The CMAT 2026 is expected to be conducted by the NTA in the first or second week of January 2026. It is a national-level entrance exam for admission to AICTE-approved MBA and PGDM programs. Over 1,300 management institutes across India, including several top institutions, accept CMAT scores for admission.

The exam assesses candidates across five key areas: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, conducted in a computer-based format (CBT), with a total duration of 180 minutes. The scoring system awards +4 for each correct answer and deducts 1 mark for each incorrect response, making speed and accuracy crucial for a good performance.

To crack CMAT 2026, candidates typically require a well-structured preparation plan spanning 3 to 6 months. An effective strategy includes building a solid foundation in core concepts, staying updated with general knowledge and current affairs, regularly practicing with mock tests, and placing special emphasis on the Innovation & Entrepreneurship section—an area that sets CMAT apart from other MBA entrance exams.

What is CMAT?

The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the NTA for admission to MBA and PGDM programs offered by AICTE-approved institutions. It assesses candidates across five key sections and is considered one of the relatively easier management entrance exams in India.

Key Features of the CMAT Exam:

• Conducted once a year in computer-based (CBT) mode

• Total duration of three hours with no sectional time limits

• Accepted by over 1,300 B-schools across India

How many times is CMAT held in a year?

CMAT is conducted once annually by the NTA. Based on past trends, the exam typically takes place in the first or second week of January. It is a computer-based test featuring 100 questions across five sections, to be completed in 3 hours:

• Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

• Logical Reasoning

• Language Comprehension

• General Awareness

• Innovation & Entrepreneurship

CMAT 2026 Important Dates (Tentative)

In recent years, the CMAT exam, which was earlier conducted in April-May, has been rescheduled to January. Based on this pattern, the tentative schedule for CMAT 2026 is as follows:

CMAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before completing the application form, candidates are encouraged to ensure they meet the CMAT 2026 eligibility criteria:

• Nationality: Applicants must be Indian citizens.
• Age Criteria: There is no specified age limit for the CMAT 2026 exam.
• Qualifications: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
• Appearing: Students currently in the final year of their undergraduate program, with results expected before the commencement of the admission process, are also eligible to apply.

CMAT 2026 Registration

The CMAT 2026 application process will be conducted entirely online through the official NTA CMAT portal. Candidates will need to complete various steps digitally, including registration, form submission, and fee payment, by providing their personal and academic details.

Steps to Apply for CMAT 2026:

1. Visit the official website: https://exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT

2. Register as a new user by entering basic personal details.

3. Log in using your credentials to complete the application form.

4. Upload a passport-sized photograph, signature, and a valid photo ID.

5. Choose four preferred cities for the exam center.

6. Pay the application fee online via net banking, credit card, or debit card.

Application Fee:

• The fee must be submitted through online mode only.
• Candidates are required to use debit cards, credit cards, net banking, Paytm, or UPI for fee transactions.

CMAT Application Process

Step 1: Registration

• To begin the process, applicants must register on the CMAT official website
• Ensure that you have a valid email address and phone number before applying.
• Step 1: Create an account as a new user. You must complete Self Registration, which entails providing some basic information about yourself.
• Once you click submit option, the information you have added, canot be changed. 
• When you submit your information, a unique six-digit password will be generated and shown on screen, as well as transmitted via message and email.
• For all subsequent logins, you can choose Existing User option and use the 6 digit password to logins.

Step 2: Payment of CMAT Fee

Candidates have two options for this:

1. i) ONLINE PAYMENT

• Payment mode is: Credit card / Debit card / Net Banking
• You will receive a confirmation E-mail and SMS after your payment has been completed successfully.

1. ii) CASH Payment in SBI bank

• 3 copies of the challan need to be printed
• On the challan, fill in all the necessary information
• Challans and cash should be deposited at an SBI branch
• Challan payment can only be done from the next day of generating the challan (e.g., a challan generated on the 24th can only be paid on the 25th).
• You’ll receive confirmation via email or SMS within 48 hours.

CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern

Below is the comprehensive CMAT 2026 exam pattern:

• Mode of Exam: The exam will be conducted in online CBT (computer-based test) mode.
• Medium: Questions will be presented exclusively in the English language.
• Duration: Candidates will have a total of 3 hours to complete the exam.
• Type of Questions: The exam will feature Multiple Choice Type questions.
• Number of Questions: A total of 100 questions will be asked, with each section comprising 20 questions.
• Marking Scheme: Each correct answer will be awarded 4 marks.
• Negative Marking: There will be a penalty of 1 mark for each incorrect answer.

Tip: In order to know better about the exam better and the marketing scheme, students should and\or expected to take the Online Trial Test. The trial test will give the students a clear picture of layout, design and navigation functionality for the CMAT 2026.

CMAT 2026 Syllabus

The CMAT 2026 syllabus encompasses various subjects including Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, General Awareness, and Language Comprehension.

Each section carries an equal number of questions, underscoring the importance of thorough preparation across all subjects to achieve higher scores. Below are some topics included in the CMAT syllabus:

CMAT exam has 5 sections – Quantitative Techniques, English Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The broad topics covered under the sections are as follows –

CMAT 2026 Admit Card

For graduate students, the CMAT 2026 exam is one of the most essential management exams. Candidates must put in a lot of effort and prepare mock tests. The admission card is the most significant document that will be required to take this exam. The admit card of the candidate is the only proof that the candidate has applied for the exam and has paid the fee as well. 

In case the candidate forget to bring his or her admit card, the student will not be permitted to sit in th examination. At the examination centre, students are recommended to bring at least two printed copies of their admit card.

Only those applicants who have completed and submitted their applications by the deadline will be issued an admission card.

The candidates are required to follow the following steps to download their admit card.

• Go to the official website and click on the admit card download link.
• Required details like; username, password, email id, etc. need to be added
• On the screen, the candidate’s CMAT 2026 admission card will be displayed.
• Download admission card’ option will appear at the bottom of the screen, which the candidate must select.

It is also recommended that the candidate print out his or her admit card and present it when asked at the examination hall.

The candidate has the option of selecting one of three centers based on their preferences. The CMAT exam is held in several cities across India, and candidates can choose the location that is most convenient for them.

CMAT 2026 Result

The CMAT 2026 results are expected to be announced approximately 15-20 days after the exam. Candidates can access their CMAT result cum scorecard by logging in to the CMAT-NTA website using their respective login credentials. Here are the steps to download the CMAT scorecard cum result for 2026:

1. Visit the official CMAT website: https://exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT/
2. Click on the ‘CMAT-2026 scorecard’ tab.
3. Enter your CMAT 2026 login details (application number and password or date of birth).
4. Click on ‘Submit’ to access and download the CMAT scorecard.

The CMAT 2026 result cum scorecard will include candidate information along with their exam scores and percentile. It’s important to note that the scorecard will be available for download for a limited duration, so candidates are advised to download their results promptly upon release

CMAT Cutoff 2026

The anticipated CMAT 2026 cut-offs for leading MBA institutions are projected to range from 95 to 99 percentile. These cut-offs are established by the participating colleges to facilitate admissions for the upcoming MBA cohort. They represent the minimum score or percentile necessary for admission to MBA programs at institutions that accept CMAT scores. Each participating institute independently sets its CMAT cut-offs.

To secure admission, candidates must satisfy the minimum CMAT cut-off percentiles and successfully navigate through the selection process of their preferred institution. Admission procedures for MBA programs, based on CMAT 2026 cut-offs, will commence following the announcement of results.