Difficult	Moderate to Difficult	Easy to Difficult	Easy to Difficult	Moderate to Difficult
Syllabus Difference	Grammar Para Correction Sentence Correction Word Usage Analogies Idioms Para Jumble Pie Chart Graph Tables Data Arrangement Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Calculus Trigonometry Mensuration	Geometry Mensuration Number Systems Fraction and Decimals Analytical Reasoning Matrix Arrangements Coding and De-coding Non-Verbal Reasoning General Awareness English Grammar	Algebra (Linear/Quadratic Equation) Trigonometry Mensuration Probability Coordinate Geometry Coding & Decoding Series Syllogisms Statement Conclusions Synonyms Anonyms Idioms Vocabulary	Vocabulary Analogy Para Jumbles Para completion Critical Reasoning Statements & Assumptions Decision-making problems Geometry Algebra Mensuration General Awareness/ Knowledge	Data Arrangement Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Calculus Trigonometry Mensuration Probability Coordinate Geometry Coding & Decoding Series Syllogisms	Critical Reasoning Course of Action Statement-Inference Strong/Weak Arguments Statement Conclusions Grammar Jumbled sentences Vocabulary RC Passages Arithmetic Algebra Modern Math Coding-decoding Strengthen/Weaken arguments Statement-Conclusion Arrangements Syllogisms Data sufficiency	Data Arrangement Blood Relations Series and Sequences and Critical Reasoning Direction Sense Input/Output analysis Coding Decoding Mathematics Arithmetic Geometry General Knowledge
Top Colleges Accepting Exam Score	IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) IMT Ghaziabad FMS, Delhi University IMI New Delhi SPJIMR MDI Gurgaon	Prestige Institute of Management Acharya Institute of Technology ITM School of Business KIIT School of Management Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences XIME K J Somaiya	Hyderabad Business School SRM School of Management, Chennai Amity Business School, Noida Alliance School of Business, Bangalore MISB Bocconi, Mumbai	XIMB S.P. Jain (Mumbai) GIM Goa IMT Ghaziabad IIFM Bhopal IIFM Bhopal	Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Pune Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences, Pune SIBM, Bangalore Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology, Pune LLIM Mumbai SIIB, Pune SIBM Pune	GIM Goa Jaipuria Institute of Technology Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Institute for Management Development Department of Management Sciences, University of Pune Fortune Institute of International Business Entrepreneurship and Management Process International	KIIT School of Management VIT Business School Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management and Research Alliance School of Business Balaji Institute of Modern Management XIME
Exam Date	November 26, 2023	February 25, 2024 (Expected)	October 10 to December 19, 2023	January 7, 2024	December 10, 2023 (Test 1) December 17, 2023 (Test 2) December 22, 2023 (Test 3)	Last week of February 2024	December 9, 2023 (PBT) December 3, 2023 (CBT) December 16, 2023 (CBT) December 6, 2023 (IBT) December 9, 2023 (IBT) December 17, 2023 (IBT)

Note: The IIFT entrance exam has been replaced by CAT. From 2023, IIFT will be accepting CAT scores for MBA admissions.

CAT Vs XAT

Here is the comparison between the CAT and XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test).

Component	CAT Exam	XAT Exam
Date of Exam	November 26, 2023	January 7, 2024
When to Apply	August 2 to September 20, 2023	July 15 to November 30, 2023
Exam Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIM)	Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur
Mode of the Exam	Computer Based Test	Computer Based Test
Total Number of Questions	66 (Since 2021, Earlier 100)	100
Overall Time Limit	2 hours	3 hours & 30 Minutes
Type of Questions	48-50 questions are MCQs, rest Non-MCQs	100 MCQs + 1 subjective on Essay Writing
Number of Answer Options for MCQs	4	5
Marks Awarded for each Correct Answer	3	1 for MCQs 3 for Essay Writing
Negative Marking	1/3 negative marking for MCQs No negative marking for Non-MCQs	1/4 negative marking for 75 MCQs 1/10 negative marking for 8 consecutive unattempted MCQs No negative marking for GK and Essay writing test
Difficulty Level	Moderately Difficult	More difficult than CAT
Total Number of Sections	3	3 (Main sections) 2 (GK & Essay Test scores are not taken into consideration for percentile calculation)
Option to Select Order of Sections	No, candidates have to adhere to the pre-defined sectional order.	Yes, candidates can attempt any question from any section within the overall time limit.
Sectional Time Limit	40 Minute time limit for each section	No Restriction
Top MBA Colleges Accepting Exam Score	20 IIMs, XIMB, TAPMI, IMI, IMT, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IITs, etc.	XLRI, SPJIMR, TAPMI, IMT, XIMB, etc.

