CMAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Age Limit, Reservation Criteria, Educational Qualification

Senior Manager - Content

Updated on Nov 16, 2024 14:09 IST

CMAT eligibility criteria is Graduation or equivalent degree. There is no minimum score required to apply for this exam. Check below, complete eligibility criteria for CMAT 2025 and reservation policy to apply for CMAT 2025.

CMAT eligibility criteria is graduation which is the minimum admission requirements to be fulfilled by candidates for appearing in this national level MBA entrance exam. The eligibility criteria for the Common Management Admission Test or CMAT as prescribed by National Testing Agency (NTA) is considered by all AICTE approved B-school offering admissions to MBA/PGDM courses on basis of CMAT scores. Read this article to check complete CMAT eligibility criteria 2024 including educational qualification, age limit and reservation policy.

Explore colleges based on CMAT

Management Development Institute institute image

Gurgaon

#11 NIRF

Courses Offered1 course4.4

Total Fees Range₹8.25 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai institute image

Mumbai

#20 NIRF

Courses Offered1 course

Total Fees Range₹9.5 L

Ranked in the top 50 by NIRF

Amity University, Noida institute image

Noida

#29 NIRF

Courses Offered10 courses3.8

Total Fees Range₹6.4 L - 13.8 L

Ranked in the top 50 by NIRF

LPU - Lovely Professional University institute image

Jalandhar

#38 NIRF

Courses Offered7 courses4.4

Total Fees Range₹8 L - 10 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

Want better recommendations?

There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.

+ Add preferences

IMT Ghaziabad - Institute of Management Technology institute image

Ghaziabad

#35 NIRF

Courses Offered1 course

Total Fees RangeNA

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

Christ University institute image

Bangalore

#60 NIRF

Courses Offered9 courses4.2

Total Fees Range₹4.8 L - 8.6 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

Jaipuria Noida - Jaipuria Institute of Management institute image

Noida

#45 NIRF

Courses Offered5 courses4.0

Total Fees Range₹14.75 L - 15.75 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

Institute of Rural Management, Anand institute image

Anand

#49 NIRF

Courses Offered1 course4.6

Total Fees Range₹13.6 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

Graphic Era Deemed to be University institute image

Dehradun

#59 NIRF

Courses Offered5 courses4.1

Total Fees Range₹7.17 L

Ranked in the top 100 by NIRF

K J Somaiya Institute of Management institute image

Mumbai

#63 NIRF

Courses Offered3 courses4.2

Total Fees Range₹13.48 L - 21.34 L

In Top 10 %ile by Average Salary of MBA Colleges

View allCollections

CMAT 2025 exam registration process has begun and the last date to apply is December 13, 2024 and the CMAT application form 2024 is available online at NTA website. The CMAT 2025 exam will be conducted on January 25, 2025 and only those candidates will be allowed to appear in the exam who will meet the eligibility criteria.

Q: What are the benefits of appearing in CMAT?

There are several benefits of appearing in the CMAT exam. It is easier than other exams and accepted by many B-schools. Check below some of the key benefits of CMAT.

CMAT is conducted at the end of MBA entrance exam season, so MBA aspirants don't have to study much as the previous experience of exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP comes in use.
CMAT score is accepted by about 1,300 MBA colleges in India which includes top colleges in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
CMAT exam is a moderate difficulty level exam so it is easier to score high in CMAT than CAT, XAT, IIFT, GMAT.
CMAT cut offs for admission to top colleges are not exceptionally high, so you can get a good MBA college with a decent CMAT score.
There's no 50 per cent aggregate criteria for CMAT application. Candidates with passing marks in graduation can also appear for the exam.
CMAT application fee for women and reserved category candidates is only INR 1,000 which is quite less as compared to CAT, XAT, IIFT, SNAP fees.

Q: When can I apply for CMAT?

The next CMAT exam will be held on January 25, 2025. The NTA has started registration process for the same most on November 14, 2024. Those interested in appearing for the exam are required to register for it at CMAT-NTA website and fill the online application form before December 25, 2024. The score of CMAT will be valid for one year only, so if you appear for CMAT 2025, you must take admission in the same academic year.

