CAT vs XAT vs SNAP 2025: Detailed Comparison of Exam Pattern, Difficulty & Selection Process

Students are often confused if CAT vs XAT vs SNAP, which is better and what must they prepare for. Students are advised to check their long term future goals and select the exam accordingly.

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When you begin your MBA journey, the biggest question that arises is: which entrance exam should I take? Three of the most popular management entrance tests in India include CAT, XAT, and SNAP, and each of them opens the gateways to some of the best B-schools in India. Whereas CAT would send you to the prestigious IIMs and other renowned colleges, XAT would send you to institutes like XLRI Jamshedpur, and SNAP is accepted by the Symbiosis group of institutes.

If you have a goal of taking an entrance exam for an MBA in 2025, the initial step towards smart preparation would be to learn about the differences between the three exams. All the tests differ in terms of the pattern of the exam, level of difficulty, syllabus, and selection procedure. In this article, we will help you out in determining which of the exam out of three exams best fits your skills and ability, preparation strategy, and career objectives, such that you can dedicate your time and effort in the correct direction.

CAT vs XAT vs SNAP Key Differences

Although all three exams, CAT, XAT, and SNAP, serve the same purpose of getting you into top management institutes, they differ quite a lot in terms of format, difficulty level as well as the level of focus on skills. CAT emphasizes logical along analytical ability; XAT tests decision-making skills as well as general awareness, and SNAP, on the other hand, focuses more on speed and accuracy.

Understanding the major CAT vs XAT vs SNAP differences will help you decide better on which exam aligns best with your strengths and preparation strategy.

CAT vs XAT vs SNAP 2025 Comparison Table
Feature	CAT 2025	XAT 2025	SNAP 2025
Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)	XLRI Jamshedpur (on behalf of XAMI)	Symbiosis International (Deemed University)
Purpose	Admission to 21 IIMs and 1000+ other B-schools	Admission to XLRI and 160+ B-schools	Admission to 16 Symbiosis Institutes
Exam Frequency	Once a year	Once a year	Once a year (conducted thrice, best score considered)
Exam Duration	120 minutes	190 minutes	60 minutes
Sections	VARC, DILR, QA	Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, General Awareness	General English, Analytical & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative, DI & DS
Total Questions	Around 66	Around 100	60
Marking Scheme	+3 for correct, -1 for incorrect	+1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect	+1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect
Difficulty Level	Moderate to High	High	Easy to Moderate
Score Validity	1 year	1 year	1 year
Accepting Institutes	1200+ B-schools	160+ B-schools	16 Symbiosis Institutes
Expected Cut-offs (Top Colleges)	95-99 percentile (IIMs)	92-98 percentile (XLRI)	90+ percentile (SIBM Pune)

CAT vs XAT vs SNAP Syllabus Comparison

Although all three exams evaluate general skills such as reading comprehension, quantitative ability, and logical reasoning, they vary in section-specificity, breadth of subject matter, and in-depth topics, as well as in unique modules.

The CAT syllabus is based on three major parts, which are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The XAT syllabus introduces a unique Decision Making test and General Knowledge to test your logical and moral reasoning skills. SNAP syllabus is more accurate and has a shorter syllabus and shorter exam time. Being aware of such differences will help you decide on the right exam to suit your strengths and prepare accordingly.

Section	Exam	No. of Questions	Sectional Timing	Score Range	Key Focus Areas / Syllabus Topics	Difficulty Level	Unique Features
Verbal Ability / English	CAT (VARC)	24	40 mins	Max 72	Reading Comprehension-heavy; 4 long RCs (16 Qs) + Verbal Ability (Para-jumbles, Odd-One-Out, Para Summary); Mix of MCQ + TITA	Moderate to High	No grammar/vocab questions; focuses on reasoning within RCs
	XAT (Verbal & Logical Ability)	26	Shared (within 165 mins)	Varies	Reading Comprehension (abstract & factual), Critical Reasoning, Grammar correction, Vocabulary usage, Para-completion, Poem-based comprehension, Logical sequencing	High	Poem-based RCs and CR-focused verbal section; integrated with logical reasoning
	SNAP (General English)	15	No sectional time (entire paper 60 mins)	Max 15	Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms), Grammar, Sentence correction, Idioms & Phrases, RC, Jumbled Paragraphs	Moderate	All MCQs; higher focus on vocab and grammar accuracy
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI/LR)	CAT (DILR)	20	40 mins	Max 60	Data sets involving charts, graphs, caselets, logical arrangements, puzzles; all reasoning is set-based	High	Toughest section in CAT; no standalone questions
	XAT (Decision Making + DI/LR)	21 (DM) + DI/LR in QA	Shared (165 mins total)	Varies	Decision Making (ethical, business, HR caselets); DI (graphs, charts, tables); LR (arrangements, reasoning puzzles)	High	Only exam with Decision Making section; evaluates judgment and ethics
	SNAP (Analytical & Logical Reasoning)	25	No sectional time (entire paper 60 mins)	Max 25	Blood Relations, Series, Coding-Decoding, Syllogisms, Direction Sense, Critical Reasoning	Moderate	Speed-based reasoning; direct and short questions; all MCQs
Quantitative Ability / Mathematics	CAT (QA)	22	40 mins	Max 66	Arithmetic (major focus), Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math, Number System; MCQ + TITA	Moderate to High	Arithmetic-heavy; problem-solving depth is key
	XAT (Quantitative Ability & DI)	28	Shared (165 mins total)	Varies	Algebra, Geometry, Arithmetic, Number Theory, Modern Math, DI (integrated)	High	Slightly more complex than CAT; conceptual questions; DI mixed in
	SNAP (Quant + DI + DS)	20	No sectional time (entire paper 60 mins)	Max 20	Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math, Data Sufficiency, DI charts/tables	Moderate	Focus on quick calculations; questions are less wordy
General Knowledge / Additional Section	CAT	-	-	-	Not included	-	No GK in CAT
	XAT	25 (GK Section)	Separate (Part B, post main test)	Not counted in percentile	Static & Current Affairs, Business, Economy, International Events	Moderate	GK not part of percentile; important for GD-PI rounds
	SNAP	-	-	-	No GK section	-	Entire paper focuses on speed-based aptitude

CAT vs XAT vs SNAP Exam Pattern Comparison

It is important to understand the structure of SNAP vs CAT vs XAT in order to make a good plan and strategy to prepare for them. Though all three exams have a same aptitude like ability: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning, the number of questions, duration of the exams, marking pattern and the time of the sections vary significantly. These differences determine time management, difficulty perception and attempt strategy.

