Are you among the many students that are struggling to choose between GMAT and CAT? As the preparation time for Common Admission Test (CAT) becomes less and less by the day and the application deadlines for universities come closer, now is the time to decide. To pick the right alternative, however, it is essential that you understand completely what your choices are. So without further ado, let’s understand ‘How is GMAT Different From CAT?’
What is GMAT?
The Graduate Management Admission Test is a computer adaptive test that assesses your analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills. GMAT is an entrance exam required for admission to graduate management programs, such as an MBA program. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the GMAT assesses analytical writing and problem-solving abilities, as well as data sufficiency, logic, and critical reasoning skills that are vital to real-world business and management. For clearing the GMAT, you must be well versed with the knowledge of English grammar, algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. It can be taken up to five times a year but no more than 8 times total.
Pattern & Syllabus
The GMAT exam consists of four sections: analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning section, quantitative section, and verbal section. The GMAT lasts for three hours and seven minutes. Test takers have 30 minutes for the analytical writing assessment and another 30 minutes for the 12 questions on the integrated reasoning section and 62 minutes for the 31 questions in the quantitative section and another 65 minutes to get through 36 questions in the verbal section.
| Section | Duration in minutes | Number of questions |
| Analytical writing assessment | 30 | 1 essay |
| Integrated reasoning | 30 | 12 |
| Quantitative | 62 | 31 |
| Verbal | 65 | 36 |
The quantitative and verbal sections of the GMAT exam are both multiple-choice and are administered in the computer-adaptive format, the questions are adjusted to the test taker’s level of ability. In the beginning of the quantitative and verbal sections, test takers are presented with questions of average difficulty. As those questions are answered correctly, the test taker is presented with questions of increasing difficulty. On getting those questions correct, the computer presents the test taker with questions of decreasing difficulty. At the end of all sections, the system comes up with an accurate assessment of the test takers ability level in that subject with a raw score for each.
Before April 2018, the verbal and quantitative sections were 75 minutes long (each). However, the were shortened to 65 and 62 minutes, respectively.
Options After GMAT
More than 7,000 programs at approximately 2,300+ graduate business schools around the world accept the GMAT as part of the selection criteria for their programs. Business schools use the test as a criterion for admission into a wide range of graduate management programs, including MBA, Master of Accountancy, Master of Finance programs and others. The GMAT is administered in standardized test centers in 114 countries around the world. According to a survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep, the GMAT is still the number one choice for MBA aspirants despite the increasing acceptability of GRE scores.
Costs
The registration fee for GMAT, as given by the GMAC, is $250 (roughly ₹17,900 as of August 2019). Apart from the registration fee, students also prefer to opt for coaching classes for GMAT that cost around ₹25,000 to ₹40,000 depending on the center and mode of teaching you choose.
What is CAT?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer based test for admission in graduate management programs at the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs). The test scores a candidate on the bases of Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability (VA) and Reading Comprehension (RC), Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR). The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs. The test is conducted every year by one of the IIMs based on a policy of rotation. In 2019, CAT is conducted by IIM Kozhikode.
Pattern & Syllabus
The paper is split between three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Total number of questions is 100 and these are in both MCQ and non-MCQ format. Time allotted is 180 minutes (3 hours) to answer these questions. There is a time limit of 60 minutes for each section. The exam is conducted in online mode.
As per the latest CAT 2019 notification released by IIM CAT, no changes have been made to the CAT exam pattern. The exam authorities will release CAT tutorial on October 16, 2019 for the candidates to go through and familiarise themselves with the actual CAT exam. The exam will be conducted on 24th November, 2019.
Options After CAT
In August 2011, it was announced that Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) would also use the CAT scores, instead of the Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET), to select students for their management programmes starting with the 2012-14 batch. Many other institutes across India accept the CAT score for admission, check them out here.
Costs
CAT Registration 2019 process had started on August 7, 2019 at 10 AM on the IIM CAT 2019 official website. The category wise CAT Registration 2019 fee is different for General and Reserved category candidates. While General and OBC candidates have to pay Rs.1900/- towards CAT registration 2019 fee, the SC/ST/PWD candidates need to pay Rs.950/- towards CAT registration 2019 fee.
The CAT application and exam fee is included in the CAT Registration 2019 fee and should be paid online to appear in CAT 2019 exam.
Conclusion: GMAT or CAT?
Now that you are familiar with the fundamentals of both GMAT and CAT, you are in a place where you can make a well informed decision and make the choice between the GMAT and CAT. Just remember, whichever exam you pick, the only way to ace it is through hard work and practice. Neither is the easy way out and so you must be prepared to give your 100% to whatever you wish to pursue.
