ATMA 2026 exam will be conducted on May 3, 2026. Read about the tips and tricks to crack the ATMA exam in 3 months in the article below.
With the clock ticking, anxiety might be kicking in the applicants. But even if you start now, there is ample time to crack the ATMA 2026 exam. All you need is to follow the below-mentioned tips on how to prepare for the ATMA exam in three months.
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ATMA Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 2026
The ATMA 2026 question paper will have six sections, and each section will have multiple-choice questions. The exam is conducted to assess the aspirants’ aptitude, necessary for higher management studies. Have a look at the table below to understand the ATMA exam pattern 2026 and marking scheme.
| Exam Structure | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Sections |
6 (Analytical Reasoning Skills – I, Verbal Skills – I, Quantitative Skills – I, Analytical Reasoning Skills – II, Verbal Skills –II, Quantitative Skills – II) |
| Duration of Exam |
180 minutes (30 minutes per section) |
| Number of questions |
180 |
| Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions |
| ATMA Exam Total Marks |
180 |
| Language of Paper |
English |
| Number of Answer Choices |
4 |
| Mode of Examination |
Online |
| ATMA Marking Scheme |
+1 mark for each correct answer -0.25 for every wrong answer |
| Questions per section |
30 |
ATMA exam 2026 will be held for three hours. Also, there are sectional timings which the candidates will have to adhere to when they attempt the exam. Hence, candidates will have to solve each section within 30 minutes. Candidates will have to answer the questions as per the sequence. They have to choose the correct answer out of the four options in a question.
ATMA exam has 180 questions and total marks are 180. But, raw scores are scaled and the final marks are awarded out of 800. Knowing what is a good score in ATMA exam is subjective, but, the current trends suggest that the following can be a good score:
Very good score: More than 700
Good score: 650 to 700
Average score: 620 to 650
Low score: Below 550
Also Read:
How to Prepare for ATMA in 3 months: Tips and Tricks
ATMA is one of the easier MBA entrance exams and three months can be enough for preparation. But you must know that focus and hard work are really important if you want to crack ATMA exam. Listed below are a few ATMA preparation tips and tricks that will help you without fail.
- Follow a schedule: Candidates must prepare an ATMA three-month preparation timetable and study routine and religiously follow it. If the candidates dedicatedly follow the schedule then it will help them get the desired results. Incorporate each topic into the schedule so that you will not miss out on any important topic while preparing for ATMA 2026 exam.
- Refer to the Right Study Material: There are a lot of books and study materials available, online and offline, for the ATMA exam. But choosing the right one will make all the difference. Do not waste the crucial time in collecting a bunch of study material, rather, sort the important and useful ones which cover the entire ATMA 2026 syllabus.
Also Read: Best books to read for ATMA
- Practice ATMA Mock Tests: While preparing for ATMA exam 2026 it is very important that you attempt an ample number of mock tests and practice sample papers. Also, solve previous years’ ATMA question papers to have an idea of the kind of questions that can be asked in the ATMA 2026 exam. Through ATMA mock tests and papers you will be able to track your performance and eventually improve it.
- Speed and Accuracy: Speed and accuracy are the two most important players in the ATMA preparation strategy. ATMA 2026 is a speed-based exam with sectional timing. Hence students must prepare themselves to accurately solve the questions in the allotted time. Candidates must also assess their speed of solving each question; easy and difficult, and improve accordingly.
- Maintain your calm: This is a crucial time, as the exam is scheduled to be held soon. Hence, wasting a single day can cost you dearly. Try and maintain your calm throughout your ATMA preparation. Nervousness and anxiety will result in downgrading your scores. Thus attempt the question in the ATMA exam calmly with a cool mind.
ATMA is one of the important MBA entrance exams. The first tip to ace the ATMA exam is to stay calm. Here are a few last minute preparation tips for ATMA exam:
- Confirm the exact location of the ATMA test centre at least one day before the ATMA exam day to ensure that transportation is available on time. If you are new to the city or the location of the centre, it is adivsable to visit the centre once.
- Arrive early to the ATMA exam centre. Applicants must ensure that they arrive at least an hour before the exam begins.
