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CAT vs XAT vs NMAT vs SNAP: Which MBA Entrance You Should Take

This article will help you understand which exam you should take based on various factors, target colleges, exam pattern, etc. Additionally, it will also provide you with the list of institutions or colleges offering courses based on the exams.

Pratyasha Chaturvedi
By Pratyasha Chaturvedi
Aug 4, 2025, 14:28 IST
CAT vs XAT vs NMAT vs SNAP Which MBA Entrance You Should Take?
CAT vs XAT vs NMAT vs SNAP Which MBA Entrance You Should Take?

India’s MBA landscape is competitive and diverse, with several entrance exams offering paths and admission opportunities into top business schools. Among the competitive exams are the CAT (Common Admission Test), XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test), SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test), and NMAT (Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test). These exams are among the most prominent for the MBA.

Each of these exams has a unique exam pattern, difficulty level, and the business school acceptance list. If you are confused about which test suits your profile and goals, this article will break down the key features, exam patterns, etc, to help you align your goals and strategy with the right test.

Common Admission Test (CAT): The Gateway to the IIMs

Whenever a candidate thinks of pursuing an MBA entrance exam in India, the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) are usually a candidate's first preference. The Common  Admission Test (CAT) is the most popular and most competitive MBA entrance exam in India, which is administered by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis.

This year, the CAT 2025 exam is being conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode. The CAT exam is the gateway to 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other reputed non-IIMs institutes like the FMS Delhi, MDI, etc.

Below is the list of some of the key features that make the CAT exam different from the other MBA entrance exams like XAT, NMAT, and SNAP:-

Key Features

About 

Conducting Body of CAT

  • Conducted by IIMs on a rotational basis, and this year’s exam is being conducted by IIM Kozhikode.

Exam Pattern of CAT 

  • It contains four sections of verbal ability and reading comprehension, quantitative ability, and data interpretation and logical reasoning.

  • The exam is conducted for 120 minutes or 2 hours.

The marking scheme of CAT

  • For every correct answer attempted, +3 marks are awarded.

  • For every incorrect answer attempted, -1 marks are deducted

Pros of the CAT Exam

  • This exam is the most widely accepted in India, offering admission to IIMs and non-IIMs.

  • This exam finally leads to high-quality placements.

Cons of the CAT Exam

  • This exam offers tough competition for those candidates who appear for this exam and has a high difficulty level.

  • This exam is conducted only once a year; hence, you should give it your best to qualify for the exam and seek admission into your desired institute and program.

Below is the list of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and non-IIMs that offer admission by accepting the scores obtained in the CAT exam:-

The Critical Thinker’s Exam- Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT)

If you are someone who enjoys tackling real-world scenarios, case-based learning, and ethical dilemmas, the Xavier Aptitude Exam (XAT) might be the exam for you. The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur and is accepted by more than 200 institutes. This exam is known for testing decision-making and ethical reasoning skills.

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) stands out for its unique decision-making section and a very well-rounded exam structure. This exam is designed not only to test your aptitude but also your judgement and leadership qualities.

Below is the list of some of the key features that make the XAT exam different from the other MBA entrance exams like CAT, NMAT, and SNAP:-

Key Features

About

Conducting body of XAT

  • Conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes.

Exam Pattern of XAT

  • The exam is conducted in four sections, which include: Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning, and General Knowledge.

  • The exam is conducted for 180 minutes or 3 hours. Earlier, it was conducted for 210 minutes.

The total number of questions asked for each section of XAT

  • Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning:- 26

  • Decision Making:- 21

  • Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation:- 28

  • General Knowledge:- 20

  • Total:-  95

The marking scheme of XAT

  • Each question asked in the XAT exam carries 1 mark.

  • For every incorrect answer attempted, -0.25 marks are deducted.

  • The GK section of the exam has no negative marking.

Pros of the XAT exam

  • This exam provides a unique decision-making section in the exam.

  • This exam also focuses on the ethical reasoning ability of the candidate appearing for the exam.

Cons of the XAT exam

  • This exam has a difficulty level, and the general knowledge section of the exam is not used while calculating the percentile, but it is certainly crucial during the interviews.

Below are the institutes and colleges offering admission to the MBA and PGDM courses by accepting the scores of the XAT exam:-

Also, check:-

Flexible and Friendly Exam: NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT)

If you prefer flexibility, convenience, and control over your test experience, the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is known for those qualities. The NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is conducted by GMAC, and this exam is conducted once a year, but it provides the candidates with the option to attempt the exam thrice within a specified testing window.

This exam is administered by GMAC, the same authority which administers the GMAT exam. The NMAT exam offers multiple attempts to the candidates and is a widely accepted exam by institutes across India and institutes across the globe. This exam is ideal for aspirants who prefer a smoother test-taking experience.

