Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Institute for Management Development News & Updates 2026: Notifications, Notice, Result

MAT vs CAT: When it comes to MBA entrance tests in India, CAT and MAT will feature at the top of the conversation. CAT score has a premium value and is accepted by 21 IIMs & 1000+ reputed B-schools across the country. On the other hand, MAT is accepted by over 700 management institutes. Some of the top b-schools accepting MAT are GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, Dr. D.Y. Patil B School-Pune, ITM University, Christ University, JIMS Rohini, Amity University, OP Jindal Global University, Jain University, etc. The CAT is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) once a year while the MAT is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA) four times a year (February, May, September, and December). Notably, candidates must obtain a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) in their Bachelor's degree programme but no minimum percentage criterion has been mentioned for MAT. While CAT has a duration of 2 hours for 66 questions, MAT is held over a duration of 2.5 hours for 200 questions. CAT has a negative marking of 1 mark for each incorrect answer while there is no negative marking in MAT.Even though it might seem like the two tests have an uncanny similarity in their syllabus, they are quite different in other aspects. However, the CAT is more difficult to attempt than the MAT exam. Here, we will discuss the difference between CAT and MAT. The biggest distinction as we divide into the CAT vs MAT discussion is the frequency of these exams. While the CAT exam is only conducted once every year, one can appear for the MAT exam 4 times a year. Understanding the distinctions between the CAT and MAT exams can aid you in placing your best foot forward.

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If your CMAT 2026 percentile/score is not as high as you expected, there are still several good MBA colleges where you can secure admission. Institutes such as Indira School of Business Studies (ISBS) Pune, Asia Pacific Institute of Management Delhi, ITS Institute of Management Greater Noida, Prestige Institute of Management Gwalior, Galgotias Business School Greater Noida, and DIT University Dehradun accept CMAT 2026 scores in the 40 to 60 percentile range.

Searching for the top MBA colleges in India accepting CMAT scores in 2026? The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is among India’s leading entrance exams for management aspirants. Conducted once every year by the National Testing Agency (NTA), it serves as a gateway to over 1,300 business schools across the country. Each year, more than 75,000 students appear for the exam to secure admission to top institutions. In 2026, reputed colleges such as Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, BIMTECH, Taxila Business School, and KIIT School of Management continue to accept CMAT scores. On average, candidates graduating from the top CMAT 2026 participating colleges earn around INR 9 lakh per annum, reflecting strong placement records. Among the best PGDM options, Jamnalal Bajaj, KJ Somaiya, BIMTECH, Taxila, and Jaipuria Institute of Management consistently hold high academic and placement standards for CMAT-qualified students. The final selection will be based on marks obtained in CMAT 2026 and performance in Group Discussions, Written Ability Tests, and Personal Interviews.

CMAT Passing Marks 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has not defined any official passing marks for the CMAT 2026 exam. However, the general CMAT cutoff 2026 has been regarded as 120 out of 400, and any candidate who scores more than or equal to 120 out of 400 gets qualified and can go through the further selection process by respective colleges. Candidates who score above this range can participate in group discussions, personal interviews, or counselling sessions conducted by various institutions. If you aim for top-tier B-schools offering MBA or PGDM programs, a CMAT score between 250 and 300 is usually competitive. Leading institutes such as JBIMS Mumbai, SIMSREE, KJ Somaiya, and Great Lakes Institute of Management often shortlist candidates with scores above 280. This guide covers essential details about CMAT 2026, including its minimum qualifying marks, marking scheme, and top management colleges accepting CMAT scores for the upcoming admission cycle.

CMAT 2026 predicted question paper, prepared by our experts based on the previous years' analysis, includes questions from all five sections of the exam. It is designed to provide aspiring test-takers with a comprehensive understanding of the type of questions they can expect in the actual exam. Attempting the predicted question paper is highly recommended as it can significantly enhance your preparation for the CMAT 2026 exam. By practising and solving the questions in this paper, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and work on improving your performance in areas where you may be struggling. So, if you want to excel in the CMAT 2026 exam, be sure to give the predicted CMAT 2026 predicted question paper a try!

One of the most important skills that you should possess for correctly solving Decision Making questions in the XAT exam is critical thinking ability. In short you can say these skills will assist you in assessing the information logically thereby helping you to identify the underlying assumptions and to evaluate the consequences before arriving at your decisions that are ethically correct. For the XAT exam, critical thinking is not only about simple understanding at the ground level, but it equally involves breaking down the caselets, identifying the conflicting  ideas and also prioritizing values like integrity, empathy and organisational effectiveness. You can check this article to know more about How to Improve critical thinking skills for DM XAT.