- Use the restroom before to the start of the test. Because you will not have time and may not be able to exit the exam hall throughout the examination period, use the restroom before entering the examination hall.
- Do not bring cell phones or other electronic devices, such as calculators, smartwatches, to the exam centre because the machines are not always available. Personal property will not be safeguarded outside of the exam centre, and the exam centre authories will not be held liable for any loss of personal property. There are no stationary objects allowed, such as a pen, stylus, or paper. Rough pads and pens will be given to the applicants. Candidates should write their name and application number on their rough pads/sheets.
- Stay calm and have a healthy breakfast in the morning before the exam.
AIMS conducts the ATMA exam at least three to four times a year. This year, the exam will be conducted thrice in the computer-based test mode. Here are important topics for the exam according to the sections of ATMA question paper.
Analytical Reasoning: Every year, this section is considered to be the toughest among the others. This section contains questions mainly from Analytical Reasoning and Critical Reasoning. Some of the important topics of this section include:
- Syllogisms
- Critical Reasoning
- Course of Action
- Cause and Effect
- Statement and Conclusion
- Strong and Weak Arguments
- Statement and Inference
- Coding and Decoding
- Arrangements
- Data Sufficiency
Verbal Skills: Just like other management entrance tests, this section is divided into Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability/English Usage. There are about four to five comprehension passages while the topics of English usage are as follows:
- Synonyms (word pair)
- Fill in the blanks
- Para Formation Questions (PFQs)
- Idioms
- Error identification
- Grammar
- Sentence Completion
- Word Meaning
- Antonyms
- Para Jumbles
3. Quantitative Skills: This section of the ATMA question paper is also considered tough. However, the overall difficulty level can be considered to be moderate. Some of the important topics of this section include:
- Profit and Loss
- Percentage
- Simple Interest and Compound Interest
- Partnership
- Average, Mixture and Alligation
- Time and Distance
- Time and Speed
- Geometry and Mensuration
- Time and Work
- Permutation & Combination
- Probability
- Statistics
- Graphs and Pie Chart.
To crack ATMA in first attempt, students should have a good preparation plan. Along with that, students should know ATMA exam pattern, have strong basics and concepts. Practice using sample papers and mock tests will help students fetch a good score.

Saumya Jain is an English Literature graduate from the University of Delhi. She has over 8 years of editorial and content writing experience. At Shiksha.com, she has spent more than six years creating research, stud
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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
Yes, PUMBA accepts ATMA scores for MBA admissions. The ATMA cut off for PUMBA is usually high and ranges between 85 to 90 percentile.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
JBIMS does not accept ATMA scores anymore for MMS admissions and it accepts CAT, MAH MBA CET, and GMAT scores.
The ATMA cutoff for PUMBA is usually high and ranges between 95 to 99 percentile.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
To crack ATMA in first attempt, students should have a good preparation plan. Along with that, students should know ATMA exam pattern, have strong basics and concepts. Practice using sample papers and mock tests will help students fetch a good score.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Preparing for the ATMA exam from books and study material recommended by experts is important in order to gain an in-depth knowledge on different topics included in the ATMA syllabus. ATMA reference books contain detailed information on each topic of ATMA syllabus and will acquaint the students with
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
CAT and ATMA are both MBA entrance exams. But, historically, the difficulty level of CAT exam is higher as compared to that of ATMA exam.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
ATMA is a national level entrance exam conducted by Association of Indian Management Schools. ATMA is conducted for admission to MBA, MMS, PGDM programmes at over 700 B Schools in the country.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
It is not compulsory but ideal to take the ATMA mock test for preparation. Students will know the type of questions, difficulty level, important topics, etc. through practising mock tests.
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
The total score in ATMA exam is 180 marks. There are 180 questions and each question carries one mark. There is a negative marking of -0.25 marks.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Result - 28 Feb '26
ATMA one month preparation can be done. Students can begin with ATMA syllabus and exam pattern. There on, they can focus on practicing what they have studied. The aim should be to strengthen concepts and practice time management. The remaining time should be given to taking mock tests and soving sample papers.
Prioritize weak areas and enhance vocabulary. This condensed plan can be effective with consistent effort