CAT Vs SNAP

Check the comparison between CAT and Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) provided below

Component	CAT Exam	SNAP Exam
Date of Exam	November 26, 2023	December 10, 17 and 22, 2023
When to Apply	August 2 to September 20, 2023	August 23 to November 23, 2023
Total Number of Questions	66	60
Overall Time Limit	2 hours	1 hour
Type of Questions	48-50 questions are MCQs. Others are Non-MCQs.	All questions are in MCQ format.
Number of Answer Options for MCQs	4	4
Marks Awarded for each Correct Answer	3	1
Negative Marking	1/3 negative marking for MCQs No negative marking for Non-MCQs	-0.25 mark
Difficulty Level	Difficult	Moderate
Total Number of Sections	3	3
Option to Select Order of Sections	No, candidates have to adhere to the pre-defined sectional order	Yes, candidates can attempt any question from any section within the overall time limit.
Individual Sectional Time Limit	Each section has a time limit of 40 minutes.	No individual sectional time limit

CAT vs CMAT

Check the comparison between CAT and Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) provided in the table below.

Component	CAT Exam	CMAT Exam
Date of Exam	November 26, 2023	February 25, 2024 (Expected)
When to Apply	August 2 to September 20, 2023	Till 1st week of January 2024
Exam Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIM)	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Mode of the Exam	Computer Based Test	Computer Based Test
Total Number of Questions	66	100
Overall Time Limit	2 hours	3 hours
Type of Questions	48-50 questions are MCQs. All other questions are Non-MCQs	100 MCQs
Number of Answer Options for MCQs	4	4
Marks Awarded for each Correct Answer	+3	+4
Negative Marking	MCQs have a negative marking of -1/3 marks. No negative marking for Non-MCQs	-1/4 negative marking
Difficulty Level	Moderately Difficult	Easy to Moderate
Total Number of Sections	3	5
Option to Select Order of Sections	No, candidates have to adhere to the pre-defined sectional order	Yes, candidates can attempt any question from any section within the overall time limit.
Sectional Time Limit	Each section with 40 minute time limit	No Restriction

CAT vs MAT

Here are the differences between CAT and MAT.

Component	CAT Exam	MAT Exam
Date of Exam	November 26, 2023	December 9, 2023 (PBT) December 3, 2023 (CBT) December 16, 2023 (CBT) December 6, 2023 (IBT) December 9, 2023 (IBT) December 17, 2023 (IBT)
When to Apply	August 2 to September 20, 2023	Check MAT 2023 Registration
Exam Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIM)	All India Management Association (AIMA)
Mode of the Exam	Computer Based Test	CBT, PBT, IBT
Total Number of Questions	66	200
Overall Time Limit	2 hours	2 hours and 30 minutes
Type of Questions	48-50 questions are MCQs. All other questions are Non-MCQs	200 MCQs (40 in each section)
Marks Awarded for each Correct Answer	+3	+1
Negative Marking	MCQs have a negative marking of -1/3 marks. No negative marking for Non-MCQs	-0.25 negative marking for each wrong answer.
Difficulty Level	Moderately Difficult	Easy to Moderate
Total Number of Sections	3	5
Sectional Time Limit	Each section with 40 minute time limit	No Restriction

CAT vs NMAT

Find the comparison between CAT and NMAT in the table below:

Components	CAT	NMAT
Date of Exam	November 26, 2023	October 10 to December 19, 2023
When to Apply	August 2 to September 20, 2023	August 1 to October 12, 2023
Exam Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIM)	GMAC or Graduate Management Aptitude Council (GMAC)
Mode of the Exam	Computer Based Test	Online mode
Total Number of Questions	66 Questions	108 Questions
Number of Sections	3 Sections VARC DILR QA	3 Sections Language Skills Logical Reasoning Quantitative skills
Overall Time Limit	2 hours	2 hours
Sectional Timing	40 Minutes for each section	Language Skills: 28 Minutes Logical Reasoning: 40Minutes Quantitative Skills: 52 Minutes
Total Marks	198	360
Type of Questions	48-50 questions are MCQs. Around 18 questions are Non-MCQs	108 MCQs (36 in each of the 3 sections)
Marks Awarded for each Correct Answer	+3	+1
Negative Marking	Negative marking of 1/3 marks for MCQs No negative marking for Non-MCQs	No negative marking

