CMAT 2026 Exam - Exam Dates, Eligibility, Registration, Syllabus, Pattern, Question Paper, Preparation

The CMAT 2026 application form is slated to close on November 17, 11.50 pm, and the fee payment on November 18. Earlier, NTA launched the online form on October 17. Those who seek to make corrections to the application can do so between November 20 to 21, 2025. 

The city intimation slip and CMAT admit card 2026 are expected to be released in the third week of January 2026, with the test likely to be conducted in the last week of January 2026. Make sure to check the official website frequently for updates. 

CMAT is conducted for admission to MBA or PGDM at AICTE-approved participating colleges like JBIMS, SIMSREE, IMT Ghaziabad, IMS Nagpur, ICFAI Business School, among others. Here is the direct link to the CMAT application form 2026.

For more information about CMAT 2026, including important dates, pattern, syllabus, result, cutoff, etc., check the sections below.

CMAT full form is Common Management Admission Test. It is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in online computer-based test mode for 3 hours. The syllabus, crafted by NTA with AICTE's input, covers Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Each section comprises 20 questions, totaling 400 marks. Correct answers earn 4 marks, with a 1-mark penalty for incorrect ones, while unanswered questions don't carry negative marks. 

Over 1,300 AICTE-approved MBA institutions accept CMAT scores, making it one of India's most popular MBA entrance exams after CAT and XAT. Around 70,000 candidates take the test annually. CMAT is known for its relatively lower difficulty than CAT and XAT, making it a preferred choice among management aspirants. Qualified candidates can apply to MBA colleges in India, including GIM Goa, BIMTECH, Great Lakes Institute of Management, K J Somaiya Mumbai, PUMBA, and Welingkar Mumbai.

Here are some key highlights of the CMAT 2026 exam.

Candidates must stay updated with all the CMAT 2026 important dates mentioned below so they don't miss out on important events.

To be eligible to apply for the CMAT 2026 exam, candidates need to fulfill the given requirements:

• You must be a citizen of India.
• You must hold a Graduation degree or an equivalent degree in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% marks.
• Students who are currently in their final year of bachelor's degrees and whose results will be declared before the commencement of admission for the academic year 2025-26, are also eligible to apply for CMAT 2026.
• It is not mandatory to have a minimum aggregate score in graduation to apply for CMAT 2026.
• There is no upper age limit to apply for the CMAT exam. However, the minimum age to apply for the exam is 20 years.

If a candidate doesn't fulfill the CMAT 2026 eligibility criteria, he will not be able to fill out the application form and appear for the exam.

The CMAT application form 2026 was released on October 17, 2025, through the online mode. CMAT registration involves two steps: candidate registration and completing the application form. If you are planning to appear for CMAT 2026, there are certain steps you need to follow to register for the same. Let's take a closer look at each step to do CMAT registration 2026.

• Step 1: Begin by creating a login on the official website of CMAT 2026 @cmat.nta.nic.in / www.nta.ac.in. Click on the "New User" button and provide the necessary details like your name, email ID, and mobile number to establish your login credentials. Once the registration is completed, the Application Number will automatically be generated.
• Step 2: With your login or registration credentials, proceed to fill out the CMAT registration form 2026, which includes sections for personal information, academic history, and work experience if applicable. Ensure all fields are accurately completed and upload required documents.
• Step 3: Following form completion, upload the required scanned image of a recent photograph and necessary documents like the candidate's signature and PwD certificate, adhering to the guidelines regarding size, format, and resolution provided on the website.
• Step 4: Complete the registration by paying the CMAT 2026 fee, which can be done online using debit/credit cards, net banking, or UPI. The fee is anticipated to be approximately INR 2,500 for General/ EWS/ OBC-NCL (Male) and INR 1,250 for Females, Third Gender and Reserved category students.
• Step 5: Upon finishing the registration and payment, review the CMAT 2026 registration summary, saving the filled form for future reference. It's advisable to print a copy of the form and keep it safe until after the exam.

