The Common Admission Test (CAT) is widely regarded as one of the toughest exams in India. Each year, over 200,000 candidates take the CAT to secure admission to top Indian MBA colleges for pursuing management education. The exam is notorious for its unpredictable nature, high-difficulty level questions, and time management constraints.
CAT typically has 3 sections: VARC, LRDI, and QA, the pattern of which can change as per the conducting body and since every year a different IIM colleges sets CAT Paper, the exam can be highly unpredictable.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is renowned for its high difficulty level, which is a significant factor contributing to its reputation as one of the toughest entrance exams in India. One of the biggest factor affecting CAT difficulty level is its complex questions. The CAT exam features questions that are designed to test a wide range of skills, including problem-solving, analytical thinking, and comprehension. Each section—Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA)—presents its unique challenges.
The CAT exam is divided into three sections, each presenting its own set of challenges. Understanding the difficulty level of each section can help candidates tailor their preparation strategies accordingly. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the difficulty level of each section:
CAT VARC section difficulty: The VARC section assesses candidates' proficiency in the English language, focusing on reading comprehension, grammar, and verbal reasoning. It typically includes passages for reading comprehension, sentence completion, para summary, odd one out and para-jumbles.
CAT LRDI section difficulty: The DILR section evaluates candidates' ability to interpret data and solve logical puzzles. This section includes questions based on data tables, graphs, charts, and logical reasoning scenarios. The types of questions and their difficulty can vary significantly from year to year, making this section particularly unpredictable. The complexity and volume of data to be analyzed within a limited time frame make this section challenging. Efficient time management and the ability to quickly identify solvable questions are crucial.
CAT quant section difficulty: The QA section tests candidates' mathematical skills and understanding of various quantitative concepts. This section covers topics such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems, and modern math each with its own set of concepts and problem-solving techniques. Questions often test deep conceptual understanding and the ability to apply multiple concepts to solve a single problem. Some questions are designed to be tricky and test logical thinking and problem-solving skills beyond simple application of formulas.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is known for its complexity and high difficulty, making the relationship between a candidate's score and their percentile rank crucial. Due to the challenging nature of the exam and intense competition, a high score alone doesn't ensure a top percentile. Instead, it's the relative performance of all candidates that determines percentile rankings. Understanding this connection is important for aspirants aiming for admission to top MBA Colleges in India.
Percentile | Overall Score | VARC Score | LRDI Score | Quant Score |
100 | 142.90 | 61.66 | 50.4 | 49.46 |
99.99 | 119.76 | 57.19 | 42.66 | 44.89 |
99.9 | 101.09 | 51.14 | 36.58 | 34.96 |
99.5 | 84.29 | 44 | 30.58 | 28.28 |
99 | 76.15 | 39.83 | 27.29 | 25.20 |
95 | 54.86 | 28.78 | 18.92 | 16.87 |
90 | 46 | 23.37 | 15.63 | 13.63 |
80 | 34.36 | 17.58 | 11.67 | 9.2 |
CAT is often referred as one of the most challenging entrance exams in India, but where does it stand when compared to other prominent exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), and the Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test (IPMAT)?
Each of these exams serves different purposes and targets distinct fields, from engineering and medicine to civil services and management. Comparing their difficulty levels involves looking at various factors, including the complexity of the CAT syllabus, the nature of the questions, the competition, and the preparation required.
Here is a detailed comparison between all these exams.
Both CAT and JEE are highly challenging but in different ways. While CAT is for aspirants who wants to pursue higher education after graduation, JEE is an entrance exam for aspirants wanting to pursue engineering after 12th. CAT focuses on analytical, verbal, and quantitative skills with a high degree of unpredictability and time management requirements. JEE, especially JEE Advanced, demands a deep understanding of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics with very high competition and a rigorous problem-solving approach. The difficulty of each exam depends on the candidate's strengths and the specific skills required for each test.
