CAT vs. GMAT — All Major Differences
The Graduate Management Admission Test — GMAT and the Common Admission Test — CAT are two of the most popular management entrance tests, scores of which are accepted by top business schools. Numerous applicants appear for these tests every year, and hence, it becomes important to understand the differences between them.
The most significant difference between GMAT and CAT is their global scope. The GMAT is an international examination and is accepted by over 2000 business schools and 7000 MBA programs worldwide. In contrast, CAT is a national-level entrance exam and is accepted by Indian business schools. The GMAT, conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), is also taken by top MBA colleges in India such as MDI Gurgaon, Indian School of Business Hyderabad/Mohali, and XLRI Jamshedpur.
They are both intended to provide a measure of the skills mentioned below.
- Quantitative Ability
- Reasoning Skills
- Data Interpretation
There are key differences to be noted between the two exams.
Eligibility and Number of Attempts
Anyone over 18 years of age can appear for the GMAT. Aspirants below the age of 18, i.e., 13–18 years of age, can also appear for the GMAT with parental permission. Students can take the GMAT up to five times a year. The minimum duration between any two consecutive attempts should be at least 16 days, and there is an 8-attempt overall limit for the test.
Students can appear for the CAT only once every year on a date announced by the organizing IIM. There is no bound on the total number of attempts to take the CAT and no upper age limit. However, to attempt the CAT, candidates need to possess a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized institute. Aspiring candidates in their final year are also eligible to appear for the CAT.
Score Validity
An examinee’s GMAT score is valid for five years from the date of the test. However, institutions may have their own policies regarding the score that they accept. Students are advised to verify with the universities before applying. A candidate’s CAT scores are valid for just one year from the date of the test. Also, if students do not score well in an attempt, they have to wait for a year to retake it. This does not happen with the GMAT as it can be taken on-demand around the year.
Duration and Format
The CAT consists of three sections, whereas the GMAT has four sections, including an analytical writing assessment. Though both the exams are computer-based, the GMAT is adaptive, whereas the CAT isn’t. In Adaptive testing, the next question’s difficulty level is decided based on a candidate’s performance in the previous question. The CAT spans for 2 hours, while the GMAT does for 3 hours and 7 minutes. The GMAT is held on-demand round the year through the Pearson Vue testing facilities at 39 centers in 34 cities across India. On the other hand, the CAT is conducted by one of the six oldest IIMs rotationally. The convening IIM announces the test dates in either July or August of every year.
Test Fee
It costs $250 to enroll in the GMAT while the registration fee for CAT is INR 2000/-. The conducting IIM releases a notification usually in July or August and includes the details related to the exam fee, registration dates, and other information. Since the CAT is not organized on demand, aspirants have to be alert about registration deadlines.
Adaptive Testing
The GMAT is an adaptive test. This means that the next question’s difficulty level depends on an examinee’s performance in the previous question. The exam begins with a question of medium difficulty. If the candidate answers it correctly, the next question is of a slightly higher difficulty level. Consequently, there is no option to review one’s answers or skip a question.
The CAT is a non-adaptive test and focuses on accuracy. Since only percentile scores are reported in the CAT, aspirants’ scores solely depend on how many questions they answered correctly. Examinees can review their answers in a section before submission. An on-screen calculator is provided, and the test entails negative marking for incorrect responses.
Relative Difficulty
The GMAT has a well-defined syllabus, and the question types are clearly mentioned. Contrarily, the CAT syllabus is not very well prescribed and requires more preparation time than the GMAT. The GMAT’s verbal section generally poses a greater challenge for Indian test takers who are non-native English speakers. The Quantitative part of the CAT is relatively more complicated than that of the GMAT.
