KMAT KERALA Preparation Tips 2026: Know Complete Strategy & Guide

KMAT Kerala exam consists of four major sections:

There is a range of books to read for KMAT Kerala preparation. Here is a list of section-wise best books for the KMAT Kerala exam:

English Language section -Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis -High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin -Objective General English by RS Aggarwal -The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for the CAT

Data Sufficiency and Logical Reasoning section -How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma -Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey -Multi-Dimensional Reasoning by Mishra Kumar and Dr. Lal -Logical and Analytical Reasoning by K Gupta

Quantitative Skills section -Quantitative Aptitude by R. S Aggarwal -Fast track objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Sharma -Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha -NCERT Mathematics Books for Class 9 and 10 by NCERT publications.

For the GK section, students can refer to Manorama Year Book for static GK. They must also regularly read newspapers, and stay updated with the current affairs. 

The difficulty level of KMAT Kerala syllabus is moderate as compared to other MBA entrance exams. With good preparation and focus on exam pattern, students can score well. The exam has 180 questions which are to be solved within 150 minutes. The syllabus is still moderate as compared to other exams. The most important things to keep in mind are:

1. KMAT Kerala exam mode is online
2. Each question carries four marks
3. There is negative marking of minus one mark for wrong attempts 

KMAT Kerala marking scheme is straightforward. If the candidates can recall their attempts or have the answer key with them then they can calculate their KMAT Kerala raw score by adding and subtracting scores as per correct and incorrect attempts. Check KMAT Kerala marking scheme below:

1. For every correct attempt, 4 marks is awarded and for every incorrect answer, 1 mark is deducted.
2. For every unanswered question, the candidate will be marked zero.

Given below is the process of calculating the KMAT Kerala score with the help of the KMAT Kerala answer key. The first two sections (QA and English Language Usage) of the KMAT Kerala question paper has 50 questions and the last two sections (Data Sufficiency and Logical Reasoning and General Knowledge) have 40 questions each. So suppose in Quantitative Techniques section you got 34 questions right, 2 questions wrong and skipped 4 questions. So, your score will be 134 out of 200. Similarly, calculate the score of other sections. After the add all four to arrive at the overall raw score. For example, you scored 134, 144, 120 and 140 in four sections, then your sum total will be 538/720. 

Since the English Language  Usage and Reading Comprehension section includes reading comprehension passages, it can be considered a lengthy section. The English Language section does not only comprise of Reading Comprehension passages but also has various other topics such as Vocabulary, Grammar, Idioms, Phrases, Para Jumbles, Antonyms and Synonyms, etc. which make the section a lengthy one. However, there is a possibility of any other section to be lengthier.

CEE conducts the KMAT Kerala exam at least two times a year. This year, the exam will be conducted twice in the computer-based test mode. Here are important topics for the exam according to the sections of KMAT Kerala question paper. 

• Data Sufficiency and Logical Reasoning: This section contains questions mainly from Logical Reasoning and Critical Reasoning. Some of the important topics of this section include:
  • Syllogisms
  • Clocks and Calendar 
  • Course of Action
  • Cause and Effect
  • Statement and Conclusion
  • Strong and Weak Arguments
  • Puzzles 
  • Coding and Decoding
  • Arrangements
  • Tables
  • Graphs
  • Blood Relations
• English Language: Just like other management entrance tests, this section is divided into Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability/English Usage. There are about four to five comprehension passages while the topics of English usage are as follows:
  • Synonyms (word pair)
  • Fill in the blanks
  • Para Completions
  • Idioms
  • Error identification
  • Word Meaning
  • Antonyms
  • Sentence Completion
  • Para Jumbles
  • Grammar
• Quantitative Aptitude: This section of the KMAT Kerala question paper is also considered tough. However, the overall difficulty level can be considered to be moderate. Some of the important topics of this section include:
  • Percentage
  • Profit and Loss
  • Simple Interest and Compound Interest
  • Average, Mixture and Alligation
  • Time and Distance
  • Time and Speed
  • Geometry and Mensuration
  • Time and Work
  • Probability
  • Statistics 
  • Algebra
• General Knowledge and Current Affairs: Some of the important topics include:
  • Sports
  • Awards
  • Art and Culture
  • Current Affairs
  • Politics
  • Trade Awareness
  • Economy
  • Business
  • World News
  • Technology
  • Books and Authors

