CMAT is conducted for admissions into various AICTE-approved B-schools. Prominent institutes that accept CMAT scores include JBIMS, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, Goa Institute of Management (GIM), BIMTECH, Welingkar, SIMSREE, and many others. CMAT has 5 sections: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. In this article, we will formulate an effective strategy to crack the CMAT GK (General Awareness) section based on past year trends.
For more details you can refer to the official CMAT notification on exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT.
CMAT is an exam of moderate difficulty, but the General Awareness (GK) section can be tricky yet highly scorable with the right approach.
Significance of CMAT 2027 General Awareness
- Equal Weightage: The General Awareness section in CMAT has 20 questions — the same as every other section. Unlike exams like IIFT or XAT, GK carries full weightage here, making it equally important for boosting your overall score.
- Better Accuracy: GK questions are straightforward — if you know the answer, there is almost no room for confusion or silly mistakes.
- Time Management: GK questions require no calculations or deep analysis and can be solved in seconds. This allows you to save valuable time for tougher sections like Quant and Logical Reasoning in the 180-minute exam.
CMAT GK - Past Year Paper Analysis
|
Year
|
Static GK
|
Current GK
|
Total Questions
|
Difficulty Level
|
Good Attempts (with ~80-90% accuracy)
|
|
2026
|
14-16
|
4-6
|
20
|
Moderate
|
13-16
|
|
2025
|
14-16
|
4-6
|
20
|
Moderate-Difficult
|
12-15
|
|
2024
|
13-15
|
5-7
|
20
|
Moderate
|
13-16
|
|
2023
|
15
|
5
|
20
|
Moderate
|
12-15
|
|
2022
|
15
|
5
|
20
|
Difficult
|
11-14
|
|
2021
|
17
|
8
|
25 (old pattern)
|
Moderate
|
15-18
|
|
2020
|
24
|
1
|
25
|
Easy-Moderate
|
18-20
|
Note: Since 2022, the section has been fixed at 20 questions. Recent years show a consistent pattern with Static GK dominating (65-80% of questions). Current GK focuses on events from the last 12–18 months, with emphasis on the most recent 6–12 months.
CMAT Analysis 2026: General Awareness
The section was moderate in difficulty. Static GK dominated with questions from history, awards & honours, books & authors, sports personalities, basic science, geography, and Indian polity/constitution. Current GK included major national/international events, economic policies, key appointments, sports (Asian Games, cricket events), awards (Nobel, Padma, Bharat Ratna), business mergers, and government schemes.
Aiming for 13-16 attempts with high accuracy was considered a strong performance for CMAT 2027.
Attempting the CMAT GK Section
Ideally, do not spend more than 8-10 minutes on the General Awareness section. This leaves ample time for Quant, Reasoning, and Language sections.
Follow a 2-cycle method:
Cycle 1
- Quickly identify and answer very easy/known questions.
- Mark questions you think you can guess or recall with a bit more thought.
- Skip completely unknown questions (avoid blind guessing if accuracy might suffer).
Cycle 2
- Return to doubtful questions and use intelligent guessing or elimination (e.g., rule out absurd options).
- Maximize attempts (aim for 14-18) while prioritizing high accuracy.
Strategy for CMAT Static GK
Static GK covers unchanging facts. Expect questions from:
- History (Modern India, Freedom Struggle, Important Dates)
- Geography (Physical, Indian, World)
- Economy (Basic Terms, Budget, Five-Year Plans)
- Companies & Brands (Founders, Taglines, Headquarters)
- Indian Polity & Constitution (Articles, Amendments, Presidents/PMs)
- Organizations (UN, WHO, RBI, NABARD, etc.)
- Science & Technology (Inventions, Basic Physics/Chemistry/Biology)
- Sports (Trophies, Arjuna/Dronacharya Awards, Major Events)
- Miscellaneous (Books & Authors, Important Days, Currencies)
Preparation Sources:
- NCERT Books (Class 6–12) for History, Geography, Polity, Science
- Lucent’s General Knowledge or Manorama Yearbook
- Hitbullseye’s Static GK eBooks, tests, and video lectures at gk.hitbullseye.com
Strategy for CMAT Current GK
Current GK is dynamic and covers the last 12–18 months (focus more on last 6–12 months). Key areas:
- Economy & Budget (Schemes, GDP, Inflation, RBI Policies)
- Business & Corporate News (Mergers, CEOs, IPOs)
- Indian Polity (New Laws, Elections, Appointments)
- International Relations & Organizations (G20, BRICS, UN Summits)
- Science & Technology (New Discoveries, ISRO/DRDO, Space Missions)
- People in News (Awards, Appointments, Deaths)
- Sports (Major Tournaments, Winners, Olympics/Paralympics)
- Miscellaneous (Defence, Environment, Important Days)
Preparation Sources:
- Daily newspaper (The Hindu / Indian Express) – focus on front page, editorials, business, sports
- Monthly current affairs magazines or Hitbullseye’s weekly/monthly GK updates, eBooks, and videos
- Apps/portals for quick quizzes and daily news capsules
Tips to Crack CMAT GK Section
- Stay Updated Daily: Read newspapers regularly. It helps in GK as well as Language Comprehension and WAT/GDPI.
- Reliable Sources: Stick to The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB, or trusted apps. Watch TV debates selectively and read editorials.
- Practice Regularly: Solve previous year papers, sample questions, and daily/weekly GK quizzes to build speed and retention.
- Expert Analysis: Review past year question trends and expert breakdowns to understand the evolving pattern.
- Smart Guessing: Use elimination in doubtful questions — never leave all 20 blank, but avoid wild guesses on completely unknown ones.
With consistent daily reading and targeted practice, the GK section can become your score booster in CMAT 2027. Aim for 14–18 correct attempts to gain a significant edge. Good luck!
E-305, Industrial Area, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab 160055, IN
.jpeg?null)
_0.jpg?null)
