CMAT 2027: Exam Dates, Registration, Pattern, Syllabus

Common Management Admission Test 2027 ( CMAT )

Vipra Shrivastava
Updated on Jul 17, 2026 15:35 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CMAT 2027 exam will be held most likely in the third week of January. The NTA will announce CMAT exam dates 2027 in October via an official notification. Registrations will start in the same month. Candidates will have to fill the CMAT 2027 application form at the CMAT-NTA website. Read on this page, all about CMAT exam.

Latest Updates:

  • CMAT 2027 exam will be conducted in a single session. 
  • It will be held in 124 cities across India.
  • The mode of examination will be Computer Based Test. 
  • Exam duration will be 180 minutes
Table of contents
  • What is CMAT Exam?
  • CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule
  • CMAT 2027 Eligibility and Application Process
  • CMAT 2027 Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation
  • CMAT Admit Card 2027
  • CMAT Question Papers and Answer Keys
  • CMAT Result 2027
  • CMAT Cut Offs and Top Colleges
  • Important FAQs Regarding CMAT 2027
View More
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What is CMAT Exam?

CMAT is a business aptitude test for admission to MBA/PGDM courses offered by AICTE approved colleges and institutions in India. The exam is conducted on a single day and various test centres. It comprises five sections - Quantitative Techniques & Data InterpretationLogical ReasoningLanguage Comprehension. The examination score is valid for one year. Over 1300 MBA colleges in India acceept CMAT score for admisison. 

CMAT Exam Highlights 2026

About 75,000+ MBA aspirants appear for the CMAT exam every year. Check the table below for key aspects of CMAT 2027 exam

Particulars Details
Conducting body  NTA
Exam mode Computer based test
Frequency Annual
Courses covered MBA/PGDM
Current status Notification awaited
Next event Registration

CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule

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

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates
Oct ' 26 - Nov ' 26

CMAT 2027 registration and application process

TENTATIVE
Jan ' 27

CMAT 2027 exam

TENTATIVE
Feb ' 27

CMAT 2027 result

TENTATIVE
CMAT Logo

CMAT 2027 Eligibility and Application Process

DeskCalendarRegistration: Oct ' 26 - Nov ' 26

CMAT eligibility criteria is determined by AICTE. Check below academic requirement:

CMAT Eligibility Criteria 2027

  • Candidate must have a graduation degree from a recognised university.
  • Final year graduation students are also eligible for CMAT
  • There is no 50% marks criteria is CMAT. Only passing marks is required
  • However, for pursuing full time MBA, minimum score criteria of 50% is required (45% for reserved categories).

Also Read: Detailed CMAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria 

CMAT Application Fee 

CMAT fee is different for different categories of student. Check below, fee amount that will have to be paid for CMAT 2027 registration. 

Category CMAT fees
General Male INR 2500
SC/ST/PwD/Female/Transgender INR 1250

CMAT Application Process 2027

CMAT 2027 application form submission will be an online proecess. Candidates will have to register for the exam at the NTA website Given below is the process to apply for CMAT 2027:

  • Go to NTA-CMAT website: https://cmat.nta.nic.in/
  • Click on new registration option and enter basic details 
  • Create a login ID and confirm registration via OTP received in SMS
  • Enter personal and academic details in CMAT form
  • Upload passport size photo and scanned signature in prescribed form
  • Pay CMAT registration fees via credit/debit card or internet banking 

Also Read: CMAT 2027 registration process

Candidates will have the option to choose upto 4 cities for centre allotment in the application form. The allotment of CMAT test centres will be done on first cum first serve basis, thus, candidates must fill the CMAT form and pay the fee at the earliest.

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CMAT 2027 Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation

CMAT exam pattern is simple and straightforward. There are MCQs to be solved in a time bound manner. Check details below;

CMAT Exam Pattern 2027

There are five sections and all five of them have equal number of questions. Marks allotted to each section is also the same. Check below key highlights of CMAT exam pattern 2027

CMAT Exam Pattern and Test Structure 2027

CMAT Sections

  • Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Language Comprehension
  • General Awareness
  • Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Number of questions

100

Number of questions per section

20

Marks per question

4

Sectional time-limit

No

CMAT difficulty level

Moderate to Difficult

CMAT exam duration

3 hours (180 minutes)

