CMAT Exam

NTA organises the CMAT or Common Management Admission Test to check the business aptitude of students who want admission into the MBA and PGDM programs. It is a national-level exam that is conducted in CBT mode. The CMAT scores are accepted by all AICTE-approved institutions for admission into their management courses. A total of hundred questions will be there in the CMAT Exam on various topics.  

Highlights

Prominent Features of the CMAT Exam 

Eligibility Criteria

Policy for Reservation

Person with Disabilities (PwD) -  Reservation Policy

The Candidates can apply for admission under the PwD category if they have a disability that is responsible for 40% or more of their listed disabilities. The list is given below: 

• Autism, intellectual disability, mental illness, specified learning disability.

• Locomotor disabilities have muscular dystrophy, dwarfism, leprosy survivors, cerebral palsy, and leprosy cures.

• Low Vision and Blindness disability

• Impaired Hearing disability and Deaf

• As mentioned in the RPwD Act (2016), candidates with multiple disabilities from one to four are examples of "specified disabilities”.

Note: Candidates can change their category in the CMAT application form until the deadline for submitting their application arrives. Further, no changes will be allowed. 

Policy for Scribe 

Scribe facility is available for candidates with disabilities. To use this facility, candidates have to submit a disability certificate from a recognised medical officer along with a written request for a Scribe or Reader to the Superintendent of the CMAT Exam centre.

• The superintendent of the CMAT Exam 2026 will provide the disabled candidate with a scribe who is at least a year below the candidate in education. 

• To confirm their suitability and general understanding, candidates can ask the Center Superintendent to meet with the assigned scribe the day before the exam.

• Candidates who use a scribe or reader will receive an additional sixty minutes after the CMAT exam ends. 

Colleges Accepting the CMAT Scores

Syllabus

Section-Wise Weightage: CMAT Exam Syllabus 2026

CMAT 2026 Syllabus: Logical Reasoning Section

CMAT 2026 Syllabus: Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation Section

CMAT 2025 Syllabus: Language Comprehension Section

CMAT 2025 Syllabus: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Section

CMAT 2021 introduced the section on Innovation and Entrepreneurship which included twenty-five optional questions. However, in CMAT 2022 this section was changed to include twenty compulsory questions. The CMAT 2026 syllabus for Innovation and Entrepreneurship contains topics that examine candidate’s entrepreneurial abilities.

CMAT 2026 Syllabus: General Knowledge Section

Exam Registration

Registration Dates for the CMAT Exam 2026 - Highlights

Documents necessary for the CMAT Application Form in 2026

Some of the important documents required for the CMAT Application form 2026 are given below: 

• 10th Class Marksheet.

• 12th Class Marksheet.

• Graduation Marksheet. 

• Category certificate.

• PwD/ DA certification.

• On white paper candidate's signature is required.

• Against the white background, the candidate's passport-size photo is required. 

• Payment details.

• Those students who are in their final year of graduation have to can enter their average score from the first two years in the CMAT application form 2026. 

Who is eligible for the CMAT Exam 2026?

Candidates who want to sit for the CMAT Exam 2026, can apply for the exam after fulfilling the eligibility criteria given below: 

• Bachelor's Degree or its equal in any field from an acknowledged university or college.

• Final-year candidates can also attempt the CMAT exam.

• Only Indian Nationals can apply for the CMAT Exam. 

• Those students who want to be admitted to any management program do not have any upper-age restrictions for being eligible.

Highlights: CMAT Application Fees 2026

Things to keep in mind before CMAT Exam Registration

Candidates should go through the CMAT brochure carefully before filling out the application form to ensure that they fill the form correctly. Some of the important instructions are given below:

1. The candidates should double-check the information provided by them in the CMAT application form. The given information needs to be useful, correct and authentic for the verification of the authorities and institutions.

2. Candidates should select the test city of their choice for the CMAT Exam. 

3. The application process will be completed only when the fee is paid. 

4. Double-check every piece of information entered in the form before submitting. Once submitted, there is no way to edit the form.

5. Upon successful completion of the fee payment, an SMS and an email confirmation will be sent to you.

6. Applicants should immediately get in touch with the examination office if they do not receive the confirmation SMS and Email.

7. Following are the browsers that the candidate should use while filling the CMAT Application Form:

1. Mozilla Firefox - (version 94 to 112)

      b.  Google Chrome - (version 88 to 113)

      c.   Microsoft Edge - (version 88 to 113)

8. Smartphones should be avoided while filling out the CMAT application form. While completing and submitting the CMAT application, candidates should use a laptop or desktop computer.

CMAT Exam Registration/Application Process

Step 1: CMAT 2026 Online Registration

• Open the CMAT-NTA website by using a new browser. 

• Select the link of the CMAT 2026 registration.

