CAT vs. MAT: Differences and Similarities

CAT vs MAT: Differences and Similarities

Nidhi Bahl updated on : 07 Jul, 2020 324

With MBA entrance exam season at its peak, students from across the country are appearing for various tests to get admission in top B-schools of India.

Since Common Admission Test (CAT) and Management Aptitude Test (MAT) are the two most renowned MBA entrance examinations across the country, students often face the dilemma while choosing between CAT and MAT. However, being an MBA aspirant, how would you decide that whether you should go for CAT or MAT in the first place?

CAT vs MAT

To help students overcome this confusion, I would share some of the parameters basis which you can compare CAT and MAT exam and select the most suitable exam as per your preferences.

But, Before pointing towards the differences between CAT and MAT tests, one should have a brief knowledge of the duo. So, here we go!

About Common Admission Test (CAT)

CAT is a popular entrance exam for candidates seeking admission in the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top B-Schools of the country. Every year, lakhs of students take CAT exam for making it to IIMs and another tier I management institutes across the nation. This year, CAT test is going to be held on December 4, 2020.

Check details on CAT 2020

About Management Aptitude Test (MAT)

MAT, on the other hand, is also a management entrance exam for the students willing to take admission to various B Schools and prominent management colleges in India. MAT exam is conducted 4 times in a year. MAT Dec 2020 is going to be held on December 11, 2020 (Paper Based) and December 17, 2020 (Computer Based).

Now that you have a brief knowledge of both the exams, let’s take a look at some of the parameters to make comparison between CAT and MAT Test -

Parameters	CAT	MAT
Conducting Body	Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)	All India Management Association (AIMA)
Paper Language	English	English and Hindi
Mode of Exam	Computer Based (Online)	Both Computer Based and Paper Based
Level of Exam	Tougher to crack	Easier as compared to CAT
Frequency of Test	Once in a year	Four times in a year (Feb, May, Sept and Dec)
Eligibility Criteria	The candidate must have minimum 50% marks in the Bachelor’s degree.	No minimum percentage required appearing for MAT exam
College Level	For Tier I institutes and B-Schools including IIMs	For Tier II institutes and other B Schools
Exam Pattern	Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: Section III: Quantitative Ability:	I: Language Comprehension II: Mathematical Skills III: Data Analysis and Sufficiency IV: Intelligence and Critical Reasoning V: Indian and Global Environment
Negative Marking	One mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.	0.25 marks will be deducted for each wrong answer.
Time Management	Time management is very crucial while appearing for CAT Test.	Time pressure is not such a problem while cracking MAT Test.
Exam Fee	INR 17,00/- (INR 850/- for SC/ST/PH students)	INR 12,00/-
Level of Competition	High	Low as compared to CAT

Despite being the management entrance exams, there are various differences between MAT and CAT. However, there are many other parameters where these both exams share some similarities. Let’s take a look at those factors:

Similarities Between CAT and MAT
Exam Category	Management Entrance Exam
Exam Level	National Level
Age Limit	No Age Bar
Course	MBA and PGDM Programs
Electronics Devices	Calculators, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets are prohibited inside the examination hall.

Hope the abovesaid difference and similarities between CAT and MAT exam will help you in making the final decision and get admission in MBA or PGDM programs across the country.

Stay tuned with Campuswalkin for more updates!!

Tagged in MAT MAT test pattern MAT exam AIMA MAT exam structure

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