Apart from 1300 B-schools, the CMAT score is also valid for admission through MAH CET CAP. The Maharashtra State CET Cell conducts MBA/MMS admissions for 300 colleges in the state. It is followed by a common counselling process called CAP. CMAT test takers can also participate in MAH MBA CET CAP and secure a seat in MBA/MMS course offered by over 300 colleges in Maharashtra.

Q: What is the eligibility criteria for admission to colleges accepting CMAT score?

Although there is no minimum graduation marks criterion for appearing in the CMAT exam, the criterion applies for admission through CMAT. As per the AICTE recommendation, the candidate must have completed graduation from a recognised university with a minimum score of 50 per cent in aggregate (45 per cent for Reserved category students) to be eligible for admission to a UGC recognised MBA/PGDM course. Apart from academic criteria, candidates have to also fulfil the CMAT cut off criteria. CMAT cut offs are different for different institutes. The CMAT cut offs are fixed by the institutes individually on the basis of several parameters. Only those candidates are shortlisted for admission who meet the minimum cut off criteria. If a candidate does not meet the CMAT cut off, they will not be considered for Group Discussion and Personal Interview round or direct admission. Meeting CMAT cut off is the prerequisite for admission to the MBA institutes. Candidates must visit their preferred institute website and check the CMAT cut off percentile required, before applying for admission.

Also Read: CMAT 2025 registration started, apply now

CMAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

Candidates applying for the CMAT 2025 must be an Indian resident.
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree of minimum three-year duration or equivalent in any stream from AICTE approved institute/university.
Candidates in the final year of their bachelor's degree are also eligible to apply for CMAT exam provided their result will be declared before admission for academic year begins.
There is no minimum score criteria for CMAT 2025. Candidates must have passing marks in graduation.
However, the minimum score requirement of maximum CMAT participating colleges is 50 % (45% for reserved categories).
There is no upper age limit for applying and appearing in CMAT exam.

Also Read: CMAT preparation tips and strategy 2025

CMAT Reservation Criteria 2025

There is no reservation policy for CMAT exam but for admissions, the B-schools accepting CMAT scores will be considering reservation criteria as prescribed by Government of India. To avail reservation benefits at the time of admission, the candidates must mention their reservation status (caste/PwD category) in the CMAT application form.

Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates

SBEST

SBEST Result Announcement 2025

6 Feb '25

ATMA

ATMA 2025: Last Date of Fee Payment

9 Feb '25

MICAT

GE & PI Shortlist Declaration

14 Feb '25

IRMASAT

IRMASAT Personal Interviews

20 Feb '25

SRCC GBO

SRCC GBO 2025

22 Feb '25

IBSAT

IBSAT 2024 Selection Process (...

15 Feb '25 - 24 Feb '25

Amrita CAT

Amrita CAT 2025: Last date of ...

28 Feb '25

PAT

Issuance of Admission Order (v...

28 Feb '25

MAH CET

MAH CET 20245 registration process

25 Dec '24 - 10 Feb '25

JET

JET 2025 Registration

20 Nov '24 - 28 Feb '25

CMAT Reservation Policy

Category	Reservation (in percentage)
Scheduled Caste	15%
Scheduled Tribe	7.5%
Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer)	27%
General/Open	50.5%
PwD	5% in each category

CMAT Reservation under Persons with Disabilities

Candidates suffering 40 per cent or more disability (from listed disabilities) can claim admission under PwD category. The PwD list of disabilities are:

Blindness and low vision
Deaf and hard of hearing
Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy
Autism, intellectual disability, specified learning disability and mental illness, and
Persons suffering multiple disabilities from (1) to (4)
Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in RPwD Act 2016

Candidates can change their category in the CMAT application form only till the last date of application submission. After that no change will be allowed.

Q: Is there any age restriction to take CMAT exam?

There is no age bar for appearing in CMAT exam. Any person at any phase of their career, from any field, fresher or working professionals, can appear for CMAT. However, the candidate should have completed graduation. The education mode can be full-time or correspondence but the university should be affiliated to the UGC. A graduation degree is normally completed by the age of 20 so the candidate must be at least 20 years old at the time of appearing in the CMAT exam. So, yes one can say that there is a minimum age limit but not maximum age limit for appearing in CMAT. A large percentage of CMAT applicants is of fresh graduates as it suits them better to continue education in full-time mode. However, many working professional also appear for the CMAT exam to purse executive MBA, Online MBA, Distance MBA or Part-Time MBA from reputed institutes.

