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XAT and CAT: Overview
CAT and XAT are the two most popular MBA entrance exams in the nation for admission to the best MBA schools. As a result, when management aspirants start preparing for an MBA, they often question whether the CAT or the XAT is more beneficial. The most frequently asked questions concern the degree of difficulty, the parallels and differences in their syllabus and whether or not they should study independently for the two tests. Which colleges accept CAT or XAT scores is another important question. This article answers all these questions:
XAT vs CAT 2025: Key Differences and Similarities
The table below contains details about the CAT and XAT exam dates, conducting bodies, starting year, eligibility criteria and exam fees.
CAT and XAT exam pattern
The table below lists the differences between the CAT and XAT's sections, time duration, total questions and marking scheme:
CAT vs XAT: Detailed Comparison of Syllabus
Exam patterns and syllabi of XAT and CAT exams have been provided in detail.
CAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus:
The CAT exam is divided into three sections. Here's a brief summary of what to expect in each section:
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: This section includes approximately 10 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The questions cover a wide range of topics including jumbled paragraphs, reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, grammar, fill-in-the-blanks, sentence completion, syllogisms, sentence correction, idioms, phrases, antonyms/synonyms and analogies.
The reading comprehension section contains 14 questions based on passages that may cover topics such as science, history, politics, economics, the environment, literature, society and mythology. Most of these passages require you to make inferences.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: This section consists of 22 questions including MCQs and non-MCQs. You will encounter logical reasoning topics such as blood relations, propositions, direction sense, puzzles and data interpretation tasks such as table and graph arrangement. There are also concepts about clocks, calendars and binary logic.
Quantitative Ability: This section contains 22 questions, a mix of MCQs and non-MCQs and is entirely focused on maths. Expect to cover LCM and HCF, algebra, profit and loss, geometry, probability, mensuration, equations, surds and indices and work and time.
XAT Exam Sections and Syllabus
The XAT question consists of four sections; here are some key details for each:Â
Decision Making: To succeed in this section of XAT, one must thoroughly prepare for topics such as logical reasoning, arithmetic, conditions and grouping, assumptions, and data arrangement among others.
Verbal and Logical Ability: This section of the XAT exam focuses on Verbal and Logical Ability (VA-LR). Topics covered are sentence completion, word usage, antonyms and synonyms, editing and omitting and jumbled paragraphs. You'll notice that the reading comprehension passages can be dense and difficult. Typically you will encounter 2-3 reading passages, one of which may be a short poem.
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation: This segment covers topics such as profit and loss, probability, percentages, averages, geometry, partnerships, algebra, simple and compound interest, LCM and HCF, graphs, pie charts, mensuration, data analysis time, speed and distance, ratios and proportions, linear and quadratic equations and inequalities.
General Knowledge: To succeed in this section, make reading the newspaper a habit. Keeping up with national and international news, as well as current events, will undoubtedly help you navigate this section. There is no negative marking in this section.
Which exam is tougher, CAT or XAT?
The following table lists the difficulty level of the CAT and XAT exams as well as their respective sections:
Experts' opinion on the difficulty level of CAT and XAT
Considering the three sections of the CAT and the three sections of Part A of the XAT (as general knowledge in Part 2 of the XAT is not considered in percentile calculation and is only applicable to the XLRI section process), the following conclusion can be reached.Â
1. When comparing CAT's VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), which is lengthy but straightforward to XAT's VA&LR (Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning), which is logic- reasoning based.
This difference arises because the CAT is administered by the IIMs, which are government-funded autonomous institutes. These institutes attempt to bridge the gap between schools with advanced English curricula and those with foundational grammar education. However, students with a strong English background will benefit more from the XAT's VA&LR section.Â
2. When comparing the Quant and DILR sections of the CAT to the Quant section of the XAT (which includes both quant and DI), it is clear that this section of the XAT is easier than the CAT's QUANT and DI. This section of the XAT is suitable for aspirants who lack advanced mathematical and intensive calculation skills.Â
The Quant Section in XAT requires more analytical thinking than the CAT. The questions asked in the XAT cannot be classified into a specific topic and there is no hard and fast rule for determining the solution. XAT is a better option for candidates who do not know the formula but have strong analytical thinking skills. Many experts believe that XAT is a better MBA exam for smart test takers. Â
3. The decision-making section of the XAT is a make-or-break section (there is no such section in the CAT) and is considered quite difficult because it assesses aspirants' ability to solve problems that arise in the workplace.Â
Such questions are uncommon elsewhere, so there is not much of a question bank available aside from the previous year's XAT questions.
