CMAT Admission Process 2027: Check Selection Criteria & GD-PI Dates

CMAT 2027 registration and application process

27 Oct '26 - 28 Nov '26

Updated on Oct 18, 2026 11:03 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CMAT counselling process for 2027 batch will include Group Discussion (GD) or Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). NTA does not conduct the counselling or admission process through CMAT. Qualifying candidates have to apply to CMAT score accepting colleges individually. Those who plan to pursue MBA next year should prepare and appear for CMAT 2027. NTA has announced the CMAT exam date 2027 as February 7, 2027. NTA will start the CMAT registration process 2027 soon. Every aspirant who wishes to apply fo any college accepting CMAT score must register and appear for the CMAT 2027 exam. Admission process at score accepting colleges will open after the exam and result announcement. Read on this page, all about admission process for MBA through CMAT score.

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CMAT Admission Process 2027: Key Points

Admission to colleges accepting CMAT score is usually starts from February and goes on until August. Since it is a national level test conducted by NTA, a lot of government universities accepted the score for MBA admission. Candidates who plan to appear for CMAT 2027 must note the following:

NTA is only the exam conducting body for CMAT. It does not determine or participate in admission process.
There is no common counselling, so candidates have to apply to MBA colleges separately as per their admission cycle.
Validity of CMAT score is one year, in most of the B-Schools. A few Tier 3 colleges may accept CMAT score of previous 1-2 years.
CMAT is conducted annually, so if a candidate wishes to improve their score, they will have to appear for it again, next year.
CMAT score is valid mainly for MBA or PGDM courses. For Executive MBA, the institutes conduct separate written tests.
Application process for MBA colleges is online and candidates have to visit specific college's website to fill the form, within the deadline.
Meeting the CMAT cut off is not enough to get admission. Candidates have to clear the personal interview round too.

⚡ Check NTA-CMAT 2026 Bulletin for Reference

📄 Download PDF

CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CMAT 2027 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
Feb ' 27	CMAT 2027 result TENTATIVE

CMAT Admission Criteria and Eligibility 2027

For admission to MBA colleges through CMAT 2027 score, candidates have to fulfill the following eligibility criteria.

50% marks in Graduation from a recognized university, for General category candidates.
45 % marks in Graduation from a recognized university for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
There is no upper age limit for pursuing MBA through CMAT

Documents Required for CMAT Admission Process 2027

Candidates will be required to carry the following documents for WAT/GD and PI. They must carry original as well as photo copy of each of these documents.

Documents required for GD/PI
CMAT scorecard	CMAT admit card
Class 10 marksheet and certificate	Class 12 marksheet and certificate
Graduation marksheet and certificate	Date of birth certificate
Valid photo ID issued by the Government of India	Permanent Address proof
Caste/PWD certificate	ECA certificates or proof of recognition

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:

CMAT College Predictor

Commonly asked questions

Q: Are there CMAT accepting colleges in which GD/PI is not conducted?

Yes, there are CMAT accepting colleges which do not conduct GD/PI. The seat allotment is based on counselling process based on CMAT cut off and candidate's choice of college. Most of the Maharashtra MBA colleges such as JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA, Welingkar's, IMT, KJ Somaiya, etc. that participate in MAH CET CAP round, offer admission without GD/PI.

Q: If I meet CMAT cut offs but not the academic score criteria, will I still be considered for admission?

The academic score criteria of minimum 50% in graduation for General category candidates and minimum 45 % for SC/ST/PwD candidates is a mandatory criteria set by AICTE for all colleges offering technical education including MBA, so it is very unlikely that if you don't have the minimum academic score by meet CMAT cut off, you will still get admission.

Q: How to calculate CMAT percentile?

Since CMAT is usually conducted in two shifts, there are chances of the question paper of one shift being slightly tougher or easier in comparison to the question paper of other shift. In order to negate the possibility of any candidate having an advantage or disadvantage due to this, the exam authorities normalise the CMAT scores before percentile calculation. Once that is done, the authorities use the normalised score for percentile score calculation. CMAT percentile is basically a rank of a candidate vs the total number of candidates who appeared in the exam. Given below is the formula for calculating CMAT percentile prescribed by NTA: Formula to Calculate CMAT Percentile: If 10,000 candidates appeared in CMAT and only 1 candidate scored the highest marks (365/400). Since they have scored the highest in exam, their rank will be 1 and CMAT percentile score will be: 100 x 9999/10,000= 99.99.

Stages of CMAT Admission Process 2027

1.CMAT Admission Process: Screening of Candidates

The CMAT participating institutes fix cut offs to select candidates for admission. The criteria of fixing CMAT cut off may vary for every institute. The institutes will accept applications from only those candidates who will meet the minimum CMAT cut off criteria.

Also read: CMAT cut offs of top MBA institutes

2.CMAT Admission Process: Group Discussion

Group Discussion is conducted to evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, leadership quality, problem solving ability and other personality traits. A lot of weightage is given to this round for admission hence, candidates must prepare well for this round. They must read a lot on socio-economic issues and current affairs and practice public speaking. Some B-Schools conduct Writing Ability Test instead of Group Discussion. It is a 250-word essay writing test.

3.CMAT Admission Process: Personal Interview

The Personal Interview round is conducted by the institutes to assess the candidate's interpersonal skills, personality, general & managerial aptitude, command over speech, confidence and knowledge of business and industry. It is mandatory to be present in person for both Group Discussion and Personal Interview. Those who will not attend this round, will not be considered for admission.