Download: CMAT question paper PDFs (previous years)

CMAT Syllabus 2027

CMAT exam syllabus has same topics as other MBA entrance exams. There is only one uniques section, i.e. Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Check below the important topics included in CMAT syllabus:

  • CMAT Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation syllabus: Arithmetic, Mensuration, Algebra, Time-Speed-Distance, Alligation & Mixtures, Geometry, Graph, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Tables & Charts, Bar Graphs, etc.
  • CMAT Logical Reasoning syllabus: Analytical Reasoning, Linear Arrangements, Number Series, Matrix Arrangements, Blood Relationship Tests, Coding-Decoding, Family Tree, Clocks and Calendars, etc.
  • CMAT Language Comprehension syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Grammar, English Usage Errors, Fill in the Blanks, Antonym & Synonym, Idioms, Word Meaning, Vocabulary, Parajumbles, etc.
  • CMAT General Awareness syllabus: Economy, Business, World, Politics, Sports, Culture, Society, Personalities, Awards, Art, Entertainment, Books, Culture, Society, Science & Tech.
  • CMAT Innovation & Entrepreneurship syllabus: Business Studies, Management, Business Partnership, Entrepreneurship, Start-ups and other related topics

CMAT 2027 Preparation Tips

For CMAT 2027 preparation, the main requirement is syllabus coverage and practice session. Both need ample time and focused strategy as they have to prepare 5 subjects which arre of diverse nature. The ideal time to start CMAT preparation is 6 months before the exam. Check below some key points to cover in the CMAT 2027 exam preparation plan:

  1. Covering CMAT syllabus with the help of recommended books
  2. Practicing CMAT mock tests and sample papers
  3. Regular revision and extensive practice of topics
  4. Seeking guidance from mentors/teachers
  5. Make a time management strategy for exam day

Also Read:

CMAT Mock Tests

Once you have completed the CMAT syllabus, practice sample papers and mock tests to analyse your preparation level. Practice 25-30 mock tests to improve your speed and accuracy in solving questions. Shiksha has created an online CMAT mock test that candidates can take free of cost below.

CMAT Mock Test by Shiksha 
CMAT Mock Test 1 Download Questions Download Solutions
CMAT Mock Test 2 Download Questions Download Solutions
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CMAT Admit Card 2027

CMAT admit card will be released online and will have to be downloaded through login. Given below is the process to download CMAT admit card 2027:

  • Visit the CMAT-NTA website: cmat.nta.nic.in
  • Click on 'CMAT 2027 Admit Card' tab
  • Enter application number and date of birth
  • Click on 'submit' to log in to your account
  • Fill the self declaration form to go to the admit card page
  • Download the CMAT admit card 2027 as PDF

CMAT admit card is a mandatory docuement to be carried to the examination centre. Candidates will have to make sure their, hall tickets are error free and there is no misprint. They will have to carry 2 copies of the admit card will self-declaration attached. A passport size photo will be required to be pasted on the CMAT 2027 admit card.

Also read:

CMAT Logo

CMAT Question Papers and Answer Keys

CMAT 2027 aspirants must practice previous years' CMAT question paper during their preparation phase to know different types of questions that are asked in the exam.

CMAT Question with Answers PDFs Download

Download free PDFs of CMAT question paper along with the official answer keys in the table below:

Exam Year PDF Link
CMAT 2025 Download PDF 
CMAT 2024 Download PDF 
CMAT 2022 Download PDF 
CMAT 2020 Download PDF 

CMAT 2027 question paper and answer key will be released 3-5 days after the exam and will be available for download to the test takers. The CMAT answer key will contain question wise answer options, correct options and candidate's response. The answer key will help the candidate in evaluating thei performance and calculate expected score.

Also Read: CMAT 2027 answer key

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CMAT Result 2027

DeskCalendarResult: Feb ' 27

CMAT result cum scorecard 2027 will be released about 10 days after the exam. Check below how to download it:

  • Visit https://cmat.nta.nic.in/

  • Click on CMAT-2027 scorecard tab 

  • Enter application number and password or date of birth

  • Click on Submit to check CMAT 2027 result

Note: The result cum scorecard for CMAT 2026 is available for download until December 31, 2026 at the exam website.