Particulars | CAT | JEE |
Purpose | MBA/PGDM programs | B.Tech/B.E. programs |
Sections | VARC, DILR, QA | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
Difficulty | Moderate-High | Very High (especially JEE Advanced) |
Competition | Over 3 Lakhs candidates | Over 1.5 million (JEE Main) |
Scoring | Percentile-based | Rank-based |
Preparation | Analytical, verbal, quantitative skills | Strong PCM foundation, problem-solving |
Key Focus Areas | Analytical abilities, time management | Conceptual understanding, problem-solving |
Dynamic Nature | High; unpredictable pattern | Static; focus on core subjects |
UPSC exam, designed for recruiting civil servants (IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.), is broader and more comprehensive comparatively to CAT. It involves Preliminary Exam (General Studies and CSAT), Mains Exam (nine papers including essay, general studies, and optional subjects), and an Interview. It requires vast knowledge across diverse subjects, current affairs, and strong analytical and writing skills. While CAT is highly competitive with over 200,000 candidates, the UPSC exam is even more competitive with approximately 1 million candidates and a very low selection ratio. Ultimately, both exams are tough in different ways, with CAT demanding sharp analytical skills under time constraints and UPSC requiring extensive knowledge and thorough preparation across multiple domains.
Particulars | CAT | UPSC |
Purpose | MBA/PGDM programs | Civil Services (IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.) |
Sections | VARC, DILR, QA | Prelims (GS, CSAT), Mains (9 papers), Interview |
Difficulty | Moderate-High | Very High |
Competition | Over 3 Lakhs candidates | Approximately 1 million candidates |
Scoring | Percentile-based | Combination of written and interview |
Preparation | Analytical, verbal, quantitative skills | Vast knowledge, current affairs, writing skills |
Key Focus Areas | Analytical abilities, time management | General studies, optional subjects, analytical abilities |
Dynamic Nature | High; unpredictable pattern | Comprehensive; changes yearly |
NEET is for MBBS/BDS programs and tests Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology), requiring a strong foundation in these subjects and extensive memorization and is given by students after 12th class. While CAT has intense competition with over 200,000 candidates and percentile-based scoring, NEET has even higher competition with over 1.5 million candidates and rank-based scoring. Both exams are highly competitive and difficult in their respective domains, making a direct comparison challenging.
Particulars | CAT | NEET |
Purpose | MBA/PGDM programs | MBBS/BDS programs |
Sections | VARC, DILR, QA | Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany & Zoology) |
Difficulty | Moderate-High | Moderate-High |
Competition | Over 3 Lakhs candidates | Over 1.5 million candidates |
Scoring | Percentile-based | Rank-based |
Preparation | Analytical, verbal, quantitative skills | Strong PCB foundation, concept understanding, memorization |
Key Focus Areas | Analytical abilities, time management | Conceptual clarity, memorization |
Dynamic Nature | High; unpredictable pattern | Static; focus on core subjects |
The CAT exam is generally considered tougher than the IPMAT. CAT, aimed at MBA/PGDM programs, is known for its high difficulty, unpredictability, and intense time management challenges, attracting over 200,000 candidates competing for limited seats in top B-schools whereas IPMAT is designed for integrated BBA+MBA programs, includes sections on Quantitative Ability (QA) and Verbal Ability (VA) and Logical Reasoning (LR). While it tests similar skills as CAT, its difficulty level is generally lower, targeting younger candidates who are just out of high school. The competition for IPMAT is also less intense compared to CAT, with fewer candidates and less rigorous preparation required.
Overall, CAT's higher difficulty, unpredictability, and intense competition make it tougher than IPMAT.
Particulars | CAT | IPMAT |
Purpose | MBA/PGDM programs | Integrated BBA+MBA programs |
Sections | VARC, DILR, QA | QA, VA, LR |
Difficulty | Moderate-High | Easy-Moderate |
Competition | Over 3 Lakhs candidates | Several thousand candidates |
Scoring | Percentile-based | Percentile-based |
Preparation | Analytical, verbal, quantitative skills | Quantitative, verbal, logical reasoning skills |
Key Focus Areas | Analytical abilities, time management | Analytical skills, time management |
Dynamic Nature | High; unpredictable pattern | Moderate; similar to CAT |
The CAT is highly challenging due to its unpredictable pattern, high difficulty questions, and intense competition among over 200,000 candidates for limited top B-school seats.
While CAT focuses on analytical and verbal skills with unpredictable patterns, JEE, especially JEE Advanced, requires deep technical knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, making their difficulties unique.
The UPSC exam is broader and tests vast knowledge and analytical skills across various subjects, making it tough in a different way compared to CAT's focus on management aptitude.
NEET tests core knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology with a vast syllabus, whereas CAT focuses on analytical and verbal skills with time management challenges, making their difficulties different.
IPMAT is generally considered less difficult than CAT, as it targets younger candidates for integrated management programs and has a similar but less difficult structure.
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