CMAT 2026: Exam Dates, Registration, Syllabus, Pattern, Question Paper, Preparation, Cut Offs, Top Colleges
Common Management Admission Test 2025 ( CMAT )
NTA will conduct the CMAT 2026 exam nation wide most likely in January 2026. Check here all about CMAT 2026, including dates, application, syllabus, pattern, question papers, preparation, cut offs, top colleges, etc.
CMAT 2026 exam
CMAT 2026 exam will be held in January 2026. NTA conducts the CMAT annually in computer based test mode for admission to MBA/PGDM courses at AICTE approved colleges and institutions. Over 1300 MBA Colleges in India accept CMAT score for admission to MBA/PGDM courses. Some of the top CMAT score accepting colleges include JBIMS, KJ Somaiaya, Prin LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Great Lakes Institute of Management, KIIT School of Management, Amity University, BIMTECH, Goa Institute of Management, Xavier Institute of Management and Research, Gitam School of Management.
Read below all about CMAT 2026 exam including dates, syllabus, pattern, registration process, application fees, cut offs and list of MBA colleges accepting CMAT exam score for admission.
Explore colleges based on CMAT
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.CMAT 2026 Important Dates
For the past few years, the CMAT has been conducted on April-May, however, in 2025, the exam was conducted in January. If NTA follows the same schedule, CMAT 2026 will also be conducted in January. Check below tentative CMAT exam date.
| CMAT 2026 Events |
CMAT 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| CMAT 2026 registration starts |
Second week of November 2025 |
| Registration ends |
Last week of December 2025 |
| Fee payment window closing |
Last week of December 2025 |
| Form correction window |
Last week of December 2025 |
| Announcement of city intimation |
Third week of January 2026 |
| CMAT admit card 2026 release |
Third week of January 2026 |
| CMAT 2026 exam |
Fourth week of January 2026 |
| CMAT 2026 answer key challenge |
Fourth week of January 2026 |
| CMAT 2026 result declaration |
Second week of February 2026 |
Q: Which section of CMAT question paper has the maximum weightage?
Q: How many questions are asked in GK section of CMAT?
Q: What is the benefit of solving official CMAT question papers?
CMAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
CMAT is a postgraduation entrance exam, so candidates must have completed graduation. Check below CMAT eligibility criteria 2026.
- Graduation or equivalent degree from a recognised university.
- Students in their final year of bachelor’s degree can also apply for CMAT exam.
- Only passing marks in graduation is required for CMAT
- There is no age limit for appearing in the exam
Note: The CMAT accepting colleges may have minimum score requirement of 50 percent (45 percent) in graduation.
Also Read: CMAT Eligibility Criteria
CMAT Registration and Application Process 2026
CMAT registration and application form will be available in online mode only. The form will be made live at CMAT-NTA website. Given below is the CMAT 2026 application process:
- Visit CMAT 2026 website: https://exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT/
- Click on ‘registration link for CMAT 2026’
- Click on 'new registration' option
- Enter personal details and choose a password to create a login ID
- Log in with the ID shared in mail
- Upload a government ID
- Fill the CMAT 2026 form will relevant details
- Add personal and academic details
- Select 4 test cities in order of preference
- Upload a photo ID and signature
- Pay the fee via debit/credit card or net banking
Also Read: List of CMAT test cities
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
15 Mar '25 - 16 Mar '25
21 Mar '25
22 Jan '25 - 23 Mar '25
17 Mar '25 - 23 Mar '25
28 Mar '25
7 Apr '25
18 Apr '25
19 Mar '25
15 Apr '25
CMAT Fees 2025
Given below is the fee amount to be paid at the time of CMAT 2026 form submission:
- INR 2,500 for General / EWS/OBC-NCL (Male)
- INR 1,250 for Females, Third Gender and Reserved category students
CMAT Exam Pattern 2026
CMAT exam pattern is prepared on the basis of AICTE guidelines for MBA entrance exams. Check the table below for the latest CMAT exam pattern:
| CMAT Exam Pattern |
Details |
|---|---|
| Number of sections |
Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation Logical Reasoning Language Comprehension General Awareness Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
| Mode of examination |
Computer based test |
| Duration of exam |
180 minutes (no sectional time limit) |
| Number of questions |
100 |
| Number of questions per section |
20 |
| Number of answer choices |
4 |
| CMAT Marking scheme |
4 marks for correct answer -1 mark for incorrect answer |
| Total Marks |
400 |
Download: CMAT question paper PDFs
CMAT Syllabus 2026
CMAT syllabus is prescribed by the AICTE for NTA and includes important topics from Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Check below section wise important topics of CMAT.
