Is XAT Easier than CAT? Check the Difference and Similarities Between XAT and CAT

Updated on May 05, 2025 18:04

If you are thinking of pursuing an MBA program in India, then the CAT and XAT are the two top entrance exams that must come to mind. CAT is one of the popular management entrance exams, being the gateway to all the top IIMs and other MBA colleges. The CAT exam doesn't have essay writing, decision-making, and GK sections, which require extra preparation. Both exams are conducted in a gap of one month. The CAT is usually held in the last week of November, whereas the XAT exam is held in the first week of January. Both of these exams share similarities as well as differences, and you should be well aware of these facts.

CAT 2025 exam will be conducted by IIM Kozhikode (tentative) on November 30, 2025. CAT 2025 registration is expected to start from the first week of August 2025 and it will continue till the third week of September 2025. Whereas, the XAT 2026 will be held by the XLRI Jamshedpur on the first Sunday of January 2026. XAT registration 2026 is tentatively start from the second week of July 2025.

CAT vs XAT: Differences and Similarities

The syllabus of the CAT and XAT exams are the same, apart from Decision Making and GK. The difference lies in the types of questions asked in the exam and the level of difficulty. Regarding difficulty level, both XAT and CAT are more difficult than the other MBA entrance exams. Both exams are tough, but it has often been seen that in CAT, the DILR section is more difficult than the other sections, and in XAT, the quantitative Aptitude section is often considered tougher than the rest of the sections.

Particulars	CAT	XAT
Full form	Common Admission Test	Xavier Aptitude Test
Section	3	5
Conducting Body	IIM	XLRI
Exam mode	Online	Online
Exam Duration	120 minutes	180 minutes
Difficulty level	Moderate to Difficult	Moderate to Difficult
Exam fee	INR 2,500	INR 2,200
Registration process	Online	Online
Eligibility Criteria	Graduate with 50% aggregate, 45% for reserved category candidates from a recognized university.	Graduate in any stream from a recognized university

Also Check Out: Eiilm Kolkata

CAT vs XAT: Exam Syllabus

The Decision Making and General Knowledge sections of XAT are missing in the CAT syllabus. Check out the table below for the section-wise subjects in the CAT and XAT exam:

CAT Syllabus	XAT Syllabus
Quantitative Aptitude	Decision Making
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	Verbal & Logical Ability
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
-	General Knowledge
-	Essay Writing (Part of PI round)

CAT vs XAT Section-Wise Comparison

Check out the details below for the section-wise CAT and XAT comparison:

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

This section evaluates aspirants' command over the English language. However, the approach of these exams:

CAT: usually, RCs that come in the CAT are much more difficult due to their vague nature and use of varied genres. The questions are further never direct and need a layer of interpretation to finally conclude. The VA part gets more challenging due to the TITA-type question, where you cannot use elimination techniques.

XAT: XAT is easier compared to CAT. XAT has easier RC passages, at least better to read. XAT has no TITA question, making it better for all the candidates. However, the very nature of XAT having 5 options instead of 4, like in CAT, adds a layer of difficulty in terms of eliminating the incorrect options.

Quantitative Ability

The quantitative section in both exams demands a solid foundation in mathematics, but the difficulty varies due to certain differences in these two exams:

CAT: CAT has a very standard syllabus that lets the candidates cover it easily. Further, the questions are common to identify which get repeated every year. The only layer of difficulty that unfolds here is the time-bound pressure due to having less than 2 minutes per question.

XAT: While XAT's QA questions have similar topics, they tend to be lengthier, more time, and more calculation-intensive. Especially, the questions from DI involving charts and graphs make it more time-consuming. However, the XAT exam provides you the flexibility of devoting as much time as you want to any section. If you are not so confident in the QA section, then you can take your time and work accordingly.

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation

DILR section can be very challenging for many candidates, which making it a make-or-break sort of situation for them.

CAT: DILR section is CAT is difficult and it known for its unpredictability. The sets are often elaborate, with the use of multiple parameters required to arrive at the final correct answer. The sets are usually a surprise many times, however, one set is always on the easier side.

XAT: LR section of XAT exam is with the VA, that is VALR and DI is with QA, making it QADI. The unique section to XAT exam is its Decision Making (DM). The DM section is always considered as the dealmaker or dealbreaker because of its unpredictability nature. Generally, there are no best resources other than the XAT previous year paper to know the actual difficulty level and the type of questions that come.

General Knowledge

The biggest difference between CAT and XAT is the inclusion of the GK section in XAT. As we already discussed, it does will not influence your overall percentile, but it is important for certain colleges' selection processes, including XLRI Jamshedpur and NCR campuses. The questions of General Knowledge section are a good mix of static GK as well as current affairs from a variety of fields.

Psychological Pressure and Test-Taking Experience

CAT: CAT is not only about accuracy. It is about speed and accuracy. It does not consider your weaknesses in any particular sections, as every section is timed equally. You need to perform well in every section to secure admission to the top MBA colleges across the country.

XAT: The longer duration of XAT exam can cause physically and mentally daunting for the candidates. However, if you are well-practiced sitting for a long time and have a clear focus, it might end up to your advantage. It allows you to move across sections at your convenience and strengths.

CAT vs XAT: Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Both of these MBA entrance exams have similar exam patterns. They contain MCQs with four options for selecting the correct answer, but the marking scheme is different.

Details	XAT Exam Pattern	CAT Exam Pattern
Number of Questions	95	68
Total Marks	204	95
Question Type	MCQs	MCQs
Marking Scheme	1 mark for each correct answer. 0.25 mark for incorrect answer. 0.10 mark will be deducted for more than 8 un-attempted questions. No negative marking in the GK section	1 mark for the correct answer. 0.25 mark for an incorrect answer. No negative marking for non-MCQs
Number of choices in MCQs	5	4
Section Time limit	170 minutes for part 1(VA, QA, DM), 10 minutes for part 2 (GK)	40 minutes for each section

Aspirants' Perspective - CAT vs XAT

For Quant Enthusiasts: XAT might seem more difficult for many candidates, because the paper consists of calculation-heavy questions. From this year onwards, XAT has allowed scientific calculators on their screens. That should help the candidates.
For LRDI and DM sections: XAT 's DM section has challenges and can prove fatal if not practiced well.
For Verbal Enthusiasts: CAT's ambiguous verbal section can be more intimidating and make scores fluctuate throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ans: Yes, both the CAT and XAT are considered among the most challenging MBA exams in India. These exams are usually tougher than other management entrance exams, such as NMAT or CMAT.

Ans: CAT is mainly used by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and focuses on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. Whereas, XAT is considered by XLRI, used by various management institutes, including the XLRI, XIMB, and others, and includes additional sections, such as Decision Making and General Knowledge.

Ans: The CAT exam is considered to the more scoring compared to the XAT, mainly for those aiming for IIMs or top MBA programs. Both exams are challenging. CAT mainly focuses on core aptitude areas, which makes it more accessible for some candidates, allowing them to score better. Whereas XAT introduces unique sections, that is Decision Making and General Knowledge, which can be challenging for some candidates.

Ans: There is no particular number of mock tests that can help you secure 99 percent in the CAT exam. However, we recommend you take at least 25 to 30 full-length mock tests before the exam. This number of mock tests will be enough for sufficient practice with the exam’s format and time constraints without causing burnout.

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