TANCET Exam Pattern 2026: Check Section-wise Latest Paper Format

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test 2026 ( TANCET )

This exam is conducted for courses given below:
Abhishek Dhawan
Updated on Oct 8, 2025 16:54 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Assistant Manager – Editorial Content

TANCET 2026 Exam Pattern: The conducting body of TANCET 2026, Anna University, has released the TANCET exam pattern. TANCET pattern for MBA is different from MCA; therefore, Anna University conducts the exam for MBA and MCA in two separate shifts. TANCET exam is conducted every year for MBA and MCA courses. The exam pattern of TANCET MBA 2026 is on similar lines to the previous session. Anna University will conduct TANCET 2026 in a pen-pencil based mode, or the offline mode.

As per the TANCET 2026 MBA exam pattern, the question paper will have five sections, namely, Analysis of Business Situations, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Sufficiency and English Usage. Each section will have 20 questions. Candidates need to answer questions from all the sections within a two-hour duration. Read this article further to get more details on TANCET exam pattern 2026.

Access past 10 year TANCET question papers for MBA and MCA

Table of content
  • TANCET Exam Pattern 2026
  • TANCET Exam Pattern 2026: Sectional Insights
  • TANCET 2026 Marking Scheme
  • TANCET 2026 Syllabus: Important Topics
  • TANCET Exam Preparation 2026
  • FAQs on TANCET Exam Pattern
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TANCET Exam Pattern 2026

Check the table below to know the TANCET 2026 exam pattern for MBA and MCA courses:

TANCET Exam Pattern

Details

Exam mode

Offline

Total questions

100

TANCET MBA sections

5 (Business Situations, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Sufficiency and English Usage)

TANCET MCA sections

4 (Quantitative Aptitude, Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Computer Awareness )

Section-wise question weightage (MBA)

20 per section

Section-wise question weightage (MCA)

25 per section

Duration of test

2 hours

Marks per correct response

+1 mark

Negative marks

-1/4 for each incorrect response

Medium

English

Also Read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Will TANCET exam have descriptive type questions?
A: 

TANCET exam does not have any descriptive type questions. All the questions in the TANCET question paper are objective type questions, also known as Multiple Choice Questions. Anna University design the TANCET test paper to ask questions with four answers options. Out of these four options, one answers is correct, while other three answers are incorrect. Candidates have to choose the right answers to fetch 1 mark. For every incorrect response, candidates will get a education of 1/3 marks. All 100 questions in the TANCET exam are objective type.

Q:   What is the duration of TANCET exam?
A: 

TANCET exam duration is two hours or 120 minutes. Candidates have to answer a total of 100 MCQ type questions within 120 minutes. For each question in the TANCET exam, candidates will have more than one minute. Therefore, candidates must target to answer each question of the TANCET exam within the specified timeline.

Since there is a negative marking, candidates must avoid the guess work and only answer those questions where they are confident of the answer.

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TANCET Exam Pattern 2026: Sectional Insights

The table below mentions the key insights of the TANCET MBA exam sections:

Sections

Details

Business Situations

This section assesses the candidates’ ability to analyse a given set of data critically and apply the data in making business decisions

Reading Comprehension

This section tests the candidates’ based on their ability to answer questions on the given passages in English

Quantitative Ability

This section evaluates the candidates’ skill in solving mathematical problems

Data Sufficiency

This section analyses the candidates’ ability to solve data-based questions and knowledge of mathematics

English Usage

This section aims to test the candidates’ knowledge of English Language and its usage, Grammar and Punctuation.

DILR Question-Answers for Practice Quantitative Aptitude Question-Answers for Practice VARC Question-Answers for Practice

The table below mentions the key insights of the TANCET MCA exam sections

Sections

Details

Quantitative Ability

This section evaluates the candidates’ skill in solving mathematical problems
Analytical reasoning

This section evaluates a candidate's ability to study information and draw inferences from the given pattern

Logical Reasoning

This section assesses candidates ability to logically work through concepts and problems

Computer Awareness

This section evaluates the candidate's knowledge of Computer

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is there any sectional time limit in TANCET MBA exam?
A: 

As per the TANCET exam pattern, the exam has five sections compiling 100 questions. The total duration to answers all these 100 MCQs is 120 minutes. It is up to the test take to decide how much time he/she should allocate to each section. Since there is no pre-define sectional time limit, candidates can over across questions as well as sections. Although there is no sectional time limit, candidates must not forget that the weightage of questions and marks in each section is similar. Therefore, all five sections hold equal significance. It is crucial to allocate time to each section based on the candidates individual comfort and preparation. Candidates must keep the total time duration of the exam in mind and the time they need to answers questions from the next section of TANCET exam.

Q:   Which section of the TANCET exam has the highest weightage?
A: 

The TANCET exam has five sections, namely,

  1. Business Situations 
  2. Reading Comprehension
  3. Quantitative Ability
  4. Data Sufficiency
  5. English Usage

As per the TANCET exam pattern, a total of 100 questions are asked collectively from all sections of the TANCET exam. All five section of TANCET MBA exam have equal weightage. Therefore, candidates have to answer a total of 20 questions, irrespective of the section. Since all sections of the TANCET exam have equal weightage, candidates must take all sections seriously. Each section of TANCET exam holds identical importance.