| CMAT Syllabus |
Important Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation |
Algebra, Time-Speed-Distance, Alligation & Mixtures, Geometry, Graph, Quadratic and Linear Equations, etc. |
| Logical Reasoning |
Analytical Reasoning, Linear Arrangements, Number Series, Matrix Arrangements, Blood Relationship Tests, etc. |
| Language Comprehension |
Reading Comprehension, Grammar, English Usage Errors, Parajumbles, etc. |
| General Awareness |
Economy, Business, World, Politics, Sports, Culture, Society |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
Questions related to innovation, entrepreneurship and start up business |
CMAT Preparation 2026
CMAT 2026 preparation will require at least 6 months. So, aspirants should start preparing from August/September onwards. The CMAT preparation plan should include syllabus coverage and practice of CMAT mock tests. Candidates planning to appear for CMAT 2026 must get hold of CMAT books recommended by experts to understand topics. It is important to break the exam preparation plan in stages and study according to CMAT six-month plan, CMAT three-month plan and CMAT one-month plan.
Check below, some useful CMAT 2025 preparation articles:
- CMAT Preparation Tips: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- CMAT Preparation Tips: Cracking Logical Reasoning
- CMAT Preparation Tips: Cracking QA-DI
- CMAT Preparation Tips: Cracking Language Comprehension
CMAT Admit Card 2026
CMAT admit card 2026 will be released at the CMAT-NTA website. Candidates will be able to download it until the exam day. To download the CMAT 2026 admit card, the below given process is to be followed.
- Visit the CMAT-NTA website
- Click on 'CMAT 2025 admit card' tab
- Enter CMAT application number and date of birth
- Enter security pin and click on login
- Click on CMAT admit card and download the PDF
CMAT Answer Key 2026
CMAT answer key 2026 will be released 3-5 days after the exam. It will be released along with the candidate response sheet Check below steps to download CMAT 2026 answer key and response sheet.
- Visit CMAT 2026 website
- Click on 'CMAT 2026 answer key ' option
- Enter application number and password
- Click on 'answer key' to download it
NTA will give candidates the option to challenge the provisional CMAT answer key 2026, if they feel any answer given by the authority is incorrect. They will be able to raise objection against the CMAT answer key by filling an online form and paying INR 200 per question as fees.
Also Read:
CMAT 2025 exam analysis, check difficulty level, good attempts
CMAT 2025 answer key, question paper (shift 1 and 2) PDF download
CMAT Response Sheet 2025 PDF Free Download
CMAT 2025 Student Reactions and Reviews
CMAT Result 2026
CMAT result 2026 will be declared about 10 days after the release of provisional answer key. Test takers will be able to download their CMAT 2026 result cum scorecard from the official website by using their login credentials. Given below are the steps to download the CMAT result 2026:
- Go to CMAT-NTA website
- Click on CMAT 2026 scorecard tab
- Enter CMAT application number and date of birth
- Click on CMAT scorecard and download the PDF
Also Read:
- CMAT score vs CMAT percentile - How to calculate?
- What is CMAT score normalization process?
- What after CMAT result?
CMAT Cut Offs for MBA Admission
MBA admission through CMAT is based on cut offs. Here is a list of CMAT cut off score accepting colleges in the range of 85 to 99 percentile.
