CMAT Exam Analysis 2025 (Shift 1 & 2 Available): Check Difficulty Level of Paper, Expected Cut Offs

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile?

Candidates with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile, must not feel bad about their comparatively low score. There are number of good MBA colleges in India which accept CMAT scores in this range for their postgraduate management courses. Some of the college that accept CMAT score of 65-75 percentile include, BIMTECH-Greater Noida, BIT-Mesra, DY Patil School of Management-Pune, DY Patil School of Management-Pune, Calcutta Business School, New Delhi Institute of Management (NDIM) New Delhi, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME) Chennai, IES Management College And Research Centre, Mumbai, Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida, FIIB Delhi: Fortune Institute of International Business, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII Ahmedabad), VESIM Mumbai, Durgadevi Saraf Institute of Management Studies, Delhi School of Business, EMPI Business School New Delhi, Jaypee Business School (JBS) Noida, International Institute of Management Studies (IIMS) Pune among others.

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?

If you score between 80 to 85 percentile CMAT you need not worry about admission. There are a large number of MBA colleges that accept candidates with CMAT score in the range of 80 to 85 percentile. A number of government as well as private institutes with good infrastructure and placements are within your reach. Some of those popular colleges include, Welingkar Institute of Management-Mumbai, Welingkar Institute of Management-Bangalore, Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, IFIM-Bangalore, IFMR- Chennai, NIBM-Pune, NL Dalmiya Institute of Management, IMT Hyderabad, IMT Nagpur, XISS Ranchi, ITM Navi Mumbai, Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida, Xavier Business School-Xavier University, Great Lakes Institute of Management-Gurgaon, BIMTECH-Greater Noida, XIME-Bangalore, ISBM-Pune, Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow, KIIT School of Management, IPE Hyderabad, SIES College of Management Studies-Navi Mumbai and Chetana Institute of Management and Research-Mumbai among others.

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 95 plus percentile?

95 percentile and is a very good score in CMAT if you are looking for a college with decent reviews, placements and moderate fees. Some of the top MBA colleges which accept candidates with CMAT score of 95 percentile and above include Jamnlal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies-Mumbai, Goa Institute of Management (GIM) Goa, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management-Mumbai, Sydenham Institute of Management Studies Research and Entrepreneurship Education (SIMSREE) Mumbai, Great Lakes Institute of Management-Chennai, University of Pune, Dept of Management Sciences and Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi to name a few. Admission process of these colleges include personality assessment test which may include group discussion and Personal Interview . or only Personal Interview . Candidates must check the admission dates and academic eligibility criteria before applying to the MBA courses offered by these colleges.

Q: What is the difficulty level of CMAT exam?

CMAT is one of the easier MBA entrance exams. Despite having an extra section, the overall difficulty level of CMAT exam is generally moderate. However, it has been seen previously that some questions in Logical Reasoning and General Awareness sections of CMAT turn out to be more difficult than questions of Quantitative Techniques, Language Comprehension and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. If a candidate can solve about 70-75 of the total questions with about 80 per cent accuracy in each section, they can score well in CMAT. The sectional difficulty in CMAT is as follows: 1. Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation: Moderate 2. Logical Reasoning: Easy to Moderate 3. Language Comprehension: Easy to Moderate 4. General Awareness: Moderate 5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Moderate For the latest exam pattern and difficulty level of CMAT click here: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cmat-exam-analysis.

Q: Which is the lengthiest section in CMAT?

Since the Language Comprehension section of CMAT includes reading comprehension passages, it can be considered a lengthy section. However, there is a possibility of any other section to be lengthier. For example, Logical Reasoning questions or Data Interpretation questions can also be lengthy, due to multiple levels of calculations. The weightage of each section is same in CMAT I. e. 20 questions and 80 marks, so it doesn't really matter which section is lengthy as candidates have to meet sectional cut offs to be able to get a good overall score. It is not mandatory to solve all 100 questions in CMAT so candidates have the choice of dropping lengthy questions and solving easier questions. So, the best option is to skip the lengthy questions and solve other questions correctly. Doing so will ensure that the candidate doesn't fall short of time as well as good questions to solve.

Q: What is the latest CMAT exam pattern?

The latest CMAT exam pattern as prescribed by the National Testing Agency NTA is as follows: The question paper carries 100 question. The format of questions is multiple choice type where for each question, four options are given to choose the correct answer from. The 100 questions are divided equally between five sections, Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Language Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Each of the five sections carry 20 questions. Earlier, there were only four sections in CMAT and each section has 25 questions. In 2021, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was added as the fifth section. The time limit for CMAT is 180 minutes without sectional time limit or break. As per the latest marking scheme, for every correct option 4 marks are awarded and for every incorrect option, one mark is deducted. There is no negative marking for unanswered questions.