Q: Can I appear for CMAT at any test centre?

No, you cannot appear for the CMAT exam at any test centre. You can appear for the test at the centre mentioned in your CMAT admit card. Entry at every CMAT test centre is given to candidates only after thorough scrutiny of the hall ticket and ID proof. If you attempt to gain entry in any other test centre, you will be disqualified. Thus, candidates must make sure that they check the location of their allotted test centre beforehand and reach there on exam day on time. If they reach the test centre after the gates have been closed they will not be allowed entry under any circumstances. CMAT test centre gates close 15 minutes before the commencement of exam.

Q: I have secured 256 in CMAT and I am from open category. What are my chances to get admission in BK College?

BK College of Management Studies is a popular management institute in Gujarat that offers admission to its MBA programme through CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The admission process at BK College of Management Studies is based on the CMAT score, academic qualifications, work experience, and performance in the selection rounds such as Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). As per the previous year's admission data, the cutoff for admission to BK College of Management Studies through CMAT was around 200-220 marks for the Open category. With a CMAT score of 256, you seem to have a good chance of getting admission to the MBA programme at BK College of Management Studies. However, the cutoff for admission may vary every year based on various factors such as the number of applicants, the difficulty level of the exam, and the availability of seats in the college. Therefore, it is advisable to keep track of the official admission notifications and check with the college authorities for more information on the admission process and cutoff for the current academic session.

Q: I belong to SC category. Is there any marks relaxation in CMAT for SC students?

There is no minimum marks criterion for appearing in CMAT exam. Any candidate who has passed a Bachelor's degree programme from a recognised university can apply. Final year candidates are also eligible to apply for CMAT if they scored passing marks in their first and second year of Bachelor's degree programme. However, there is a minimum score requirement at CMAT accepting colleges for admission. All the UGC and AICTE approved institutions have the minimum score requirement of 45 per cent in aggregate in graduation for candidates for Scheduled Caster/ Scheduled Tribe and Person with Disability categories. Thus, you must ensure that you have an aggregate score of at least 45 per cent in your graduation to be able to get admission into a full-time MBA programme at a government recognised institution.

Q: I didn't apply for CMAT. Can I still get admission to Prestige Institute of Management and Research?

Yes, you can get admission to the Prestige Institute of Management and Research without a CMAT scorecard. However, If you are seeking for direct admission you should be qualified with 90% aggregate Marks in the examination. Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility for admission to various programs is as under: MBA (Full Time/Part Time), MBA (International Business), and MBA (Marketing Management): Graduation/Post-Graduation with minimum 50 percent marks in aggregate.

CMAT Eligibility for Scribe/Reader

Candidates with disabilities under category of blindness, locomotor disability (both arm affected BA) and cerebral palsy, can avail the facility of scribe/reader/lab assistant on CMAT exam day. Such candidates need to submit a request in writing to the CMAT Test Centre Superintendent for their requirements of Scribe/Reader along with disability certificate issued by the authorised Medical Officer.

CMAT Test Centre Superintendent will provide a scribe/ reader who is at least one year junior to the candidate academically.
Candidates availing scribe/reader can request Centre Superintendent to meet the allotted scribe a day before the examination to verify their suitability and general acquaintanceship.
Candidates availing scribe/reader will be provided extra 60 minutes beyond the test duration of CMAT exam.

CMAT Question Papers PDF	CMAT Syllabus 2025	CMAT Pattern 2025
CMAT Mock Test 2025	CMAT Books for Preparation	CMAT admission process 2025

Check CMAT Cut offs and predict calls from colleges accepting CMAT score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all CMAT participating colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict CMAT Admission Calls

About the Author

Vipra Shrivastava

Senior Manager - Content

Vipra is a massive Breaking Bad fan. When not watching crime drama series, she spends time in updating the list of places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet, but she is happiest in the company of dogs. ... Read Full Bio

Download Important Dates for MBA/PGDM Exams