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Common Admission Test (CAT) and the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) are two popular MBA entrance exams in India. While the CAT exam is conducted for admission to PGDM/MBA offered by IIMs and is also accepted by other B-schools in India, the MAT is conducted by AIMA, and more than 600 management institutions use MAT scores for admission. In this article, we will look at the different aspects of both exams, including exam pattern, eligibility criteria, colleges accepting CAT and MAT scores, Which is better CAT or MAT, etc.
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These two exams appear a bit similar in terms of syllabus but are quite different in other respects. Take the exam pattern, for example. While CAT has three sections, there are five sections in the MAT exam. Also, the duration of both exams differs. The main difference between CAT vs MAT is the exam frequency.
Although MAT is conducted four times a year, CAT is conducted only once a year. In this article, we discussed the difference between the MAT exam and the CAT exam. Knowing what the difference is between the CAT and MAT exams will help you decide which exam to choose this academic year.
Let's take a quick look at what is the difference between the MAT and CAT Exam:
Parameters | MAT Exam | CAT Exam |
Exam Full Form | Management Aptitude Test | Common Admission Test |
Conducting Body | ||
Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% mark | Passing marks required for a bachelor’s degree |
Exam Frequency | Four times a year (February, May, September, and December) | Once a year (Last Sunday of November) |
Mode of Exam |
| Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
Number of Sections | 5 sections | 3 sections |
Exam Sections |
|
|
Number of questions | 150 questions | 66 questions |
Exam Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
Difficulty level | Easy to medium | Moderately difficult |
Marking Scheme |
|
|
Total Marks | 150 marks | 198 marks |
Exam Fee |
|
|
Management Aptitude Test: The MAT exam is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA) for admissions to PGDM/ MBA courses offered at 600+ B-schools in India. MAT exam is conducted four times a year in two modes: Paper Based Test (PBT) and Computer Based Test (CBT).
Common Admission Test: The CAT exam is conducted once a year for admissions to PGDM/ MBA courses. The exam is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) on a rotation basis. Every year, one of the top IIMs is given the responsibility to conduct the CAT exam. CAT is a computer-based test (CBT) mode exam and is considered the toughest of all MBA entrance exams.
Management Aptitude Test: The MAT exam is a boon for students who somehow do not excel at graduation. Any graduate with passing marks can appear for the MAT exam. No age limit or minimum percentage is required to appear for the MAT exam.
Common Admission Test: Students must hold a bachelor’s degree from any recognized university or board with a minimum of 50 per cent aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA in the qualifying exam. Candidates belonging to the SC, ST, and PwD/DA categories must have obtained a minimum of 45 per cent aggregate marks or their equivalent.
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Management Aptitude Test: The MAT is conducted four times a year in February, May, September, and December. The dates of CBT and PBT mode exams are different, and candidates can choose one or more examination modes.
Common Admission Test: The CAT exam is conducted once a year on the last Sunday of November, in two sessions: forenoon and afternoon. From 2020 onwards, CAT will be conducted in three sessions. This year, CAT 2024 will be held on November 24, 2024 and in 3 sessions.
Management Aptitude Test: The MAT exam paper consists of questions about Language Comprehension, the Economic and Business Environment, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence, and Critical Reasoning. The MAT exam paper comprises a total of 150 questions (30 in each section).
Common Admission Test: Students appearing for the CAT need to solve questions from sections like Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Normally, CAT has 66 questions to be solved in 2 hours (120 minutes). Accordingly, we expect CAT 2024 to have the same number of questions this year as well.
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Management Aptitude Test: Students need to solve the given questions in two hours (120 Minutes). Students are required to solve 150 questions within the given time duration. There is no sectional time limit so the students can solve the MAT paper in a sequence they prefer.
Common Admission Test: The duration of the CAT exam is 120 minutes i.e. 2 hours. There is a sectional time limit of 40 mins for each section (VARC, DILR, QA). The students have to follow the given sequence to solve the CAT exam paper and as soon as 40 minutes of one section gets over, the computer screen jumps to the next section automatically. For PwD candidates the time limit will be 53 Minutes and 20 Seconds for each section.
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Management Aptitude Test: The total of MAT exam marks is 150. Every correct response carries a +1 mark, and a -0.25 mark is deducted for every wrong response.
