CAT vs CMAT vs NMAT vs MAT which is better?

If you're here, then you're not the first to feel confused about the management exams such as CAT, MAT, CMAT, and NMAT. To help you differentiate, find out the similarities and organise your understanding of these exams we have listed out the details of each competitive management exam. These are all the top management exams held in India to give admission to you to some of the prestigious MBA colleges in India.

But many of you often find it difficult that which exam should you prepare for. An easy and clear guide for all these top management exams has been shared below for the your ease. Management exams are conducted for admissions to MBA/PGDM programmes in prestigious and revered management and business schools across India.

Common Admission Test (CAT)

The Common Admissions Test (or CAT, for short) is an entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institute of Management. The Major Advantages of Taking CAT Exam 2026 is that out of 19 IIMs, only 6 major institutes under the same brand organise and conduct this entrance exam annually. They include IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, IIM Kolkata, IIM Kozhikode, and IIM Bangalore. The exam itself is 3 hours long (or 180 minutes, for an exact number), so you would ideally dedicate 60 minutes to each section in the exam.

These sections include the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section, the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, and finally, the Quantitative Ability section; a total of 3 sections. The sections share both MCQs as well as non-MCQs; there are a total of 72-75 MCQs present in the paper. The similarity between the MCQs/non-MCQs is that they are both objective-type questions. You cannot switch between sections mid-way; in order to do so, you must complete the section you started. So strategise accordingly.

As a Computer-Based Test, the CAT exam can detect if you selected/wrote the correct answer or the wrong one. A correct answer is worth 3 points, while a wrong answer will penalise you with a -1 marking. There is no negative marking applied if you leave a question unattempted. We could say that the negative marking is primarily the difficulty amplifier, followed by the subject matter. So the exam is understandably quite difficult when compared to the other entrance exams.

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

CAT exam is an online-based exam and it has different sections. The CAT exam pattern is as mentioned in the table below: 

CAT 2026 Syllabus

The CAT Exam Syllabus mainly includes basic topics under both English and Mathematics. For English, you would cover topics such as Grammar, Para Correction, Sentence Correction, Word Usage, Analogies, Idioms, and Para Jumbles.

The exam covers concepts related to Mathematics that were previously taught between Classes 6 to 10. These include Pie Charts, Graph Tables, Data Arrangement, Arithmetics and Mensuration, Geometry and Trigonometry, Calculus and Algebra.

CAT Eligibility Criteria

The candidates aspiring to appear for CAT must satisfy the criteria given below:

• The ones from the general category must hold a Bachelor’s degree with an average of 50% or an equivalent CGPA.
• The ones from the reserved category such as SC/ST/PwD must hold a Bachelor’s degree with an average of 45% or an equivalent CGPA 
• Additionally, the degree should be granted by universities pronounced as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.
• In the final year of their graduation degree, candidates can also apply for CAT.

Top 10 Colleges Accepting CAT Scores

If you're wondering which colleges accept CAT scores, then we've got a list for you.

Common Management Admission Test (CMAT)

The Common Management Admission Test (or CMAT, for short) is an entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The big difference seen in this Computer-Based Test when compared to CAT is that CMAT is conducted twice a year. It has a total of 4 sections to cover, each of which don't have a sectional time limit, but the entire exam still is 3 hours (or 180 minutes) long. All the questions asked in the exam are not only objective-type questions, but they're also MCQs. CMAT is comparatively freeing since you can switch to any section whenever you want.

The CMAT Normalisation Process includes giving the correct answers 4 points, and -1 penalisation for wrong attempts. No negative marking is given for unattempted questions. The total marks are 400, with each section worth 100 marks. Due to the nature of the exam, it's largely moderate in difficulty, but it does tilt towards the more difficult side of things.

CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern

CMAT exam is conducted online and it has four sections. The entire CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern is as mentioned below:

CMAT 2026 Syllabus

The CMAT 2026 Syllabus exam includes topics that are taken abundantly from Mathematics and some from English. Candidates will write on topics such as Geometry, Mensuration, Number Systems, Fractions and Decimals, Analytical Reasoning, Matrix Arrangements, Coding/Decoding, Nonverbal Reasoning, General Awareness, and English Grammar.

CMAT Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the candidate to apply for the CMAT examination areas mentioned in the bullet points below:

• You must be an Indian citizen.
• You should have a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or equivalent.
• Moreover, the ones in your final year of graduation can also apply for the CMAT exam. You should submit the mark sheets at admission as proof for the university.
• However, there is no age restriction.

