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    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Paper Structure, Marking Scheme & Time Limit

    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Paper Structure, Marking Scheme & Time Limit

    Malvika ChawlaUpdated on 06 Nov 2025, 02:54 PM IST

    NMAT 2025 Exam Pattern: Every year, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) releases the NMAT exam pattern, which helps the candidate get a rough idea of what the paper will look like. The NMAT 2025 exam pattern includes details on number of sections, number of questions, types of questions, marking scheme, exam duration, and more. Going by last year’s trends, it is expected that the NMAT 2025 question paper will have 108 questions from three sections, namely, Quantitative Skills, Language Skills and Logical Reasoning. NMAT exam duration 2025 will be 120 minutes. Continue reading this article on the NMAT exam pattern 2025, to get more information on exam pattern, marking scheme, sectional weightage and more.

    This Story also Contains

    1. NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Highlights
    2. NMAT 2025 Exam Pattern
    3. NMAT Marking Scheme 2025
    4. Does NMAT have Negative Marking?
    5. NMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2025
    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Paper Structure, Marking Scheme & Time Limit
    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Paper Structure, Marking Scheme & Time Limit

    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025: Highlights

    Take a look at the following NMAT 2025 exam highlights table, which will give you an idea about the exam.

    NMAT Full Form

    NMAT by GMAC

    NMAT Exam Mode

    Computer-Based Test (CBT)

    Total Number of Questions

    108 questions

    Sections

    Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning.

    Exam Duration

    120 minutes (2 hours)

    Sections in Exam

    • Language Skills: 28 minutes.

    • Quantitative Skills: 52 minutes.

    • Logical Reasoning: 40 minutes.

    Marking Scheme

    +3 marks for each correct answer

    No Negative Marking

    Incorrect or unattempted questions will not result in a deduction of marks.

    NMAT 2025 Exam Pattern

    NMAT 2025 exam pattern will comprise of as many as 108 questions, totalling for the three sections. Each section will have equal questions and mark weightage. Additionally, all three sections of the NMAT 2025 exam will also have a sectional time limit. Below, we have provided you with a detailed breakdown of the NMAT 2025 exam pattern:

    NMAT Exam Pattern 2025 (Tentative)

    NMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus

    About these sections

    Number of Questions

    Time Allotted to each Section

    Score Range

    Logical Reasoning

    Will test your ability to solve logic-based problems, such as analytical and critical reasoning.

    36

    40 minutes

    12-120

    Language Skills

    This section will assess your proficiency in English, language usage, including reading comprehension, grammar and vocabulary.

    36

    52 minutes

    12-120

    Quantitative Skills

    Will focus on mathematical skills such as arithmetic, algebra and data interpretation

    36

    28 minutes

    12-120

    Total


    108 Questions

    120 Minutes

    36-360


    *Note that the above-mentioned NMAT exam pattern for 2025 has been based on last year’s exam pattern

    Also Read: How to Book Slot for NMAT Exam: Rescheduling NMAT Exam

    NMAT Marking Scheme 2025

    An idea about the NMAT marking scheme helps the candidates draw an exam-day plan in terms of negative marking, how many marks will be deducted if questions are left unanswered, how many marks will be given for the questions that are attempted, etc. Let us look at the NMAT marking scheme 2025 below.

    • Correct Answer: +3 marks

    • Incorrect Answer: 0 marks (no deduction)

    • Unattempted Questions: 0 marks (no deduction)

    • Scaled Score Range: 12-360

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    The final score will be calculated by summing up the marks from all sections, which are evaluated on a scaled score ranging from 12 to 360.

    Question: How is score calculated in NMAT?

    Answer: The NMAT exam has three sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning. Each section is scored independently, and the final score is the sum of the scores for these sections. The scoring for each section ranges between 12-120, with the total score range of 36-360.

    Question: Are all questions in NMAT exam similar in terms of marking scheme?
    Answer: Yes, all questions in the NMAT exam have a similar marking scheme. This means that every correct answer will be awarded +3 marks. There is no negative marking for incorrect or unattempted questions. All 3 sections of the NMAT exam will carry equal weightage.

    Question: What is the most important section in NMAT exam?
    Answer: The Quantitative Skills section in the NMAT exam is often cited as the most challenging and important section in the NMAT exam. Many candidates find the questions in this section to be lengthy and difficult, requiring strong numerical and mathematical skills.

    Check Out: NMAT Exam Centres

    Does NMAT have Negative Marking?

    The answer to this question is: NO. There is no penalty for incorrect answers or unattempted questions. This means that you won’t face a deduction of marks if you answer a question incorrectly or if you leave a question blank. Instead, here are some essential points that a candidate should keep in his/her mind:

    • Since there is no negative marking for incorrect answers, it is advised that a candidate must attempt all questions in the NMAT exam.

