There is no common counseling for CMAT. Qualifying candidates have to apply for admission individually to their preferred colleges. Selection process through CMAT usually includes Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). Some B-schools conduct Written Ability Test (WAT) instead of GD.
Selection of candidates is based on CMAT cut off, determined by the institutes. Candidates who have qualified the CMAT 2026 can apply for admission in the current academic session. Read on this page, detailed CMAT selection process 2026.
- CMAT Admission Process 2026: Key Points
- CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule
- CMAT Admission Criteria and Eligibility 2026
- Stages of CMAT Admission Process 2026
- Top Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores
- FAQs on CMAT Counselling 2026
CMAT Admission Process 2026: Key Points
Steps of admission through CMAT
If you are planning to apply for MBA through CMAT 2026 score, you should keep the following in mind:
- CMAT is a national level exam and accepted by all AICTE approved institutions.
- 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.
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
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.
CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CMAT 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| Feb ' 27 | CMAT 2027 result TENTATIVE |
CMAT Admission Criteria and Eligibility 2026
Candidates seeking admission to an MBA programme must fulfill the following CMAT admission criteria, common to all the CMAT participating institutes:
- Academic requirement: Candidates must fulfil the minimum score requirement for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation of 50% aggregate (45 % for Reserved categories)
- Valid CMAT score: Selection is largely based on CMAT cut off, which is institute specific
- Good performance in GD/PI: Final selection is based on candidate's skill and abilities displayed during GD/PI
- Work experience (if applicable): There are additional points for work experience for MBA admission in all top B-Schools
Documents Required for CMAT Admission Process 2026
Documents to carry for Group Discussion and Personal Interview for admission to MBA/PGDM course through CMAT exam are listed below. Additional documents if required will be specified by the institute in the PI-call letter. Candidates must arrange the following documents before their GD/PI schedule:
| Documents required (original and self-attested photocopy) | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
Stages of CMAT Admission Process 2026
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. They will be then invited to participate in Group Discussion/Written Ability Test and Personal Interview.
Also read: CMAT cut offs of top MBA institutes
2.CMAT Admission Process: Group Discussion
Group discussion conducted as part of CMAT selection process will be to assess 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.
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
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
The CMAT exam was held in January 2026. NTA usually starts registration for CMAT in November every year. Those interested in appearing for the exam are required to register for it at CMAT-NTA website and fill out the online application form. The score of CMAT will be valid for one year only, so if you appear for CMAT 2026, you must take admission in the same academic year.
Apart from 1300 B-schools, the CMAT score is also valid for admission through MAH CET CAP. The Maharashtra State CET Cell conducts MBA/MMS admissions for 300 colleges in the state. It is followed by a common counselling process called CAP. CMAT test takers can also participate in MAH MBA CET CAP and secure a seat in MBA/MMS course offered by over 300 colleges in Maharashtra.
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.
Top Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores
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:
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
MBA exams whose registrations are closing soon
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FAQs on CMAT Counselling 2026
Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CMAT counsellling:
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.
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.
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.
CMAT Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
With 239 marks (96.63 percentile) in CMAT, plus excellent academics (91.52% in X, 93.33% in XII, 93.33% in UG) and 24 months of work experience, you are in a very strong position for calls from top CMAT-accepting institutes.
Institutes You Can Expect Calls From
- JBIMS (Jamnalal Bajaj, Mumbai) – Cuto
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
CMAT response sheet and provisional answer key are same. Since the answer key contains candidate's responses too, it is also called CMAT response sheet.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Candidates can use the CMAT answer key to calculate the score in the following manner:
· Check number of correct attempts
· Check number of incorrect attempts
· Add 4 marks for every correct attempt
· Subtract 1 mark for every incorrect attempt
· Sub total will be CMAT score
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Filing objection against the CMAT answer key is not mandatory for all candidates. Only those candidate who feel a question/s is incorrect and they have proof to support the claim, should raise objection.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
The CMAT answer key objection fee per question is INR 200. Candidates have to pay it at the time of filling the objection form.
E
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
CMAT answer key helps the candidate in checking their performance and it is also a window for NTA to communicate transparency in result preparation number.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Objection cannot be raised against the final answer key of CMAT, as it contains the answers evaluated again after objections by candidates.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
CMAT final answer key is released as a downloadable PDF. Candidates can download it by visiting the NTA-CMAT website and simply downloading the document.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Provisional answer key of CMAT refers to the document released by the NTA indicating answers marked by candidate and correct options. This document tell candidates about how many of their attempts are right.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
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.
P
Contributor-Level 7
4.3
Can I get a call with 239 marks (96.63 percentile) in CMAT along with 91.52% in X, 93.33% in XII, 93.33 in UG along with 24 months of exp.?