CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – The CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam are both competitive exams in India. CAT is primarily for admission to prestigious management programs, while SSC CGL is for recruiting candidates into various government jobs. This comparison will brief into their differences in terms of purpose, eligibility, exam pattern, and career prospects.
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Overview
Here’s a comparison of the CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Admission to MBA and management programs | Recruitment for various government jobs |
| Conducting Body | Various Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor’s degree with no specific field requirement | Bachelor’s degree in any discipline |
| Exam Levels | Single level exam | Three-tier exam (Tier-I, Tier-II, Tier-III) |
| Exam Subjects | Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability | General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Comprehension |
| Exam Duration | Approximately 2-3 hours | Varies by tier (Tier-I: 60 minutes, Tier-II: 120 minutes per paper, Tier-III: 60 minutes) |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year | Once a year (Tier-I and Tier-II) |
| Score Validity | Typically valid for one year | Score valid for one year (Tier-I and Tier-II) |
| Job Opportunities | Not applicable | Various government job positions |
| Difficulty Level | High | Moderate to high |
| Selection Process | Exam score, Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT), Personal Interview (PI) | Tier-I & Tier-II written exams, Tier-III Skill Test/Descriptive Paper, Document Verification |
| Competition | Highly competitive with a low acceptance rate | Competitive with a moderate acceptance rate |
| Acceptance at Top B-schools | CAT score is crucial for admission to premier management institutes like IIMs | Not applicable |
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Exam Format
Certainly, here’s a comparison of the exam format for CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Computer-based test (CBT) | Computer-based test (CBT) |
| Number of Tiers | Single Tier Exam | Three Tiers (Tier-I, Tier-II, Tier-III) |
| Total Papers | Three Papers: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability | Tier-I: Four Papers (General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Comprehension) Tier-II: Four Papers (Quantitative Abilities, English Language and Comprehension, Statistics, General Studies) Tier-III: Descriptive Paper in English/Hindi |
| Exam Duration | Approximately 2 hours | Tier-I: 60 minutes per paper Tier-II: 120 minutes per paper Tier-III: 60 minutes (Descriptive Paper) |
| Marking Scheme | Correct Answer: +3 marks Incorrect Answer (MCQs): -1 mark No Negative Marking for Non-MCQs | Tier-I: +2 marks for correct answers Tier-II: +2 marks for correct answers (except for the English Language paper, which has a penalty of -0.25 marks for each wrong answer) Tier-III: Not Applicable |
| Exam Language | English | English/Hindi (Varies based on the paper) |
| Exam Dates | Usually in November/December | Varies annually, typically held over several days |
| Syllabus | Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability | General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Comprehension, Statistics, Finance and Economics (Tier-II) |
| Level of Difficulty | High | Moderate to High |
Please note that specific details such as syllabus and marking schemes may vary, so it’s advisable to refer to the official exam websites or notifications for the most accurate and updated information.
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Exam Syllabus and Pattern
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Exam Syllabus
Certainly, here’s a comparison of the exam syllabus for CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1: Exam Subjects | – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) – Quantitative Ability (QA) | – General Intelligence & Reasoning – General Awareness – Quantitative Aptitude – English Comprehension |
| Tier 2: Exam Subjects | Not applicable | – Quantitative Abilities (Paper-I) – English Language and Comprehension (Paper-II) – Statistics (Paper-III, for Statistical Investigator/Compiler posts) – General Studies (Paper-IV, only for specific posts) |
| Tier 3: Exam Subjects | Not applicable | Descriptive Paper in English/Hindi (Letter/Application Writing, Essay Writing, etc.) |
| CAT Syllabus Details | – VARC: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Grammar – DI & LR: Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning – QA: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Modern Math, Data Sufficiency | – General Intelligence & Reasoning: Analogy, Classification, Number Series, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Word Formation, etc. – General Awareness: Static GK, Current Affairs – Quantitative Aptitude: Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Data Interpretation, Statistics (Paper-III), Finance and Economics (Paper-IV, for specific posts) – English Comprehension: Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, etc. |
| Total Marks (Tier 2) | Not applicable | 200 marks (each paper) |
| Total Marks (Tier 3) | Not applicable | 100 marks |
| Negative Marking | Yes (for incorrect answers) | Yes (0.50 marks for Tier-I, 0.25 marks for Tier-II Paper-II) |
| Language | English | English/Hindi (Varies based on the paper) |
| Tier 3: Mode of Exam | Not applicable | Pen and Paper (Descriptive Paper) |
Please note that the SSC CGL Exam’s Tier-II and Tier-III are applicable only to certain posts, and the syllabus may vary slightly depending on the specific post you are applying for. It’s essential to refer to the official exam notifications and syllabus for the most accurate and updated information.