• The registration page for CMAT 2026 will open.

• Fill up the contact and personal information.

• Candidates have to press the submit button after entering the OTP that was sent to their mobile number. 

•  A 12-digit application number will appear.

Step 2: Complete the CMAT 2026 Registration Process.

• Enter the password and CMAT application number to log in.

• Applicants have to give their academic information in the CMAT 2026 application form.

• Add more personal information and select the test cities.

• Double-check the information provided in the form and make the necessary changes (if any). 

• After completing the CMAT 2026 application form, press submit.

Step 3: Upload Documents in the CMAT 2026 Application Form

Candidates have to upload their passport-size photo, signature and PwD certificate (if applicable) after completing the CMAT application form 2026. The particulars of the documents are given below:

Step 4: Pay the CMAT 2026 Application Fee

The exam fees for the CMAT Exam have to be paid online by using banking services like - debit/credit card, net banking and UPI/PAYTM service. The category-wise CMAT application form 2026 is mentioned above. 

Step 5: Choose the Exam Centre

• From 124 cities, candidates can select up to four cities for the CMAT Exam.

• While selecting the test city option, the candidates need to be careful as the application form once submitted cannot be changed again.

• The CMAT admit card will contain information related to the test city and exam centre of the candidate.

• No further requests for any changes in the test city will be considered.

Note: The candidates should download the fee acknowledgement page as it is an important document. 

How Can I Edit the CMAT 2026 Form That Has Already Been Submitted?

After the registration process is over, for two or three days a correction window will open during which CMAT 2026 forms can be corrected. By opening their CMAT 2026 account, candidates can make the necessary changes in their CMAT forms. Candidates must carefully edit their application forms as they have only one chance to do so. The process to edit the application form is given below:

• Open the CMAT-NTA website by using a new browser.

• Select the correction tab of the CMAT Application Form. 

• Candidates need to enter their login information.

• Candidates have to choose the option of editing their CMAT application forms. 

• Once the candidate finishes editing their application form, they can select the submit option. 

Admit Card & Exam Day Instructions

CMAT Exam Admit Card Highlights

How to Download the CMAT Admit Card 2026

The CMAT-NTA website will release the CMAT 2026 admit card. The process to download the CMAT admit card is provided below:

Step 1: Open the CMAT-NTA website in a new tab and click on: https://cmat.nta.nic.in/.

Step 2: Now go to the tab of  CMAT 2026 Admit Card.

Step 3: Candidates have to fill in their DOB and application number.

Step 4: To open the account, candidates have to select the submit option.

Step 5: Now Complete the form of self-declaration. 

Step 6: At last, the candidates can now download their CMAT admit card 2026 in PDF format.

Mistakes to examine in the CMAT Admit Card 2026

After downloading the admit card, candidates should check it carefully for mistakes. Any mistakes in the admit card can stop the candidate from entering the exam centre. Candidates can check their CMAT 2026 admit card for the following mistakes:

• The candidates must ensure that the information provided by them in the online application form is useful, correct and authentic for the verification of the authorities and institutions.

• Information like the name of the candidate, examination date, time, and location should be clearly given on the CMAT Admit Card 2026. 

• The picture of the applicant on the CMAT admit card needs to be clearly visible.

• The number of registrations and the application should be the same on the CMAT form.

Note: If the applicant finds any error in their CMAT admit card, they can call the given helpline number: 0120-3946612 or email at: cmat@nta.ac.in . 

Documents Required at the CMAT Exam Centre 2026

• Aadhar card

• Voter ID card

• PAN card

• Driving license

• Passport

• Employee ID card

• ID Card of University/College

CMAT Exam Day Instructions

There are certain instructions that candidates should keep in mind and follow strictly. Some of them are given below:

• Candidates have to bring two printouts of their CMAT 2026 admit card to the test centre. The admit card in any of these forms (digital, scanned or photocopy) will not be recognised as a lawful document.

• The candidate has to arrive at the CMAT exam centre at the time given on the CMAT 2026 admission card. The test centre gates will close fifteen minutes before the starting of the exam. After that  no candidate will be able to enter the exam hall.

• Also, the candidates are required to bring two passport-sized photos to attach to the attendance sheet and admit card for CMAT 2026.

• At the exam site, candidates will not be allowed to bring electronic devices such as phones, wristwatches, pagers, calculators, iPads etc.

• No candidates should bring purses or valuables. Inside the exam centre, only the documents and ballpoint pens are allowed. At the CMAT test centre, no area will be given for bag deposition.

• PwD candidates must carry a PwD certificate from a recognised body to the CMAT Exam centre.

Preparation

Answer Key and Result

The CMAT Exam 2026: Highlights

Step to download the result of the CMAT Exam 2026

Candidates can download their CMAT Exam results 2026 from the CMAT-NTA website. The process is given below: 

Step 1: Click on https://cmat.nta.nic.in/, to open the CMAT 2026 website in a new window.