Q: How many questions are asked in GK section of CMAT?

There are 20 questions from General Knowledge in CMAT. All the questions are in MCQ format. Four options are given for each question to choose the right answer from. The General Knowledge section of CMAT is usually of a higher difficulty level but as it is a memory based section, it can be completed in maximum 15 minutes. The questions pertain to static GK and Current Affairs. Topics included in CMAT GK section are business, politics, awards, inventions, Science and technology, sports, society, world, advertising, trade, books and authors, arts, entertainment, history, geography and politics. Candidates should attempt the GK section in the end as the main criteria for MBA are English Quantitative Aptitude Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation. The candidate's main focus should be on getting maximum questions correct in these three sessions. GK can be handled at the end.

Q: How many questions should I solve to get a good score in CMAT?

Since every section of CMAT has 20 questions in total, solving 15-18 questions in each section with 80 percent accuracy is considered a good attempt in CMAT, and it can ensure a good percentile in the exam. In the GK section, about 10-12 correct attempts will be enough. Out of 100 questions, candidates must try to solve about 70-75 questions to achieve a 99 percentile. However, candidates must aim to solve a higher number of questions with maximum accuracy and minimize negative marking. To be able to achieve this target, candidates need to prepare for the CMAT in a dedicated and disciplined manner. Candidates must set aside a minimum of three months to complete the CMAT syllabus, as they have to study five subjects and their numerous topics. If they have appeared for the CAT, XAT, and IIFT exams, then they can complete the CMAT syllabus in one month as well. However, it is advised that candidates spend at least three months on the CMAT syllabus for complete preparation.

Q: What is the time duration of CMAT exam?

The CMAT exam is conducted for three hours or 180 minutes. There is no sectional time limit in CMAT unlike in CAT or XAT. No break is given to candidates in between the exam. Extra 30 minutes are granted to PwD candidates for completing the paper. Candidates must manage the three hours in such a way that they get enough time to spend on every section of CMAT exam. Candidates can divide time among all five sections of the CMAT question paper according to their convenience. They must make a time management strategy ahead of the exam so that they are able to solve a good number of questions in each section and reach the sectional cut off. GK is a memory based section and you need to get 8-10 questions correct to get meet the sectional cut off. So attempt it in the end and not spend more than 10 minutes on it.

Q: Is there any negative marking in CMAT?

Yes, there is a negative marking in CMAT exam. For each wrong answer, 1 mark will be deducted. For example, if a candidate attempts 18 questions from Logical Reasoning and gets 15 questions correct but 3 questions incorrect. Then the candidate's score for this section will be 15x4-3, i.e. 57. However, no marks will be deducted for unanswered questions. Thus, candidates must choose only those questions to solve which they are sure of solving accurately. It is anyway not possible to solve all 100 questions, so candidates must weigh their options viz. Strength and weak areas and then choose questions carefully. If candidates are not sure of answering a question correctly or it is taking too much time, then they should leave that questions and move to next as they also need to keep a tab on the time limit.

6K Students Q&A

Updated on Jul 24, 2025 18:02 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CMAT 2025 analysis - Difficulty level of both shifts of CMAT 2025 exam was easy. There was no change in the exam pattern or topic wise weightage. Given below is the detailed CMAT exam analysis 2025.

The CMAT paper analysis contains detailed discussion on difficulty level of the exam, topic wise questions asked, number of good attempts and expected CMAT 2025 cut offs. The CMAT 2025 exam analysis will help candidates in assessing their performance and estimating their exam scores. Check below detailed CMAT 2025 exam analysis.

CMAT 2025 Exam Analysis: Highlights

Given below are some key highlights of the CMAT 2025 exam:

CMAT exam 2025 was easy in terms of difficulty level.
Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation section of CMAT 2025 was easy.
Logical Reasoning section of CMAT 2025 was easy
Language Comprehension of CMAT 2025 was also easy.
General Awareness section of CMAT 2025 will have static GK and International events questions.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship questions was moderate and based on fundamental aspects of business.

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Sectional Break up

The CMAT 2025 question paper had five sections having 20 questions each. Check section-wise CMAT difficulty level below.

