Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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CMAT Application Date:17 Oct' 25 - 17 Nov' 25
The CMAT 2026 exam pattern is expected to remain the same as it has been in the previous years. As per the CMAT 2026 paper pattern, the exam will comprise of five sections - Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The CMAT 2026 question paper is expected to have 100 questions. Each section will have 20 questions with 80 marks calculating a maximum of 400 marks in the CMAT exam. CMAT is a national-level exam conducted by NTA in computer-based mode, for a duration of 180 minutes (3 hours) without any sectional time limit. In this article, we will explore CMAT preparation tips, the CMAT 2026 exam pattern, the negative marking scheme, important instructions, and much more.
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The CMAT exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency every year for MBA admission 2026-28 to top B-schools accepting CMAT scores for management programmes (MBA/PGDM) in India. Here’s a table mentioning key highlights for the CMAT 2026 exam and covering the important aspects related to the same.
CMAT exam pattern 2026 | CMAT Key Highlights |
CMAT 2026 Exam Full Form | Common Management Admission Test |
CMAT Exam Date 2026 (Tentative) | January 24, 2026 |
CMAT Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
CMAT 2026 Exam Duration | 180 Minutes |
Slot 1: 09:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. | |
Slot 2: 03:00 A.M. - 06:00 P.M. | |
CMAT Exam Sections | Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation |
Number of Questions | 100 |
CMAT total marks | 400 Marks |
CMAT Marking Scheme | +4 marks for correct answer |
-1 mark for incorrect answer |
The CMAT 2026 exam pattern for MBA will be released by NTA on the official CMAT website for admission to the MBA program. The total time allotted for completing the CMAT 2026 will be 180 minutes. The CMAT exam has no sectional time limit. Additionally, candidates are advised to go through the CMAT 2025 question paper before the exam. The following table mentions the CMAT exam pattern and CMAT syllabus, based on previous years' patterns.
Section | Exam Sections | Total Number of Questions | Section-wise Maximum Marks |
1 | Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | 20 | 80 |
2 | Logical Reasoning | 20 | 80 |
3 | Language Comprehension | 20 | 80 |
4 | General Awareness | 20 | 80 |
5 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 20 | 80 |
Total | 100 | 400 |
The CMAT 2026 will be of 400 marks, with each question carrying 4 marks. Additionally, there’s a 1 mark deduction for every incorrect answer. Refer to the table below for more information.
CMAT Marking Scheme Elements | CMAT Exam Marks |
Correct Option | +4 marks |
Incorrect Option | -1 mark |
Skip | No deduction |
In the CMAT 2026 exam, to answer a question, a candidate needs to choose an option based on their preparation as the correct option.
In the process of challenges to answer keys, if there are multiple correct answers or a change in key, then only those candidates will be awarded marks who attempted the specific question correctly as per the revised answer key in the CMAT 2026 examination.
In case the question is dropped due to some technical issue, full marks will be given to all the candidates irrespective of whether they attempted the question or not.
Here is are CMAT exam analysis for MBA aspirants. According to the students who appeared in the CMAT 2025 exam, it was easy with Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation difficulty levels ranging from easy to moderate. Refer to the table below for a detailed CMAT exam analysis.
CMAT Exam Sections | CMAT Exam Difficulty Level |
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | Easy to Moderate |
Logical Reasoning | Easy |
Language Comprehension | Easy |
General Awareness | Easy |
Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Easy |
Overall Difficulty | Easy |
The CMAT exam involves a colour-coded system for answering questions for the candidate. The candidate must know all the colour-coded indicators before appearing for the CMAT exam 2026. Refer to the table below for more information.
CMAT Panel Colours | What It Indicates |
Green | The question is answered. |
Red | The question is viewed but not answered. |
Grey | The question is not visited |
Violet | The question is marked for review without answering it. |
Violet with a green tick | The question is marked for review and answered. |

Candidates must know how to prepare for the CMAT exam and the CMAT syllabus 2026 to get admission into top CMAT colleges with the best placements. Here are some of the important tips for the upcoming CMAT exam.