Below is the list of some of the key features that make the NMAT exam different from the other MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, and SNAP:-

Key Features

About

Conducting Body of NMAT

  • This exam is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which also administers the GMAT exam.

Exam Pattern of NMAT

  • This exam contains three sections, which include Quantitative skills, Language Skills and logical reasoning.

  • The three sections of this exam are individually timed, and the candidate will have to complete each section within the stipulated time.

  • This exam is conducted for 120 minutes or 2 hours.

The total number of questions in each section of the NMAT exam

  • Language Skills Section:- 36

  • Logical Reasoning Section:- 36

  • Quantitative Skills Section:- 36 

  • Total:- 108

Score Range for each section of the NMAT exam

  • Quantitative Skills Section:- 12-120

  • Language Skills Section:- 12-120

  • Logical Reasoning Section:- 12-120

  • Total Score Range:- 36-360

Pros of the NMAT exam

  • This exam helps provide the candidates with a retake option up to 3 times.

  • This exam also provides the candidate with an adaptive testing model

Cons of the NMAT exam

  • The main con of the NMAT exam is that it only offers admission to a limited top-tier colleges (mainly the NMIMS campuses).

  • Although this exam is adaptive but it makes it hard for a candidate to go back to a question.

Below is the list of some of the business schools which accept the NMAT scores, offering admission to their various management programs:-

Also, check:-

Speed Over Strategy Exam- Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP)

If you are fast and confident under pressure, the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) may suit you the best. This exam is conducted by the Symbiosis International University and is a speed-based test for those candidates who are comfortable with fast-paced questions. This exam offers admission to 15 Symbiosis institutes that provide solid placements and diverse specialisations.

A candidate who appears for this exam can only seek admission to the programs offered based on the total SANP percentile scored, and then those scores will determine if you will be shortlisted for the next rounds of admissions. 

Below is the list of some of the key features that make the SNAP exam different from the other MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, and NMAT:-

Key Features

About

Conducting Body of SNAP

  • This exam is conducted by the Symbiosis International University (SIU).

Exam Dates for SNAP

  • This exam will be conducted on three dates.

  • First:- December 6, 2025

  • Second:- December 14, 2025

  • Third:- December 20, 2025

Exam Pattern of SNAP

  • This exam consists of three sections, which include Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, and  General English.

  • The SNAP exam is conducted for 60 minutes or 1 hour.

The total number of questions asked in the SNAP exam of each section

  • Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency:- 15

  • Analytical and Logical Reasoning:- 25

  • General English:- 15

  • Total:- 60

Marking Scheme of the SNAP Exam

  • Each attempted question carries 1 mark, bringing the total marks awarded to 60.

  • Each incorrect attempted answer has 25% negative marks.  

Pros of the SNAP Exam

  • One of the pros of appearing in the SNAP exam is that it has a shorter exam duration.

  • The questions asked in this exam have a moderate difficulty level.

Cons of the SNAP Exam

  • One of the cons of the SNAP exam is that it is limited to Symbiosis colleges.

  • This exam is ideal for those candidates who can attempt the questions at speed, and is not ideal for slow thinkers.

Below is the list of some of the business schools which accept the SNAP scores, offering admission to their various management programs:-

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM, Pune)

Symbiosis Centre for Management & Human Resource Development (SCMHRD)

Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies & Research (SICSR)

Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB)

Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication, Pune (SIMC)

Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS)

Symbiosis Institute of Digital & Telecom Management (SIDTM), formerly Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management

Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, Nashik (SIOM)

Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS)

Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology (SCIT)

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Hyderabad (SIBM, Hyderabad)

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Bengaluru (SIBM, Bengaluru)

Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences (SSSS)

Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance (SSBF), formerly Symbiosis School of Banking Management

Also, check:-

Which Exam Should You Take?

If you are still unsure which exam you should take, below is the breakdown based on academic strengths, future goals, and personality. This break will help you determine which exam will suit you best based on your further career choices and academic pursuits.

Below is the breakdown of the exams based on which exam you should take according to your academic strengths and career pursuits:-

Appear for CAT if 

  • If you aim for the IIMs and other elite business schools.

  • If you have strong fundamentals in quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning.

Appear for XAT if

  • If you enjoy solving case-based and decision-making questions.

  • If you aim to seek admission to XLRI or similar business schools.

Appear for NMAT if

  • If you want flexibility in scheduling and retakes.

  • If you aim to target NMIMS or the other mid-tier colleges.

Appear for SNAP if 

  • If you are confident in appearing for the speed-based tests.

  • I you aim to seek admission to the Symbiosis group of colleges.

Choosing the right MBA entrance exam not only depends on the difficulty level of the exam, but it also depends on alignment with your strengths, career aspirations, target colleges or institutions and test-taking style.

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