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TANCET 2026 Marking Scheme

Space below has the TANCET 2026 MBA marking scheme: 

  • The TANCET question paper have 100 questions.
  • Candidates need to choose one correct answer option out of four options.
  • For every correct answer, candidates will score 1 mark.
  • For each wrong answer, 1/4 marks will be deducted
  • If any candidate selects multiple options as the answer, it will be treated as the wrong answer and 1/3 mark will be deducted for this.
  • No marks will be deducted for the questions left unanswered.
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How many options are there in each MCQ in TANCET question paper?
A: 

TANCET exam coprises as many as 100 objective type questions. TANCET MBA exam has five sections with equal question weightage. Therefore, each section will have 20 questions each. Candidates have to answer all the questions. However, in case of incorrect responses, candidates will face a penalty of 1/3 mark. Each correct answer will fetch 1 mark.

Q:   What is the marking scheme of TANCET for MBA exam?
A: 

Anna University prescribes the marking scheme of TANCET MBA and MCA exam. Candidates preparing for the exam day strategy must know the TANCET marking scheme to plan the best strategy. The TANCET exam marking scheme is as follows:

  • Each correct response will fetch 1 mark
  • Any incorrect response in the TANCET exam will lead to deduction of 1/3 mark
  • No negative marking prevails for the unattempted questions

Since the TANCET exam have a negative marking for incorrect response, candidates must only mark the answers in the OMR sheet if they are sure of the same. Negative marking may decrease the overall score extensive.

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TANCET 2026 Syllabus: Important Topics

Candidates are advised to cover the following topics of the TANCET syllabus as most of the questions asked are based on these.

Sections Topics

Quantitative Ability

Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry & Mensuration, Calculus, Differential Equation, Probability and Statistics

Reading Comprehension

Passages followed by a set of questions

English Usage

Synonyms, Antonyms, Fill in the blanks, Grammar, Vocabulary, Sentence Corrections, Idioms, Cloze Test, One Word Substitution

Data Sufficiency

Number systems, Data Interpretation (Pie Chart, Line Graph, Bar Graph and Tables), questions in the form of Statements

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is the syllabus for CAT and TANCET same? Can I prepare for TANCET exam using CAT study material such as mock tests and question papers?
A: 

CAT is a national level exam for MBA admission, while TANCET is a state level exam for MBA admission. Syllabus for both CAT and TANCET are on a similar lies with slight changes in the sections. TANCET exam includes an additional section for Business Situation analysis. Candidates who have prepared for CAT exams section, including DILR, VARC, and QA, need a minimal study plan to prepare for TANCET. Candidates who took the CAT exam must drive deeper into the section for analysis of business situations. Study material, including books, question type remains similar for CAT and TANCET exam.

Practising mock tests for CAT and TANCET must be done individual as the difficult standards, exam duration, number of questions and other elements of test pattern will vary. Mock test will provide a better understanding of taking TANCET and CAT exam.

Q:   What is the syllabus & exam pattern of TANCET?
A: 

TANCET exam is conducted for MBA and MCA admission. More than 25,000 candidates take the TANCET exam for MBA admission. The sections vary for MBA and MCA exams. The space below mention the TANCET MBA exam pattern:

  • Mode of TANCET exam: Offline, OMR based
  • Type of questions: Objective type
  • Number of questions: 100
  • Number of sections: 5
  • Exam duration: 120 minutes
  • Maximum marks: 100
  • Marks for correct response: 1 mark
  • Mark down for incorrect response: 1/4 mark
  • Exam medium: English

The TANCET MBA syllabus is based on five sections. The sections for TANCET MBA exam include:

  • Business Situations
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Quantitative Ability
  • Data Sufficiency
  • English Usage

All sections in the TANCET exam have equal weightage.

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TANCET Exam Preparation 2026

Candidates need around three to four months for TANCET preparation. the first step for TANCET exam preparation must be obtaining the knowledge for TANCET exam pattern and syllabus. Good TANCET preparation plan will require candidates to complete the syllabus, and then practise the previous year question papers, and appear for mock tests.

TANCET 2026 Preparation Tips

How to prepare for TANCET 2026 in two months

Top 10 TANCET Preparation Tips

How to prepare for TANCET in 3 months

How to prepare for TANCET 2026

How to prepare TANCET 2026: Quantitative Aptitude

Candidates can check the below mentioned points to plan their TANCET preparation 2026:

  • Check TANCET pattern syllabus for important topics and exam structure
  • Clear concepts using the recommended TANCET study materials
  • Know strong and weak topics from TANCET syllabus.
  • Take regular mock tests and solve previous years' questions
  • Plan the exam day strategy

Check TANCET Cut offs and predict calls from colleges accepting TANCET score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all TANCET participating colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict TANCET Admission Calls

Read More:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is it easy to get high scores in TANCET exam?
A: 

Yes, it is easy to obtain high score in TANCET exam. to meet the cutoff scores. An exam is considered tough or easy by an individual based on his/her preparation. TANCET exam pattern is easier compared to other MBA entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, CMAT, etc.

