CAT vs GATE - Which is Tougher?

Aspirants in their last year of graduation often get confused between the two post-graduation entrance examinations, CAT vs GATE exam. The CAT entrance exam is required for getting into premier B-schools to pursue an MBA. GATE, on the opposite side, is an entrance examination required for M.Tech programmes at top universities like IITs, NITs, and other engineering institutes, along with employment in public sector organisations.

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What is CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT Exam) is an online computer-based test that is administered by different IIMs every year for candidates to secure admissions to IIMs and various esteemed Management and Business schools of India.

Premier Business schools in India, including the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), S.P. Jain Institute of Management Management and Research (SPJIMR), International Management Institute (IMI), Management Development Institute (Gurgaon), Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NIIE), Institute of Management Technology (IMT) offer admissions through the CAT examination. 

CAT Exam Sections

There are three sections with a total of 66 questions:

• VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)
• DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)
• QA (Quantitative Aptitude)

General Information

More than two lakh candidates appear every year for the CAT exam. However, the available seats in IIMs and premier institutes are very limited, so the competition is very high. One should at least score above 95 percentile to stand a chance for admissions. 

Apart from the CAT score, one should have a sound academic and professional background and also perform will in the Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds to secure admission. Once admitted to the MBA program, the candidates can specialise in Operations, HR, Marketing, Finance, or Business Analytics. 

What is GATE?

The GATE exam (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is an online standardized test to assess undergraduate students' knowledge of several engineering and science courses. Students in their final year of engineering or who have passed their engineering and are looking for a post-graduate course along with financial assistance from the government and/or looking for service jobs in Public Sector Units should appear for the GATE exam.

GATE Exam Sections

There are two sections in the GATE exam:

• General Aptitude 
• Core Subject of Specialisation 

General Information

Almost nine lakh candidates appear for the GATE exam yearly. Seeing this number, you can imagine the fierce competition that happens annually for the limited seats in premier universities.  Hence the vacancy to student ratio is almost 1 : 360. 

Comparing CAT and GATE

The tabulation of CAT vs GATE comparison is as follows. 

Comparison Between CAT and GATE

Topic	GATE	CAT
Conducting Authority	IIT	IIM
Awarding Degree	Aspirants can pursue M.Tech/M.E/MS Degree after the GATE exam.	Aspirants get MBA/ PGDM degree after CAT
Syllabus	85% technical subjects and 15% general aptitude.	English, Quant, and Logical thinking skills.

Difference Between CAT and GATE

Above, we had just categorised CAT vs GATE on a general overview basis. The below table will give in-depth knowledge of the differences between CAT and GATE exams.

Difference Between CAT and GATE

Category	CAT	GATE
Mode	Computer-Based online	Computer-Based online
Section	VARC, DILR, Quantitative Aptitude	General Aptitude+ Candidates selected Subjects
Total Questions	66	65
Distribution of Questions	VARC: 24	General Aptitude: 10
	Quantitative Aptitude: 20	Candidates selected Subjects: 55
	DILR: 30	-
Time	120 Minutes	180 Minutes
Total Marks	198	100
Pattern of Question	MCQ and TITA type	MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and NAT (Numerical Answer Type)

Other Important Differences

Other than the previously mentioned points, let us look further into the differences:

• GATE examination is solely for Engineering and, in some fields, Science graduates. In contrast, students from any graduation background like BA, B.Sc., B.Com, BBA, etc. are eligible for the CAT exam.
• One could secure a PSU job with the GATE score, whereas the score of the CAT only makes you eligible for MBA or PGDM courses. No job application can be availed through a CAT score.
• Where GATE mainly tests your subject knowledge on your undergraduate specialisation, CAT tests your basic knowledge and aptitude, and logical thinking prowess. 

Which One is Tougher: GATE or CAT?

These two exams are tough in different ways. They both require detailed study, intense practice, and dedication. Toughness varies from student to student.

• For students who have a tough time grasping core subjects, GATE might be a difficult exam. If one is weak in Data Interpretation or English Comprehension, CAT will be tougher.
• Similarly, for those who have better comprehension skills, sound knowledge, and speed in interpreting logical questions, CAT will be ideal for them. Students with sound knowledge of their graduation subjects and prowess in mathematics will find GATE to be easier than CAT.