Understanding the CMAT Exam Pattern

Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national-level test conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for admission to all management programs in AICTE-approved institutions. CMAT 2026 is expected be conducted in January 2026. In the last few years, NTA announced a few changes to the exam pattern of the CMAT.

For more details you can refer to CMAT notification 2026.

CMAT Exam Pattern 2026: Sectional Division

The following table shows the section-wise distribution of questions and marking scheme of CMAT 2026:

CMAT Exam Pattern 2026: Analysis

Based on the exam structure and format, students should prepare for CMAT 2026 and keep in mind the following points:

• CMAT is a three-hour computer-delivered test where difficulty levels, number of questions and the time duration of each section are predetermined and the same regardless of when and where the test is administered.
• The quantitative and data interpretation section usually contains questions having a difficulty level of moderate to difficult. The important topics covered in this section are: Geometry, Mensuration, Profit & Loss, Number System, Averages, Probability, Logarithms etc. To have an edge in this section, you must practice regularly and have thorough concept clarity.
• Developing the habit of reading English newspapers regularly along with novels and magazines will help you in building your vocabulary and ace the verbal ability area of CMAT. It is a balanced section and covers all the broad topics ranging from Reading Comprehension, Idioms, Vocabulary, Para Jumbles, Fill in the Blanks, Critical Reasoning, Analogy, Sentence Rearrangement, FIJs and Para Jumbles.
• The Logical and Analytical Reasoning Section constitutes questions on Analytical Reasoning, Blood Relations, Input/output, Alpha-Numeric Series, Visual Reasoning, True/False Statements, Deductive Logic, Data arrangement, Family relations, Linear arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Direction based questions, Syllogisms and Data Sufficiency. The level of difficulty of this section fluctuates every year; so you need to master all the concepts, tips and tricks to solve this area.

• The General Awareness section are divided in two broad categories: Current GK and Static GK. The former has questions on the Constitution of India, Fiscal Policy, World affairs, Sports, Taxation and General Science etc, and the latter covers areas like Awards, Politics and Art and Culture.
• From 2022, Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a mandatory section of CMAT. This section requires a good knowledge of business-related current affairs, new developments and upcoming trends.

The key takeaway from CMAT pattern is that you need to brush up your basics of all the important topics and manage your time well during the exam.

There is no qualifying score in CMAT. However, most reputed B-schools have a cut-off of 95+ percentile, which is equivalent to 280+ marks.

Yes, CMAT is quite easy as compared to CAT. So, if you have prepared for CAT, all you have to prepare are the general awareness and Innovation & entrepreneurship sections.

A candidate in the final year of graduation or having completed their bachelor's degree is eligible for CMAT.

CMAT is a computer-based test. It is not conducted in paper-based mode.