Time Allocation: Aspirants are advised to allocate their time to high-weightage sections from the CMAT syllabus 2026 and knit an exam strategy based on easy-to-tough analysis of the CMAT syllabus.
Short Tricks: Use short tricks in quantitative techniques and follow smart strategies to solve the CMAT mock tests.
Track Your Performance: Keep track of your mistakes and tweak your exam strategy, look at the CMAT paper pattern, and focus on areas accordingly.
Candidates who are appearing for the CMAT 2026 are advised to solve as many CMAT mock tests as possible. This will help you revise the CMAT syllabus 2026 and understand the CMAT paper pattern. The CMAT mock test is structured similarly to the actual CMAT exam and follows the same CMAT exam pattern and syllabus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The CMAT exam is conducted once a year by the National Testing Agency for MBA admissions.
No, CMAT is not accepted by the Indian Institute of Management. However, there are many good colleges like JBIMS, Mumbai, SIMSREE, Mumbai, GIM, Goa, etc.
No, the questions are not repeated in the CMAT exam. However, the CMAT exam ranges around easy to tough questions. Candidates with the right preparation strategy can crack the CMAT exam easily.
Yes, candidates can switch between different sections in the CMAT exam, and there’s no sectional time limit. The 3-hour duration is for the whole CMAT exam.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
For a postgraduate management course (MBA/PGDM) at L.D. College, you will likely need to give the CMAT exam. As a final-year BCA student, you are eligible to appear for the exam. The registration for CMAT 2026 has already begun, and you must apply before the deadline to be eligible for the entrance test.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hello,
Yes, you will likely need to pass CMAT 2026 to be eligible for an MCA at LD College, as it is a common entrance exam for MCA programs. To be eligible for CMAT, you must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline or be in your final year of graduation. For admission to the MCA program itself, you'll need a passing score on CMAT (the exact cutoff is determined by the college) and meet the college's specific requirements, which often include a bachelor's degree and minimum passing marks of 50% (45% for reserved categories).
I hope it will clear your query!!
With a 70 percent in CAT Examination, you can go for various B-Schools or private collages. The S. K. Patel Institute of Management in Gandhinagar is an option for those who score 70-80 percent in their CAT examination or The Gujarat Institute of Management (GIM) in Goa with a cutoff of 60-80 percentage. These are the collages you can look for in Gujarat or nearby.
Collage in other regions: BA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT 2025
Thank You.
Hello,
Here are some top MBA colleges in India with fees under Rs. 2 lakh and their exam/cutoff details:
SIMSREE, Mumbai – Fee around Rs. 1.3–1.4 lakh for 2 years. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, ATMA. Cutoff is very high, usually 99+ percentile in CAT/CMAT.
PUMBA (Dept. of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University) – Fee around Rs. 1.2–1.3 lakh. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, ATMA. Cutoff approx. 75+ percentile in CAT, 90–95+ percentile in CMAT, high scores in MAH-CET.
TISS, Mumbai (MA HRM & other management-related programmes) – Fee around Rs. 1.7–1.9 lakh. Accepts CAT for some courses. Qualifying cutoff is around 60–70 percentile, but final selection cutoffs are higher.
These are the main government institutes where the full MBA/PG programme fee is within Rs. 2 lakh. Cutoffs vary slightly each year and by category, but SIMSREE and PUMBA generally need high scores, while TISS has its own process along with CAT shortlisting.
Hope it helps !
You can download CMAT question papers and their solutions for the years 2021 to 2025 from trusted education websites. The 2021 papers are available in PDF format and include both shift 1 and shift 2 with solutions. These papers also have the optional section Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
For the year 2025, you will find complete question papers for both shifts along with correct answers. These papers cover all the sections like Quantitative Techniques, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
You can use these question papers to practice and understand the pattern of the exam. They are helpful for time management and identifying important topics.
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