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Updated By Soham Mitra on 23 Sep, 2025 12:34
According to the CMAT 2026 exam pattern, a total of 100 questions will be asked in the CMAT 2026 exam with 20 questions from each section: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The exam will be conducted in CBT mode over a duration of 3 hours or 180 minutes.
Predict your Percentile based on your CMAT performance
Predict RankThe CMAT exam pattern is the structure that will be followed to assess students through the CMAT test. CMAT exam pattern 2026 has been released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the CMAT 2026 notification. The exam pattern remains the same as last year and comprises the total number of questions, total marks, time duration, marking scheme, the number of questions section-wise, exam timing, and many more important details. It is important for students appearing for the exam to check the detailed CMAT exam pattern 2026 to get a clear idea of the question paper and prepare accordingly.
Check out the highlights of the CMAT exam pattern 2026 here:
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Total Number of Sections | 5 (Language Comprehension, Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship) |
Examination Mode | Online |
Examination Language | English |
Total Number of Questions | 100 |
Number of Questions in Each Section | 20 |
Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Number of MCQ Options | 5 |
Total Marks | 400 |
Total Marks for Each Section in CMAT | 80 |
Marking Scheme |
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Total CMAT Exam Duration | 3 Hours or 180 Minutes |
There are no officially published CMAT "passing marks" by the NTA; instead, colleges set their own CMAT cutoff scores and determine qualifying scores for admission.
A CMAT score in the range of 330-360 (approximately 99th percentile and above) is considered excellent for admission into the top-tier MBA programmes, while a score of 250-300 (around 90-95 percentile) is a good score for admission into many well-known colleges, and a score around 200 (around 65-70 percentile) is considered to be average.
The section-wise CMAT paper pattern 2026 can be checked below:
Section | No of Questions | Marks Per Question | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
Logical Reasoning | 20 | 4 | 80 |
Language Comprehension | 20 | 4 | 80 |
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | 20 | 4 | 80 |
General Awareness | 20 | 4 | 80 |
Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 20 | 4 | 80 |
Total | 100 | 4 | 400 |
Candidates can also check the CMAT exam pattern for the last 5 academic years to understand the changes that have taken place in terms of CMAT exam pattern. Take a look at the table below:
CMAT 2026 Pattern Vs Previous 4 Years CMAT Exams Pattern | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Exam Details | CMAT 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 & 2022 | CMAT 2021 | CMAT 2020 |
CMAT Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) | National Testing Agency (NTA) | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
CMAT Exam Mode | Computer Based | Computer Based | Computer Based |
Changes in the Registration Fees | Rs.2000/- | Rs.2000/- | Rs.1400/- |
Section-wise CMAT Weightage | 5 sections exam with 100 questions | 5 sections exam with 125 questions | 4 sections exam with 100 questions |
Marking Scheme | +4 marks for each right answer | +4 marks for each right answer | +4 marks for each right answer |
Total Marks | 400 | 500 | 400 |
Difficulty Level | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult | Easy |
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the CMAT 2026 exam and is responsible for setting up the CMAT marking scheme and exam pattern for the examination. Here's the CMAT marking scheme:
The CMAT 2026 marking scheme will help candidates understand the weightage of marks per question and total marks, highlighting the marks deducted for every wrong answer. Here are a few pointers explaining the same.
The total mark for the exam is 400, and the total mark per section is 80.
For every correct answer, 4 marks will be awarded.
1 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.
No marks will be deducted for the unattempted questions.
Enlisted below are steps highlighting how to navigate between sections while answering the questions of CMAT.
Here is a figure depicting the above-mentioned explanation:
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The computer screen of the exam shows the options provided below and candidates can select any one of them to answer the CMAT questions.
Applicants will not be allowed to use the keyboard to answer the CMAT questions. They can only use the mouse to do so. Candidates will have the option to make changes or modify their answers anytime during the entire exam. Captured below are the different icons that will appear on the computer screen and their respective indications.
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Also Read:
Want to know more about CMAT
20 questions will be asked from Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Questions will be asked from topics like Theories and Models of Entrepreneurship, Framework of Entrepreneurship Theories, Emerging Trends in Social Entrepreneurship, Rural Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurship, Dimensions of Entrepreneurship, Motivation, Communication and Leadership, etc.
20 questions will be asked from General Awareness. Questions will be asked from topics like Current Affairs (last 6 months), Literature, National and International Economy, Indian Constitution, Science & Technology, Politics, Economics, History and Geography, Sports, Awards and Honours.
20 questions will be asked from Logical Reasoning. Questions will be asked from topics like Analogy, Blood Relations, Series Completion, Coding-Decoding, Logical Sequence of Words, Puzzles involving seating arrangements or floor arrangements, and Syllogisms.
20 questions will be asked from Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation. Questions will be asked from topics like Arithmetic (Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Time, Speed & Distance, Time & Work), Algebra (Linear and Quadratic Equations), Number System, Probability, Geometry and Mensuration, Data Interpretation (Pie Charts, Bar Graphs, Tables). To ace this section, practise more questions involving time, speed, and distance and interpret data from given charts and tables to answer questions.
4 marks will be awarded for each correct answer in the CMAT 2026 exam. 1 mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer. There is no provision of negative marking for unattempted questions.
The total marks of the CMAT 2026 exam are 400. 80 marks will be allotted to each of the five sections: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship, making the total marks 400. 4 marks are allotted for each question.
A total of 100 questions will be asked in the CMAT 2026 exam. 20 questions will be asked from Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, 20 questions from Logical Reasoning, 20 questions from Language Comprehension, 20 questions from General Awareness, and 20 questions from Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the CMAT 2026 exam.
The total time duration of CMAT is 3 hours or 180 minutes. The CMAT is conducted in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode and a total of 100 questions must be answered in 180 minutes.
CMAT is an objective test meant to assess candidates' overall aptitude and knowledge. CMAT has no particular sectional time constraints, so it is up to the test-taker to establish a balance between sections.
There is no segment time limit when taking the CMAT in 2025, and candidates are free to move between sections. Candidates should be aware that each incorrect response will result in a deduction of one mark, and there will be no credit for any questions that are not attempted.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is responsible for setting the CMAT 2026 exam pattern. NTA will conduct the CMAT 2026 and will be in charge of developing the CMAT 2026 marking scheme. The examination previously was conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
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