CAT and XAT are two of the most popular MBA entrance exams conducted across the country. While CAT is a gateway to the 20 Indian Institutes of Management and over 1,000 other B schools, the XAT exam result is accepted by over 700 other B schools in relation to these exams. Is XAT harder than CAT? The answer to this question cannot be “yes” or “no” as both XAT and CAT have unique properties. For example, like CAT, the XAT exam also has a section deadline, but the grading scheme is unique. On the other hand, unlike XAT, the CAT exam does not have decision-making and GK sections that require additional preparation. Both exams take place within a month. CAT Exam is conducted during the last week of November and XAT takes place in the first week of January.
Before applying and preparing for any MBA exams being conducted across the country such as CAT, XAT, CMAT, IIFT or others, candidates should know what the difference between CAT and other MBA entrance exams is. There are several similarities between CAT and other MBA exams, but there are important differences between the XAT exam and the CAT exam that every management aspirant needs to know. Search queries in connection with CAT vs. XAT by prospective examinees and the right instructions with comparison tables for these exams not only help with the CAT or XAT preparation, but also with the selection of the right exam that leads to suitable MBA colleges and thus a successful career in management.
The questions that every MBA aspirant comes across while preparing for the exam generally include A) Which is better CAT or XAT? B) How is XAT different from CAT?
Below is the comparison of CAT Exam and XAT Exam:
- CAT is carried out by IIM and is the MBA entrance test for 20 IIM, FMS, IIT MBA, MDI, SPJIMR, IMI, IMT and other 3000 MBA universities
- XAT is carried out by XLRI Jamshedpur and is the entrance test for MBAs for XLRI, SPJIMR, IMT, XIMB and 150 other MBA universities
- One of the main differences between the CAT and XAT curriculum is the different topics and sections.
- CAT has no decision-making section and no GK section, but the XAT exam has DM and GK as separate sections.
- Other The main difference is the level of difficulty XAT vs. CAT. XAT is a little more difficult than the CAT exam.
Which is better CAT or XAT? The answer to this query depends on your preferences. If you want to search for admission opportunities at XLRI, you must appear at XAT, but if you want to do MBA from IIM, you must appear at the CAT exam.
Highlights of CAT Exam and XAT Exam
|
Particular |
CAT – IIMs |
XAT – XLRI |
|
Conducting Body |
Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) |
Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur |
|
Exam Mode |
Online |
Online |
|
Total No. of Questions |
76 (in 2020) |
100 |
|
Total Time Duration |
3 hours |
3.5 hours |
|
Sectional Time Limit |
1 hour for each section |
No restriction on time limit |
|
Type of Questions |
MCQs and Non MCQs |
MCQs and 1 Subjective Essay Writing |
|
Marking Scheme |
+3 for every correct answer -1 for every incorrect answer No negative marking for Non MCQs |
+1 for every correct MCQ +3 for Essay Writing -1 for every incorrect answer No negative marking for 25 MCQs on GK and Essay Writing Questions |
|
Difficulty Level |
Moderately Difficult |
Highly Difficult |
|
Total no. of Sections |
3 sections |
3 main sections 2 GK and Essay Writing sections |
|
Facility to Choose Order of Sections |
No, candidates have to follow the predefined sectional order |
Yes, candidates can attempt any question from any section |
|
Top MBA Colleges Accepting Score |
20 IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IMI, IMT, IITs, TAPMI, XIMB and many more |
XLRI, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, XIMB and other MBA colleges |
Although, the syllabus of CAT Exam is as same as that of XAT Exam, the difference mainly lies between the number of subjects, types of questions, marks allotted and negative marking, and the time limit of the examination. This article takes you through the various aspects of these two exams and helps your figure out which one is tougher.
- MBA Colleges that accept XAT score
- MBA Colleges that accept CAT score
Previously, XAT had an essay writing section which made it more comprehensive and time consuming. The section has now been removed, which brings some relief to the candidates. it has stayed the same for the past five years.
