Mistakes to Avoid While Preparing for IPMAT Exam 2026
IPMAT is one of the most challenging entrance exams. Every year, thousands of students take the IPM exam and the level of competition is stiff. Check this article below to know common mistakes to avoid during IPMAT exam preparation 2026 and how to avoid making them.
IPMAT preparation requires students to have a good and organized plan. IPMAT is a gateway to some of the top B Schools in the country, such as IIM Indore, IIM Ranchi, IIM Shillong, etc. Each year, thousands take IPMAT exam, but high difficulty level makes it competitive. Though competition is intense, students tend to make mistakes, which costs students loosing marks and faltering on exam day. These can include skipping IPM mock tests, not having a proper study plan, poor time management or avoiding revision.
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IPMAT exam 2026 will be held on May 4, 2026, and with only a few months in hand, students should know how to prepare well for exam and avoid losing valuable time. Read article below to know the common mistakes to avoid in preparing for IPMAT 2026 exam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing for IPMAT Exam 2026
Avoiding common mistakes in IPMAT will help students score well in IPM exam and open path to admission at prestigious IIMs. A well planned IPM study routine, along with consistency and dedication, will increase the chances of acing the exam. Read below to know common mistakes students make when preparing for IPMAT:
Candidates appearing for the IPMAT exam for admission to the five-year integrated programme in management, must have a good percentile to clear the cutoff of IIM Indore. The validity of IPMAT score is one year and students will be offered admission to colleges accepting IPMAT scores through their IPMAT result. To gain admission, candidates need to match the cutoff criteria of their preferred institute. The IPMAT exam has 100 questions and the total marks are 400. But, the raw scores are then scaled and the composite scores are calculated. Knowing what is a good score in IPMAT exam is subjective, however, the current trends suggest that the following will be considered a good score with 90-100% accuracy:
- Quantitative Aptitude (MCQs): 18-20 questions
- Quantitative Aptitude (SA): 9-10 questions
- Verbal Ability: 38-42 questions
Based on the scores obtained in the IPMAT exam, the candidates will be called for the PI round of the selection procedure conducted by IIM Indore.
Aspirants should start preparing for the IPMAT exam at least six months before the test date. IPMAT preparation requires planning thus one must start early. They can also join coaching institutes for focused preparation. Starting early will also help you assess that whether you need to join a coaching institute or not. Divide your preparation into three phases -
- Covering the syllabus
- Practicing mock tests, sample questions
- Revision.
The IPMAT syllabus includes the following topics: Verbal Skills: Parajumbles, Sentence Completion, Grammar, Comprehension Passages, Synonyms and Antonyms, etc., Analytical Reasoning: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Strong and Weak Arguments, and Syllogism.
Quantitative Skills: Geometry, Algebra Number System Arithmetic, Mensuration etc.
You can read the following IPMAT books for exam preparation:
1. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
2. How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
3. High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
4. How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
5. Class 9 and Class 10 NCERT Mathematics books
6. Quantitative Aptitude by R. S Aggarwal.
Starting Late
A strong IPMAT preparation requires time. As mentioned before, the level of competition is high, hence, students should start preparing for the IPM exam at least 6 to 8 months before the exam. IPMAT is conducted immediately after the Class 12 boards, so, students should know that they have to give time to boards preparation as well as IPMAT exam preparation. Starting early will give students ample time to cover the complete IPMAT syllabus and understand concepts in detail and clearly.
Not Understanding IPMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus
Students usually skip knowing IPMAT exam pattern. IPMAT Indore pattern is different from IPMAT Rohtak. Check table below to know exam pattern for IPMAT Indore:
| Exam structure |
Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Sections |
3 Sections
|
| Duration of Exam |
120 minutes or 2 hours |
| Mode of Exam |
Online |
| Total Number of Questions |
90 to 100 |
| Marking Scheme |
+4 for every correct answer -1 for every incorrect answer |
The IPMAT Rohtak exam pattern is different in the way that it has another section, i.e. Logical Reasoning. Also, number of questions in the IPMAT Rohtak question paper will be 120 only in multiple choice format.
Not Having a Proper Study Plan
Studying in an organized way is important to score well in IPMAT exam. Students should create an IPM study plan which includes all the topics of the IPMAT syllabus and also leaves room for practice and revision. Strong planning will get desirable outcomes. Students can set clear goals divided into weeks and months. They should allocate time to their weaknesses as well as strengths.
Students can make their preparation plan stronger by using a mix of resources, such as books, online videos, mock tests, IPM PYQs, etc.
Overlooking Conceptual Clarity
IPMAT tests knowledge of students and their ability to think and understand. Students often make a common mistake in IPMAT of overly focusing on memorizing formulas and theorems and not understanding what they are actually used for. They rely on rote learning, which can be a big mistake. To avoid this, students should begin with understanding the basics and then advance to complex problems.
They can refer to books such as RS Aggarwal and Arun Sharma to have clarity on the basic concepts.