Step 2: Select the scorecard of the CMAT exam 2026. 

Step 3: Now fill in the login details (the application number and DOB or password).

Step 4: Now, the candidate can download the scorecard of their  CMAT Exam 2026.

CMAT Scores: What it is? 

The CMAT Scores of the candidates are the marks they receive out of 400 which are also known as raw scores.

CMAT Percentile: What it is?

The CMAT raw scores are then turned into percentile scores (from 10 to 100 percentile). This percentile shows how many students the candidate has exceeded. 

What is the process to calculate a candidate’s CMAT Scores? 

The candidate's right and wrong answers in the CMAT exam are used to calculate their score. The marking scheme which is used to calculate the scores is given below:

• Four marks given for each right answer.

• One mark reduced for each wrong answer.

• For the questions that were not attempted, no marks will be reduced.

How to calculate the CMAT Percentile?

Candidates taking the CMAT exam can calculate their percentile by using the numbers related to their rank and the total number of applicants. The formula used to calculate the CMAT percentile is given below:

(N- Candidate’s rank)/N) x 100 = P (CMAT Percentile).

Note: Here P represents percentile and N represents total number of test takers.

Step-Wise Process to Download the CMAT Exam Answer Key 2026

In the form of a response sheet, NTA will release the CMAT Answer Key 2026. For the candidates, an objection window will be opened for 2-3 days in response to the CMAT answer key. To download the answer key, candidates can follow the process given below:

Step 1: Open the CMAT-NTA website: https://cmat.nta.nic.in/.

Step 2: Details like the application number and DOB or password should be entered during the login process. 

Step 4: Download the CMAT Answer Key 2026.

How to Challenge the Interim Answer Key of the CMAT Exam 2026? 

To challenge the provisional CMAT answer key 2026, candidates have to fill out an online form and give proper evidence to support their claim. A new answer key will be released if any claims are found to be correct. Hence, the final answer key and CMAT result 2026 will be announced. 

Cut-off

CMAT Exam Percentile and Score

CMAT Exam Cut-Off 2024: Colleges Accepting Percentile (90+)

CMAT Exam Cut-Off 2024: Colleges Accepting Percentile (80+)

CMAT Exam Cut-Off 2024: Colleges Accepting Percentile (70+)

Admission Process

Counselling Date of the CMAT Exam 2026

CMAT Exam Admission Process 2026

To be eligible for admission to the 2026 management programs, candidates have to meet the following requirements from participating institutions:

• Academic Requirements: Candidates have to meet the minimum requirements of graduation, Inter and High school.

• 2026 Valid CMAT Score: The CMAT Cut-off of a particular institute, is the main factor in the selection process of that institute.

• Good GD/PI Performance: The candidate's skill and abilities shown during GD/PI will decide their final selection.

• Work Experience (if applicable): All reputed B-Schools give extra weightage for work experience during MBA admission process.

CMAT Exam Admission Process Stages

Stage 1: The result of the CMAT Exam 2026.

Stage 2: Preparing the CMAT Exam 2026 Merit List.

Stage 3: Group Discussion (GD) Round

Stage 4: Personal Interview and Writing Ability Test (PI&WAT) Round

Stage 5: Final Admission Process after the CMAT Exam 

Stage 1: The result of the CMAT Exam 2026.

The CMAT results will be announced in May and the scorecards will be released on their official Website.

Stage 2: Merit List of the CMAT Exam 2026.

The candidate's CMAT scores are used to prepare the merit list of the candidate.

Stage 3: Group Discussion Round (GD Round)

Those candidates who fulfil all the requirements can apply to their desired colleges after the Exam. The selection process will take place in more than one round on the campus of the relevant institution. Group Discussion (GD) round is a part of every college selection process.

Stage 4: Personal Interview and the Writing Ability Test (PI&WAT) Round

Candidates who qualify Group Discussion round can go to the Personal Interview & Writing Ability Test rounds.

Stage 5: Final Admission Process after the CMAT Exam 

A candidate's performance in the GD, PI and WAT rounds will be used while creating the final list of students. The other factors that are considered while creating the final list are: academic history and work experience. The college will then send the admission offer to the selected candidates. Within the given period, candidates have to submit their admission fee to finalise their admission. 

Documents Required During CMAT Admission Process 2026

• Date of birth certificate

• Class 10 mark sheet.

• Class 12 mark sheet.

• CMAT Scorecard.

• Admit Card of the CMAT Exam.

• Permanent Address proof.

• A valid ID proof by the Govt. of India.

• Caste/PWD certificate of the candidate (if applicable).

• ECA certificates or proof of recognition