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NMAT VS CAT - NMAT or CAT, which is easier to crack? Which one should you give? NMAT and CAT are the top entrance exams accepted by the top colleges and universities for MBA admissions. By comparing NMAT vs CAT, the exam pattern and syllabus appear to be similar. NMAT and CAT entrance exams are accepted by the majority of the MBA institutions in India. NMAT is a national-level entrance exam accepted by NMIMS and many others conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council. However, CAT is a national-level entrance examination accepted by all IIMs and other B-schools in India.
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NMAT vs CAT: Candidates can apply for the NMAT exam and CAT exam based on their eligibility criteria. Candidates who scored 50% minimum aggregate marks in any relevant bachelor programme or final year students from an approved university can register for the CAT exam or NMAT entrance exam. Read this article of careers360 to get the answers to the dilemmas such as which exam is easier NMAT or CAT?, Is CAT harder than NMAT? and Is it easier to crack NMAT?
CAT (Common Admission Test) and NMAT (NMIMS Management Aptitude Test) are the entrance exams for admission to MBA courses in top institutions. Candidates can understand the basic details of the NMAT vs CAT exam.
Particulars | CAT | NMAT |
Full Form | Common Admission Test | NMIMS Management Aptitude Test |
Conducting Body | IIMs | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
Number of Attempts | Once every year | Three attempts in a year |
Application Fee |
| Rs. 2800 |
Negative Marking | Yes | No |
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NMAT is conducted once a year. Candidates who failed to meet the NMAT cutoff marks on the first attempt can retake 2 times in the same year. The NMAT retake exam can taken only after a 15-day gap from the previous attempt. While the CAT exam is conducted once a year only.
NMAT Additional Window: Candidates who do not use three attempts of the NMAT exam can register for the NMAT additional window. Exam slots available for the additional registration window are limited and slots are offered on a first come first serve basis. Candidates who already have an account in the NMAT exam portal can only able to use the NMAT additional window.
NMAT and CMAT are the entrance exams accepted for admission to the top B-schools in India. There are 3 topics to be covered in the NMAT Vs CAT entrance exams. The CAT exam syllabus consists of sections such as Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). However, the NMAT syllabus consists of Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Skills, and Language Skills. Candidates can check out the below tables to know the sectional-wise topics of NMAT vs CAT exam syllabus.
NMAT Section-wise questions | NMAT exam 2024 Syllabus |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension |
|
NMAT exam Quantitative Aptitude |
|
Logical Reasoning of NMAT 2024 |
|
CAT 2024 Syllabus | CAT exam 2024 Topics |
Verbal Ability | Para jumbles, Para summary, Odd sentence out, Inferences, Predictions, One-word substitution, Solving Main idea and title questions, Drawing Conclusions. |
Reading Comprehension | RC passages |
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation | Binary Logic, Syllogism, Directions, Clocks and calendars, Tables, Graphs, Charts, Connectives, Logical Sequence, Matching/ Puzzles, Number and Letter Series, Seating Arrangement, Venn Diagrams, Coding-Decoding, Caselets and Table |
Quantitative Aptitude | Geometry, Trigonometry, Averages, Percentages, Number Systems, Arithmetic, Algebra, Mensuration, Modern Maths, Profit and loss, Simple & Compound Interest |
Candidates can go through the below table to understand the major differences in th NMAT vs CAT exam patterns.
Particulars | NMAT 2024 Exam | CAT 2024 Exam Details |
Exam sections |
|
|
Duration of exam | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
Total number of questions expected | 108 | 66 |
Total marks | 324 | 198 |
Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | MCQs and Non-MCQ |
Marking Scheme |
|
|
Cutoff marks expected for the MBA admissions for top 10 colleges are listed below. MBA cutoff marks for NMAT vs CAT are determined by factors such as the number of candidates attending the exam, difficulty level of the exam, reservation policy, previous year's cutoff trends and many others. The MBA entrance exam's expected 2024 cutoff marks are mentioned in the table below.