Also Read:

CMAT Logo

CMAT Cut Offs and Top Colleges

CMAT cut offs for top colleges are usually in the range of 90-99 percentile, for Tier 1 colleges. For Tier 2 colleges, the CMAT cut offs range between 60-80 percentile and for Tier 3 colleges, the CMAT cut offs range between 50-70 percentile. Check below some of the top MBA colleges and their CMAT cut offs.

Colleges Accepting CMAT Score

CMAT Cut Offs

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, Chennai

95-99

University of Pune, Dept of Management Sciences

95-99

Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi

95

SOIL Institute of Management

90

Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai

85

Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management

85

IFIM, Bangalore

85

IFMR, Chennai

85

NIBM, Pune

85

NL Dalmia Institute of Management

85

NDIM, Delhi

85

Welingkar Institute of Management, Bangalore

80

IMT, Hyderabad

80

IMT, Nagpur

80

XISS, Ranchi

80

ITM, Navi Mumbai

80

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida

85

Xavier Business School, Xavier University

85

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon

85

BIMTECH, Greater Noida

80

XIME, Bangalore

80

ISBM, Pune

80

KIIT School of Management

80

IPE Hyderabad

80

IES's Management College and Research Centre

80

SIES College of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai

80

Woxsen University, Hyderabad

70

 

Also Read

Check CMAT cut-offs and predict your chances of receiving calls from top MBA colleges. Compare fees, placements, shortlist criteria, admission process, and eligibility requirements in one place.

 Predict CMAT Admission Calls →
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Important FAQs Regarding CMAT 2027

Check here frequently asked questions (FAQs) about CMAT exam:

Q:   Is CMAT syllabus easier than CAT syllabus?
A: 

CMAT syllabus is somewhat same as CAT syllabus. It has two extra subjects, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and General Awareness. However, these two subjects are not tough and can be covered alongside Quantitative Aptitude, English and Logical Reasoning. Despite having less subjects CAT is tougher than CMAT.

Q:   Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?
A: 
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:   Why are CAT cut offs higher than CMAT cut offs?
A: 

CAT cut offs hare higher than CMAT cut offs, due to various factors such as number of applicants, exam difficulty level, ranking of institutions, etc. CAT is conducted by IIM and is the toughest MBA entrance exam in India. Nearly 3 Lakh candidates appear for CAT exam and scores are accepted by some of the top ranking institutes. To select best of the best candidates CAT cut offs of IIMs and top colleges are very high. CMAT on the other hand is a moderate difficulty level exam and nearly 75000 candidates appear for it. It is accepted mostly by Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges.

Q:   What is the CMAT answer key objection fee?
A: 

CMAT answer key objection fee is INR 200 per question. The objection will be accepted only if the fee has been paid successfully. Since CMAT objection fee is to be paid per question, it is advised that candidate should raise objection to answer keys of only those which they know are incorrect. Don't raise objection on answer keys that you are not sure of.

Q:   When does CMAT answer key release?
A: 

CMAT answer key is released 3-7 days after the exam. The exact date of CMAT exam answer key release is shared by the NTA in after the exam has been conducted. After the release of CMAT answer key, candidates can assess their performance, by tallying their responses and official answers. They can also challenge the official CMAT answer key, by filling an online form and uploading supporting documents. The NTA-CMAT will examine the objections to see if they are genuine or not. In case, the ojection/s are found to be valid, the CMAT answer key is revised and released as the final answer key. The CMAT result is prepared only after examination of all te objections received from candidates.

Q:   Till when is provisional CMAT answer key available for download?
A: 

The provisional CMAT answer key is usually available for 2-3 days until the objection window is open. Candidates must download their CMAT response sheet and answer key within the objection window duration so that you don't miss the chance of having it, if the link is deactivated later. Post the result declaration, the provisional CMAT answer key may not be available for download.

Q:   Will I be able to calculate my CMAT percentile with CMAT answer key?
A: 

With the CMAT answer key candidate can calculate their raw score but calculating accurate CMAT percentile may not be possible as, several factors are considered for CMAT percentile calculation, most important being normalised CMAT score and number of test takers.

Q:   Is the CMAT answer key objection fee refundable?
A: 

The CMAT answer key objection fee is non-refundable. However, it will be refunded to only those candidates whose objections will be accepted as valid. Thus candidates must raise objection on answer keys only after careful deliberation and discussion with mentors/teachers. The fee amount will be refunded within 5-7 working days.

