CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)

CMAT 2026 is conducted by NTA for admission to MBA and PGDM programmes at AICTE-approved management institutions. Accepted by over 1,000 B-schools, CMAT is particularly important for JBIMS Mumbai, SIMSREE Mumbai, KJ Somaiya, and state government MBA colleges across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and other states. CMAT is significantly less competitive than CAT or XAT in terms of test difficulty, making it accessible to a broader range of candidates.

For NE India students, CMAT opens access to MBA programmes at institutions including those in Assam and NE states that accept NTA scores. Registration typically happens January–February with the exam in March–May. CMAT scores are accepted by several newer private universities and B-schools that prefer NTA-validated scores.

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline with minimum 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD)
• Final-year undergraduate students can apply provisionally
• No age limit
• No limit on number of attempts

Mode

• Computer-Based Test (CBT) — single day, multiple shifts
• Duration: 3 hours | Total marks: 400

Sections (5 sections)

• Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation: 25 questions | 100 marks
• Logical Reasoning: 25 questions | 100 marks
• Language Comprehension: 25 questions | 100 marks
• General Awareness: 25 questions | 100 marks
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: 25 questions | 100 marks

Marking Scheme

• Correct: +4 | Incorrect: −1 | Unanswered: 0

Acceptance

• CMAT score is valid for institutes listed on AICTE portal
• Some state governments (Maharashtra via MAH MBA CAP) accept CMAT scores for their counselling