Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 10th March 2025
Is XAT tougher than CAT? When comparing XAT VS CAT both depict almost the same difficulty levels. They share similarities and have their own differences. CAT and XAT are some of the top MBA entrance exams taken for MBA admission in India. So let’s discover more about the MBA admission through CAT Vs XAT comparison. When we think about XAT VS CAT which is better? the number of MBA colleges accepting CAT scores compared to XAT scores is high. How the XAT differs from the CAT exam will be understandable by reading this XAT vs CAT article.
The difference between XAT and CAT is mainly based on their syllabus, type of questions, marking scheme and time limits. MBA aspirants who prepared for the CAT exam can easily appear for the XAT exam. the topics covered in the CAT syllabus are similar to the XAT syllabus. Have a look at the XAT Vs CAT tabular differentiation, similarities and difficulty levels in this article.
Top MBA colleges like IIMs, IITs, MDI, XLRI, XIMB, SPJIMR, etc. offer admission based on the MBA entrance like CAT and XAT. So common question arises, Which one is better CAT or XAT? or Is CAT tougher than XAT? CAT and XAT are both moderately difficult and equally competitive. As per the exam analysis, the toughest section of CAT exam is DILR and of XAT exam is the Quantitative Aptitude section.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 10th March 2025
250+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row
Particulars | CAT 2024 | XAT 2025 |
Full form | Common Admission Test | Xavier Aptitude Test |
Conducting Body | IIM | XLRI, Jamshedpur |
Eligibility Criteria | Graduation with 50 % aggregate (45 % for SC/ST students) | Graduate in any stream from a recognized university |
Exam mode | Online | Online |
Marking Scheme | +3 marks for correct answer | +1 mark for a correct answer |
Type of Questions | MCQ & TITA (Type In The Answer) | MCQ and Essay |
Exam fee | INR 2,400 for General category | INR 2,100 |
Mode of registration process | Online | Online |
No. of accepting B-schools | 21 IIMs & 1000+ B-schools in India | 160+ MBA colleges |
Also Check:
The major difference between XAT and CAT is their syllabus, types of questions and exam pattern. The difficulty levels are almost the same. Like any other MBA entrance syllabus, both exams consist of the same sections like QA, DILR, VA and RC passages. The only difference between them is that XAT exam consists of additional sections like GK, decision making and essay writing. Check out the differentiation between CAT and XAT.
Basis of Differentiation | CAT 2024 | XAT 2025 |
Sections | VARC, DILR, Quantitative Aptitude | Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Decision Making, General Knowledge, Essay Writing |
Number of Sections | 3 | 5 (including GK, Decision Making and essay writing) |
Additional Sections in XAT | None | Decision Making, General Knowledge, Essay Writing |
Negative Marking for Un-attempted Questions | No | Yes |
Time Duration | 2 hours | 3 hours 30 minutes |
Specific Difficulty Areas | DILR section often challenging | Decision-making section is unique and challenging |
Apart from differences there are various similarities between these top MBA entrance exams. CAT and XAT share a similar syllabus and both carry negative markings. From CAT vs XAT comparison we can say that both of them are a speed-based test that examines the accuracy of the candidates. Have a look at the similarities between XAT and CAT exam.
Basis of Similarities | CAT 2024 | XAT 2025 |
Sections | Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude | Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude + Decision Making, General Knowledge, Essay |
Number of Sections | 3 | 3 (excluding GK, Decision Making and Essay) |
Types of Questions | Analytical Ability, Logical Reasoning, English Communication Skills | Analytical Ability, Logical Reasoning, English Communication Skills, Decision Making, General Knowledge, Essay |
Syllabus Similarity | Yes | Yes |
Negative Marking Scheme | Yes | Yes |
Speed-based Test | Yes | Yes |
Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate to Difficult |
CAT and XAT exam pattern are completely different from each other but their syllabus still have certain similarities. Let's have a look at the comparison between the XAT and CAT exam pattern and their syllabus through a table.
Details | CAT Marking Scheme | XAT Marking Scheme |
Number of Questions | 66 | 100 |
Total Marks | 198 | 100 |
Negative Marking |
|
|
Number of choices in MCQs | 4 | 5 |
Sectional Time limit | 40 minutes for each section | 175 minutes for Part 1 (VA, QA, DM), 5 minutes for Part 2 (Mock Keyboard Testing) and 30 minutes for Part 3 (GK Essay Writing) |
Candidates can check the tentative XAT and CAT 2024 exam dates for the MBA admission for the next batch.
