CAT vs IIT Entrance Exam: The candidates who are appearing in CAT and IIT exams both, must be aware of the basic difference between these two. The CAT exam is a national-level MBA exam conducted by IIMs on a rotational basis in the month of November. Whereas the IIT Entrance Exam is conducted by Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) every year for candidates, interested in studying B.tech in IITs, NITs, IIITs and other Government-sponsored technical colleges. So, there is a huge difference between these two. Please refer BYJU’S CAT College Predictor tool.

Now the question is – Is CAT Tougher than IIT? However, both these exams are difficult in their own aspects, like competitions, availability of seats and more. Read the article below to know a detailed expert analysis of the CAT vs IIT entrance exam.

Is CAT tougher than IIT – Overview

Basically, both of these are national-level exams conducted annually by respective authorities to shortlist candidates in different educational fields. So, if we consider the syllabus and topics covered in CAT and IIT, then we will see that IIT entrance exams are completely subject-specific. The questions are asked from classes 11 and 12 Maths, Physics and Chemistry. But in the case of CAT, it is an aptitude test, by which the authority mainly judges the logical skills of the candidates to become future managers. In this viewpoint, the CAT exam is a little tougher side than IIT.

Apart from this, if we considered the competition, then also CAT is tougher than IIT, as the students from any educational background can appear for this exam. But for the IIT entrance exam, only the Science background student with PCM in combination with 10+2 can appear.

Why CAT is Difficult to Crack – Understand the Reasons First

The CAT exam is necessary for admission to India’s top business schools, or IIMs. Furthermore, the CAT syllabus, eligibility requirements, and exam format are making it harder and harder to pass on a daily basis. Additionally, it is a national event and the exam format is extremely challenging. The questions are divided into the below listed three exam sections:

  • VARC
  • DILR
  • QA

CAT Question Paper – Format & Number of Questions

Considering the CAT 2022 Exam Analysis, a total of 66 questions were asked in the exam. It includes both MCQs and TITA questions.

  • Correct answers: +3
  • Incorrect answers: -1
  • Unattempted questions: No Marks
  • TITA questions: No Negative Markings

☛ Check the CAT Exam Pattern in detail and understand the sectional weightage and total marks of this exam.

CAT Exam is Tough – Limited Time to Attempt the Paper

Some students take sectional timings in CAT too seriously. They claim that they found the test to be difficult. It’s crucial to understand that the CAT exam is designed in such a way that nobody ever attempts all of the questions. Additionally, focus on the ones that are easier to evaluate and take up less time.

CAT vs IIT Entrance Exam – Points to be Noted

Here we have listed some of the important points that you must keep in your mind while preparing for both of these exams.

Unpredictable Questions in CAT

The CAT is an unexpected test. In addition to sectional differences in the structure, the test’s format is fairly difficult to ascertain. The RC passages are a little time-consuming to be studied the entire passage. The QA sections need mental calculations and shortcut skills a lot. So if the candidates do not have good reading habits and calculation skills then these two sections may create problems to get a good score. So a proper and strategic CAT Preparation plan is very important to crack the CAT exam with a good rank. Check: CAT Study Materials

Exam Pressure

The thinking of sectional timings and solving the questions accurately creates a huge pressure among the students’ minds. Apart from this, securing a seat in top IIMs is also a dream of every CAT aspirant. So, it is very important to control emotions; otherwise, scoring a good rank in the exam will be difficult.

Attempt Rate

Due to the fact, the students won’t be able to attempt a large number of the questions in the allocated time due to the difficulty of the questions. Your aptitude level isn’t the only thing the examiners are considering. Additionally, they are assessing how well you can group the questions into different categories and decide which ones to focus on first. There will always be queries that are too difficult for you to answer. Additionally, that would take up all of your free time.

Time Limitations

Another factor that makes the CAT challenging is, the candidates will get 120 minutes to complete 66 questions. This suggests that the aspirants only have 40 minutes for each segment to read, gather information, and complete the section’s challenges. So, accuracy and speed both are important to crack the CAT with a good score.

CAT is one of the toughest exams in India. Join BYJU’S CAT online Coaching and get the latest preparation tips and live sessions directly from the exam experts.