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
IPMAT or CAT which is better among the two? Well, considering the target audience both the management programs are suited for different types of candidates. The major differentiating factor between the two is the accessibility or eligibility to each program. Candidates can appear for an IPMAT exam right after they finish school but to take the CAT exam a candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. It depends on a particular candidate's preferences and career goals, and which one is better suited for them.
IPMAT or CAT which is better alternative for a management aspirant. Through IPMAT (Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test) candidates can become eligible for applying to the five-year integrated management program offered by various IIMs and other top B-Schools. CAT on the other hand allows candidates to apply for a regular MBA program offered by any of the MBA colleges across India (given that the particular college accepts CAT scores for MBA admission.
Knowing the major differences between the two MBA entrance exams can provide a defined edge in understanding which is best for them. The key differences between IPMAT and CAT exams are listed in the table given below.
Aspect | IPMAT | CAT |
Purpose | Specific for applying to the IPM program only. | For admission to all kinds of MBA, PGDM, and MMS programs offered by various institutes across the country. |
Target Audience | Primarily for students who have just finished school (10+2). | For graduates wanting to pursue a career in the field of management. |
Exam Structure | Includes exam sections on Quantitative Ability, Quantitative Ability, and Verbal Ability. | Includes three exam sections VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning), and QA (Quantitative Aptitude) |
IPMAT vs CAT difficulty Level | Less difficult. Easy to Moderate | Can be considered between moderate to difficult. |
Frequency | Once every year. | Once every year. |
Admission Process | After the exam, the applicants who clear the IPMAT cutoff for the respective college are required to participate in the GD/PI round for final selection. | Applicants clearing the CAT cutoff for the applied college will have to go through the selection process involving GD/PI rounds. |
Accepting Colleges | All the major B-Schools across India. |
Both the IPMAT and CAT exams are conducted to analyse the language proficiency and logical and quantitative skills of the applicants. The IPMAT exam is 2 hours exam with 120 questions on topics such as Quantitative Ability, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability and the CAT exam is 2 hours, with questions from topics like Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
The pros and cons of IPMAT and CAT are mentioned below.
Integrated Programme in Management Aptitude Test (IPMAT)
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Common Admission Test (CAT)
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The ideal situation for a candidate to choose between the IPMAT or CAT exam is described below.
Choose IPMAT if you have recently completed school looking for an early introduction to a management and business administration program. Ideal for candidates who prefer a structured pathway from graduation to post-graduation. But candidates should be able to the program for five whole years.
Choose CAT if you are a graduate with no or some work experience in any professional domain. CAT is ideal for candidates aiming for a wide range of prestigious institutions to pursue an MBA program from and are prepared for a highly competitive admission process.
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
CAT can be considered better than IPMAT as it is a much more flexible alternative for MBA aspirants. However, candidates wanting a structured management program from graduation to postgraduation can go for IPMAT.
The IPMAT acceptance rate is a mere 0.006 i.e. for every 1000 applicants only 6 or 7 can make it to the final merit list. Apart from the IPMAT score the Personal Interview round also carries a significant weightage in the overall selection process. The weightage of the Personal Interview is 35%.
A good CAT score will depend on the college that a candidate aims for. If the goal is to pursue an MBA from IIMs then a good score would be percentile between 98-99.9. Other than IIMs a percentile between 90-99 would be considered good enough.
The eligibility criteria for IPMAT exam include 60% marks in 12th standard for General category candidates and 55% marks for reserved category candidates. Along with that a valid IPMAT scorecard clearing the cutoff will also be required.
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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