| Colleges Accepting CMAT score |
CMAT Cut Off Percentiles |
|---|---|
| 99.9 |
|
| 95-99 |
|
| 95-99 |
|
| 99 |
|
| 95-99 |
|
| 95-99 |
|
| 95 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 85 |
Also Read: Institute-wise CMAT cut offs
MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Score
Check out some of the popular MBA colleges in India which accept CMAT score for admission:
Vipra is a massive Breaking Bad fan. When not watching crime drama series, she spends time in updating the list of places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet, but she is happiest in the company of dogs. ... Read Full Bio
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jan '25 | XAT 2025 Cut Offs Release |
17 Jan '25 | XAT 2025 result |
8 Jan '25 | SNAP 2024 result announcement |
21 Dec '24 | SNAP 2024 session 3 |
17 Mar '25 - 23 Mar '25 | MAT 2025 Admit Card Release CB... |
23 Mar '25 | MAT 2025 CBT (February) |
19 Dec '24 | CAT 2024 result announcement |
3 Dec '24 - 5 Dec '24 | CAT 2024 answer key challenge |
13 Jan '25 - 17 Jan '25 | NMAT 2024 Exam Window (second ... |
5 Jan '25 - 10 Jan '25 | NMAT 2024 Scheduling Window (s... |
15 Feb '25 - 24 Feb '25 | IBSAT 2024 Selection Process (... |
28 Dec '24 | IBSAT 2024 Result |
1 Apr '25 - 3 Apr '25 | MAH MBA CET 2025 exam |
3 Mar '25 - 5 Mar '25 | MAH MBA CET 2025 form correcti... |
10 Mar '25 - 20 May '25 | ATMA registration 2025 (June) |
18 May '25 | ATMA 2025 (June): Last Date of... |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
Yes, RCAS powered by Sunstone offers scholarships to aspirants with a CMAT score under Bright Minds Scholarship. A maximum of INR 2 Lacs is offered as a scholarship amount. Below is the criteria for scholarship offered based on CMAT scores:
CMAT Score | Scholarship Amount (INR) |
|---|---|
95-100 | INR 2 lakh |
90-95 | INR 1.50 lakh |
85-90 | INR 1 lakh |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
As per the Bright Minds Scholarship offered by RCAS powered by Sunstone, candidates with a 90-95 percentile in CMAT are offered a scholarship of 1.5 lakhs. Candidates applying for admission through CMAT can refer to the table below to get an idea of the different scholarship amounts given to student
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
NDIM Delhi cutoff 2025 is yet to be released for admission to its PGDM courses. The institute accepts CAT, CMAT, MAT, XAT and ATMA entrance exam scores for admission. During the NDIM Delhi PGDM cutoff 2024, the percentile was CAT, CMAT, MAT, and XAT stood at 60, 75, and 60, respectively, for the Ge
T
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
One of the most respected business schools in India is the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) located in Mumbai. The cutoff of the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) for the category of OBC NCL (Other Backward Classes Non-Creamy Layer) is usually high because admissions are
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Having a 75 percentile in CMAT, you have a number of good MBA college options in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi that provide good education at low fees. Below are some colleges you can think about:
Uttar Pradesh:
1. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), Lucknow: With a good fee structure and
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
With a percentile of 89.5 in the CMAT exam, you are likely to get admission in some good MBA colleges with decent Return on Investment (ROI). Some of the following are options to look at:
1. Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai: With its good placement records and low fees,
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
With 81 percentile in CMAT, you stand a good chance of getting admission in a number of reputed MBA colleges in Mumbai. Some of your choices are listed below:
1. IES Management College and Research Centre (IESMCRC): Famed for its value-based and excellence-oriented education, IESMCRC is an excellent
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
XAT is not easier than CMAT. If you compare both exams, it is much easier to prepare for CMAT and qualify it with high scores than XAT. If a candidate is planning to appear for both exams, they should focus on XAT more as if they are able to crack Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Langu
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
The difficulty level of CMAT 2025 exam was overall moderate. Interestingly, the GK questions were not tough as they usually are. Check below section wise CMAT 2025 difficulty level.
CMAT 2025 section | Number of questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | 20 | Easy |
Logical Reasoning | 20 | Easy |
Language Comprehension | 20 | Easy |
General Awareness | 20 | Moderate |
Innovation & Entrepreneurship | 20 | Moderate |
A
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 2 weeks ago
There was no surprise element in CMAT 2025 exam. The question paper was structured as per the exam pattern announced by the NTA. There were five sections and each section had 20 questions. The questions asked also belonged to the syllabus. No question was erroneous or from outside the CMAT syllabus.
M
Beginner-Level 4