Exam Pattern of CAT Exam
In order to appear in any examination, it is necessary for students to clearly understand the exam pattern and marking scheme of the exam. This helps students figure out what is important from the examination’s point of view. Below mentioned are the tables that define the exact examination pattern and marking scheme of the exam:
|
Subject |
Marks Allotted |
No. of Questions |
|
Verbal & Reading Comprehension |
102 |
34 |
|
Quantitative Ability |
96 |
32 |
|
Data Adequacy and Logical Reasoning |
102 |
34 |
|
Total |
300 |
100 |
CAT Syllabus 2021
The syllabus of CAT Exam is vast and consists of various topics in each section. Some of the important topics are mentioned below in the table:
|
Section |
Subjects |
Important Topics |
|
Data Adequacy and Logical Reasoning |
Data Interpretation |
Data Sufficiency, Combination of Graphs, Bar Graph, Line Graph, Pie Chart, Case let, and Tables etc. |
|
Logical Reasoning |
Seating Arrangement, Statements, Matching Puzzles, Binary Logic, Blood Relations, Family Tree, Clocks and Calendars, Proposition, Sets, Venn Diagram, Syllogism, etc. |
|
|
Quantitative Ability |
Mathematics |
Algebra, Geometry, Arithmetic, Number System, Time & Work, Mensuration, Simple Interest, Modern Mathematics and Trigonometry etc |
|
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
Passages, Fact Inference Judgment |
|
English Grammar |
Grammar and verbal reasoning like Sentence Correction, Fill in the blanks, Direct-Indirect, Active Voice Passive Voice, Verbal Reasoning, Antonyms, Synonyms, and jumbled sentences etc. |
Recommended Books for CAT Exam
|
Section |
Book Name |
Author Name/Published by |
|
Quantitative Ability |
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT |
Arun Sharma |
|
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Common Admission Tests for Admission into IIMs |
Sarvesh K. Verma |
|
|
Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT |
Nishit K. Sinha |
|
|
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT |
Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant |
|
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback |
Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster |
|
|
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT |
Sharma and Upadhyay |
|
|
PSC for VA for CAT Exam |
Nishit Sinha |
|
|
Data adequacy and logical reasoning |
CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
Gautam Puri |
|
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT |
Nishit K. Sinha |
|
|
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency |
Ananta Ashisha |
|
|
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
Exam Pattern of XAT Exam
|
Section Name |
Max. Questions |
Time Limit |
|
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
165 minutes |
|
Decision Making |
21 |
|
|
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
27 |
|
|
General Knowledge |
25 |
15 minutes |
|
Total |
100 |
180 minutes |
XAT Syllabus 2022
Below mentioned are some of the important topics of sections asked in XAT Exam:
|
Sections |
Topics |
|
Verbal and Logical Ability |
Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Vocabulary, Analogy, Critical Reasoning, Statements and Assumptions |
|
Decision Making |
Short Caselets, Analytical Reasoning, Situational Sets, Data Arrangement Sets |
|
Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation |
Geometry, Tables, Graphs, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Statistics, Profit & Loss, Speed and Distance, Clocks |
|
General Knowledge |
Politics, History, Sports, Nation and States, Business, Literature, Economics, International Relations, Society |
Recommended Books for XAT Exam
Below mentioned are the section-wise important books for XAT Exam:
Recommended Books for XAT Verbal Ability
- Verbal Ability and Comprehension for XAT - Bharat Patodi
- MBA (XAT, IIFT, NMAT, SNAP, CMAT) - Gautam Puri
- A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning - R S Aggarwal
Recommended Books for XAT Logical Reasoning
- Koncepts of LR – Logical Reasoning for CAT, XAT, CMAT, Bank PO & Other Aptitude Tests - Gajendra Kumar
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT/XAT/IIFT/CMAT/MAT (Box Set) - Gajendra Kumar
- Recommended Books for XAT Quantitative Ability
- Quantitative Aptitude Simplified for XAT - Deepak Agarwal
- Concepts of Numbers for XAT and Other Aptitude exams (Old Edition) - Gajendra Kumar
- Quantum CAT - S K Verma
Recommended Books for XAT General Knowledge
- General Knowledge 2022 – Arihant
- IIFT & XAT (GK Compendium) 2019-20 - Career Launcher
- Target XAT 2022 (Past Papers 2005 - 2020 + 5 Mock Tests) - Disha Publications
- XAT Solved Papers 2008-2021 - Career Launcher
- Jabbing XAT - R.K Jha