Preparation Plan and Exam Strategy to Crack NMAT by Experts

NMAT is considered one of India’s most prestigious MBA entrance exams. A good NMAT preparation plan is necessary to perform well in this exam. However, it is easier as compared to the other top MBA entrance exams. Candidates can get a competitive score in the NMAT exam with a minimal preparation strategy and knowledge of the NMAT exam pattern, syllabus, and the types of questions asked in the NMAT.

Latest: NMAT 2024 Preparation Tips

New: NMAT 2024 Sample Paper and Mock Test

This Story also Contains

1. Key NMAT Exam Strategy for Guaranteed Success
2. Expert Tips on How to Crack NMAT in Your First Attempt
3. NMAT Study Guide: A Step-by-Step Approach
4. NMAT Preparation Techniques for Each Section
5. How to Create an Effective NMAT Study Schedule
6. Best NMAT Exam Success Strategies from Experts
7. Mastering NMAT Exam: Sectional Strategies
8. Must-Have NMAT Preparation Resources
9. Effective NMAT Study Techniques to Boost Your Score
10. Exam Day Strategy to Crack NMAT
11. Long-Term NMAT Preparation Plan for Consistent Improvement

In this article, we are going to discuss all kinds of NMAT exam success strategies and answer some of the questions that come into student's minds about this exam like:

• How to crack NMAT in 3 months?

• Is there any effective NMAT study schedule?

• What are the skills students need for mastering the NMAT exam?

Also read: Syllabus of NMAT 2024

Importance of a Structured NMAT Study Plan

A structured study plan is essential for many reasons during NMAT preparation.

• To cover all three sections namely Language skills, Quantitative skills, and Logical reasoning, students should allocate time for each topic so that every section is noticed.

• In a proper study plan, the time will be distributed according to the strong and weak sections of the candidate.

• A systematic approach will also reduce stress and last-minute panic.

Steps to Create an Effective NMAT Study Schedule

Here are steps to create an effective NMAT study schedule.

• Review the previous year's papers to understand the pattern and most common type of questions that come in the exam.

• Do a SWOT analysis and divide the topics accordingly.

• Break down the syllabus into small weekly and monthly targets.

• Include weekly full-length mock tests and section-wise tests in this schedule to maximize the preparation.

How Early Should You Start Preparing for NMAT 2024?

In ideal cases, you should start preparing for NMAT 5 to 6 months before the exam. You will get sufficient time to prepare and cover all the topics. But with proper NMAT preparation techniques, it can be done within 2 months also.
If you are already preparing for the exams like CAT, then you need to give just one month specifically for the NMAT.

Key NMAT Exam Strategy for Guaranteed Success

Having a proper NMAT exam strategy is mandatory to ace the exam. You need to understand the NMAT exam pattern well, balance your speed with accuracy, and focus on each section.

Understanding NMAT Exam Pattern and Structure

Important points to remember:

• Maximum Marks: 360

• There is no negative marking for wrong answers or not attempting questions.

• Maximum three attempts are allowed

• Objective-type questions carry 3 marks per question.

• It is an adaptive test with a difficulty level adjusted as per the accuracy of the previous answers.

• Students must qualify for the sectional and overall cutoff to be eligible for the WAT/PI round.

Section-wise Strategy for NMAT Exam

Balancing Speed and Accuracy in NMAT

Since every section has a specific time limit, time management is very important in this exam.

Though there is no negative marking for wrong answers, still students need to maintain accuracy to achieve higher rank.

Expert Tips on How to Crack NMAT in Your First Attempt

Here are some tips shared by experts that will help you during your preparation for the NMAT exam.

Proven Strategies from NMAT Toppers

Here are some proven strategies shared by NMAT toppers which will fellow peers for the upcoming NMAT exam.

Start early: Toppers always start six to nine months before the exam to cover all the topics.

Familiarity with syllabus and pattern: Before starting the preparation of any exam, get the full details of the syllabus and question types.

