CMAT notification and exam date 2026 will be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA). In this article, you will learn the timeline for CMAT important dates 2026 and related information.
CMAT 2026
Every year, National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), a national-level entrance examination as per the directions of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. It is a three-hour computer-based objective test and the candidate has to fill out the application form by visiting the official website. The candidate's ability is evaluated in various respects including their decision-making, time management, problem-solving, deductive skills, and general awareness.
CMAT score is accepted by all AICTE- Approved universities/departments/affiliated colleges, that offer MBA (Masters in Business Administration)/ PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management)/ other equivalent programmes. Several thousands of management aspirants appear for CMAT annually.
CMAT Important Dates 2026
According to the latest notification, following are the important dates for the upcoming exam:
| Exam Details |
Dates 2026 (Tentative) |
| CMAT Registration Start Date |
November 2025
|
| Last date to apply for CMAT Registration |
December 2025 |
| Last Date of Successful Final Transaction of Fee |
December 2025 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Corrections in online Application Form |
December 2025 |
| CMAT 2026 Admit Card Release date |
January 2026 |
| CMAT Exam Date 2026 |
January 2026 |
| CMAT 2026 Answer key |
February 2026 |
| Declaration of CMAT 2026 Result |
To be notified |
Overview of CMAT 2026
The following table shows all the key information related to CMAT 2026:
| Name of test |
Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) |
| CMAT 2026 Exam Conducting Body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Number of MBA colleges under CMAT 2026 |
1000+ |
| Exam type |
National level |
| Periodicity |
Once in a year |
| Score/Percentile Validity |
One Year |
| Annual Number of Test Takers |
Around 60,000 |
| Pattern of Test |
MCQs |
| Number of Questions |
100 |
| Test Duration |
3 hours |
| Negative Marking |
-1 for each wrong answer in MCQs |
| Syllabus |
Quant-DI, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
| Mode of Conduct |
Computer-based |
| Application Fees |
Exam Application Fee for Boys – Rs. 2500/-
Application Fee for Girls – Rs. 1250/-
Application Fee for OBC-NCL/ SC/ ST/ Gen-EWS/ PwD/ Third gender – Rs. 1250/-
|
| Official Website |
https://cmat.nta.nic.in/ |
Other Facts about CMAT
- Candidates can apply for the examination through this website: cmat.nta.nic.in.
- The demand for CMAT is increasing with each passing year, because of the growing number of CAT aspirants and cut-throat competition for B-school admissions.
- Admission to India’s best management colleges on the basis of CMAT 2026 would be on the basis of Cut Off for which the notification will be updated on the official website.
- From 2021, a new section was added to the examination, namely, Innovation & Entrepreneurship apart from other sections (Quant, Verbal, Logical, & G.K).
- It is necessary for a candidate to carry all the required documents to the CMAT examination centre.
Now you have an idea about the CMAT important dates! So you can plan your preparation in advance and perform your level best in the final battle.
Happy Preparation!
FAQs about CMAT 2026
1. Is CMAT exam tough?
No, CMAT is generally moderate in difficulty level. It is much easier to tackle than CAT, XAT, and similar other entrance tests.
2. What is a good score in CMAT?
Since most reputed B-schools set the CMAT cut-off at 95 percentile and above, you should aim for achieving 98-99 percentile.
3. Are 2 months enough for CMAT preparation?
Yes, you can prepare for CMAT in 2 months! All you need to do is strengthen your conceptual clarity and work on your accuracy and speed-solving skills.
4. How many times is CMAT held in a year?
CMAT is conducted once a year.
5. Who is eligible for CMAT exam?
The candidate must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized university/college, to be eligible for CMAT. Final year students can also take the exam.
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