CAT and NMAT 2026: exam pattern, marking scheme, difficulty compared

In short

NMAT permits up to three attempts per testing window, while CAT allows one attempt annually.
NMAT features 108 multiple-choice questions over 120 minutes, with no negative marking and an adaptive exam pattern.
CAT comprises 68 questions, including both MCQs and non-MCQs, within 120 minutes, featuring negative marking for incorrect MCQs and a non-adaptive pattern.
The NMAT exam fee is ₹3,000 plus taxes, while the CAT exam fee is approximately ₹2,400.
The CAT 2025 cycle saw approximately 2.58 lakh applicants take the exam, indicating high competition.

Candidates preparing for MBA entrance examinations in India are evaluating the Common Admission Test (CAT), conducted by the IIMs, and the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT), administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Both exams, while serving as gateways to management programmes, exhibit notable differences in their structure, marking schemes, and overall difficulty, which can influence a candidate’s preparation strategy for the 2026 cycle.

The NMAT exam is often considered easier than CAT by many candidates, with most topics in both exams being similar, allowing for simultaneous preparation. However, NMAT emphasizes speed and accuracy due to its higher question count and adaptive nature, whereas CAT requires thoughtful decision-making and methodical resolution for its more complex questions and non-adaptive format.

Exam Structure and Question Format

The NMAT exam, with a total duration of 120 minutes, consists of 108 multiple-choice questions, divided equally among three sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. Candidates are allowed to choose the order of these sections before starting the exam. The NMAT exam pattern is adaptive, meaning the difficulty of subsequent questions adjusts based on a candidate’s performance.

In contrast, the CAT exam also has a total duration of 120 minutes but features 68 questions, which include both multiple-choice (MCQ) and non-MCQ (Type-In-The-Answer) questions. Its three sections are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA), with a fixed section order. The CAT exam pattern is non-adaptive, maintaining a fixed difficulty level for all candidates.

Section	No. of Questions	Time
Language Skills	36	28 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation	36	52 minutes
Logical Reasoning	36	40 minutes
Total	108	120 minutes

Section	No. of Questions	Time
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	22	40 minutes
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	40 minutes
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	40 minutes
Total	68	120 minutes

Marking Scheme and Attempts

The marking scheme for CAT and NMAT varies significantly. In NMAT, every correct answer attracts one mark, and there is no negative marking for incorrect answers. NMAT scores are based on a Scaled Score ranging from 12 to 120 for sectional scores and 36 to 360 for the overall score. Candidates are allowed up to three attempts per testing window, with a missed slot counting as an attempt and each retake requiring at least 15 days after the previous one. An online calculator is not provided for NMAT, requiring manual calculations.

For CAT, candidates are awarded three marks for every correct answer. There is negative marking for incorrect multiple-choice answers, with a deduction of one mark. However, there is no deduction of marks if a candidate chooses not to attempt a question. The final CAT score card is also created based on a Scaled Score. CAT allows only one attempt per year. A basic calculator is provided directly on the computer screen during the CAT exam.

Factor	CAT 2026	NMAT 2026
Attempts	One exam, on November 29	Up to 3, with a missed slot counted as an attempt and each retake at least 15 days after the previous one
Cost of a wrong answer	-1 on a multiple-choice question, a 4-mark gap against a correct answer	Marks come from correct answers only
Result	First week of January 2027	Scorecard within 48 hours of each attempt

Difficulty Levels and Exam Fees

The perceived difficulty levels for both exams, based on the 2025 cycle, show some distinctions. The NMAT 2025 cycle rated its Verbal section (Language Skills) as easy to moderate, Logical Reasoning as moderate, and Quantitative Skills as moderate to difficult. The CAT 2025 cycle, in comparison, rated its Verbal section (VARC) as moderate, DILR as moderate to difficult, and QA as moderate to tough NMAT provides approximately 1.1 minutes per question, while CAT provides roughly 1.8 minutes per question.

Regarding exam fees, the NMAT exam fee is ₹3,000 plus taxes. The CAT exam fee is approximately ₹2,400. The CAT 2025 cycle saw about 2.95 lakh registered candidates, with roughly 2.58 lakh applicants taking the exam, highlighting the competitive nature of the examination.

Skill	CAT section	NMAT section	Difficulty in 2025
Verbal	VARC: 24 questions, 40 minutes	Language Skills: 36 questions, 28 minutes	CAT moderate; NMAT easy to moderate
Reasoning	DILR: 22 questions, 40 minutes	Logical Reasoning: 36 questions, 40 minutes	CAT moderate to difficult; NMAT moderate
Quant	QA: 22 questions, 40 minutes	Quantitative Skills: 36 questions, 52 minutes	Both moderate to difficult

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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