Kamaldeep
25 September, 2023
Table of Contents
CMAT stands for the Common Management Admission Test is a national-level entrance test for admission to management programmes in India. Till 2018, this test was conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). From 2019 onwards, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the CMAT exam.
It is a computer-based online test which has a duration of three hours. It consists of various segments such as general awareness, quantitative techniques, language comprehension, logical reasoning and innovation & entrepreneurship. This exam is accepted by all AICTE-approved institutions/Universities.
Related: MBA Entrance Exams in India: Everything You Need to Know
Through the CMAT exam, all AICTE-approved institutions select suitable candidates for admission to their MBA, PGDM, and other management courses. The purpose of this exam is to simplify and narrow down the admission process and ensure a transparent selection process for all candidates.
This test is conducted in over 140 cities across the country, and more than 1,000 AICTE institutions accept CMAT scores. In addition to this, CMAT is considered much simpler than examinations like CAT, XAT, and others.
| Exam Name | Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Number of MBA Colleges Under the Exam | 1000+ |
| Exam Date | 2nd week of April 2024 (tentatively) |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| Release of Application | 13th February, 2024 (tentatively) |
| Last date for application | 13th March, 2024 (tentatively) |
| Application Correction Window | 14th – 16th March 2024 |
| Exam Mode | Online computer-based test |
| Total Questions in the CMAT Entrance Exam | 100 |
| Sectional Division of Questions | 20 questions in each section |
| Exam Details: Section-Wise | – Quantitative Technique – Logical Reasoning – Language Comprehension – General Awareness – Innovation and Entrepreneurship (optional) |
| Medium of Question Paper | English |
| Maximum Score | 400 |
| Negative Marking | -1 for each wrong answer |
| Application Process | Online |
| Official Website | https://ntacmat.nic.in/ |
Before beginning the registration process, be sure to learn about the eligibility criteria and the documents required. As per the NTA guidelines, CMAT 2024 eligibility criteria are as follows:
All the interested applicants who are eligible must follow the below-mentioned steps to register:
| Applicant’s Category | Amount |
| For the general and OBC category candidates | INR 2,000 /- |
| For female and reserved category candidates such as the ST/SC/PwD | INR 1,000 /- |
Please note the application fee has to be paid in online mode via credit/debit card/net banking. He/she can also use the E-Challan method or through SBI MOPS.
The admit card for CMAT will be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on its official website. Tentatively, the admit card can be downloaded two weeks before the exam date. It is a crucial document containing important guidelines for the exam day, including the time and place for the exam.
There is no fixed syllabus for management exams; there are certain topics commonly asked in all management entrance exams. The syllabus is broadly divided into 4 categories, including General Awareness, Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Language Comprehension.
| General Awareness | |
| Indian Constitution | Current Affairs of National and International Importance |
| Economics | Economy |
| History | Politics |
| Trade Awareness | Science in Everyday Life |
| Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | |
| Number Systems | Mensuration |
| Simple Interest and Compound Interest | Pipes and Cisterns |
| Allegation and Mixtures | Algebra |
| Percentage | Partnership |
| Graph | Tabulation |
| Work and Time | Pie Chart |
| Fraction and Decimals | Bar Chart |
| Logical Reasoning | |
| Analytical Reasoning | Coding and Decoding |
| Inferences | Statements Arguments |
| Blood Relationship Tests | Symbol-Based Problems |
| Matrix Arrangements | Ranking Tests |
| Direction and Distance Tests | Linear Arrangements |
| Statements Assumptions | |
| Language Comprehension | |
| Reading Comprehension | Sentence Correction |
| Paragraph Completion | Sentence Improvement |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | English Usage Errors |
| Jumbled Para | English grammar |
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship | |
| Budget & Economic Survey | Project Management: Feasibility Studies, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Venture Capital Investment, Creativity & Stimulation |
| New Investments & Schemes | Banking Regulation & Reforms Entrepreneurial Development |
| Business & Corporate Affairs | Innovation |
| Startups Ecosystem | Adoption of Life Cycle |
| Policies Related to Entrepreneurship and Business Promotion | |
| Number of Questions | 100 |
| Number of Questions Per Section | 20 |
| Marks Per Question | 4 |
| Negative Marking | -1 mark per wrong answer |
| Total Marks | 400 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to high |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Medium of CMAT | English |
| Subject Name | Total Questions | Total Marks |
| Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | 20 | 80 |
| Logical Reasoning | 20 | 80 |
| Language Comprehension | 20 | 80 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 80 |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship (optional) | 20 | 80 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
Counselling is the last step of the examination, which is conducted after all the rounds are completed. Based on the candidate’s performance in the exam, students are allotted colleges. A candidate has to apply separately to the participating institutions for their CMAT score. Moving further, the institutions will release their cut-off marks which a candidate must meet to qualify. Once the candidate is qualified, he/she has to follow the selection process of the chosen institution. Thereafter, the institution conducts a group discussion, personal interview and written test round (this varies as per institution).
And others.
The expected cut-off for CMAT exam 2024 is mentioned below:
| CMAT 2024 Percentile | CMAT 2024 Score |
| 100 | 345 – 360 |
| 90-99.99 | 300 – 344 |
| 80-89 | 250 – 299 |
| 71-79 | 200 – 249 |
| 61-70 | 150 – 100 |
| 51-60 | 120 – 140 |
| 50 and below | Below 120 |
There are some do’s and don’ts that a candidate must be aware of before entering the examination hall. Here, we discussed important guidelines for your exam day.
For the CMAT exam, you have unlimited attempts.
As per previous year cut-off and records, it is better to score at least 300-320 in the CMAT exam.
There is no prescribed dress code for the CMAT exam. You can wear any formal or casual dress, whichever you are comfortable with.
Yes, you can pursue an MBA without appearing for the CMAT exam. You can go for some other aptitude test such as CAT, XAT, GMAT or the entrance examination conducted by the university.
Yes, -1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer, which is 25% of the total marks allotted to the question.
Any graduate who has attained 50% marks (45% for reserved categories) in bachelor’s and has reached the age of 21 years can apply for the exam. Final year students are also eligible to apply.
There are 5 sections in the CMAT exam. They are:
Calculators or any electronic devices are allowed in the CMAT exam.
