CAT or GMAT? The GMAT and CAT are the most renowned entrance exams for pursuing an MBA from prestigious B-Schools. Most MBA aspirants find these exams most challenging to clear. When it comes to selecting between CAT and GMAT, candidates often face dilemmas and confusion. To make an optimum selection it is crucial for candidates to know the major differences of CAT and GMAT.
The basic difference between CAT and GMAT lies in their scope for admission. The CAT is crucial for securing admission into premier Indian B-schools, whereas the GMAT is crucial for admission in Indian and foreign B-schools. Additionally, the annual frequency of both exams varies significantly, which affects their suitability for MBA admissions. Other notable distinctions between the GMAT and CAT are provided here to help candidates choose the one that meets their requirements.Features | CAT | GMAT |
Exam conducting body | Indian Institute of Management (IIM) | The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
Test Mode | Online | Online & Offline |
Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours 15 minutes |
No. of Sections | 3 sections | 3 sections |
Sections | Sections for CAT | Sections for GMAT Focus Edition |
Verbal Ability and Reading comprehension (24 questions) | Quantitative Reasoning (21 questions) | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (20 questions) | Verbal Reasoning (23 questions) | |
Quantitative Ability (22 questions) | Data Insights (20 questions) | |
No. of Questions | 66 | 64 |
Section wise time limit | 40 minutes per section | 45 minutes per section |
Score Scale | 198 | 200-800 |
Acceptance | National level | Global level |
Score Validity | 1 Year | 5 Years |
Application Fee | INR 2,400 (General) | INR 22,824 ($275) |
INR 1,200 (Under reservation) | ||
Average Preparation Time | 4-5 months | 2-3 months |
Annual Test Takers in 2023 | Approximately 3.3 lakh | Over 2 lakh |
Parameters | CAT | GMAT |
---|---|---|
Basic eligibility criteria | Bachelor's degree in any stream | Bachelor's degree in any stream |
Qualifying marks | 50% for UR candidates 45% for reserved category | No minimum marks requirement |
Minimum age requirement | No minimum age restriction | Candidates must be 18 years old. Candidates between 13-18 years need parental consent for GMAT. |
No. of attempts allowed | No restriction on number of attempts | 5 attempts allowed in a year with 15 days gap. A total of 8 attempts in lifetime. |
Also Read | |
GMAT Exam 2024 | |
GMAT Syllabus | GMAT Exam Date |
GMAT Admit Card | GMAT Full Form |
Parameters | CAT | GMAT Focus Edition |
No. of Questions with Time Limit | Total Questions: 66 | Total Questions: 64 |
VARC: 24 Questions / 40 Minutes | Quantitative Reasoning: 21 Questions / 45 Minutes | |
DILR: 20 Questions / 40 Minutes | Verbal Reasoning: 23 Questions / 45 Minutes | |
QA: 22 Questions / 40 Minutes | Data Insights: 20 Questions / 45 Minutes | |
Test Duration | 2 hours (no breaks included) | 2 hours 15 minutes ( extra 10 minutes for optional break) |
Exam mode | Online (Not adaptive) | Online (Computer-adaptive) |
Score Reporting | Only percentile score provided | Absolute score (Out of 805) and percentile score provided |
International University | Average GMAT Score |
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | 733 |
Stanford Graduate School of Business | 733 |
Harvard Business School | 732 |
Judge Business School, University of Cambridge | 690 |
Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University | 675 |
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto | 670 |
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford | 650 |
Colleges in India | Program |
ISB | PGP |
SP Jain Inst. of Management & Research | PGDM |
XLRI | PGDM |
MDI | PGDM |
XIMB | MBA |
International Institution | Program |
EMLyon Business School | MSC in Management |
ESCP European Business School | Masters in Management |
SP Jain School Of Global Management | Masters Of Global Business |
Singapore Management University | Masters in Management |
Asian Institute of Management | Masters in Business Administration |
Colleges in India | Program |
IIM Ahmedabad | PGP |
IIM Bangalore | MBA |
IIM Calcutta | MBA |
IIM Lucknow | PGP |
IIM Kozhikode | PGP |