SNAP Exam Pattern 2026 (Latest): Check Section wise Paper Pattern & Marking Scheme

SNAP 2026 Registration Process

21 Aug '26 - 25 Nov '26

Updated on Sep 20, 2026 22:38 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

Exam pattern of SNAP 2026 has been revised. A new section has has been introduced from this year. In SNAP 2026, candidates will have to attempt Ethics, Morality and Values section of 10 marks. Total marks and total question remain the same as last year, i.e. 60. SNAP total time also remains the same at 60 minutes. The SNAP exam pattern was last revised in six year ago when the exam used to be of 150 marks and 120 minutes.

SNAP pattern 2026: Latest Updates

The new section of SNAP is called Ethics, Morality and Values
Number of questions have been reduced in English and Analytical Reasoning sections
SNAP format is three-attempt test. Cadidates can take more than one attempt

Check out: What is SNAP Ethics, Morality and Values?

Table of contents

SNAP Exam Pattern 2026: Highlights
SNAP Exam Pattern: Latest vs Previous
SNAP Marking Scheme 2026
SNAP Paper Pattern: Section Wise Break-Up
SNAP Paper Pattern and Difficulty Level
SNAP 2026: Important Topics and Syllabus
SNAP Sample Papers to Understand Test Structure
FAQs Related to SNAP Exam Pattern 2026

SNAP Exam Pattern 2026: Highlights

SNAP is a low difficulty level exam but requires focussed practice as time limit is the challenge. With the addition of a fourth section this year, candidates will need to adjustthe preparation plan to accomodate the new section. Here's the detailed break down of the latest pattern of SNAP exam.

SNAP Exam Structure	SNAP Exam Details
Number of sections	General English Quantitative-Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency Analytical & Logical Reasoning Ethics, Morality and Values
Duration of exam	60 minutes
SNAP format	4-section test MCQs with four answer options
Number of questions	60
SNAP total marks	60
Language of paper	English
Number of attempts	Three
Mode of examination	Computer-based
Marks per questions	1
SNAP negative marking	-0.25

⚡ SNAP Syllabus 2026 Section Wise

Get detailed SNAP syllabus for English, A-LR and Quantitative Aptitude along with Ethics, Morality and Values.

📄 Download PDF

SNAP Exam Pattern: Latest vs Previous

Despite addition of a new section total marks and timing remains the same. However, this also means that there is no reduction in syllabus. Here's an overview of the changes in SNAP paper pattern from last year.

SNAP2026		SNAP 2025
Sections	Number of questions	Sections	Number of questions
General English	10	General English	10
Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	20	Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	20
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	20	Analytical & Logical Reasoning	25
Ethics, Morality and Values	10	-	-
Total	60	Total	60

Also read: SNAP exam pattern changed; check details

SNAP Marking Scheme 2026

As per the latest SNAP test pattern, weightage of total marks has changed. However, marking scheme remains the same as last year. Check below section wise SNAP marking scheme 2026:

SNAP section	marking sheme	SNAP total marks
General English	+1 for each correct attempt -0.25 for each incorrect attempt	10
Quantitative, Data interpretation & Data Sufficiency	+1 for each correct attempt -0.25 for each incorrect attempt	20
Analytical and Logical Reasoning	+1 for each correct attempt -0.25 for each incorrect attempt	20
Ethics, Morality and Values	+1 for each correct attempt -0.25 for each incorrect attempt	10
Total	--	60

SNAP Paper Pattern: Section Wise Break-Up

SNAP question paper 2026 will be divided into the following four sections. Overall, it is essential to attempt 2/3 of the questions correctly for a good score. While preparing for the exam, candidates must keep in mind the exam pattern of SNAP 2026.

Here's the sectional break up of SNAP 2026 question paper w.r.t. number of questions.