Common Admission Test: The total of CAT exam marks is 198. For every correct response, +3 marks are awarded and there is a negative marking of -1 for every incorrect response. In case a student does not attempt a question, no marks will be deducted.
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Management Aptitude Test: The MAT exam is an easy exam when compared to CAT. The questions in the MAT exam are of easy to moderate difficulty level.
Common Admission Test: CAT exam is considered one of the toughest MBA exams. The question paper is usually moderate to high difficulty level.
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Management Aptitude Test: The registration fee for the MAT exam is Rs 2,100 for one paper (either CBT or PBT). Students willing to appear for both PBT and CBT need to pay Rs 3,600.
Common Admission Test: The registration fee for the CAT exam is Rs 2,500 for the General and NC-OBC categories. For SC/ ST/ PwD (DA) categories, the CAT registration fee is Rs 1,250.
MAT scores are accepted by over 600 MBA colleges in India. Below is a list of colleges that accept MAT scores to enrol in MBA programs.
Below is a list of the top 20 MBA colleges in India that accept CAT scores other than IIM. In this list, IITs offer MBA programs through their management research department.
School of Business, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun | |
Mittal School of Business, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara | SPJIMR, Mumbai |
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, Delhi | Christ University, Bangalore |
Department of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune | Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi |
National Institute of Technology Warangal | |
Prin LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai | Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata |
The CAT is conducted only once a year, so a student gets a single attempt in a particular academic year. However, the CAT exam did not cap on the number of attempts. Students can appear as many times as they like.
The registration fee for MAT is Rs 1,650 for all candidates. CAT registration fee is Rs 2500 for the General category and Rs 1250 for the Reserved category.
The MAT exam is conducted four times a year. There are four phases of the MAT exam - February, May, September, and December. Students can appear as many times as they want in the MAT exam.
MAT exam is conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) and Paper Based Test (PBT) modes.
Yes, the MAT is very easier than the CAT exam. The CAT exam is usually more difficult and has a section-time limit, which makes cracking even harder. MAT, on the other hand, is generally moderate difficulty and has no segmentation time limit.
CAT exam is conducted in only one mode which is Computer Based Test (CBT) mode in two shifts at multiple exam centres in various cities across India.
Hello,
with a 74,000 rank in VITEEE, getting CSE at VIT-AP in category 1 is unlikely, but category 2 is possible depending on seat availability. CSE is highly competitive, but VIT-AP generally has lower cutoffs than Vellore or Chennai campuses.keep backup options and consider related branches like CSE with specializations.
With a rank of 74,000 in VITEEE, it is unlikely that you will secure admission in Computer Science Engineering (CSE) in either Category 1 or Category 2 at VIT AP, as the cutoffs for CSE are generally higher. However, you may explore other branches or options.
With a VITEEE 2025 rank of 74,000 , securing admission to the B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) program at VIT-AP University under Category 1 or Category 2 is not feasible .
Based on previous years' data, the cutoff ranks for the CSE program at VIT-AP are as follows:
Category 1 : Up to 15,000
Category 2 : 15,001 – 25,000
Category 3 : 25,001 – 40,000
Category 4 : 40,001 – 55,000
Given your rank of 74,000 , you fall beyond the typical cutoff for Category 5. While there might be slight variations in cutoff ranks each year based on factors like seat availability and applicant pool, it's unlikely that the cutoff for Category 5 would extend significantly beyond 70,000.
Consider Other Campuses : VIT Bhopal and VIT Chennai may have slightly higher cutoff ranks for CSE in higher categories. Exploring these campuses could increase your chances of admission.
Explore Other Specializations : If you're open to related fields, programs like CSE with specializations in AI/ML , Data Science , or Cybersecurity might have different cutoff trends.
Look into Other Institutions : Private universities such as SRM Institute of Science and Technology , Amity University , or Sharda University offer CSE programs with varying admission criteria.
Alternative Pathways : Consider enrolling in a diploma or certification course in computer science or related fields to build foundational knowledge, and then explore lateral entry options into B.Tech programs. https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/viteee-cutoff
Hi aspirant,
Preparing for any competitive exam, whether it is the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) or the Common Admission Test (CAT), requires a deliberate and consistent strategy.
CAT Exam Preparation Tips 2025
You can refer to the link given above for more information on the same,
You can also refer to this link.
All the best!
Hi aspirant,
You can also refer to the link given above for more information on the same.
All the best!
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