CAT vs NMAT, CAT is a national-level entrance exam offering admission into top MBA institutions, whereas NMAT is a college-level entrance exam which offers admission into specific top MBA institutions such as NMIMS and more.
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CAT vs NMAT, Both of the exams are highly opted MBA entrance exams that you can take every year for admission to top business schools in India. However, the demand for taking the exam is different. Around 3 lakh candidates appear for CAT every year, while the number of candidates taking NMAT is comparatively less.
However, NMAT is quite different from CAT in terms of exam pattern, number of attempts, etc., and is generally considered easier than the CAT. CAT vs NMAT analysis enables you to identify the differences and similarities between the two exams. After going through all the details provided below you shall be clear with the concept of CAT vs NMAT which is easy!
CAT vs NMAT Similarities
Check out the table below to know the similarities between CAT vs NMAT.
| Particulars | Details |
| Courses offered for admission | MBA/PGDM |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer-Based) |
| Duration of the Exam | 120 Minutes |
| Exam Level | National |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Sectional Timing | Yes |
Read More: Different Types of MBA Courses
CAT vs NMAT Differences
You must understand the basic differences between the two exams. CAT and NMAT differences are provided in the table below:
| Components | CAT | NMAT |
| Full Form | Common Admission Test | NMIMS Management Aptitude Test |
| Conducting Authority | IIMs | GMAC |
| Number of Attempts | Once every year | Thrice in the same window |
| Application Fee | General category: INR 2200 Reserved category: INR 1100 | INR 2300 |
| Negative Marking | Yes | No |
Read More: General MBA vs Specialized MBA
CAT vs NMAT Exam Pattern
You can refer to the exam pattern of both CAT Exam Pattern and NMAT exam pattern from the tables mentioned below to get a clarity on the same.
CAT Exam Pattern
It involves three sections with 100 questions. You are allotted 120 minutes to attempt the entire question paper.
| Sections | Number of Questions | Time Allotted |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 Minutes |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 66 | 120 Minutes |
NMAT Exam Pattern
The NMAT exam includes three sections. There was a notable change witnessed in the from the year 2020. As per the latest NMAT exam pattern, the question paper will consist of 108 questions only, which will be equally divided into 3 sections. However, the exam duration remains unchanged, i.e. 120 minutes.
| Sections | Number of Questions | Time Allotted |
| Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation | 36 | 52 Minutes |
| Language Skills | 36 | 28 Minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 36 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 108 | 120 Minutes |
CAT vs NMAT Syllabus
The NMAT vs CAT Syllabus is to understand the complexity of the preparations for the ones who are aspiring to get into one of the top business schools in the country.
CAT Syllabus
The CAT test-takers are evaluated in three areas: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. The detailed list of topics in CAT Syllabus covered under each section is given below:
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
| Reading Comprehension | Blood Relations | Number Systems |
| Fill in the Blanks | Syllogisms | Time and Work |
| Vocabulary-based questions (Antonyms & Synonyms) | Tables | Simple and Compound Interest |
| Sentence Correction | Caselets | Percentages |
| Verbal Reasoning | Pie Charts | Ratios and Proportions |
| Analogies | Line Charts and Bar Graphs | Profit and Loss |
| English Grammar and Usage | Numbers and Letter Series | Permutations and Combinations |
| Cloze Test | Seating Arrangements | Mensuration |
| Para-Jumbles | Clocks’ Questions | Surds and Indices |
NMAT Syllabus
Your language skills, logical reasoning skills, and quantitative abilities are assessed through the NMAT. The table below shows the topics involved in each of these sections of NMAT syllabus:
| Language Skills | Logical Reasoning | Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation |
| Fill in the Blanks | Numbers and Letter Series | Simple and Compound Interest |
| Vocabulary-based questions (Antonyms & Synonyms) | Syllogisms | Percentages |
| Para-Jumbles | Tables | Ratios and Proportions |
| Reading Comprehension | Caselets | Profit and Loss |
| English Grammar and Usage | Pie Charts | Number Systems |
| Analogies | Clocks’ Questions | Time and Work |
| Sentence Correction | Seating Arrangements | Mensuration |
| Cloze Test | Line Charts and Bar Graphs | Surds and Indices |
| Verbal Reasoning | Blood Relations | Permutations and Combinations |
CAT vs NMAT Marking Scheme and Number of Attempts
You can check the marking scheme and the negative marking details in the pointers mentioned below to understand the grading method of the examinations.
CAT: The question paper of CAT consists of both MCQ and non-MCQ (TITA) questions. The test-takers will be given 3 marks for every correct attempt. The CAT exam also includes negative marking; however, if you does not attempt a particular question, your marks will not be deducted. Authorities prepare the final score card depending on the scaled score and percentile. As far as the number of attempts is concerned, CAT is conducted once a year in the month of November.
NMAT: The question paper of NMAT comprises only MCQ-based questions. Every correct response in NMAT will fetch you 3 marks. Moreover, there is no negative marking in case of incorrect responses. Authorities release the final score card on the basis of the scaled score (sectional range: 12-120 and overall range: 36-360) As for the number of attempts in NMAT, it is possible to attempt the exam 3 times within a 75-day test window (October to December) in a given year.
Read More: CAT vs CMAT vs NMAT vs MAT which is better?
CAT vs NMAT Difficulty Level
You can understand the difficulty level of the exams by checking the year on year question papers and the number of students who have scored high, medium, or low percentiles.
CAT: As mentioned earlier, CAT takes place annually, and lakhs of MBA aspirants take the exam every year. Due to factors like competition level, exhaustive syllabus, time constraints, and level of questions, the overall difficulty level of CAT is much higher than the NMAT.
NMAT: The difficulty level of NMAT is far easier than the CAT. As discussed above, the format of the NMAT exam is such that it allows you to appear thrice for the exam in a particular year. Moreover, NMAT is a computer-adaptive exam, which means that questions asked in the 2nd/3rd attempts will be based on the candidate’s performance in the 1st attempt.
Therefore, the NMAT is a more flexible and student-friendly MBA entrance exam compared to the CAT.
CAT vs NMAT Participating Colleges
The choice between top colleges accepting CAT scores in India vs Top Colleges Accepting NMAT Scores in India may also depend on the business school you wish to attend. CAT scores are accepted by IIMs and other institutes in India, whereas an NMAT scorecard allows you to enrol into NMIMS university and other business schools. However, a significantly higher number of B-schools accept CAT scores as compared to NMAT scores.
| CAT Score Accepting Colleges | NMAT Score Accepting Colleges |
Conclusion
To conclude, while both CAT and NMAT are challenging exams, CAT is more difficult than NMAT. However, considering that both exams have a similar syllabus, a candidate who prepares for CAT will also succeed in the NMAT. Moreover, we cannot say that one exam is better than the other. You need to consider the above-mentioned aspects and decide which exam will be suitable for you, between CAT vs NMAT.
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