Also Read: Top MBA colleges accepting CMAT score for admission

4.CMAT Admission Process: Final Selection

Final selection for admission will be based on the candidate’s overall performance in the CMAT exam, Group Discussion and Personal Interview, academic history and other professional/ECA merits. Admission offers will be sent to selected candidates by the institutes and they will be required to complete the formalities within the deadline.

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the passing marks for CMAT exam?

There is no passing mark in CMAT exam, as admission is based on cut offs determined by colleges. A candidate scoring more than 0 in CMAT is eligible for admission will be selected only if they meet minimum cut off.

Q: How are CMAT cut offs determined?

CMAT cut offs are determined by the score accepting colleges individually. The colleges determine admission cut offs on the basis of certain parameters such as:

· CMAT result trend and exam difficulty level

· Previous years' CMAT cut offs for their college

· Number of exam test takers

· College ranking

· Overall pass percentage and scoring trend in CMAT of that particular year

Q: When can I apply for CMAT?

CMAT exam is conducted annually in January and the registration window opens in October. You can apply for CMAT 2027 once the application window open in October 2026.

Top Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

CMAT cut offs for top colleges such as JBIMS, SIMSREE, KJ Somaiya go high up to 99.99 percentile. However, the cut offs for Tier 2 CMAT colleges are low and admission process is less rigorous than Tier 1 colleges. Check below top MBA colleges in India accepting CMAT score and their expected cut offs:

Colleges accepting CMAT score	CMAT Cut Off
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies	99.99 percentile
SIMSREE	99.97 percentile
Goa Institute of Management	99.85 percentile
K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research	99.20 percentile
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai	99.06 percentile
Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi	95 percentile
IFIM Business School, Bangalore	85 percentile
Asia-Pacific Institute of Management	85 percentile
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida	82 percentile
BIMTECH, Greater Noida	75 percentile
BIT, Mesra	75 percentile
DY Patil School of Management, Pune	75 percentile
XIME, Bangalore	75 percentile
Christ University Institute of Management	70 percentile
WeSchool Mumbai-Welingkar Institute of Management	70 percentile
WeSchool Bangalore-Welingkar Institute of Management	70 percentile
Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad (IMS Ghaziabad)	70 percentile
D Y Patil University School of Management (DYPUSM)	70 percentile
Jagannath International Management School (JIMS)	70 percentile
Universal Business School	70 percentile
NSB Academy	70 percentile
KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar (KSOM)	80 percentile
Alliance School of Business - Alliance University	75 percentile
Indus Business Academy, Bangalore	60 percentile
Indira Institute of Management (IIMP)	70 percentile
SRM Institute of Science and Technology	80 percentile
Amrita School of Business - DMS, Bangalore	80 percentile
Aims Institute of Management Studies	70 percentile
Accurate Group of Institutions	70 percentile
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies (RCBS)	70 percentile
ISME, Bangalore	60 percentile
VIT Business School, Vellore	60 percentile

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Score: City Wise

Candidates can check from the list below, their preferred MBA college in their preferred city for admission through CMAT:

MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Delhi	MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Bangalore	MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Bhopal
MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Mumbai	MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Pune	MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Hyderabad

List of MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

Check Cut offs of top MBA entrance exams and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict IIM & Non IIM Calls

Commonly asked questions

Q: Can I download CMAT answer key after result has been released?

It is unlikely that the CMAT answer key download link will be available even after the result has been released. The NTA may remove old links from the website after the CMAT result announcement. Thus, it is better to download the CMAT answer key on the day it is released and save a copy of the same.

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: What is the validity of CMAT score?

Validity of CMAT score is one year in most of the colleges. There are a very few and Tier 3 colleges that may accept CMAT score from previous years. So, if they wish to drop a year, they should appear for the exam again in the next session.

View accepting colleges

FAQs on CMAT Counselling 2027

Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CMAT counsellling:

Q: Is CMAT score valid for IIM?

CMAT score is not valid for admission to IIMs. Candidates who have appeared for CMAT exam can select from over 1300 other MBA colleges in India to pursue the course.

Q: How to select CMAT colleges for admission?

The first criteria is CMAT cut off. Candidates should shortlist all the colleges whose cut off is same or lower than their score. Thereafter, check fees, location, accreditation, curriculum, pedagogy and placement reports to choose one foe themselves.

Q: What is a good score in CMAT?

CMAT total marks is 400. It is usually considered that scoring 270 to 300 marks can convert into good percentile, about 99 percentile. Around 200 marks can get you 90 percentile which is also good if you are targeting private colleges.

Q: What is the eligibility criteria for admission to colleges accepting CMAT score?

Although there is no minimum graduation marks criterion for appearing in the CMAT exam, the criterion applies for admission through CMAT. As per the AICTE recommendation, the candidate must have completed graduation from a recognised university with a minimum score of 50 per cent in aggregate (45 per cent for Reserved category students) to be eligible for admission to a UGC recognised MBA/PGDM course.

Q: What is the CMAT score calculation process?

CMAT scores calculation is a simple process and it is based on the marking scheme. The raw score calculation in CMAT is the sum total of correct/incorrect entries and unanswered questions. To understand the CMAT score calculation, first understand the marking scheme. For each correct answer, 4 marks will be allotted For each incorrect answer 1 mark will be deducted For each unanswered question, 0 marks will be allotted CMAT has five sections and all the sections have 20 questions each. Thus, the total marks of CMAT exam is 400. If a candidate has got 70/100 questions correct, 10 questions incorrect and skipped 5 questions, then their total score will be (70x4-10+5x0) 270/400. After the calculation of CMAT raw score of each test takers, they are converted into percentile for result and all India merit list preparation. On the CMAT result cum scorecard, raw score as well as percentile is mentioned.

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.