NMAT 2024 | NMAT 2024 Expected Cutoff |
200+ marks | |
90+ percentile | |
200+ marks | |
80+ percentile | |
200+ marks | |
150+ | |
100+ | |
140+ | |
Woxsen School of Business Management | 160+ |
GITAM School of International Business (GSIB), Visakhapatnam | 140+ |
CAT 2024 | CAT 2024 Expected Cutoff |
99-100 | |
99-100 | |
99 | |
97+ | |
97+ | |
97 to 98 | |
95+ | |
95+ | |
95+ | |
94 |
The selection process of NMAT or CAT entrance exams usually have written test in the first round followed by GD or personal interview. The candidates who qualified in the first round only will be eligible to participate in the next round of the selection process.
The NMAT selection process comprises two steps that are mentioned below:
The candidates who cleared the CAT 2024 will be invited for the CAT selection process by the participating institutes, including the IIMs and non-IIMs. The MBA admission criteria can vary from one institute to another based on CAT 2024 score, WAT, and GD/PI. Check out the CAT selection process for the MBA / PGDM programmes.
Quick Links: MBA Books For Preparation Entrance Exam
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When comparing the entrance exam pattern and syllabus, the CAT is generally considered more challenging than the NMAT. The NMAT accepting colleges is less as compared to the CAT accepting institutes. Candidates who wish to apply for the MBA programmes at IIMs must qualify for the CAT exam. There are no differences in the exam pattern and syllabus of NMAT or CAT.
Candidates who obtained NMAT cutoff marks above 200 will be offered admission to top b-schools accepting NMAT scores.
Candidates can easily crack the NMAT exam if they have a proper study plan, dedication and hard work. The NMAT exam is conducted to analyse the mathematical, logical, language and analytical abilities of students.
Both CAT and NMAT exams are the most challenging MBA entrance exams. While comparing the exam syllabus of CAT or NMAT, appears to be similar. Candidates preparing for the CAT can also secure good marks in NMAT. Compared to NMAT, CAT is tougher.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
The application dates for MBA (Law) 2026–28 batch are not announced yet.
Since you are appearing for NMAT, you can expect the forms to be released around the time of NMAT registrations , which usually begin in August. Most likely, the applications will open by August or September 2025.
You should keep checking the official admission website of the college for exact updates.
Hope it helps !
dear aditi,
lsit of college known accepting NMAT score"-
1. XIM University, Bhubaneshwar
2. SPJIMR, Mumbai
3. IFMR Graduate School of Business, Krea University
4. Woxsen University, Hyderabad
5. VIT, Vellore
6. SRM University, Chennai
more..
thanks
Hello Ishita,
With an NMAT score of 180 and 55 percentile, you can target tier-2 and tier-3 management colleges. Here are some options with decent average placements:
Consider applying to colleges with good industry exposure and placement records.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries, then feel free to share your questions with us, we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you, and I wish you all the best in your bright future.
Hello aspirant,
It is anticipated that the Shiv Nadar NMAT cutoff score for the MBA program will be higher than 200. Applicants at Shiv Nadar University who have an NMAT score of 200 or higher (after normalization) should anticipate receiving an invitation to the Personal Interview phase.
So with 182 marks in NMAT, it is very difficult to get a call from Shiv Nadar University.
Thank you
Top MBA colleges based on CAT, XAT, SNAP, and NMAT scores include some of India’s best institutions. For CAT, the IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta) and FMS Delhi are highly regarded. XAT results in prestigious colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur and XIMB. SNAP is known for Symbiosis Institutes, such as SIBM Pune and SCMHRD. NMAT scores open doors to NMIMS Mumbai, SPJIMR Mumbai, and ISB Hyderabad. Each exam has unique eligibility requirements, and their cutoffs vary, so it's important to research the specific criteria and select based on your preferences and strengths.
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