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Exam Syllabus
Certainly, here’s a comparison of the exam syllabus for CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1: Exam Subjects | – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) – Quantitative Ability (QA) | – General Intelligence & Reasoning – General Awareness – Quantitative Aptitude – English Comprehension |
| Tier 2: Exam Subjects | Not applicable | – Quantitative Abilities (Paper-I) – English Language and Comprehension (Paper-II) – Statistics (Paper-III, for Statistical Investigator/Compiler posts) – General Studies (Paper-IV, only for specific posts) |
| Tier 3: Exam Subjects | Not applicable | Descriptive Paper in English/Hindi (Letter/Application Writing, Essay Writing, etc.) |
| Syllabus | – VARC: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Grammar – DI & LR: Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning – QA: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Modern Math, Data Sufficiency | – General Intelligence & Reasoning: Analogy, Classification, Number Series, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Word Formation, etc. – General Awareness: Static GK, Current Affairs – Quantitative Aptitude: Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Data Interpretation, Statistics (Paper-III), Finance and Economics (Paper-IV, for specific posts) – English Comprehension: Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, etc. |
| Total Marks (Tier 2) | Not applicable | 200 marks (each paper) |
| Total Marks (Tier 3) | Not applicable | 100 marks |
| Negative Marking | Yes (for incorrect answers) | Yes (0.50 marks for Tier-I, 0.25 marks for Tier-II Paper-II) |
| Language | English | English/Hindi (Varies based on the paper) |
| Tier 3: Mode of Exam | Not applicable | Pen and Paper (Descriptive Paper) |
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Eligibility Criteria
Certainly, here’s a comparison of the exam eligibility criteria for CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s degree in any discipline | Bachelor’s degree in any discipline |
| Age Limit | No age limit | 18 to 32 years (varies by post) |
| Nationality | Indian citizen | Indian citizen |
| Maximum Attempts | No restrictions | Varies by category (typically 4-6 attempts) |
| Physical Fitness | Not applicable | Some posts may have specific physical standards |
| Reserved Category Benefits | Reserved category candidates may have relaxation in age and qualifications as per government rules | Reserved category candidates may have relaxation in age, qualifications, and application fees as per government rules |
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Fees
Here’s a comparison of the exam fees for CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level) Exam in a table format:
| Aspect | CAT Exam | SSC CGL Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | Varies by category and gender: – General/EWS: Approximately INR 2,200 to 2,500 – SC/ST/PWD: Approximately INR 1,100 to 1,300 | Varies by category and gender: – General/OBC: Approximately INR 100 to 200 – SC/ST/PWD/Female: No Fee or Exempt |
| Mode of Payment | Online (Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking) | Online (Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking) |
CAT Exam VS SSC CGL Exam – Frequently Asked Question
Q1. What are the purposes of CAT and SSC CGL exams?
Ans. CAT Exam is for admission to management programs, especially MBA, in top business schools. SSC CGL Exam is for recruiting candidates for various government job positions in different government departments and ministries.
Q2. What are the basic eligibility criteria for these exams?
Ans. For both CAT and SSC CGL, candidates need a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
Q3. How often are these exams conducted?
Ans. CAT is typically held once a year, usually in November or December. SSC CGL is also conducted once a year, with multiple tiers, and usually held over several days.