Top 10 Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

Here is a list of the top 10 colleges accepting CMAT scores.

NMAT

Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is a Computer-Based (CBT) entrance exam conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). This 2-hour (120-minute) long exam tests your language skills, logic, reasoning, and your aptitude. In order to test these aspects, the paper is divided into 3 sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Aptitude, and Logical Reasoning. Each of them take between 22-30 minutes, but QA takes a total of 1 hour to finish. This is because the question format involves objective-type non-MCQs. You can choose any order of the sections in the exam, but you must stick to it once you confirm your selection.

The NMAT exam is worth 120 marks in total; every correct answer gives you 1 mark. Unlike the previous two exams we've talked about, the NMAT exam has no negative markings for either wrong answers or unattempted questions, so you can rest easy knowing that. If you plan to retake the examination, you can do so within the stipulated exam date. As for the difficulty level, it'd range between medium and difficult, but when compared to the previous two exams (CAT and CMAT), the lack of negative markings helps tone down the difficulty substantially.

Also Read: How to Crack NMAT 2026?

NMAT 2026 Exam Pattern 

NMAT is a Computer-Based (CBT) entrance exam and the paper is divided into 3 sections. However, the NMAT 2026 Exam Pattern is as tabulated below:

NMAT Syllabus

The NMAT 2026 Syllabus includes major topics related to Mathematics and English. They're as follows:

• Mathematics: Linear and Quadratic Equations in Algebra, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Probability, Coordinate Geometry, Coding/Decoding, Series and Syllogisms.
• English: Statement Conclusions, Synonyms and Antonyms, Idioms, and Vocabulary.

NMAT Eligibility Criteria

The NMAT eligibility requirements for 2026 are listed below.

• There is no age limit for taking the NMAT by GMAC 2026 exam.
• Besides, candidates with two to three years of prior work experience are favoured throughout the final selection process. Candidates with no prior work experience are also welcome to apply.
• Candidates must have a three-year bachelor's degree from a recognised institute/university and a minimum aggregate score of 50% in the last year of their Bachelor's degree.

Top 10 Colleges Accepting NMAT Scores

Here are the top 10 colleges accepting NMAT scores as a basis for accepting candidates to their programmes.

Management Aptitude Test (MAT)

The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is an entrance exam conducted by the All-India Management Association (AIMA). What's interesting about this exam is that it can be both a Computer-Based Test and a Paper-Based Test. It is also the most comprehensive exam compared to the other 3 exams. It's conducted 4 times each year, is divided into 5 different sections, and is perceived as shorter in duration; although NMAT in comparison is 2 hours long, the density at which the MAT exam is packed makes the 2.5-hour (or 150-minute) limit on it too short.

The sections you'd cover include Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, and India & Its Geographical Environments. Most of the questions asked are presented as MCQs, all of which are objective-type. The total marks for this exam come up to 200 marks, with 1 mark awarded for correct answers, and a 0.25 penalty for wrong answers. You're not penalised for leaving questions unanswered.

Is the MAT exam easy? No, it is moderate. However, this difficulty is due to the time management issue you'd have to work around with. Content-wise, the MAT exam is by far the easiest to write.

Read More: What is the use of MAT Exam?

MAT 2026 Exam Pattern

MAT exam is arranged over both a Computer-Based Test and a Paper-Based Test. The MAT 2026 Exam Pattern is as mentioned below:

MAT 2026 Syllabus

Here is the MAT 2026 Syllabus, which includes:

• Data Arrangement
• Blood Relations
• Series and Sequences and Critical Reasoning
• Direction Sense
• Input/Output analysis
• Coding
• Decoding
• Mathematics
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• General Knowledge

MAT Eligibility Criteria

The MAT eligibility criteria for students who wish to appear is set by AIMA and requires the following minimum:

• Candidates must have completed graduation in any discipline from a recognised University or equivalent. 
• Additionally, candidates in their final year of UG programs can also apply.
• However, there is no Upper Age Limit set by AIMA to take the MAT exam. 
• Moreover, there is no limit on the number of attempts.

Top 10 Colleges Accepting MAT scores

Here are the top 10 colleges accepting MAT scores that we believe are worth looking into.

Conclusion

Among all the management entrance exams, the CAT exam is considered to be the toughest among them all, and it has a lot to do with its combination of negative markings and tough-as-nails questions. Conversely, CMAT is considered the easiest when we take a look at the proportions; time, questions, difficulty, etc. It is also more financially viable for a student to pay off CMAT fees than the fees of other exams. Therefore, CMAT takes the cake here.