    • The NMAT 2025 exam will be a computer-based test, meaning the difficulty level of the questions will adjust based on your performance.

    • Each section of the NMAT exam will carry equal weightage, and there will be no particular section considered more important than others.

    NMAT 2025 Question Paper and Exam Analysis
    Get detailed insights with the NMAT 2025 Question Paper and Exam Analysis. Review section-wise difficulty, pattern changes, and expected cut-offs.
    Download EBook

    NMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2025

    NMAT paper pattern and NMAT syllabus go hand in hand. NMAT syllabus lists down all the NMAT important topics which must be prepared by the candidates to score good marks in the exam. The NMAT exam syllabus will comprise a wide range of topics, testing the candidate’s aptitude in various areas. Below are some of the important topics from the NMAT 2025 syllabus that must be taken note of by the candidates.

    NMAT Syllabus 2025 for Language Skills

    Vocabulary

    Grammar

    Comprehension

    Synonyms

    Identify the Error

    RC Passages

    Antonyms

    Sentence Correction

    Jumbled Sentences

    Analogies

    Parts of Speech

    Para Jumbles

    Fill in the Blanks

    Tenses

    Odd One Out

    Idioms


    Paragraph Summary

    NMAT 2025 Paper Pattern: Important Topics for Logical Reasoning

    Analogy

    Figure-based Reasoning

    Statement and Assumption-based Question

    Blood Relations

    Decision Making

    Coding and Decoding

    Calendars

    Direction Sense

    Clocks

    Verbal Reasoning

    Puzzles

    Input-Output Questions

    NMAT 2025 Paper Pattern: Important Topics for Quantitative Skills

    Arithmetic

    Algebra

    Modern Maths

    Data Interpretation

    Number Theory

    Time and Work

    Surds and Indices

    Set Theory

    Line Chart

    LCM & HCF

    Simple and Compound Interest

    Inequalities

    Probability

    Pie Chart

    Factors & Multiples

    Ratio-Propotions

    Logarithms

    Permutations & Combinations

    Bar Graph

    Remainders

    Averages

    Quadratic Equations

    Tabular Graphs

    Divisibility Rules

    Question: Does the NMAT exam syllabus change every year?

    Answer: No, as per the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the NMAT syllabus does not change every year. However, in case they make any minor changes, we will update this page with the same.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: Is 227 a good NMAT score?
    A:

    Yes, a 227+ NMAT score can be considered a good score, which is considerable by the top colleges which accept NMAT entrance exam for admission to MBA programs. 

    Q: What is the cutoff for NMAT 2025?
    A:

    The NMAT 2025 cutoffs have not been released yet. However, one can refer to the expected cutoffs for the colleges accepting the NMAT score. For instance, NMIMS Mumbai and other NMIMS campuses can expect scores around 209-210 and higher for some MBA programs.

    Q: Is NMAT tougher than CAT?
    A:

    No, the CAT exam is generally considered to be tougher than the NMAT exam.

    Q: How to prepare for NMAT 2025?
    A:

    To prepare for the NMAT 2025 exam, the aspirant must have a strong hold over their language skills, quantitative skills and logical reasoning skills. It is crucial that the candidate devotes time to every section, which will help them to develop confidence for the exam. 

    Q: Has NMAT 2025 registration started?
    A:

    No, the NMAT 2025 registration will start in the first week of August 2025. GMAC will host the NMAT 2025 exam within a test window. 

    Q: What is the pattern of NMAT 2025?
    A:

    The NMAT 2025 exam will consist of 108 questions. There will be no negative marking applicable in the NMAT exam 2025. All candidates will be allowed to take the NMAT 2025 exam three times, in case they are unsatisfied with their initial scores. 

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    Questions related to NMAT

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NMAT ?

    With an NMAT score of 194, you are in a good position to secure admission to several decent management schools (around the 30-41 percentile range). Top choices for this score include various campuses of Amity University, ITM Business School, ISBR Business School, and SRM University.

    Attaining an NMAT score of 225 marks with sectional marks for VARC and QA around 73 marks, and LR at 79 marks, places you in a strong position for colleges like NMIMS Bengaluru, NMIMS Navi Mumbai, NMIMS Hyderabad, NMIMS Indore, KJ Somaiya, TAPMI, and more.

    Hi there,

    With an NMAT score of 216 (LR 76, VA 74, QA 66), you have a wide range of good options for admission. You can consider schools where your score is at par with the scores of admitted students, such as NMIMS campuses in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, Xavier

    HELLO,

    Here are some good MBA Colleges that you can target with an NMAT score around 204:-

    1.SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Hyderabad and Navi Mumbai

    2.SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Mumbai

    3.ICFAI Business School (IBS), Hyderabad

    4.SOIL Institute of Management, Gurgaon

    5.Great Lakes Institute of Management

    6.Alliance