Adaptive nature of the exam: Toppers often asked fellow candidates to keep their composure and answer questions confidently to maintain the difficulty level of the questions.

Cover weak areas: Toppers do not leave any holes in their preparation and focus more on their weaker section to strike a balance across all sections.

Practice mock tests: Toppers always stress the fact that practice is the key and regularly attempting the NMAT mock tests is a very good way to prepare for the exam.

Mistakes to Avoid While Preparing for NMAT

Here are some mistakes which toppers pinpoint to avoid while preparing for NMAT.

• During this 6-9 months preparation time, students should not procrastinate during the initial phase of the preparation thinking that there is enough time to prepare for the exam.

• Students often do not pay more attention to the beginning of the preparation and then rush through the chapters at the end. This will hamper the preparation.

• Leniency often leads to bad preparation. Students often forget to make a routine for the first month and start studying randomly.

• Some of the students do make a routine but do not follow it through, which should also be avoided.

• Students often read long hours and forget to take timely breaks. This will drain their energy and hamper their focus during preparation.

• Students often forget that the NMAT exam is adaptive and does not simulate the same format during preparation.

Time Management Tips for NMAT Exam Day

Here are some NMAT expert tips on time management for Exam day.

• Students should be aware of the sectional time limits for the exam. Toppers emphasize making proper time management strategies and allotting time limits for every question. They recommend you to practice an ideal amount of topic-wise and full-length mock tests.

• Toppers always suggest attempting your stronger section first to maximize your marks. Do not hesitate to skip difficult questions.

• Since there is no negative marking, students should attempt all the questions maintaining a decent accuracy.

• According to the toppers, maintaining consistency in preparation is the key to success.

• Toppers suggest keeping an eye on the clock to give an idea of how many questions you need to complete in the remaining time.

NMAT Study Guide: A Step-by-Step Approach

Here are the name of some NMAT preparation resources that will help you to make right strategies for your preparation. Also, it will help you to understand the syllabus and pattern of the NMAT exam.

Recommended NMAT Preparation Resources

Books and Materials to Master NMAT 2024

Online Resources for NMAT Mock Tests and Practice

NMAT Preparation Techniques for Each Section

Here are some NMAT preparation techniques for each section.

Quantitative Skills: Strategies and Techniques

Some of the techniques which will enhance your speed in solving Mathematics problems are:

Mental math: Mental calculation, Vedic math, and important formulas will help you to calculate fast.

Skipping tough questions: Skipping tough or complex questions initially and returning to them in the later part of the exam.

Regular practice: Consistent practice of most tests will give you the exposure to deal with various types of problems and solve them under timed conditions.

Elimination method: Use various methods like elimination and Approximation to solve the problems and check which method is faster and provides more accuracy.

Reverse engineering: Use backward calculation to check if your answer is correct.

Basic tricks: Memorize multiplication tables, squares and cubes of numbers up to 20.

Language Skills: How to Maximize Your Score

Here are some important points that can be used to maximize your score on language skills.

• To improve English language proficiency, read newspapers, articles, and magazines. Underline the words that you don't know the meaning of and search for them in a dictionary or on the internet.

• Use flashcards to note down various important grammatical formulas and revise them from time to time.

• Practice antonyms, synonyms, idioms, and analogies daily to familiarize yourself with the words.

• In the RC section, try to understand the core meaning of the passage. Sometimes skimming is an option to go through the passage in quicker succession.

Logical Reasoning: Tips for Faster Problem Solving

The logical reasoning section is mostly about logical thinking. Here are some tips for faster problem-solving in the reasoning section.

• Practice multiple practice sets for each topic to get familiar with the pattern and approach them quickly during the exam.

• Break down complex problems into smaller manageable parts to avoid mistakes and solve them fast.

• Use Venn diagrams and other visualization methods for questions like syllogisms, seating arrangements, and blood relations.

• Attempt time-based mock tests to get accustomed to the anxiety and time pressure during the exam. So when the actual exam comes, you can stay calm and focused.