Top B-Schools in India accept CAT, XAT exam scores:
A List of India’s top mba colleges accepting CAT, XAT and both CAT and XAT scores is mentioned in the following table:
CAT 2025 and XAT 2026 percentile cutoffs for Management Colleges
CAT cutoff percentile for leading management institutes like top IIMs, IIT Delhi, IIT Mumbai, MDI Gurugram and SPJIMR and XAT cutoff percentile for top private colleges such as XIM, IMT, IMI and more have been given in the following tablesÂ
CAT Cut-offs of Leading IIMs and Other Colleges:Â
Though the minimum cut-offs for the colleges listed below are lower, we are providing the actual CAT percentile for the best colleges when calls are made.
XAT cutoffs for XLRI:
The table shows the XAT cutoffs for various categories:
CAT and XAT cutoffs for leading colleges accepting both scores
The cutoff percentile at which calls are made to the students by colleges accepting both CAT and XAT scores:
College Name CAT percentile XAT percentile XIM Bhubaneswar 89+Â 89+ IMT Ghaziabad 87+ 87+ Great Lakes Chennai and Gurugram 85+ 85+ IMI New Delhi 87+ 87+ Goa Institute of Management, Goa 80+ 80+ Fore Institute of Management, New Delhi 80+ 80+ TAPMI Manipal 80+ 80+ BIMTECH, Noida 75+ 75+
FAQs
The CAT syllabus includes Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC). The XAT syllabus includes these three core areas but adds two key differentiators: decision-making and general knowledge.
All the IIMs and IITs that impart management education and many government and top private colleges like MDI Gurugram and SPJIMR Mumbai accept CAT scores.
Apart from the XLRI, which also conducts the XAT exam, other leading colleges which accept XAT scores are XIM Bhubaneswar, IMI, IMT, TAPMI Manipal, FORE New Delhi, Jaipuria, Amity and many more.
The total time duration for the CAT exam is 120 minutes with 40 minutes allocated to each Section.
No, one cannot switch between two sections because the next section appears after the previous one expires.
No, there cannot be a break between the CAT exams. The exam lasts 120 minutes and is divided into three sections of 40 minutes each.
CAT awards 3 marks for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect answer with four options given for each question except TITA questions, whereas XAT awards 1 mark for every correct answer and -0.25 for every incorrect answer except GK section with five options given for each question. XAT also deducts -0.1 marks for each unattempted question after 8 unattended questions.
The CAT lasts 120 minutes with 40 minutes allotted to each of the three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretations & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA) whereas the XAT lasts 180 minutes with 10 minutes for GK and 170 minutes for the other three sections: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA&LR), Decision Making (DM) and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA&DI). XAT allows switching between three sections except GK, whereas CAT does not.
The XAT's GK section has 20 questions and 10 minutes to answer them, 8 of which are static GK and the remaining 12 are current affairs-based. The General Knowledge section is only considered for the XLRI selection process in the PI round, as it is not used to calculate percentiles.
In contrast to the CAT, which consists of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretations and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA), the XAT consists of four sections: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA&LR), Decision Making (DM) and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QA&DI) in addition to a distinct General Knowledge section.
Overall both exams are rated moderate to difficult; however the XAT verbal and CAT quant are more difficult with XAT decision-making and CAT data interpretation and logical reasoning being unpredictable.
For both examinations, one must have passed or be pursuing graduation from a recognised college or university. For CAT, a minimum of 50% marks is required with 45% for SC/ST, PwD and DA candidates. For XAT, there is no limit on percentage marks.
Yes, General Knowledge of XAT is at a moderate to difficult level, but is not considered for percentile calculation.
XAT is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur.
For XAT, one has to study Decision Making and General Knowledge separately as CAT does not has these sections.
CAT has three sections and switching between sections is not allowed.
One has to score in 99 percentile to get a call from IIM Ahmedabad and other to B schools.
VARC and DI of CAT and VALR and QA & DI are very similar to each other.
Many consider this because of the unpredictability of the decision-making section of XAT.
The XAT exam has decision-making and general knowledge questions, but the CAT exam does not. In the XAT exam, you can switch between sections, but not in the CAT exam. The XAT exam also punishes you for not answering questions.
XAT 2026 was considered tougher than XAT 2025.