Documents Required to Fill Out the CMAT 2026 Application form

You must keep the following documents handy to fill out the CMAT 2026 application form:

• Class 10th Marksheet
• Class 12th Marksheet
• Graduation Marksheet (if passed)
• Address Proof
• Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• Pwd Certificate (if applicable)
• Email ID
• Phone Number
• Credit Card/ Debit Card/ Net Banking

CMAT Registration Numbers

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CMAT admit card is an important document that candidates must carry to the exam centre as proof of successful registration. The hall ticket can be downloaded from the official website. Here are the steps to download the CMAT admit card 2026:

• Visit the official website at exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT
• Click on the 'Download CMAT 2026 Admit Card' link.
• Enter your application number and date of birth or password.
• Click on submit to log in to your account.
• Fill out the self-declaration form to access the CMAT 2026 admit card.
• Download your admit card and take a few printouts.

CMAT Exam Day Guidelines

If you're taking the CMAT exam in 2026, it's important to know what to do on the day of the exam to avoid any issues. Here are some important CMAT exam day guidelines to keep in mind:

• Print out your CMAT 2026 admit card twice. You can't use a digital or scanned copy as proof.
• You'll need to bring a secondary photo ID along with your CMAT 2026 admit card. You can use any of the following documents for ID: Aadhaar card, PAN card, Voter ID card, Passport, Driver's license, or College/University ID card.
• Arrive at the CMAT exam centre at the reporting time listed on your admit card. The gates will close 15 minutes before the exam starts, so don't be late. 
• Don't bring any electronic items with you, including phones, watches, calculators, or iPads. It's also recommended that you don't bring any valuables.
• Bring a black or blue ballpoint pen to sign the attendance sheet, as well as two passport-sized photos to attach to the admit card and attendance sheet.
• You can't bring bags or any other items into the exam centre besides the documents and pen. There may not be any place to store your bags.

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Students preparing for the CMAT 2026 exam must be aware of the CMAT 2026 syllabus and important topics provided in the table below.

In the CMAT 2026 exam, a total of 100 questions will be asked and the total marks will be 400. If you're planning to take the CMAT exam, it's important to have a good understanding of the CMAT 2026 exam pattern.

CMAT 2026 Sectional Composition

The exam will be held in various CMAT exam centers 2026 in 110 cities in India. Candidates can select up to four locations from the test cities to take up the entrance exam. The choice to select their preferred exam city was given to aspirants while filling up the application form for CMAT 2026. the complete list of CMAT 2026 exam centers can be found below.

When preparing for CMAT 2026, it is essential to have a strong foundation of the important concepts from the syllabus to crack the exam. Focus on building a strong foundation of the important concepts, take as many mock tests and practice the previous year's question papers to boost your chances of success. Here’s what you need to do for a fool-proof CMAT 2026 preparation.

Cover the CMAT Syllabus

To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the subject, it is important to cover the entire syllabus thoroughly. This involves carefully going through every topic and sub-topic outlined in the syllabus to gain a complete grasp of the material. By meticulously studying each section of the syllabus, you can feel confident in your ability to excel in the subject and achieve your academic goals. Check the following links for section-wise preparation tips.

• CMAT Preparation Tips for Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

• CMAT Preparation Tips for Logical Reasoning

• CMAT Preparation Tips for Language Comprehension

• CMAT Preparation Tips for General Awareness

• CMAT Preparation Tips for  Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Solve Previous Year Papers

Engaging in the practice of solving CMAT previous year question papers can prove to be extremely beneficial in understanding the exam pattern and gaining valuable insights into the types of questions frequently asked in the exam. It can help you prepare more effectively, boost your confidence and improve your chances of performing well on the actual exam day.

Take CMAT Mock Tests

It is highly recommended that you take the CMAT 2026 mock tests to enhance your preparation for the exam. By doing so, you can evaluate your level of readiness and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. This will enable you to concentrate on improving the topics where you need more practice, ultimately increasing your chances of achieving a good score on the actual exam.

Revise Important Topics

To improve your chances of performing well in exams, revising the crucial topics you have learned is essential. Consistently revising the key concepts and formulas will help you retain the information better and keep it fresh in your mind. It's an effective way to reinforce your knowledge and ensure you're well-prepared for any assessments or exams.

