CMAT vs CAT: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Top Colleges

The major difference between CMAT vs CAT is that CAT scores are accepted by IIMs while other top management colleges accept CMAT scores and some more differences such as the number of sections, exam duration and syllabus in CMAT and CAT.

CMAT full form is Common Management Admission Test and it is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA), whereas CAT is Commission Admission Test and it is organized and conducted by Institute of Management (IIM).

CMAT vs CAT is a common thought among students who want to take admission into MBA or PGDM. The CAT exam is accepted by non-IIM institutes, and other tier-1 B-schools. Some of the business colleges that accept CAT are FMS New Delhi, IMI New Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, DMS IIT Delhi.

CMAT 2023

CAT 2023

Table of Contents

CMAT vs CAT
- Difference between CAT and CMAT: Highlights
CAT vs CMAT 2023: Exam Pattern and Syllabus Difference
List of Colleges Accepting CAT and CMAT Scores

CMAT vs CAT

While comparing CMAT vs CAT, many students get confused about which entrance exam they should take, and it is because both CMAT and CAT examinations are for MBA/PGDM admissions.

But when it comes to CMAT vs CAT difference, major differences between the two examinations help a candidate set their priorities for which entrance exam to choose. The students can refer to the table below to know the differences between CAT and CMAT.

Difference between CAT and CMAT: Highlights

CAT vs CMAT
Particular	CAT	CMAT
Exam Level	National Level	National Level
Conducting Body	The IIMs (Indian Institute of Management)	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Difficulty Level	High	Moderate

CAT vs CMAT 2023: Exam Pattern and Syllabus Difference

Many students ask this question that is CAT easier than CMAT? The answer to this depends as the difficulty level varies from person to person based on their exam preparation. But in general, CMAT is known to be easier than the CAT examination.

There are 3 Sections in the CAT exam pattern and 5 Sections in the CMAT exam pattern. For a complete CAT vs CMAT Exam Pattern analysis, candidates can refer to the tables below-

CAT Exam Pattern 2023

The students can check the CAT exam pattern 2023 from the table mentioned below.

CAT Exam Pattern 2023
Name of Examination	Common Admission Test
Negative Marking Scheme	33% - 1/3 negative marking for MCQsNo negative marking for TITA-type questions
No. of Sections	3
No. of Questions	66
Duration of Examination	120 minutes
Type of Question	MCQ and TITA (Type in the Answer)
Mode of Examination	Online (Computer-based test)
Sectional Time	40 minutes per Section
Total Marks	198

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023

The students can check the CMAT exam pattern 2023 from the table mentioned below.

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023
Name of Examination	Common Management Admission Test
Negative Marking Scheme	25% - 1/4 negative marking
No. of Sections	5
No. of Questions	100
Duration of Examination	180 minutes
Mode of Examination	Online (Computer-based test)
Type of Question	MCQs
Sectional Time	N/A
Total Marks	400

CMAT and CAT Syllabus Difference

The students can check the CMAT and CAT syllabus differences from the table mentioned below.

CMAT and CAT Syllabus Difference
CMAT		CAT
Section	No. of Questions	Section	No. of Questions
Language Comprehension	20	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	24
Logical Reasoning	20	Quantitative Ability	22
Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation	20	Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	20
General Awareness	20	-	-