• Eliminate obvious wrong options and check the remaining values in the questions if they satisfy the constraints.

• Try to not use pen and paper for shorter calculations to save time.

How to Create an Effective NMAT Study Schedule

An effective NMAT study schedule should comprises of weakly and monthly schedule. Also it should be balanced with your work or college. Time for revision and self analysis must be in your study schedule.

Weekly and Monthly Study Goals

At the beginning of the preparation, set weekly and monthly goals for a strategic approach towards the NMAT exam.

Here is a demonstration of how your first four-week routine has to be. Make the necessary adjustments.

Balancing NMAT Prep with Work or School

If you have work or school and you want to prepare for the NMAT exam, then these are some of the tips that will help you.

• Use early mornings and late evenings to focus on your NMAT preparation.

• Weekends are very useful for these kinds of students. Utilize those days for extensive preparation.

• Make a realistic and flexible routine for the next day before going to bed at night and try to follow that routine.

• If you have a long commute, then use that time to review notes, practice vocabulary, or listen to educational podcasts.

Revising and Self-Assessing Before Exam Day

As the exam day approaches, focus more on revision and self-assessment.

These are some tips which you should follow in the last week before the exam.

• Stay confident and believe in your preparation.

• Take 3-4 mock tests that week and review their solutions.

• Revise key topics and the areas you still need to improve.

• Avoid learning new topics.

• Practice previous year’s papers to understand the recruiting patterns of the questions.

• Test the shortcut methods and tricks in practice tests.

• Sharpen your mental calculation skills.

• Allocate time for every section in a day for revision.

Best NMAT Exam Success Strategies from Experts

Here are some proven tips from experts on challenges during the preparation and their solutions. Also, some tips from experts to stay motivated during the preparation.

Expert-Approved Tips for Staying Motivated

Here are some tips that experts used during their preparation to stay motivated.

• Break the syllabus into smaller parts and cover each part during the initial phase of preparation so that there will be no unknown question types in the exam.

• After scoring well in mock tests, reward yourself with a short break and get relaxed for a few hours. This will be a positive reinforcement for the next stages of preparation.

• Consistent following of your study routine will keep you motivated.

• Use techniques like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes study, 5 minutes break) to stay energized and focused during preparation.

• Join online communities and study groups to discuss the exam, and doubts, and get different perspectives on every subject. This will boost your motivation.

• Try to do meditation which reduces stress and helps you to focus on your studies.

Common Challenges in NMAT Preparation and How to Overcome Them

Here are some common challenges that candidates face during their preparation.

Time management: Many students struggle with the syllabus and can not give enough attention to every topic. That is why a structured study schedule is important at the beginning of preparation.

Balancing speed and accuracy: The NMAT exam needs both speed and accuracy to score high marks. Some students rush through questions and do not focus on accuracy. Practice mock tests to solve with accuracy and increase your speed gradually.

Handling exam pressure: Students often crumble under pressure during the preparation which leads to mistakes. Practice techniques like deep breaths or meditation and recharge yourself with positivity to reduce exam anxiety.

Inconsistent practice: Students often do not maintain the prepared study schedule and lose consistency. The only way to avoid this mistake is strictly following the study table and making learning part of your journey.

Adjust the mock tests: Students often forget to adjust their mock tests according to the adaptive nature of NMAT. Practice mock tests mimicking the real exam environment to get familiar with the exam.

Ignoring the mock test results: Candidates often do not review mock test results and move on to the next tests. Reviewing the mock test solutions is a necessary step during the preparation.

Role of NMAT Mock Tests in Exam Success

Mock tests play a vital role in NMAT preparation.

• Mock tests are prepared following the latest syllabus and pattern of the exam. Students will get familiar with the exam setting beforehand after attempting mock tests.

• Mock tests help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

• Consistent practice of mock tests will improve your speed and accuracy.

• Performing well in the mock tests will also increase your confidence.

• NMAT is a 2-hour long exam. Mock tests help to build the required stamina and focus throughout the full-time length.

