Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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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.
For CAT 2025 aspirants in the general category, top IIMs maintain high shortlisting standards. Historically, IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta have required at least 85 percentile in each section and an overall 95+ percentile for the first stage of selection. IIM Lucknow and Kozhikode generally shortlist candidates with an overall 90 percentile, while newer IIMs such as Trichy, Udaipur, and Ranchi accept aspirants with 92–94 percentile, highlighting the importance of securing strong sectional scores in VARC, DILR, and QA.
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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) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
Ranked No. 3 Business School in India and no.35 in world by Financial Times MiM 2025 Ranking | Highest CTC: INR 89 LPA
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 |
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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 |
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, the CAT and XAT syllabi are not the same as XAT includes separate sections for Decision Making and General Knowledge which are not the CAT exam.
No, Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) do not accept XAT scores for admission to MBA programme. They primarily accept scores from the Common Admission Test (CAT).
The question of whether IIM or XLRI is better depends on specific career goals and preferences. XLRI is mainly known for its Human Resources (HR) programme, while IIMs are preferred for broader management roles, especially in finance and consulting.
No, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) does not accept XAT score for MBA admission. IIM's only accept CAT score.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
To get admitted to the Institute of Management Studies (IMS), BHU, for an MBA in 2026, you must clear the CAT entrance exam. For that you need to fill out the application form of the CAT in August 2026, which you can get on the Official CAT website
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hello
You can get all the papers on the Careers360 website. To access the paper and download it for practice, just visit here:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-cat-2024-question-paper-with-solutions
Hope it will help you!!
Hello dear candidate,
Yes, you have a very good chance of getting a BPT seat with 488 out of 600 and TS EAMCET rank of 14,000 under the ST category.
As the cut off of BPT for ST category students are generally between 25,000 to 45,000 ranks, depending upon the college and you have TS EAMCET rank of 14,000.
Thank you.
If you got 802 marks in Telangana Intermediate and belong to the ST category, you have a fair chance to get admission in a BPT course in 2025, but it depends on the college and cut-off. Most BPT colleges in Telangana ask for 12th marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and some also use the TS EAMCET rank for admission. The cut-off for ST students is usually lower than for general students, but it changes every year. It is better to check the previous year’s cut-offs of the colleges you want to apply to.
Hello, Getting shortlisted for IIM Lucknow or IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) with your profile is challenging, primarily due to your 58% in Class 10th, which significantly impacts the composite score calculation for both institutes. While your 98 percentile CAT score is excellent, and your 24 months of work experience, B.Com (Hons) background (providing academic diversity, especially for IIM-L), and KVS National player status are valuable additions, top IIMs and IITs heavily weigh consistent academic performance. Your 74% in 12th is also on the lower side. IIM Lucknow places substantial weight on 10th and 12th marks, making a call quite difficult despite your strengths. You likely have a relatively better, though still uncertain, chance at IIT Bombay, as their weighting might be slightly less penalizing for past academics compared to IIM-L, and your high CAT score is a major factor. However, the low 10th score remains a significant hurdle for both prestigious institutions.
I hope you found this information helpful and for study related queries you can ask in careers360 app, Have a great day and!
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