CMAT 2026 Answer Key: Download PDF, Raise Objections & Calculate Score

CMAT Answer Key 2026: Overview

The official CMAT question paper and CMAT response sheet has been released along with the CMAT exam answer key 2025. Students can evaluate their performance and calculate the raw CMAT 2026 score using the answer key and response sheet of CMAT 2026. Candidates can use the official CMAT answer key to check their correct and incorrect number of attempts to estimate their CMAT 2026 score. Additionally, students can also calculate their probable CMAT score and know which college they can get based on this score.

NTA conducted the CMAT exam in two shifts. Around 70,000 students took this NTA entrance exam for MBA admission. The CMAT 2026 question paper was easy to moderate, and the cutoffs are not expected to rise. Students will get the direct link to download the CMAT 2026 official answer key pdf here in a few days. The tentative CMAT answer key 2026 release dates are mentioned in the table below.

CMAT Exam 2026 Important Links

• CMAT result date
• Expected CMAT cutoff
• CMAT score vs percentile
• Top B-Schools accepting CMAT score

CMAT Answer Key Release Date: Past 5-year trends

CMAT Answer Key 2026: Important Points

• CMAT 2026 answer key will be released in online mode only
• CMAT answer key includes section-wise questions, 4 answer options, and the candidate's response with the correct option
• The final answer key of CMAT 2026 will also be available along with the CMAT result.
• There will be a specific time for the objection of the CMAT official answer key. No request will be entertained after the release of the CMAT final key.
• For every challenge, candidates will have to pay Rs. 200 per question
• If the candidates challenge found to be correct, then the fee for that particular objection will be refunded

How to Download CMAT Answer Key 2026?

Candidates can refer to the below steps to download the official CMAT answer key.

Step 1: Go to the official NTA CMAT official website: cmat.nta.nic.in.
Step 2: Enter the CMAT login credentials, such as the application number and password/DOB.
Step 3: Enter the security pin as displayed on the screen
Step 4: On submission of valid details, the CMAT answer key and response sheet will be displayed.
Step 5: Click the download button and save the CMAT Answer Key 2026 PDF copy to your desktop.

Check out last year’s CMAT Final Answer Key PDF

CMAT Answer Key Challenge Window

NTA will allow every CMAT 2026 candidate to challenge the answer key if any answer is unsatisfactory. Candidates must check these significant points associated with the CMAT answer key 2026 to challenge them successfully through the CMAT objection window 2026.

• A fee of Rs. 200 per question challenged shall be paid as a non-refundable processing fee.
• The mode of payment the CMAT exam key challenge fee is only online (Credit/ debit card or net banking).
• A panel of subject experts will be verifying the challenges made against the CMAT answer key 2026 by the candidates.
• No challenge against CMAT answer key 2026 will be accepted after the deadline.
• If found to be correct, the answer key will be revised accordingly.
• CMAT final answer key 2026 will be released thereafter.
• No individual candidate will be informed by the NTA about the acceptance or non-acceptance of his/her challenge.

Check out the Top B-schools Accepting CMAT Scores

How to Challenge the CMAT Answer Key 2026?

If a candidate finds any discrepancies in the provisional CMAT answer key, they can further challenge the CMAT 2026 answer key by following the steps mentioned below:

• Step 1: Visit the official website of NTA: cmat.nta.nic.in.
• Step 2: Now login with your CMAT Application number and Date of birth, enter the security pin and click on the "Submit" button.
• Step 3: Click on the "View Question Paper" tab for marked responses and to view or challenge the NTA CMAT answer key, click on the view/challenge answer key.
• Step 4: Candidates can see the Question IDs are in sequential order.
• Step 5: The ID next to the question under the column "Correct Option(s)" stands for the correct answer key to be used by NTA.
• Step 6: If the candidate wishes to challenge this option, they may use any one or more of the option IDs given in the next four columns by clicking the check box.
• Step 7: After clicking the desired option, scroll down, click on "Save your Claims" and move to the next screen.
• Step 8: Candidates will see a display of all the option IDs they have challenged.
• Step 9: Candidates will have to upload supporting documents for which they can select the "Choose File" option and upload (all documents are to be put in a single PDF file).
• Step 10: Click on "Save your claims and pay fee" or, in case you want to modify the claims, click on the "Modify your Claims" tab.
• Step 11: After saving the claims, candidates will find a screen displaying their challenges.
• Step 12: Pay the CMAT 2026 answer key objection fee by clicking on the 'Pay Fee' tab. The claims will be saved after successful payment of the required fee.
• Step 13: Select mode of payment and pay a non-refundable process fee of Rs 200/- for each question challenged. Make payment by using a Debit/ Credit Card/ Net Banking/ Paytm.

B-Schools Accepting CMAT Score 2026 (Location-Wise)

How to Calculate CMAT Score?

CMAT Answer Key 2026 contains question-wise correct answers, options selected by the candidate, marks given and marks deducted. With this information, candidates can calculate their raw CMAT score. Check out the CMAT marking scheme below:

• 4 marks will be given for each correct answer.
• 1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
• No marks are given/ deducted for unanswered questions.

Example;

• Suppose you attempt 15 out of 20 questions in the Language Comprehension section. Out of 15, 9 answers are correct and 6 are incorrect. So, your score in the Language Comprehension section will be (9x4)-6 = 30. So your score is 30 out of 80 in LC.

Calculate the raw score of all the sections of CMAT in the same manner and add them to arrive at the overall score.

For the convenience of students, Careers360 has devised CMAT percentile predictor and CMAT college predictor tools that can quickly estimate your percentile. Based on this CMAT percentile, you will know the colleges where you can apply.

How to Calculate CMAT Percentile?

Candidates will easily calculate their CMAT 2026 percentile by using the below-provided formulae.

Percentile (P) = 100 x the Number of candidates who appeared in the examination with a raw score equal to or less than the candidates divided by the total number of candidates who appeared in the CMAT exam.

Example;

• Suppose 10,000 candidates appeared in the CMAT 2026 entrance exam and a candidate gets Rank 1 then the CMAT percentile score will be 99.99.

Check the example for better insight.

• Percentile (P)= 10,000 -1 (rank)/ 10,000 x 100= 99.99

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• CMAT Selection Procedure
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CMAT Score vs Percentile

Check out below the past year's CMAT score vs percentile details

CMAT Result is compiled based on the final answer key. After the declaration of the CMAT result, no complaints regarding the NTA CMAT answer key will be entertained. The actual marks obtained by a candidate are considered for the calculation of CMAT Result 2026.