Q:   Does CMAT city intimation slip have test centre details?
A: 

The CMAT city intimation slip mentions only the name of city in which test centre has been allotted to the candidate. No other information is given on the CMAT city intimation slip. Details regarding the test centre, exam timings, reporting time. etc. are mentioned on the CMAT admit card only.

Q:   Do I have to preserve the CMAT admit card even after the exam?
A: 

Yes, you should keep CMAT admit card safe even after exam, because you may be asked to present it at the time of admission. Signed and stamped CMAT admit card is a proof that candidate appeared in exam.

Q:   What is the ideal time duration for CMAT preparation?
A: 

CMAT has five subjects – Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, English Comprehension, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship and to cover all of them, one will need good enough time. Overall, 3 months are needed to cover syllabus of CMAT and about 2 to 3 months for practice and revision. So, overall 6 months are good for CMAT preparation. 

Q:   Does NTA conduct MBA Admission through CMAT?
A: 
No, the NTA doesn't conduct common counselling for admission through CMAT. The role of NTA viz. CMAT ends with result declaration. The CMAT accepting colleges conduct their own admission process individually. Candidates have to fill admission forms of the target colleges individually. The MBA colleges and universities accepting CMAT scores conduct group discussion and Personal Interview to select candidates for admission. This selection is based on minimum CMAT cut off fixed by the institute. Admission through CMAT also includes assessment of candidates on the basis of other parameters such as academic record and work experience (not mandatory for all colleges). Overall, the admission process through CMAT includes selection of candidates on the basis of: 1. CMAT score 2. Class 10, 12 and graduation score 3. Work profile and other activities 4. Performance in Personal Interview and group discussion To check your chances of CMAT admission check this college predictor: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cmat-college-predictor.
Q:   Is there any negative marking in CMAT?
A: 

Yes, there is a negative marking in CMAT exam. For each wrong answer, 1 mark will be deducted. However, no marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.

Q:   Which is the lengthiest section in CMAT?
A: 

Sectional weightage of CMAT is same. Since the Language Comprehension section of CMAT includes reading comprehension passages, it can be considered a lengthy section. However, any other section can also be lengthier due to nature of the questions.

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

Innovation and Entrepreneurship syllabus of CMAT is not a very difficult section. The syllabus pertains to business studies, economy and entrepreneurship. So, it will not require must time to cover the syllabus.  Candidate can dedicate one month to this section towards the end, while preparing for other sections. You can refer to books - Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker and Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management by R. Gopal, Entrepreneurship by Robert D. Hisrich and Manorama Year Book by Mammen Mathew.

Q:   Are MAT and CMAT syllabi same?
A: 

MAT and CMAT syllabi are same for Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. MAT also has GK like CMAT, but the nature of GK questions of MAT are slightly different from that of CMAT. The MAT GK section has more questions from economy and business.

Q:   Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile?
A: 
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:   What is the eligibility criteria for admission to colleges accepting CMAT score?
A: 

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:   How many mock tests to attempt to score 99 percentile in CMAT?
A: 
There is no particular number of CMAT mock test that you should target to solve during your preparation phase but on an average it has been seen that about 30-40 CMAT mock tests are good enough to score 99 percentile. Candidates must start solving CMAT mock tests after completing the syllabus as it will help them gauge which are the topics that they have understood well and which are the topics that require more work. 30-34 CMAT mock tests are recommended as, CMAT exam is all about speed and accuracy. The more questions you'll solve in an exam environment, the better you'll get at understanding, choosing and solving questions faster and correctly. Important point to note about practicing CMAT mock test is that one should analyse every mock test to understand the gaps and fissures and what to do to fill them. Another aspect to keep in mind is not to overdo it. When you start to score 98-99 percentile in CMAT mock tests consistently then you should stop and focus on revision, etc.
Q:   How many questions should I solve to get a good score in CMAT?
A: 

Since every section of CMAT has 20 questions in total, solving 15 to 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 to 12 correct attempts will be enough. Out of 100 questions, candidates must try to solve about 70 to 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 have to prepare for the CMAT in a disciplined manner. Candidates must set aside about three months to complete the CMAT syllabus, as they have to study five subjects and their numerous topics. If they have appeared for 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 CMAT syllabus for complete preparation.

1468 Institutes accepting CMAT

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