If you have a good study plan, you can study independently at home for the KMAT Kerala exam. This exam is conducted around two times a year and is relatively easier than other exams. The following is advice from professionals on how to create an KMAT Kerala plan:

• Using the KMAT Kerala syllabus as a guide, make a list of the subjects that the study materials must cover.
• Plan your study time on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis according to the time available.
• Analyze previous KMAT Kerala tests to note important topics.
• You can find a mentor to assist you or join any online study group.
• To enable thorough planning, assign a time limit to each section.
• Start reading newspaper and magazine editorials to gain a command of the English language and GK section.
• For the quantitative section, read the basic concepts and formulas from school textbooks.
• Examine your progress through mock tests on a monthly basis.
• Keep analyzing and improving your score over time until test day.
• Set your score to meet the cutoff for the college to which you want to apply.

This is how students can prepare for KMAT Kerala exam:

1. Understand the exam pattern, type of questions, difficulty level, and marking scheme in the KMAT Kerala question paper.
2. Candidates must devise a study plan in a way that it allocates sufficient time for each section of the exam. WIth deligence they should follow the timetable and cover the syllabus.
3. Practising previous year's question papers and KMAT mock tests can help the candidates to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This will, also, increase accuracy and speed required for KMAT exam.
4. Dedicating enough time to revision can be very helpful. Review short notes, formulae, and important concepts
5. Lastly, stay calm and stay motivated.

No, IIM Khozhikode does not accept KMAT Kerala test scores for admission. If you want to get admission to the IIM, you will have to appear in the CAT exam. With the score of the KMAT Kerala test, you can get admission in about 129 management colleges in Kerala. You can get admission to the following top management colleges such as:

1. Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies, Kochi
2. SCMS Cochin School of Business, Kochi
3. Amrita School of Business, Kochi
4. Toc H Institute of Science and Technology, Ernakulam
5. Marthoma College of Management and Technology, Ernakulam

On the KMAT Kerala exam day, candidates have to follow certain guidelines which include reaching on time, cooperating with the exam centre staff, following instructions of the test invigilator and following the test navigation for solving the KMAT Kerala questions. There are some key dos and don'ts that candidates should follow on the KMAT Kerala exam day, which have been listed below:

KMAT Kerala exam day dos:

1. Reach the examination centre at the reporting time mentioned on your KMAT Kerala admit card.
2. Carry two copies of the KMAT Kerala admit card, one photo ID card and passport size photos
3. PwD candidates should carry the relevant certificates and documents as prescribed by the examination authorities. 
4. Carry a blue/black ball point pen for signing the attendance sheet
5. Carry personal drinking water, hand sanitizer, face masks and gloves
6. Cooperate with the test centre staff and follow instructions during entry
7. Candidates must write their name and roll numbers on the rough sheet provided by the invigilator and sign on it

The important DON'Ts are:

1. Do not reach late to the exam centre. Ensure that you reach the exam center well before the scheduled reporting time. Arriving late may lead to disqualification or not being allowed to enter the exam hall.

2. Do not forget KMAT admit Card. Make sure to carry a printout of your KMAT Kerala admit card/hall ticket to the exam center. Students without the admit card will not be allowed to enter the centre. 

3. Do not carry prohibited items such as electronics, study material, notes, bags, or any other items that are not allowed as per the exam guidelines.

4. Do not engage in cheating,or malpractice and refrain from any form it. 

5. Do not ignore exam instructions. Listen carefully to the exam invigilator's instructions before starting the exam.

6. Do not leave before reviewing the answers and check the answers

If you're a General/SEBC candidate, you need at least 72 marks out of 720 (10%) in KMAT Kerala to pass. But if you're from SC/ST/PWD category, you should get 54 marks (7.5%) to qualify. Only the aspirants who score above this criteria will be eligible for admission to the KMAT Kerala partiipating colleges. Candidates who are aspiring admission to top MBA colleges in Kerala must ensure that they meet the qualifying cutoff criteria in order to secure a seat and be eligible for the admission process. The admission completely depends on the total number of seats available in the college.