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CAT vs GATE CS
CAT: 68 questions, 204 marks, 120 minutes. GATE CS: 65 questions, 100 marks, 180 minutes. Both test Quantitative Aptitude / Maths, so preparing for one covers much of the other. Most aspirants in this bracket sit both.
| CAT 2026 | GATE CS CS paper | |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | IIMs (CAT 2026 by IIM Indore) | IIT Madras (Organizing Institute, GATE 2027) for the National Coordination Board |
| Questions | 68 | 65 |
| Marks | 204 | 100 |
| Time | 120 min | 180 min |
| Seconds a question | 106 | 166 |
| Marking | +3 for a correct answer. −1 for a wrong MCQ, no negative marking for a wrong TITA (type-in-the-answer) question. About a third of the questions are TITA. | Questions carry 1 or 2 marks. A wrong 1-mark MCQ costs 1/3 and a wrong 2-mark MCQ costs 2/3. MSQ and NAT have no negative marking, and no question gives partial marks. |
| Sections | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability | General Aptitude, Computer Science & IT (incl. 13 marks of Engineering Mathematics) |
| Languages | English | English |
| Next exam | 29 Nov 2026, three sessions; admit card around 4 Nov | 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 Feb 2027 |
| Last cut-off (UR) | Not published | Not published |
| Mocks on RankVyuh | 5 full (2 free) | 3 full (2 free) |
Which should you prepare for?
- Both test Quantitative Aptitude / Maths, so preparing for one covers much of the other. Most aspirants in this bracket sit both.
- Speed: CAT gives 106 seconds a question against 166 in GATE CS. Practise CAT with a stricter clock.
- Dates: CAT 29 Nov 2026, three sessions; admit card around 4 Nov; GATE CS 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 Feb 2027. If they are weeks apart, prepare the shared sections first and the exam-specific ones in the last weeks before each.
Neither is "easier": cut-offs move with vacancies and candidates every year. Take a free mock of each and compare your two reports; the gap to each exam's last cut-off is the honest answer.
FAQ
- Can I prepare for CAT and GATE CS together?
- Yes. Both test Quantitative Aptitude / Maths. Prepare those once, then the sections only one of them has.
- Which has negative marking, CAT or GATE CS?
- CAT: +3 for a correct answer. −1 for a wrong MCQ, no negative marking for a wrong TITA (type-in-the-answer) question. About a third of the questions are TITA. GATE CS: Questions carry 1 or 2 marks. A wrong 1-mark MCQ costs 1/3 and a wrong 2-mark MCQ costs 2/3. MSQ and NAT have no negative marking, and no question gives partial marks.
- What are the age limits for CAT and GATE CS?
- See each exam's official notification; the age-limit calculator on RankVyuh checks your date of birth against it.
Sources: official notifications of IIMs (CAT 2026 by IIM Indore) (website ) and IIT Madras (Organizing Institute, GATE 2027) for the National Coordination Board (website ). Age-limit calculator · All comparisons