• CMAT Revision Plan for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

• CMAT Revision Plan for General Awareness

• CMAT Revision Plan for Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

• CMAT Revision Plan for Language Comprehension

• CMAT Revision Plan for Logical Reasoning

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The difficulty level of the CMAT 2026 exam will not be very high. With a moderate score of 200 to 210, candidates will be awarded a 99+ percentile. The overall difficulty level of the CMAT exam has been provided below.

• If the difficulty level of the CMAT paper ranges from easy to moderate, good attempts range from 75-80 in shift 1 and from 73-78 in shift 2.
• If the difficulty level is high, 65-70 attempts out of 100 were considered good and 15-16 questions out of 25 questions in the IE section were regarded as good attempts.
• In the QA section, maximum questions are asked from Percentages, Time-speed-distance, Time & Work, Ratio-Proportion, Profit & Loss, Simple Interest & Compound Interest, Averages, Mensuration, Triangles, Probability, Properties of Numbers, Tables, Pie-Charts.
• In the LR section, there are Reasoning-based questions from topics like assumptions, assertion-reason, analogy, odd word. Other questions were on Directions, Series Completion, Number relations, Linear Arrangement, Family Tree, Coding, Set Theory, etc.
• In Grammar, questions are mostly asked from FIB, Identify the correct statement, direct/indirect speech, classify the sentence, question tag, Para Jumble (PJ), etc.

The question-wise official answers and options selected by you will be provided in the CMAT answer key and response sheet. The provisional CMAT answer key 2026 is made available on the official website 3-4 days after the exam and the final CMAT answer key is released along with the result. Follow the steps below to access it.

• Visit the official website (exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT).
• Click on the 'Display Question Papers and Responses' link. 
• Enter your Application No., Date of Birth or Password, and Security Pin.
• Click on 'Sign In'.
• The CMAT 2026 answer key will be displayed on the screen.
• Take a printout of the answer key for future reference.

If you feel that the CMAT answer key has some discrepancy, then you can file objections against it during the challenge window by filling out an online form. To challenge every question, you will have to pay INR 200. A panel of experts are responsible for examining the objections received and if any of the objections are found to be valid, the provisional CMAT answer key 2026 will be revised. After the analysis of objections and revision of the provisional answer key, NTA will release the final answer key. For more information, check out - How to Challenge CMAT Answer Key.

CMAT 2026 result will be released by NTA in the form of a scorecard on the official website. The scorecard has a validity of one year and contains a candidate’s personal details, overall & sectional score/ percentile, qualifying status, rank, and more. Test-takers will be able to download the CMAT result 2026 by following these steps.

• Visit the CMAT official website i.e. exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT.
• Click on the ' View CMAT Result 2026' link available on the home page.
• Log in by entering the Application Number and Password or Date of Birth.
• After that, click on the 'Submit' Tab.
• The CMAT scorecard will be displayed on the screen.
• Download and save the CMAT scorecard 2026.
• Take a few printouts for further reference.

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The marks required for admission to MBA colleges are determined by the CMAT cutoff scores. The cutoff is set to select the most suitable candidates for admission to the colleges. The authority will announce the CMAT 2026 cutoff after the results are published. Below is a list of colleges that offer admission to aspirants based on their CMAT scores.

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CMAT 2026 scores will be accepted by over 1300 MBA colleges in India. Mentioned below are some of the top CMAT participating colleges 2026.

Check the articles provided below to know colleges that accept CMAT 2026 exam scores:

• List of Rank wise CMAT Colleges in India

• Top 10 Colleges that Accept CMAT Scores in India

• Top MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

• List of Top MBA Colleges Accepting 90+ CMAT Percentile

• List of MBA Colleges Accepting 80-90 Percentile in CMAT

• List of MBA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CMAT

• List of MBA Colleges accepting 60-70 Percentile in CMAT

• List of MBA Colleges Accepting 50-60 Percentile in CMAT

• MBA Colleges for Low Percentile/ Score in CMAT

• Top 10 Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores in West India

• Top 10 Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores in North India