CMAT Score Normalization 2026: Process, Percentile & Merit List Explained

What is the CMAT Score Normalisation Process?

CMAT normalisation is a procedure for comparing the performance of candidates in multiple session papers and is similar to that adopted in other national-level entrance tests conducted in India. For normalisation across sections, the NTA will use a percentile balance. To understand the CMAT normalisation process, let us first understand the CMAT percentile calculation.

To prevent any students from getting undue benefits due to difficulty level, NTA will use the normalisation process to prepare CMAT scores. It is a tried and tested process used in many MBA entrance exams in India. Through CMAT normalisation, the scores of the students who had difficult question papers will be increased, and the scores of those who got easy question papers will be reduced.

• Step 1: Distribution of Students
• Step 2: Preparation of CMAT Result 2026
• Step 3: Compilation of NTA CMAT Score

CMAT Merit List 2026

CMAT results will be published in the form of a scorecard that includes sectional marks, total marks and NTA sectional and overall scores. The candidates need to apply to CMAT colleges with their CMAT score. On the basis of the scores, candidates will be selected for GD and PI rounds to be held separately by the CMAT score-accepting colleges.

CMAT Percentile Scores

CMAT percentile scores are based on the comparative performance of all the candidates in the exam sessions. Basically, the marks obtained by each candidate are converted from 100 to 0 for each session.

The CMAT percentile score refers to the percentage of candidates who scored EQUAL TO OR BELOW (raw scores) a certain percentile in the CMAT exam. Therefore, the first place (highest scorers) in each session will get 100 percent. Scores obtained between high and low scores are also converted into the appropriate percentile. The formula for CMAT percentile calculation is:

Number of candidates (in the ‘Session’ with raw score EQUAL TO OR LESS than the candidate) X 100
The total number of candidates who appeared in the ’Session’

In this Careers360 article, we explained the CMAT score normalization process, including the percentile calculation, the normalization formula, the method used for normalization, etc. The CMAT percentile calculation as described by the NTA is given below.

Lowest Raw Score and Percentile Score:

The percentile score of all the lowest original marks depends on the total number of candidates who have appeared for the respective session.

Highest Raw Score and Percentile Score:

All of the highest raw scores will have a normalised percentile score of 100 for their respective session.

Must Read:-

• Top B-schools Accepting CMAT Scores
• CMAT Score vs Percentile

CMAT Normalisation: How the CMAT 2026 Result is Prepared

To prepare the CMAT result by the normalisation process, the Selection Commission will divide all the selectors equally into two sessions:

CMAT Exam Shift 1 and Shift 2

This will ensure that there is no bias in the distribution of candidates who clear the exam. Moreover, the chance of such a bias is remote as a large population exam is spread across the country.

CMAT 2026 results for each session will be prepared in the form of;

• Raw Scores
• Percentiles Scores of Total raw scores

The percentages for each candidate will be calculated by the formula given below.

Total Percentile (TP1) = 100 x (No. of candidates who appeared from the session with raw score EQUAL TO or LESS than T1 score/Total No. of candidates who appeared in the session)

Preparation of CMAT Result and Merit List

CMAT percentile scores for total raw scores for all shifts (Shift 1 and Shift 2) will be combined and called NTA scores to be used for the preparation of the merit list. In case the CMAT percentiles for the multi-shifts (shift 1 and shift 2) are unequal, the lowest will be the eligibility cutoff for that category for all students across all exam sessions.

For Example: If 40 percent marks are equivalent to 79 percentile in Shift 1 and 80 percentile in Shift 2, those with or equal to 79 percentiles in both shifts (100 to 79 percentile scores) will be eligible in the general category.