SNAP Sections	Number of Questions	Type
General English (VARC)	10	MCQ
Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	20	MCQ
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	20	MCQ
Ethics, Morality and Values	10	MCQ
Total	60	--

SNAP 2026: Sectional Time Limit

To crack the SNAP 2026 exam, it is important to be in control of time while attempting the exam:

Total time of every SNAP session is 60 minutes. There is no sectional time-limit.
An onscreen timer displays remaining time once the tcandidates starts the test.
Only PwD candidates get extra time to finish the SNAP Test.
Time management is critical as the exam is of only 60 minutes and the number of questions is also 60.
To have a better control on time, attempt the official SNAP mock test conducted by the examination body.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Which SNAP books should I read for General English section?

For preparation of General English section of SNAP exam, candidates must study:

Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay

Q: How many attempts are allowed in SNAP 2026 exam?

Every candidate can make three attempts in SNAP exam. The SNAP exam is conducted in three sessions in a gap of one or two weeks. Candidates can mention their number of attempts in the SNAP application form. However, they will have to pay application fee per session. Thus, candidates who are sure of making multiple attempts only then they should apply for multiple sessions as the fee amount is non-refundable. The scores of best attempt will be taken into consideration for shortlisting of candidates for Group Exercise, Personal Interview and Writing Ability Test.

Ideally candidates must take all three attempts as the difficulty level of the sessions could be different and it may so happen that one session is easy and candidates can score high in that.

Q: Is it necessary to attempt all the questions in SNAP?

SNAP has 60 questions but it is not mandatory to attempt all of them. Candidates should, however, try to attempt about 2/3^rd of total questions in each section for a good score, overall.

SNAP Paper Pattern and Difficulty Level

SNAP exam is easy exam but one needs to show adequate speed in solving questions as 60 minutes can fall short. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions, but still one has to read all the questions to choose which ones to attempt. Time management is the key here. Given below is the expected sectional break up of the SNAP 2026 exam:

SNAP Sections	No. of Questions	Difficulty Level
General English	10	Easy to Moderate
Quantitative, DI & DS	20	Tough
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	20	Easy
Ethics, Morality and Values	10	Easy
Total	60	Easy

Commonly asked questions

Q: Should I take coaching for SNAP preparation?

Yes, you can take coaching for SNAP preparation. It will help you in preparing for the exam in a disciplined manner and you will get correct guidance too.

Q: How to avoid negative marking in SNAP?

To avoid negative marking in SNAP, candidates must not do guess work. If they are not sure of the correct answer or find the question from out of their comfort zone, then don't attempt it.

Q: Can I prepare for SNAP in 6 months?

Yes, you can prepare for SNAP in 6 months. Spend the first 3 months in syllabus coverage and the last three months in mock test practice and revision.

SNAP 2026: Important Topics and Syllabus

Check the below table for section wise important topics included in SNAP syllabus 2026. Ethics, Morality and Values has been introduced for the first time in SNAP rhis year, so the syllabus is not exactly known. However, we've listed below some key topics that are generally a part of Ethics, Morality and Values.

SNAP Exam Sections	Important SNAP Topics
General English (Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability)	Syllogisms, Analogies, Grammar, Antonym-Synonym, One Word Substitution, Similar Sounding Words, Parajumbles, Fill in the Blanks
Quantitative, Data interpretation & Data Sufficiency (QA, DI-DS)	Trigonometry, Geometry, Algebra, Ratio and Proportion, Percentages, Partnership, Time-Speed-Distance, Data Interpretation
Analytical and Logical Reasoning (A-LR)	Column Graphs, Pie Chart, Coding and Decoding, Puzzles
Ethics, Morality and Values	Stakeholder vs Shareholder, Corporate Social Responsibility, Whistleblowing, Insider Trading, Financial Fraud, Employee Rights and Safety, Discrimination and DEI, Work Place Harassment Policies, Data Privacy, Sustainability, Global Supply Chains

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many sections are there in SNAP exam?

There are three sections in SNAP question paper:

General English
Analytical and Logical Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency

Q: What is the difficulty level of SNAP question paper?

The SNAP exam is short and simple to pass compared to other MBA tests. The exam takes only 60 minutes for 60 questions and covers English, Reasoning and Math.

It leaves out hard topics like long reading stories and tricky data puzzles and you can try the test three times to get your best score.

Q: What is the ideal number of attempts in SNAP?