Also Read: Best books for IPMAT preparation
IPMAT or IPM Aptitude Test is conducted by the Indian Insitute of Management, Indore. The IPMAT question paper is divided into three sections, namely, Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude. The QA section is further divided into two, that is, one which has MCQs and the other which has Short Answer Type questions. Time management is the key to scoring well in the exam.
The Verbal Ability section of the IPMAT question paper is based on English usage and Grammar. The Verbal Ability section aims to assess the candidate’s hold on language comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. The section examines the candidates on how well they comprehend the given data, analyse the question, vocabulary, grammar, etc. Speed and accuracy are the two key players in having a good preparation for IPMAT. To improve the reading speed in IPMAT preparation consider the following:
- Students can dedicate a part of their study routine to focused reading practice.
- They can challenge themselves by setting a time limit for reading tasks, and then gradually reducing the time limit to progressively increasing the reading speed.
- Students should try to expand their vocabulary to facilitate comprehension skills and quicker reading skills.
- They should have a composed and focused mindset during their reading practice throughout.
Keep a few practices like the above in mind, and make sure you give enough time to your mind to stay calm and prevent mental fatigue. Consistency is the only key which can fetch good marks in the IPMAT exam.
Difficulty level is subjective. Based on past trends, the exam is easy to moderate. Students can prepare well for exam with strong preparation techniques and consistent practice and revision.
IPMAT is a speed based test with judges students on their quantitative and verbal skills. It checks the command of students over the English language and their comprehension skills. Questions in IPMAT exam are based on Class 9 and 12 syllabus but students need to practice a slightly advanced level questions to ace the exam. IPMAT requires focus and dedication. It is known to be a highly competitive exam but with practice and a good study plan they can get good scores.
Ignoring IPMAT Preparation for Boards Preparation
Class 12 boards preparation and IPMAT exam preparation have to continue simultaneously. With board exams around the corner, students must be focusing on their board preparations. Though it is important, preparation for IPMAT is equally important. Students can spend at least two or three hours on IPMAT preparation and the majority of their study time can be dedicated to board preparation.
Also Read: How to Prepare for Boards and IPMAT Together
Not Taking IPMAT Mock Tests
Many toppers have mentioned that IPMAT mock tests should be the Holy Grail to prepare for the exam. Students can understand pattern, structure, time management and important topics by taking full length and sectional mock tests for IPMAT. Apart from completing the syllabus, attempting mock tests is also very important. With IPMAT exam to be conducted on May 4, 2026, students should buckle up and aim to take at least one full length mock test every seven days.
Students can use the mock tests and evaluate their progress. Analysing the IPM mock tests is important to better prepare for the exam day. Students must review their mistakes and keep an error log to avoid making the same mistake again and track progress. One may say that they can spend double the time in reviewing and analyzing the mock tests than they spend on taking it.
Ignoring Reading Comprehension and Believing VA Section is same as CBSE English
Students tend to underestimate the VA section of the IPMAT exam. However, most students lose marks here. They wrongly assume that the Verbal Ability section is easier like the CBSE English. The difficulty level of VA questions is way higher than the high school English questions.
To avoid this, students should regularly read newspapers and editorials to improve comprehension. Students can use flashcards to improve vocabulary and practicing is the best way to score well in this section.
Also Read: Maths Formulas to Boost the IPMAT score
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Poor Time Management
Timing is one of the biggest challenges when taking the IPMAT exam. A common mistake that most students make is spending too much time on a particular section or question. This leads to a rushed performance in the remaining questions.
To avoid this, students should take ample mock tests in timed settings. This will give students an idea about the pressure on the exam day, and they will know how much time should be spent on a particular type of question. Also, the IPMAT exam has sectional time limit of 40 minutes. Students can solve the easier questions first and then move to the difficult ones. If they find themselves stuck on a question, they should not dwell on it for too long and move to the next one. They can come back to it later if time permits.
Also Read: Last week preparation tips for IPMAT 2026
So, to prepare and ace the IPMAT exam, students should avoid the common mistakes listed above and not panic. They should not be overconfident and not rush with answers. Revision, sectional mock tests, regular practice and a calm mind will help students bag a good IPMAT score. Students should use IPMAT preparation books, practice in a timed environment and analyze mock tests regularly to avoid faltering on the exam day.
Candidates should not overlook negative markings. A careless guess can cost them marks and lower their overall score. They should also avoid last minute cramming, as this will add up to stress and confusion. Rather than studying new concepts and subjects, students should revise what they have studied and capitalize on it.
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Yes, one can appear for the IPMAT exam even if they didn't have mathematics in Class 12. There are no specific requirements of the IPMAT exam for having studied mathematics.
However, cracking IPMAT without having studied Mathematics in Class 11 and 12 can be a bit tricky and challenging. This is because higher level Mathematics dominate the exam. More than 60% of all the numerical are from Class 11 and Class 12 syllabus. One can also consider taking coaching for the sections they find difficult. The two sections based on Quantitative Aptitude are different in nature. One section has MCQs while the other has Short Answer Type questions. The 'Short answer type' section includes questions which will have no options with them, hence this section can be more difficult. Students who have not studied maths in HSC may be required to put in a bit more effort for the IPMAT preparation.