When it comes to pursuing MBA from, CAT is probably the first thing that comes to mind of all the aspirants out there. However, due to its very competitive nature and unpredictable difficulty, CAT might not be as easy to crack as you think. It is always best to prepare for multiple entrance exams to assure your seat in top MBA colleges in India. XAT is the second most popular MBA entrance exam in India and is equally challenging and competitive. XAT is usually scheduled within 5 – 6 weeks post CAT. Due to this close proximity between the two exams, students do not get additional time to prepare for. Hence, it is always asked that “Do CAT and XAT Have the Same Syllabus?”. This article will try to cover all the similarities and differences in the syllabi of these two most prestigious MBA entrance exams of India – CAT and XAT.
Understanding the Basics of CAT and XAT
CAT Overview
CAT nearly seeing close to 3 lacs students filling the forms every year to pursue their dream of having an MBA from top colleges of India, including the IIMs. The preparation time for CAT varies from student to student but is advised to have at least 6 months of preparation before appearing for the exam. CAT evaluates candidates in three key focus areas: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). There is a mix of MCQs and TITA questions in the CAT paper and wrong answers in MCQs have a negative marking.
XAT Overview
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), on the other hand, is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur and is accepted by a large number of top MBA colleges in India. While XAT exam includes sections similar to CAT such as Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR), Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI). it also have a General Knowledge (GK) section and sometimes an Essay Writing component. These two unique sections of DM and GK makes it more challenging. XAT exam is usually a lengthier paper that challenges your physical and mental stamina to sit for long hours without compromising your accuracy and focus.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (CAT) vs. Verbal and Logical Ability (XAT)
The VARC section of CAT is majorly about dense RC from different genres and making questions with very confusing questions of the same. There is not defined syllabus for RCs that come in CAT but have seen a pattern where 1 RC is usually easy, 2 being moderate and 1 being extremely tough to track. The Verbal Ability part of CAT includes para jumbles, odd one out and summaries. These are a mix of questions when it comes to difficulty. Presence of TITA questions here sometimes make this part further tougher.
In contrast to CAT, XAT RCs are less dense and are easier to interpret. There are also poems that comes in the VA section of XAT where students find some difficulty in interpreting them. The questions are also slightly easier than compared to those in CAT. XAT gets challenging at times because it has 5 options in every question compared to 4 in CAT. The LR portion of VALR section tries to test your logical and critical thinking skills in form of smaller puzzles and other English-based verbal elements.
QA Section in CAT and XAT
The Quantitative Ability section in both exams is all about covering the fundamental mathematical concepts. Some of the common topics include:
- Arithmetic: Percentages, Interests, Time, speed and Distance, Profit & Loss, Ratios
- Algebra: Quadratic Equations, Linear Equations, Polynomials, Inequalities
- Geometry: Circles, Triangles, Mensuration
- Number System: Divisibility, HCF & LCM, Remainder Theorem
- Modern Math: Probability and Permutations & Combinations
Now coming to the questions in both these exams. CAT is all about focusing on accuracy and speed within simpler concepts. It is more about how you decode a question, it makes it easy or hard. XAT on the other hand is known for lengthier questions, involving higher amounts of calculations before reaching the final answer.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (CAT) vs. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (XAT)
The CAT exam includes a typical DILR section that is there to evaluate candidates’ ability to analyze and interpret data presented in various elements such as different charts, graphs, and tables. Logical puzzles like arrangements, Venn Diagrams, etc., also forms the other 50% of this section. Again, there is no fixed syllabus for this section. It is all about practising more and more questions to be familiar with larger variety of sets.
In XAT exam, Data Interpretation is included within the QA & DI section. DI questions are usually long and time consuming and involves heavy calculations. The good side of DI in XAT is that they do not provide any surprises in graphs and are easy to understand. The LR part in XAT is well integrated in the VALR section as we discussed above. It usually tests the critical thinking abilities of the candidates.
Unique Sections in XAT
While CAT and XAT have overlapping syllabi, the XAT introduces additional sections that make it unique and require additional preparation. These sections include Decision Making, General Knowledge and Essay Writing.
Decision-Making Section
The Decision-Making (DM) section is very coveted to XAT only and requires candidates to evaluate complex business scenarios and ethical dilemmas. This section is all about testing your moral reasoning which is very much needed in the corporate world. Since there is no equivalent section in CAT, the aspirants should dedicate extra time to practice case-based questions for DM section of XAT. The best way to practice these questions is to refer previous year XAT papers and understand the analogy behind every answer.
General Knowledge
The GK section of XAT is another unique feature. It covers topics from current affairs, business and economy, science & technology, and other static GK facts from all possible backgrounds. There is no such section in CAT exam but still it is always better to stay abreast with general knowledge as it is much needed during your further admission processes i.e., during your Group Discussions and Personal Interviews. While the GK section does not contribute to the overall percentile, it plays a critical role in the selection process for many institutes accepting XAT scores.
Essay Writing
Essay Writing has always been on and off in the XAT exam. The section is not included in this year’s exam. Since the admission process has shifted offline, XLRI has started taking WAT during the process, hence essay writing has been removed. However, when it was there in the exam, it was not included in the percentile calculations. It was only used for the next steps of selection process.
Comparison of Syllabus Complexity
We all agree that syllabus complexity is all about your perceived view of them. However, we should not ignore the fact that CAT requires speed along with accuracy for you to ace. With similar syllabus, XAT is all about sitting through a 3-hour long paper and solving lengthier problems. Also, XAT DM has always been a make or break section for a lot of candidates. Hence, all serious aspirants are advised to focus on practising DM section well.
How to Prepare for Both Exams Simultaneously
For aspirants targeting both CAT and XAT, using the overlapping parts of the syllabus can save both your time and effort. Here are a few tips which might help you further:
- Focus on Core Topics First: Since a majority of the portion across all the sections is very similar in both of these exams, it is best to cover the fundamentals and cover a variety of problem sets to get more familiar with the topics.
- Develop Decision-Making Skills: Practice DM of XAT seriously. Use past year papers and sectional mock tests to get better understanding of the same.
- Stay Updated on GK: Do not leave GK till the last minute. Have thorough preparation as this might be an evaluation criteria later in your selection process.
- Practice Essay Writing: Even though essay writing is not a part this year, surprises might appear here and there. It will also help you sail through the WAT processes later.
- Adapt to Exam-Specific Strategies: CAT is a 2-hour exam whereas XAT is a 3-hour exam. Making yourself adaptive is very important. Use mocks judiciously to get adapted to your test-taking strategies.
Conclusion
Therefore, in conclusion, both of these exams, CAT and XAT have similar syllabus. However, we should not exclude their differences. It is best to make different test-taking strategies for these exams once you have covered the syllabus. Have time to prepare for DM section of XAT as it is completely different and unique in its own.