Mastering NMAT Exam: Sectional Strategies

Here are some NMAT exam strategies that students should follow to get admitted into a top B school.

Section-Wise Weightage and Preparation Focus

36 questions from each section come in the NMAT exam. So every section holds equal weightage in the selection process. Students have to give equal focus and attention to each section and prepare for them.

Improving Weak Areas in NMAT Preparation

Process of identifying weak areas:

• Through sectional mock tests analyze

• Full-length mock test analyze

• SWOT analysis

Process to improve weaker areas:

• Separate study plan for those chapters.

• Concentrate on the conceptual understanding of those chapters.

• Set realistic targets for weaker sections and complete those targets within time.

• Take help from online resources, and NMAT Preparation books to have a clear idea about those topics.

• Discuss those sections in the online communities or study groups and exchange notes.

• Review mistakes from those sections regularly and make sure not to repeat them.

Enhancing Strengths for a Higher NMAT Score

NMAT allows you to set the order of the section which you want to attempt first. Always choose your strong section first and boost your confidence by securing good attempts in that section.

Here are some tips to enhance your strengths for a higher NMAT score.

• Create a balance between strong and weak sections to maximize the score.

• Take sectional mock tests to fine-tune your preparation.

• Focus on accuracy during the mock tests to aim for higher scores.

• Attempt the easier questions first to boost your confidence. Then move on to complex questions.

• Consistent practice will help you to stay sharp and improve your progression.

Must-Have NMAT Preparation Resources

Here are some resources that will be helpful to build your foundation on each section.

Top Books and Guides to Refer for NMAT

The books mentioned below will help you during your preparation for the NMAT exam

1. Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma

2. Quantitative Aptitude by R.S Aggarwal

3. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha

4. How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma

5. "Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT" by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay

6. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha

NMAT Mock Test Series and Sample Papers

Effective NMAT Study Techniques to Boost Your Score

We have discussed some effective study techniques which will help candidates during their revision process.

Active Recall and Spaced Repetition for NMAT Prep

Active Recall and Spaced Repetition are two highly effective learning techniques that students can use to enhance their NMAT preparation by improving retention and recall of concepts.

Active recall: It is a method where you can check and test your memory without using the study materials.

• Students can use flashcards to write important information, formulas, and tricks to check from time to time.

• After reading a chapter, question yourself in your mind to be thorough in your preparation.

• Mock tests are another approach to active recall.

Spaced repetition: it is a method to revise every topic after a certain amount of time.

• Spend one day at the weekend to revise the topics you learn during weekdays.

• After learning a new topic, review it the next day and check it in the next week to follow up.

• Taking section-wise tests on every topic after a few days is a good way of revision.

Solving NMAT Mock Tests for Performance Analysis

Mock tests simulate a real exam environment which helps students to get accustomed to real exam settings.

Here are the purposes for solving mock tests.

• Tracking overall progress.

• Identifying strong and weak points.

• Sharpening time management skills.

• Reviewing the type of mistakes.

• Boosting confidence and stamina.

Strategies to Improve Problem-Solving Speed

Problem-solving skills can be improved in many ways.

• Build a strong foundation on basic concepts, then gradually move to an advanced level.

• Consistent practice of most tests will give you the exposure to deal with various types of problems and solve them under timed conditions.

• Learn shortcuts and tricks specially for the Quant section to answer the questions faster.

• Use various methods like elimination and Approximation to solve the problems and check which method is faster and provides more accuracy.

• Use backward calculation to check if your answer is correct.

Exam Day Strategy to Crack NMAT

Students often ask what to do the day before the exam and on exam day. Here are some tips which will help them.

Last-Minute NMAT Preparation Tips

Here are some last-minute NMAT tips to prepare effectively.

• Revise the shortcuts and tricks that you have learned during the preparation.

• Do not try to learn new topics in the final days of the preparation. Rather focus on the topics you are already familiar with and strengthen those concepts.