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

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Section Wise

Check below section wise CMAT 2025 exam analysis. Also, know CMAT difficulty level of every section as well as number of good attempts:

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Quantitative Technique and Data Interpretation

All 20 questions in this section of CMAT 2025 were easy. Arithmetic dominated with 10 questions. There was one question from Geometry, 2 questions each from Algebra, Numbers and Modern Math There was one Data Interpretation set (3 questions) which was based on Pie Charts. Around 16 – 17 attempts with 80% accuracy would be good in this section.

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Logical Reasoning

There were 16 non-verbal reasoning questions and 4 verbal reasoning questions. Non verbal reasoning questions were asked from Directions, Cubes, Counting the number of squares, Linear Arrangements, Family tree and clocks. Verbal reasoning questions pertained to Assertion Reason, Strong/Weak Argument, Assumption, and Conclusion. Around 15 – 16 attempts with 80% accuracy would be good in this section.

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Language Comprehension

There was only on RC passage with 2 questions in Language Comprehension section of CMAT 2025. Rest of the 18 questions were grammar and verbal ability based. In this section too, about 15-16 attempts with 80 percent accuracy will be considered good.

CMAT 2025 Analysis: General Awareness

This year, all the General Awareness questions in CMAT were based on Static GK. Most of the questions were based on Indian events from science, sports, Indian constitution, history, India and its culture. The questions were moderate and 10 to 11 attempts with 80 % accuracy would be considered a good attempt.

CMAT 2025 Analysis: Innovation and Entrepreneurship

In this section, questions were based on Bootstrapping, Startup valuation, Fabian entrepreneur, Angel investment, Lean startup, Trademark, Feasibility analysis, etc). Only 1 question was based on Business GK. In this section 11 to 12 attempts with 80% accuracy will be considered good attempt.

Shiksha conducted a poll asking CMAT test takers which section did they find tough in the 2025 exam. Here's what they said.

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the latest CMAT exam pattern?

Expected CMAT 2025 Cut Offs for Admission

Listed below are CMAT cut off percentiles of some of the popular MBA colleges accepting CMAT score.

Colleges Accepting CMAT score	CMAT Expected Cut Off Percentiles
JBIMS, Mumbai	99.9+
Goa Institute of Management	95-99
KJ Somaiya Institute of Management	95-99
SIMSREE, Mumbai	99+
Great Lakes Institute of Management	95-99
IPE Hyderabad	90-95
University of Pune, Dept of Management Sciences	95-99
Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai	85
Welingkar Institute of Management, Bangalore	80
Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management	85
IFIM, Bangalore	85
IFMR, Chennai	85
NIBM, Pune	85
NL Dalmiya Institute of Management	85
IMT Hyderabad	80
IMT Nagpur	80
XISS Ranchi	80
ITM Navi Mumbai	80
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida	85

Commonly asked questions

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile?

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 95 plus percentile?

CMAT 2024 Analysis – Section wise Topics

CMAT 2024 saw no change in the exam pattern or test structure from previous years. The CMAT 2024 difficulty level was moderate. Check below, section wise CMAT exam analysis 2024:

CMAT 2024 Analysis: Language Comprehension

In the Language Comprehension section of CMAT 2024, the questions were majorly based on grammar. The RC passages were easy. Questions ranged from parajumble, fill in the blanks, idioms/phrases, nouns, pronouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs, vocabulary, etc. About 16-17 correct attempts will be considered good in this section.

CMAT 2024 Analysis: Quantitative Techniques

The Quantitative Techniques section of shift 1 of CMAT 2024 was moderate. The questions were asked from Arithmetic, Number System, Probability, Permutation & Combination, Set Theory, etc. About 16-17 correct attempts will be considered good in this section.

CMAT 2024 Analysis: Logical Reasoning

This section of CMAT 2024 had questions from arrangements, blood relations, series, statements, venn diagram, coding, statements, etc. Overall, the section was easy and 16-17 correct attempts will be considered good.

CMAT 2024 Analysis: Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Innovation & Entrepreneurship section of CMAT 2024 was easy as always. Questions were based on entrepreneurship, business affairs, corporate, new schemes, policies, markets and economy. 16-17 correct attempts will be considered good.

CMAT 2024 Analysis: General Knowledge

The GK section was moderate. There were questions on Lionel Messi's birth place, Kathakali dance, Asian Games 2026, father of Green Revolution, Author of My Life, panchayat system, constitution day, civilization, ancient empires, etc. About 10-12 correct attempts will be good in this section.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many questions should I solve to get a good score in CMAT?

Q: How much time will be required to cover Innovation and Entrepreneurship syllabus of CMAT?

Previous Years' CMAT Analysis

Check here previous years' CMAT exam analysis to know the exam pattern and difficulty level of the exam over the years.

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:

Predict CMAT Admission Calls