MBA Exam | MBA Exam Date (Tentative) |
CAT 2024 | November 24, 2024 |
XAT 2025 | January 5, 2025 |
After going through all the differences and similarities between XAT and CAT entrance exams, candidates must decide which MBA exam they want to take. They must prepare an effective study plan and start with the preparation of the exam they wish to appear for. Before preparing a study plan it is crucial to know the syllabus of CAT and XAT syllabus mentioned below.
CAT 2024 Syllabus | |
XAT 2025 Syllabus |
Check out the CAT 2024 preparation tips and exam preparation tips for XAT 2025 listed below in the table.
Have a look at the best XAT and CAT study material like previous year CAT question papers, XAT question papers and mock test series to help you prepare for these upcoming MBA entrance exams.
Given below are the XAT and CAT previous year question papers:
Given below are the best mock test series by Careers360 for XAT and CAT 2024 preparation.
No, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) does not accept XAT score for MBA admission. IIM's only accept CAT score.
With a 65 percentile in CAT, getting admission to USMS (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University) may be difficult, as its cutoff is usually 75-85 percentile or higher for the general category.
However, you can consider other good MBA colleges that accept 60-70 percentile in CAT, such as:
Christ University, Bangalore
Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad
Amrita School of Business, Kochi
PES University, Bangalore
KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies, Kochi
Army Institute of Management, Kolkata
Research their admission criteria, placements, and faculty to choose the best fit.
Hello
With a 65 percentile in CAT , USMS (GGSIPU) admission is difficult as its cutoffs are usually higher. However, you can explore private and tier-2/tier-3 MBA colleges that accept lower CAT scores.
Options to Consider:
1. Private MBA Colleges :
Amity University, Noida
LPU (Lovely Professional University)
Alliance University, Bangalore
Christ University, Bangalore
Apeejay School of Management, Delhi
2. B-Schools Accepting Lower CAT Percentile :
BIMTECH (PGDM-Retail/IB/Insurance)
XIME Bangalore
ITM Navi Mumbai
IPE Hyderabad
Jaipuria Institute of Management
3. Other Entrance Exams :
Appear for MAT, CMAT, XAT (low percentile accepted by some colleges)
Consider state-level exams like MAH CET, KMAT or TANCET .
Hope this gives you the clarity you need.
Hello there,
With your
academic profile (General, Male, Non-Engineer)
, you should
target MBA colleges that focus more on CAT percentile than past academics.
Target Colleges & Minimum CAT Percentile:
You
can
get a good MBA college with
strategic applications
and
high CAT/XAT percentile.
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 wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hi,
As per your given JEE Main percentile which is 88.34 in the SC Category, Your Predicted JEE MAINS 2025 rank may range between 147086 - 170102.
Based on the previous year analysis, According to your JEE MAINS percentile and category you have less possibility of getting a seat for admission in NIT Surathkal.
Some of the other colleges in which you have chances to get admission includes:
You can predict more colleges using the JEE MAINS 2025 college predictor tool.
Hope this information will help you
With your academic background, you have a good chance of getting into some of the top IIMs. Here's a breakdown of your profile:
- Class 10:91.6% - Excellent!
- Class 12:66% - Average, but not a deal-breaker
- B.Tech Computer Science: 8.4 CGPA - Very good!
Assuming you score well in CAT , here are some IIMs you might have a good chance of getting into:
- IIM Ahmedabad: Although the qualifying CAT cut off is 85 percentile, the final cut off typically goes up to 99-100 percentile.With a good CAT score, you might be considered.
- IIM Kozhikode: The CAT cut off for IIM Kozhikode is typically around 95-98 percentile. Your academic profile and a good CAT score might make you a competitive candidate.
- IIM Indore:The CAT cut off for IIM Indore is typically around 90-95 percentile. With a good CAT score and your academic background, you might have a chance.
Keep in mind that CAT cut offs can vary from year to year, and other factors like work experience, extracurricular activities, and personal interviews also play a significant role in the admission process.
To increase your chances, focus on scoring well in CAT, and make sure you have a strong overall profile.
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Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 10th March 2025
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