• Do not compare your preparation with others. Stay positive and confident about your strategies and abilities.

• Take a look at the section-wise time limit and check if your plan needs any kind of improvisation or not.

How to Stay Calm and Focused During the Exam

Staying calm and focused during the exam is very important. Here are some tips to maintain your calmness and composure during the exam.

• Take a deep breath to calm your nerves and stay focused.

• Always clear your mind and answer one question at a time. This will help to prevent feeling overwhelmed by the time pressure.

• Solving easier questions at the beginning will boost your confidence and leave you composed for the challenging questions.

• If you are unsure of any answers, don't just take a random guess. Try to eliminate the obvious wrong options. Then analyze the rest of the options to get the correct answer.

• A positive mindset will always help in this situation. Avoid any types of negative thoughts and approach this section calmly.

• Do not stuck on one question. If you find a question very difficult, move on to the next. You can always return to it at the end of the exam if time permits.

Effective Exam Time Management Techniques

Here are some effective time management tips and strategies.

Give priority to easier questions: Attempt the questions that are relatively easier and familiar to you and solve them quickly. This will save you time which you can use for complex questions.

Skip tough questions: As there will be sectional time limits, so do not spend more than 2-2.5 minutes on Quantitative aptitude questions, and more than 1.5-2 minutes on logical reasoning questions. There should be enough time to solve language problems. Return to these questions at the later part of the exam.

Attention to question reading: Read the question carefully. Sometimes we overcomplicate a simple question and waste valuable time.

Use basic calculation method: In Quant questions, students often learn all the complex formulas but fail to use the basic tricks and methods during calculation.

Elimination method: Scan the options and cancel out obvious wrong options. If you are unsure about the answer, take an educated guess. You can also try back-calculation using the remaining options if there is time.

Staying calm: Staying calm and composed during the exam will help you to think clearly and answer correctly within the given time limit.

Long-Term NMAT Preparation Plan for Consistent Improvement

Consistent improvement can only be achieved by regular practice and clear conceptual understanding.

Incorporating Feedback from Mock Tests into Your Study Plan

Attempting lots of mock tests without reviewing their results will not help you in your preparation. Here are some ways to incorporate that feedback into your preparation.

• Break down your performance section-wise after each mock test, and review the wrong answers and their reasons.

• If the wrong answers are calculation mistakes, then make sure you do not repeat them in the next mock test.

• If it is about time constraints, then improvise your time management plan and allot sufficient time for each question.

• If it is conceptual errors, then revisit the study material for that specific topic and build the basics of that topic.

• Check the answers to the unanswered questions and learn the methods to solve that type of question.

• If frequent mistakes are happening in one chapter, then take a section-wise test on that chapter and address that problem.

Tracking Your Progress with NMAT Milestones

Setting a realistic milestone will keep your preparation on track. Here are some ways you can set milestones:

• Create a log to note the section-wise score and total score of consecutive 5-10 mock tests.

• Set a benchmark score you want to achieve at the end of your preparation and set different scores throughout the journey. For example, if you want to achieve 250+ at the end, then at the end of the 2nd month your score should be 200+, at the end of the 4th month 225+ and around 250 at the end of the 6th month.

• Some online platforms provide instant feedback on the sections in which you are weak and the sections in which you perform well.

• Focus on the weak sections more and check in the next test whether you are making the same mistake again or not.

• Check the amount of time a question is taking and if you are taking more time than expected then try to reduce that time by learning new approaches to solve.

Ensuring Continuous Improvement in NMAT Preparation

Here are some tips to ensure continuous improvement in NMAT preparation.

• At the end of each week, review your preparation schedule and check what you have learned and make necessary adjustments in the next week's schedule.

• Target weak areas first during the preparation and take section-wise tests on those chapters to track progression.

• Do not depend only on one study material. Analyze other materials too for better time-saving methods.

• Gradually increase the difficulty level of the questions during the preparation.

• Stay flexible during preparation. If your study plan is not working, do not hesitate to improvise a new plan.