SNAP has 3 attempts for all candidates in a particular academic year. For every session, candidates has to pay application fee of INR 2500. The examination body allows candidates to attempt the exam once, twice or thrice – it is up to the candidate to choose the number of attempts. Ideally, two attempts of SNAP should be good as there is not much gap between the sessions, and one doesn't really get a lot of time to prepare for the second attempt to improve score.

SNAP Sample Papers to Understand Test Structure

Shiksha provides SNAP sample papers and mock test papers free of cost for candidates to practice and check their preparation level. Download free PDFs of SNAP mock test practice papers with solutions.

SNAP Mock Tests by Shiksha
SNAP Mock Test Paper 1 with Solutions	SNAP Mock Test Paper 3 with Solutions
SNAP Mock Test Paper 2 with Solutions	SNAP Mock Test Paper 4 with Solutions

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is SNAP conducted in online mode?

Yes, SNAP is conducted in online mode at designated test centres. Candidates have to take the test on a computer system and use only the mouse cursor to key in the answers.

Q: What is the difference between SNAP session 1, 2 and 3?

There is no difference between SNAP session 1, 2 and 3, apart from question sets. The exam pattern, marking scheme and test structure are same for all three sessions of SNAP, but the questions are different. The difficulty level of SNAP sessions is also the same.

Q: I am preparing for CAT 2026? Do I need to prepare for SNAP 2026 separately?

Yes, you should prepare for SNAP separately, especially with regard to sample question and mock test practice. Even if you don't cover the syllabus separately, practice SNAP mock test specifically.

FAQs Related to SNAP Exam Pattern 2026

Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on SNAP exam pattern:

Q: Is there sectional time limit in SNAP?

There is no sectional time limit in SNAP exam. Candidates can use 60 minutes in whichever way they like.

Q: Does SIU release the official SNAP question papers?

The official SNAP question paper is not released by the exam authority anymore. It used to be released along with the answer key after the exam until 2019. Since 2020, when the exam format changed from single session to three sessions, the SNAP question paper, response sheet and answer key release was stopped. Now, after the SNAP exam, the authorities directly release the scorecards.

However, unofficial SNAP answer keys are released by coaching institutes and mentors for candidates to analyse their performance. The unofficial answer keys are released on the same day as exam session contain SNAP questions and their solved answers. These-memory based question paper and answer key help candidates in assessing their performance by seeing which of their attempts were correct and which were incorrect.

Q: How many SNAP mock tests and question papers should I solve for a good score?

There is no definite number of mock test that the candidate should practice. It totally depends on the candidate’s ability and strength viz a viz the SNAP syllabus. Some candidates need less number of SNAP mock tests to reach the optimum level of preparation whereas some candidates need more number of SNAP mock tests to reach the optimum level.

At the same time, it is recommended that on an average, candidates should practice at least 25-30 SNAP mock tests to perform well in the exam. Candidates should also analyse each and every mock test performance to know their progress. With every consecutive mock test, they should be able to score higher than previous mock test. Every candidate must decide upon the number and quality of mock tests based on their preparation level. They neither should solve less mock tests nor over-do it.

Q: Which SNAP section ha maximum questions?

Analytical and Logical Reasoning section of SNAP has maximum number of questions, i.e. 25. All the questions are in MCQ format having four answer options.

Q: Which SNAP section has maximum weightage?

Analytical and Logical Reasoning section of SNAP has maximum weightage of 25 marks. The questions in this section are of moderate difficulty level.

Q: Is there negative marking in SNAP?

Yes, there is negative marking in SNAP. For every incorrect attempt. 0.25 marks will be deducted. However, if you skip any answer, you will not be marked negatively.

Q: Is SNAP conducted in online mode?

Yes, SNAP is conducted in online mode at designated test centres. Candidates have to take the test on a computer system and use only the mouse cursor to key in the answers.

Q: What is the difference between SNAP session 1, 2 and 3?

Q: I am preparing for CAT 2026? Do I need to prepare for SNAP 2026 separately?

Yes, you should prepare for SNAP separately, especially with regard to sample question and mock test practice. Even if you don't cover the syllabus separately, practice SNAP mock test specifically.