Popular MBA Colleges in India

Check the table below for some other popular colleges in India known for their MBA courses. All of these colleges accept the entrance exams mentioned in this article which include CMAT, NMAT by GMAC, XAT, SNAP, ATMA, and MAT.

College	Location	Course Fees (in INR lakhs)
Amity University Manesar	Gurgaon	8.64
Lovely Professional University (LPU)	Jalandhar	5.80
Vishwa Vishwani Institute of Systems and Management (VVISM)	Hyderabad	--
International Institute of Business Studies (IIBS)	Bangalore	7.46
NIMS University	Jaipur	2.06
Jagannath Institute of Management Studies (JIMS)	New Delhi	5.34
ICFAI Business School (IBS)	Hyderabad	10.50
GITAM Deemed University	Visakhapatnam	8.50
BML Munjal University	Gurgaon	10.50
D Y Patil University School of Management	Mumbai	8.40

Candidates must also check out the articles mentioned below to learn more about MBA admissions!

Related Articles:

Non-IIM MBA Colleges to Apply to Before & After CAT 2023	CAT Score Vs Percentile Analysis 2023
CAT 2023 Rank Predictor	CAT 2023 College Predictor

If you need help with admission to MBA colleges, fill out our Common Application Form (CAF) or call our toll-free student helpline number 1800-572-9877. For the latest updates on all the above entrance exams, stay tuned to CollegeDekho.

FAQs

Does the CAT preparation take more time than other management entrance exams?

The amount of preparation time needed for CAT or any other entrance exam is entirely subject. Yes, CAT is arguably the toughest management entrance exam in India, however, there are candidates who have a strong background in Mathematics and need comparatively less time to prepare for the Quantitative section of CAT which is the most challenging part of the exam. On the other hand, candidates who do not have a strong grasp of the English language need more time to prepare for exams like NMAT because the language skills portion of these exams is tougher than other MBA entrance exams.

Which MBA entrance exam has the highest acceptance?

The CAT exam has the highest acceptance for a management entrance test. Apart from the 20 IIMs that accept CAT for MBA admission, there are thousands of Non-IIM institutes in India that accept CAT scores for MBA, PGDM, and other postgraduate management courses. Other exams like CMAT, MAT, and XAT are also known for their high acceptance among MBA colleges and B-schools.

Which is more difficult CAT or XAT?

It is difficult to say which exam is more difficult than the other because the XAT and CAT have different test formats and scoring procedures. There is no denying that the CAT and XAT are two of India's most difficult MBA entrance exams, though. The various subjects and parts are one of the primary differences between the CAT and XAT syllabuses. The CAT exam does not include the Decision Making or GK sections, which are separate from the XAT test. Overall, many candidates and experts agree that the XAT is a little more difficult than the CAT.

What is the exam pattern for CMAT?

According to the latest format of the test, the CMAT exam is broken down into five sections: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Each of the four sections on the test is worth 100 points, with a maximum possible score of 400. There are 20 questions in each section, for a total of 100 questions. Four points are awarded for each inquiry. For each incorrect response, one point is deducted.

How is MAT different from CAT?

The CAT and MAT exams have very different levels of difficulty. The CAT exam's exam format makes it a significantly more challenging management entrance test than the MAT exam. The difficulty level for CAT is always moderate to high, whereas MAT is typically easy to moderate, despite the fact that there are only 66 questions in the CAT question paper as opposed to 200 on the MAT question paper. The fact that the CAT exam has a negative marking policy of one point for each incorrect response is one of the main reasons it is more difficult. In MAT, incorrect answers receive a negative marking of -1/4 or -0,25.

Is SNAP easier than CAT?

SNAP is not more challenging than CAT, despite the fact that both MBA entrance exams use the same syllabus and selection criteria. The SNAP question paper is moderately difficult, in contrast to the CAT question paper, which is more challenging. SNAP is easier to use than CAT because it is designed with students in mind. But SNAP will only be accepted by SIU institutions. The CAT is accepted by more than 1200 MBA programs in India, in contrast.

