GMAT vs CAT Differences can help you decide which exam is a better choice for you and which exam will be more beneficial to you based on your goals. Both CAT and GMAT are similar MBA entrance exams, but have subtle differences which are important to understand.
GMAT vs CAT differences can be found in the syllabus, exam pattern, and the exam acceptance for MBA admission. If you are planning to appear for either the
Common Admission Test
or the
Graduate Management Admission Test
, you need to understand both these exams thoroughly to ascertain which of these is the best pathway for your ambitions as a manager. The CAT exam has a very wide acceptance across India, but the GMAT exam opens doors to international institutions for higher education in management.
Therefore, you must know the subtle differences between CAT and GMAT to choose either one or both of these exams and apply for your preferred B-schools. It must be noted that many colleges accept both CAT and GMAT, but CAT is typically taken if you wish to pursue management courses in India while GMAT is taken when you wish to study abroad.
Also Read:
| MBA Colleges Without Sectional Cutoff | |
|---|---|
| Does IIM Accept GMAT |
About GMAT or Graduate Management Admission Test
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) conducts the GMAT examination. Recently, GMAC has introduced some major changes in the exam's 11th edition by reducing its duration to 2 hours and 15 minutes and also removing the Analytical Writing Assessment. Top B-Schools in India consider GMAT scores for admission to PG management courses. Apart from Indian institutes, the majority of the international B-Schools also consider the GMAT score for MBA admission.
About CAT or Common Admission Test
IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) conduct the CAT exam every year for admission into PG management courses. Apart from IIMs, top B-Schools in India, such as S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Institute of Management Technology, Faculty of Management Studies, International Management Institute, etc., also consider the CAT score for admission. In all, close to 3,000 B-Schools in India consider the CAT score for admission to MBA/ PGDM courses.
GMAT vs CAT Eligibility Criteria
Add CollegeDekho as a Trusted Source
CAT Eligibility Criteria
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
CAT Minimum Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree from a recognized institute in any stream |
CAT Minimum Marks for General Category | 50% Aggregate Marks |
CAT Minimum Marks for Reserved Category | 45% for SC/ST/PwD Candidates |
Age Limit for CAT Eligibility 2025 | None |
Nationality | Both Indian and Foreign Nationals are Eligible |
Work Experience | Not Mandatory |
Reservation | SC, ST, NC-OBC, PwD, EWS |
GMAT Eligibility Criteria
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
GMAT Minimum Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree from a recognized institute in any stream |
GMAT Minimum Marks for General Category | No Minimum Marks Requirement |
GMAT Minimum Marks for Reserved Category | No Minimum Marks Requirement |
Age Limit for CAT Eligibility 2025 | 18 Years, 13-17 Years (Parental NOC Required) |
Nationality | No Eligibility Requirement |
Work Experience | Not Mandatory |
Reservation | No Reservation |
Also Read:
| GMAT Eligibility Criteria |
|---|
GMAT vs CAT Exam Pattern
CAT Exam Pattern
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
CAT 2024 Sections |
|
Total No. of Questions | 66 |
Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions and Type in the Answer (TITA) |
Total Marks | 198 |
Marking Scheme |
|
Exam Duration | 2 hours or 120 minutes |
Sectional Time Limit | 40 Minutes |
Exam Timings |
|
Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test |
GMAT Exam Pattern
Details | Particulars |
|---|---|
Exam Name | Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) |
Conducting Body | GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) |
Mode of Examination | Online and Center-Based |
Duration of the Examination | 2 Hours and 15 Minutes |
Medium of the Examination | English |
Number of Sections | Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights |
Number of Questions | 64 |
Total Marks Range | 205-805 |
Also Read:
| CAT Exam Pattern | GMAT Exam Pattern |
|---|
Comparison between GMAT and CAT
Check the detailed comparison between CAT and GMAT mentioned below:
Exam Name | GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) | CAT (Common Admission Test) |
|---|---|---|
Conducting Body | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) | IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) |
Exam Mode | Computer-Adaptive Test | Computer-Based Test |
Frequency of Exam | There are no fixed GMAT dates. Students are free to choose any date according to their convenience and availability. Students can take the exam five times a year. | Once a Year |
Duration | 2 hours 15 minutes | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
Number of Sections | 3 | 3 |
Sectional Time Limit |
|
|
Types of Question Format | The level of difficulty of questions will keep on changing according to your calibre. | Most questions are MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions), the rest are Non-MCQs. |
Option to Choose Order of Attempting Sections | Student has the flexibility to choose the section order in which they feel most comfortable taking the exam. | Candidates are not allowed to switch between sections |
Total Marks | 205 – 805 | 198 |
Marking for Correct Answer | - | +3 |
Marking for Incorrect Answer | No Negative Marking | -1 |
Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate to Difficult |
Syllabus Difference |
|
|
| Top Colleges Accepting Exam Scores |
| |
Score Validity | Accepted by over 2400 B-schools worldwide | Accepted by over 2000 B-schools In India |
Top MBA Colleges in India Accepting CAT Scores
The table provided below will help you know some well-known MBA colleges in India that accept CAT scores.
College | Fee |
|---|---|
INR 16,02,000 | |
INR 5,84,000 | |
INR 2,30,000 | |
INR 4,53,000 | |
INR 8,00,000 | |
INR 1,92,000 |
Top MBA Colleges in India Accepting GMAT Scores
Provided below is the list of some well-known MBA colleges in India that accept GMAT scores
College | Fee |
|---|---|
INR 8,00,000 | |
INR 4,40,000 | |
INR 24,61,000 | |
INR 17,25,000 | |
INR 20,58,500 | |
INR 10,30,000 |
Check the links below to learn more about MBA entrance exams in India!
Related Articles:
| How to Approach CAT 2025 Question Paper? | CAT vs CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, IIFT & Other MBA Entrance Exams |
|---|
If you have any queries related to CAT, GMAT, or any other management entrance exam, you can post your queries on the Collegedekho QnA zone . For admission-related assistance, call our toll-free number 1800-572-9877 or fill out our Common Application form .
Are you feeling lost and unsure about what career path to take after completing 12th standard?
Say goodbye to confusion and hello to a bright future!
FAQs
Yes, there is a sectional limit in both the CAT and GMAT examination. Once the sectional time is over, candidates will be passed to the next section.
The total duration of the CAT exam is 120 minutes. On the other hand, the duration of GMAT is 3 hours 7 minutes(including optional 8-minute break)
Both the exams are difficult but the difficulty level of CAT is higher than the GMAT. GMAT has a well-defined syllabus that makes it compatible with easier than CAT.
There are three sections in the CAT examination while three sections are there in GMAT examination.
The conducting body of CAT is IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) while the conducting body of GMAT is GMAC(Graduate Management Admission Council)
Was this article helpful?
Similar Articles
How Many Questions to Attempt for 100 Percentile in CMAT 2026?
CMAT 2026 Revision Plan for Language Comprehension
How Many Questions to Attempt for 99 Percentile in CMAT 2026?
CMAT Normalization Process 2026: How Scores are Calculated?
MBA Colleges for Low Percentile/ Score in CMAT 2026
Top MBA Colleges in India Accepting CMAT Score in 2026