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Vipra Shrivastava
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Updated on Mar 31, 2021 21:42 IST

CMAT 2021 exam analysis includes overall and sectional analysis of the CMAT 2021 question paper, difficulty level of the questions, section-wise weightage, number of good attempts and expected CMAT cut offs. 

CMAT 2021 analysis

CMAT 2021 analysis is now available. The CMAT exam was held in two shifts from 9 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 6 PM. The CMAT 2021 paper analysis includes in-depth discussion of the structure of the question paper, it’s difficulty level, number of good attempts in each section and expected cut offs for MBA admission

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The first shift exam is said to be of moderate difficulty level with LR easy, Quant & DI moderate. The GK section was difficult with more questions from History while, Language Comprehension was moderate. The Shift 2 paper was on the same lines. Read below, detailed CMAT 2021 exam analysis of Shift 1 and Shift 2.

Also Read:

CMAT 2021 Analysis: Highlights

  • CMAT 2021 was conducted by NTA in two shifts. Shift 1: 9 AM to 12 PM, Shift 12: 3 PM to 6 PM
  • The CMAT 2021 question paper has five sections carrying 25 questions each
  • Apart from Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning¸ Language Comprehension and General Awareness there is a fifth section – Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
  • This fifth section is an optional section. Those who opted for this section were given 30 minute extra to complete the paper.
  • Each correct answer carries four marks and each incorrect attempt carries minus one mark
  • There is no other change in the CMAT exam pattern. The difficulty level of both shifts was easy to moderate.
  • Language Comprehension was moderate. There were four RCs having 14 questions
  • GK was difficult and most of the questions were from Static GK and History
  • Quantitative Technique section was moderate and Logical Reasoning section was easy
  • Those who opted for the new section – Innovation and Entrepreneurship said that it was moderate

Also Read:

Table of contents
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 1: Sectional Break Up
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 1: Level of Difficulty
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 2: Level of Difficulty
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis: Logical Reasoning
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis: Language Comprehension
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis: Quantitative Technique and Data Interpretation
  • CMAT 2021 Analysis: General Awareness
  • CMAT 2021 Shift 1: Expected Cut Offs
View More

CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 1: Sectional Break Up

The overall difficulty level of CMAT exam 2021 was moderate and about 80-85 questions with 90 per cent accuracy can fetch a good score. Check CMAT 2021 question paper break-up and marks allottment.

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Section

Number Of Questions

Total Marks

Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation

25

100

Logical Reasoning

25

100

Language Comprehension

25

100

General Awareness

25

100

Innovation  & Entrepreneurship

25

100

Total

125

500

CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 1: Level of Difficulty

The new section-Innovation and Entrepreneurship was of moderate difficulty level. Check the table below for the difficulty level of the main four sections of CMAT exam.

Section

No. Of Questions

Good Attempts

Level of Difficulty

Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation

25

18-20

Moderate

Logical Reasoning

25

21-23

Easy -Moderate

Language Comprehension

25

17-19

Easy

General Awareness

25

9-11

Difficult

Total

100

65-70

Moderate

CMAT 2021 Analysis Shift 2: Level of Difficulty

The overall difficulty level of CMAT exam 2021 was moderate like every year. Check the break up of CMAT 2021 question paper Shift 2.

Section

No. Of Questions

Good Attempts

Overall Level of Difficulty

Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation

25

18-20

Moderate

Logical Reasoning

25

21-23

Easy-Moderate

Language Comprehension

25

17-19

Easy

General Awareness

25

9-11

Difficult

Total

100

65-70

Moderate

CMAT 2021 Analysis: Logical Reasoning

  • The Logical Reasoning section of CMAT 2021 question papers of Shift 1 and Shift 2 were easy having 22 non verbal reasoning questions and 3 verbal reasoning questions.
  • The questions in this section were stand-alone, straight forward and easy to solve.

Area

Topics

No. of Questions

Verbal Reasoning

Critical Reasoning

3

Non Verbal Reasoning

Visual Reasoning, Coding-Decoding, Relations, Series, Analogies, Blood Relations, Arrangements (Circular & Matrix), , Directions, Counting figures, etc.

22

CMAT 2021 Analysis: Language Comprehension

  • The Language Comprehension section of CMAT 2021 question papers consisted of 14 Reading Comprehension questions and 11 non-RC questions.
  • RC questions on the two short passages (about 100 words each) were more difficult than questions on the two longer passages (400 to 500 words each).
  • There were 11 non-RC questions (Vocabulary and Grammar). They all were of easy to moderate difficulty level.

Area

Topics

No. of Questions

Reading Comprehension

Four passages of 100 to 500 words

14

Vocabulary

Synonyms, Fill in the Blanks

3

Grammar

Sentence Correction/Improvement

8

CMAT 2021 Analysis: Quantitative Technique and Data Interpretation

  • The CMAT 2021 question papers of Shift 1 and Shift 2 had 25 questions in total. The section was overall of moderate difficulty.
  • This section of CMAT 2021 exam was slightly difficult than the previous year.
  • The Quants part was dominated by Arithmetic with 10 questions.
  • The Data Interpretation questions were DI sets on Table and Pie Chart.

Area

Topics

No. of Questions

Arithmetic

Time-speed-distance, Time-Work, Percentages, Ratio-Proportion, SI-CI, Mixtures & Allegations, Work Pipes & Cisterns,

10

Algebra

Quadratic equations, Linear Equations

3

Geometry

Triangles

1

Modern Math

Permutation - Combination, Function, Probability, Venn Diagram

4

Numbers

Properties of Numbers, Surds & Indices, HCF LCM

5

Data Interpretation

Table, Pie-Chart

2

CMAT 2021 Analysis: General Awareness

  • The General Awareness section of Shift 1 and Shift 2 of CMAT 2021 exam was of higher difficulty level.
  • There were 17 Static GK questions and 8 Current Affairs questions.
  • The section was dominated by questions of Indian context.
  • There were some questions on international events too.

CMAT 2021 Shift 1: Expected Cut Offs

Based on the feedback received on the first shift paper of CMAT 2021, here are the expected percentiles by IMS India.

CMAT Score

Percentile

300 +

99.95+

265-270

99

220-225

95

190-195

90

Read More:

Check CMAT Cut offs and predict calls from colleges accepting CMAT score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all CMAT participating colleges by clicking the link below:

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