TANCET MBA has five sections with 20 marks for each section. These sections are mentioned below:

  • Business Situations
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Quantitative Ability
  • Data Sufficiency
  • English Usage
Q:   How many times is TANCET exam conducted in one exam session?
A: 

TANCET exam is conducted once every year. Candidates can appear for the TANCET exam once within one academic year. For admission to the next year, candidates have to appear for the subsequent term of the TANCET exam. However, the exam schedule and frequency might change in the future.

For latest updates on TANCET exam, candidates can rely on shiksha's TANCET exam page. https://www.shiksha.com/mba/tancet-exam.

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FAQs on TANCET Exam Pattern

Here are some of the frequently asked questions related to TANCET exam pattern.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Will TANCET shift to online exam mode in future exam sessions?
A: 

Anna University may consider changing the TANCET exam mode from offline to online. Since the exam has fewer audience as compared to other competitive exams, offline exam becomes easy to manage. Candidates prefer an online exam over the offline OMR based exam. The decision with the change in the exam mode shall lie with the conducting body.

Q:   What is the section wise weightage in TANCET exam?
A: 

TANCET exam for MBA admission have five sections. Each section of the TANCET exam have an equal weightage. Anna University provides 20 per cent weightage to all five sections of the exam. Eacg section has 20 questions, collectively taking the question count to 100. The sections in the TANCET MBA exam include:

  • Business Situations
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Quantitative Ability
  • Data Sufficiency
  • English Usage

Since all the sections of the TANCET exam have equal weightage, candidates provide equal importance to all five sections. Any of the section may lead to act as an advantage in pulling the overall score of the candidate.

Q:   What is the mode of TANCET exam?
A: 

Anna University conducts TANCET exam in an offline mode. The offline centre based exam has objective type questions to be answered on an OMR sheet. OMR or Optical Mark Recognition sheet acknowledges human-created marks on a specially printed paper. OMR sheets are commonly used in surveys, exams, etc.

Anna University evaluates the responses by all the candidates using the OMR device which scans the sheet after reflecting a light. The OMR device looks at the contrasting reflectivity of the light at certain positions on the form. Shaded areas on the form will reflect less light. Therefore, the shaded blocks are detected as the response from the test-taker.

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TANCET Exam

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 4 weeks ago

Some of the factors that lead to determination of TANCET cutoff scores include the number of seats available for admission, difficulty level of exam, previous cutoff trends, number of test takers, performance of test takers, among other factors.

D

Dhanya Shekhar

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET counselling is conducted by GCT Coimbatore. DTE, Tamil Nadu has allocatted the responsibility for TANCET counselling to GCT, Coimbatore. Candidates will have to participate in the centralised counselling process for TANCET based admissions.

B

Bhumika Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

The last date for TANCET exam registration is expected to lie around 20-30 days after the start date. Therefore, if the registration starts in January, candidates can expect the last date to apply for TANCET exam to be in the month of February. The timeline for TANCET registration is notified with t

...Read more

L

Loveleen Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

No, there is no facility for revaluation in TANCET exam. The results declared by Anna University are final and will be considered for admissions in Tamil Nadu. Anna University will not entertain any requests for revaluation and rechecking of the TANCET answer sheet.

R

Rupali Shukla

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET exam has objective type questions, this means that each question will have four options. Candidates have to choose one correct answer option for the question in the TANCET exam.

78471306
Abhishek Dhawan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET exam is conducted once every year. Candidates aiming for admissions via TANCET in current year must appear for the current cycle of the TANCET exam. In case of change in the TANCET exam frequency, Anna University will notify the details on teh official website and the infoirmation brochure.

A

Akansha Goyal

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET scores remain valid for a period of one admission cycle. Candidates appearing for the TANCET exam in this year can only get admission in the current admission cycle.

S

Shruti Shukla

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

Yes, TANCET exam consists of negative marking. For each incorrect response candidates face a penalty of 1/3 mark. Therefore, candidates must avoid guesswork while answering questions in the TANCET exam.

R

Rohini Bisht

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET exam details are released around the month of January every year. Candidates find the start dare for the TANCET registration along with the TANCET syllabus, infomation brochure, and exam date. Additionally, the TANCET website mentions the notification release date beforehand. TANCET notificat

...Read more

J

Jaya Katariya

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 4 weeks ago

TANCET ranks are allotted based on the marks of the candidates. All candidates with a TANCET Bscore who get their documents verified before the counselling process will be placed in the TANCET rank list. the highest scorer in the TANCET exam who will get the documents verified will get first rank in

...Read more

V

Vikram Tyagi

Beginner-Level 5

529 Institutes accepting TANCET

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science

Kelambakkam, Chennai Private

Hindustan
  • 3.02 Lakh
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time
  • 35,000
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time
    • 2 years
    • |
    • Full Time

    Mepco Schlenk Engineering College

    Tamil Nadu - Other Private

    Mepco Schl
    • 35,000
    • 2 years
    • |
    • Full Time

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