Particulars	CAT 2025	SNAP 2025	XAT 2025
Total Questions	66	60	101
Total Possible Score	198	60	100
Total Sections	3	3	5 (includes GK + Essay)
Exam Duration	2 hours (120 mins)	60 minutes	3 hours 20 minutes (200 mins)
Question Types	MCQs + TITA (Type in the Answer)	MCQs only	MCQs + Essay Writing
Marking Scheme	+3 for correct, −1 for wrong, 0 for unattempted	+1 for correct, −0.25 for wrong, 0 for unattempted	+1 for correct, −0.25 for wrong, 0 for unattempted; Essay not scored
Mode of Exam	Computer-based (CBT)	Computer-based (CBT)	Computer-based (CBT)
Conducting Body	IIM (Indian Institute of Management)	Symbiosis International University (SIU)	XLRI, Jamshedpur
Medium	English	English	English
Difficulty Level	Moderate to High	Moderate	High

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CAT vs XAT vs SNAP Difficulty Level Comparison

Choosing between CAT vs SNAP vs XAT often comes down to how difficult you expect the exam to be and how well that actually matches your strengths. Here’s a breakdown of how each exam stacks up in terms of difficulty and what that means for your preparation:

Exam	General Difficulty Level	Challenging Features
CAT	High - widely regarded as one of India’s toughest MBA entrance exams.	Strict sectional time limits (e.g., 40 mins per section), heavy Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) sets, high question quality.
XAT	Very High - many students feel it’s tougher than CAT in certain ways.	Includes a unique Decision Making section, a long duration (over 3 hours), General Knowledge section adds extra preparation
SNAP	Moderate to Low (relative to CAT/XAT) - seen as more accessible	Very short duration (60 mins) so speed and accuracy matter; still scoring high requires focus

CAT vs XAT vs SNAP Eligibility Criteria Comparison

The eligibility criteria of any management entrance test should be known before the application since the academic requirements of each exam are slightly different. All of CAT, XAT and SNAP require a bachelor's degree in any recognised university but differ on the minimum marks and allowance to final-year students.

Exam	Educational Qualification	Minimum Marks / CGPA	Final-Year Students	Age Limit / Attempt Limit
CAT Eligibility	A bachelor’s degree (10+2+3 or equivalent) from a recognised university.	At least 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/PwD)	Yes, final-year students can apply provisionally	No upper age limit; no attempt restriction
XAT Eligibility	A bachelor’s degree of minimum 3 years from a recognised university	Often no fixed minimum percentage; some institutes require 50% for shortlisted candidates	Yes, final-year students are eligible	No age limit; no attempt limit
SNAP Eligibility	A bachelor’s degree (any discipline) from a recognised institute	Minimum 50% marks (General); 45% for SC/ST/PwD	Yes, final-year students can apply.	No official age limit specified

Top Accepting Colleges for CAT, XAT and SNAP

When choosing between CAT, XAT and SNAP, it’s important to understand which colleges accept each exam score. All three open pathways to reputed business schools across India but their networks differ widely.

Top Accepting Colleges for CAT, XAT and SNAP
Exam	Top MBA Colleges in India
CAT Accepting Colleges	All 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) - MBA Programs Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi & Kolkata Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai Department of Commerce - Delhi School of Economics
XAT Accepting Colleges	XLRI, Jamshedpur SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bangalore Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Bhubaneswar FORE School of Management, Delhi Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai IFMR Graduate School of Business (Krea University)
SNAP Accepting Colleges	Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Pune Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies & Research (SICSR), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management (SIDTM), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management (SIOM), Nashik Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology (SCIT), Pune Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Bangalore

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CAT vs XAT vs SNAP: Which is Better?

The most significant decision you can make towards your MBA is between the CAT, XAT and SNAP. The right exam is one that is based on your dream colleges, level of preparation and the level of comfort you have with various question patterns.

Factor	CAT	XAT	SNAP
Top Colleges	All IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IITs	XLRI, XIMB, IMT, SPJIMR	SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, SIIB, other Symbiosis institutes
Difficulty	High; concept-heavy and analytical	Moderate-high; includes Decision Making	Moderate; speed and accuracy-focused
Attempts	Once a year	Once a year	Up to 3 attempts; best score counted
Sections	VARC, DILR, QA	Verbal, Decision Making, QA & DI, GK	English, Quant & DI, Logical Reasoning
Exam Duration	120 mins	200 mins	60 mins
Marking Scheme	+3, -1	+1, -0.25	+1, -0.25
Ideal For	Analytical problem-solvers aiming top IIMs	Logical thinkers targeting XLRI, XIMB	Quick learners aiming for Symbiosis colleges

Conclusion

Selecting between CAT, XAT and SNAP is based on your strengths, your preferred colleges and the way you plan your exam strategy. All the three exams possess their own advantages, however, through proper preparation, confidence and a dedicated strategy, you will be able to pass the test that will match your MBA goals and your learning style.