CAT vs GMAT: Which Exam is Better for MBA 2025?

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Update on 16 Nov, 2025, 02:05 AM IST

Most of the management students face difficulty deciding which exam is good for MBA, either the Common Admission Test (CAT) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) exam. Both the CAT and GMAT exams are the most competitive MBA entrance exams in the world. Both of these tests are for getting admission to a top B school; they thus differ in the syllabus, scope and exam pattern. Let's just understand that GMAT is different from CAT through this article.

Table of Contents

Is GMAT easier than CAT?
GMAT vs CAT: Difference
Exam Structure of GMAT vs CAT
GMAT vs CAT Exam Syllabus
Conclusion:

Is GMAT easier than CAT?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) exam is a domestic entrance exam, while some other international universities accept the CAT score, whereas the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a global exam which is valid for admission to business schools worldwide. Indian B-schools consider GMAT scores typically for NRIs and international students. However, top Indian institutes like XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, and MDI Gurgaon accept GMAT scores for domestic candidates too. Other top MBA colleges like IIMs accept GMAT scores for admission to Executive MBA and FPM programs, whereas CAT is also accepted by IIMs and many other MBA colleges for Executive MBA, Phd, MPhil, FPM, etc.

Check Here: GMAT Eligibility Criteria

Know more about: CAT Eligibility Criteria

GMAT vs CAT: Difference

For abroad MBA programs, GMAT scores are used globally. On the other hand, the CAT exam is India-focused, mostly for IIM institutes and other MBA colleges. Let's see below how the GMAT and CAT exams are different from each other in terms of conducting body, eligibility, validity, etc, and what the difficulty level of these exams is:

Features	GMAT	CAT
Full Forms	Graduate Management Admission Test	Common Admission Test
Conducting Body	Graduate Management Admission Council	Indian Institute of Management
Eligibility	No minimum percentage required in a bachelor’s degree	Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45 % for SC/ST/PwD candidates)
Validity	Global/for 5 years	In India, valid for 1 year
Format	Computer-based adaptive test	Computer-based test
Exam section	Quantitative Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Data Insights	Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
No. of Questions	64	66
Exam Duration	135 minutes	120 minutes
Frequency	Any time of the year	Once a year
Negative Marking	No	Yes, -1 for incorrect multiple-choice answers
Acceptability of Exam	Over 7700 programs at more than 2,400 universities and organisations in 110 countries worldwide	Accepted by top business schools in India, including IIMs
Exam Preparation Time	3-6 months	1 year
Difficulty level	High	High

It seems like both for them are not easy to crack.

Check Here: CAT 2025 Admit Card

Check Here: GMAT 2025 Admit Card

Exam Structure of GMAT vs CAT

GMAT Exam: The GMAT exam comprises 3 sections, which are Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights.

Section	Description	Time Allocated
Quantitative Reasoning	Understanding basic math concepts and assessing problem-solving abilities	45 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	Evaluates sentence correction, critical reasoning, and reading comprehension	45 minutes
Data Insights	Evaluates information interpretation in multiple formats such as data sufficiency, graphics, tables, and multi-source reasoning	45 minutes
Total Exam Duration		2 hours 15 minutes

Read More: GMAT Best Books To Refer

CAT Exam: The CAT exam consists of 3 sections, which are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).

Section	Description	Time Allocated
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	Tests English language ability and comprehension	40 minutes
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)	Assesses problem-solving and data interpretation	40 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	Evaluates mathematical skills and problem-solving	40 minutes
Total Exam Duration		2 hours

GMAT vs CAT Exam Syllabus

Both the CAT and GMAT exams assess quantitative, analytical and verbal reasoning skills with different approaches:

Section	GMAT Exam Description	CAT Exam Description	Difficulty Comparison
Complexity	Defined and structured syllabus, making preparation easier	Syllabus is less formalised, changes yearly, making it more complex	CAT is more complex due to syllabus variability
Quantitative Section	Focus on logical problem-solving, with less advanced mathematics	Covers broader and complex math topics like algebra, geometry	The CAT quant section is generally tougher
DILR Section	Focuses on the interpretation of charts, graphs, and case-style problems	Involves puzzles, seating arrangements, and complex data sets requiring deep analytical thinking	CAT DILR is more challenging and intricate
Verbal Section	Tougher due to strong grammar, logic, and comprehension demands	Easier overall, but tricky due to lengthy reading passages and quick questions	The GMAT verbal section is more difficult

Check Here: CAT DILR Syllabus 2025

Conclusion:

Whether the CAT or GMAT exam is better for MBA 2025, there is no answer to the question. It totally depends on one's potential, style preferences, performance and the college you are targeting, whether in India or abroad.

If your target is to go into IIM and you are good with speed, time and accuracy, then the CAT exam is good for you.
And if you have good decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, and your goal is to get into a top B-school abroad, then the GMAT exam is good for you.

Regardless of your exam choice, work hard, focus more, and prepare yourself for your upcoming exams. Go for it, make it possible.

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