How can I check the exam pattern of CAT, XAT and other management entrance exams?

Aspirants can check the exam pattern for their preferred MBA entrance exam like CAT or XAT through various sources. One of the most common ways to check the exam pattern for the MBA entrance exam is to download the information brochure of the exam. The exam conducting bodies of management entrance exams release an information brochure or notification which consists of various details related to the exam. This includes dates, eligibility criteria, application process, exam pattern, etc. Alternatively, candidates can also check out the previous year question papers of entrance exams for a more detailed understanding of the exam patterns for the same.

What is the duration of CAT and XAT?

Both the CAT and XAT exams are management entrance tests of significant difficulty. However, there are some differences between these two exams that make either one preferable to some students more so than the other. The duration for the CAT exam is 120 minutes or 2 hours. Candidates are required to complete 66 questions divided into three sections, which include both MCQs and Non-MCQs, within this time limit. The XAT exam on the other hand has a duration of 3.5 hours or 210 minutes. The total number of questions on the XAT question paper is 100 and all the questions are MCQs. As opposed to the CAT question paper, there are 5 sections on the XAT question paper.

Who is the conducting body of CMAT and SNAP?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the Common Management Admission Test, or CMAT as it is more commonly known, a three-hour business aptitude test for admission to MBA/PGDM programs. One of the most well-liked MBA entrance exams in India is the CMAT. Every year, about 70,000 candidates apply to take the exam. Around 1,300 B-schools (public and private) in India accept the CMAT score, including PUMBA, Great Lakes Institute of Management, JBIMS, SIMSREE, KJ Somaiya Mumbai, and Welingkar Mumbai.
The Symbiosis International (Deemed) University administers the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test, also known as the SNAP Test, to all applicants for admission to the MBA/PGDM programs offered by its 15 constituent institutes. Candidates have three chances to pass the exam in SNAP, which is administered in three sessions over the course of one academic year.

What is the syllabus of IIFT?

The syllabus for IIFT is divided into four broad categories, namely Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation, and Quantitative Analysis. The Verbal Ability section evaluates a candidate's knowledge of subjects like Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, etc. The general knowledge (GK) exam measures the candidate's knowledge of subjects like business, economics, politics, international affairs, etc. The Quantitative Analysis exam gauges a candidate's understanding of subjects like maths, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc. Analytical and logical reasoning skills are tested in the logical reasoning section of the application. The candidate's knowledge of concepts like coding-decoding, blood relationships, analogies, etc. is tested in this section.

What is the difference between CAT and IIFT?

CAT is conducted for admission to the IIMs and other top B-Schools of India while IIFT is conducted for admission to IIFT. The exam pattern and eligibility criteria of both the exams are different. Candidates can check the difference between CAT and IIFT from here.

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2 Downvotes

Is admission possible here in MBA without any entrance exam?

-Sumit AntilUpdated on November 25, 2023 03:51 PM

5 Answers

Puneet Hooda, Student / Alumni

Dear student,

To be eligible for MBA admission in Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi CAT score is mandatory. Candidates who have qualified CAT are shortlisted for a personal interview. Based on cumilative peformance of candidates in CAT and personal interview, they are selected for Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi MBA admission. So, getting admission in MBA without any entrance exam is not possible.

whats the fee structure for mba for two years

-shivani bahugunaUpdated on November 23, 2023 11:22 AM

4 Answers

Ankita Sarkar, Student / Alumni

Hello Shivani,

The fees for the MBA course at Nimbus Academy of Management is Rs 1 lakh per year. To get admitted you must have at least 50% in Graduation in any stream.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask for any more queries.

Mba in hr k liye humme college se education loan provide hoga ya nhi

-Mansi ChoudharyUpdated on November 23, 2023 11:18 AM

4 Answers

mayank Uniyal, Student / Alumni

Dear Mansi,

The admission department at Rawal Institutions shall guide you through the financial assistance process during the counselling process. There are several banks that offer loan facilities for MBA programmes with an interest rate between 11 to 14 per cent. Moreover, the Rawal Institutions scholarship scheme is also offered for meritorious students to complete their education.

Hope this information was helpful!

Feel free to contact us for any more questions.