How To Prepare for CMAT 2025: Best Books, Section-Wise Preparation, Tips and Tricks

Are you planning to appear for CMAT 2025? Check out the best plan for CMAT preparation 2025 like best books, section-wise strategy, syllabus, pattern, question papers, mock tests and exam day tips.

CMAT 2025 preparation- Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is a gateway to over 1,300 B-schools across India including private, government and government aided institutions. Every year, over 70,000 aspirants take CMAT which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) annually in May. CMAT is popular among MBA aspirants because it is easy to crack. 

To prepare for the CMAT exam 2025, this is the right time. Since CMAT is a management aptitude test, its syllabus and pattern are similar to other MBA entrance exams. If you are preparing for CAT 2024, XAT 2025 or SNAP 2024 too, you need not work too hard on CMAT. By preparing for these exas you will already have an understanding of Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning and English topics. All you need to do is modify your study plan according to the CMAT exam pattern and difficulty level. 

CMAT has unique section- Innovation and Entrepreneurship, but this section is also not too tough. Just brush up on the basics of Business Studies and you will be able to handle it. In this article, you can read all about CMAT 2025 preparation including, exam syllabus, pattern, question papers, best books for CMAT and section-wise strategy.

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025 - Know Syllabus

CMAT 2025 exam will have five mandatory sections – Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Listed below are important topics of CMAT syllabus 2025:

Also Read: Top Books for CMAT Preparation 2025

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025: Understand Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

CMAT is a speed-based exam conducted in Computer-Based Test mode. The CMAT question paper contains 100 MCQs; each having four options to choose the right answer from. Given below is the CMAT exam pattern 2025:

Each section of CMAT exam 2025 will carry 20 questions. The total marks will be 400. There is negative marking in CMAT so candidates must answer the questions carefully. For each right answer, four marks will be awarded and for each wrong answer, one mark will be deducted. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions.

Also Read: Previous years' CMAT exam analyses

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025: Choose the Best Books for CMAT

Now that you know the CMAT syllabus and have understood the exam pattern, the next step is to choose the right CMAT books for preparation. Given below are the best books for CMAT preparation.

Best Books for CMAT Preparation 2025

CMAT preparation books are available for purchase online as well as in book shops. Check the list of CMAT books below:

Best Study Material for GK section of CMAT exam

To prepare for GK, the candidates must consult Manorama Year Book and Competition Success review. The best source of preparation for Current Affairs is the newspapers. Candidates must develop the habit of reading newspapers from the beginning of CMAT preparation. Some of the newspapers and magazines candidates should subscribe to are:

• The Hindu
• Financial Express
• Economic Times
• The Financial Times
• Wall Street Journal
• Hindu Business Line
• Business Today
• Business World

Also Read:

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025: Section-Wise Preparation Strategy

CMAT Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

The Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation section of CMAT exam will have 20 MCQs. The difficulty level of questions in this section is expected to be moderate to high with dominance of Arithmetic questions. The Data Interpretation questions are based on tables.

To prepare for this section of CMAT 2025, work on Mathematical concepts and formulae. Memorise Tables up to 20, square, square roots, cube, cube roots, fractions, etc. for quick calculation. Study each topic in detail and practice a few sample questions immediately after completing it to understand how to apply theoretical concepts to problems. It will also help you assess how well you’ve understood the topic.  

Also Read: CMAT How to prepare for Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

CMAT Logical Reasoning

Practice as many sample questions of Logical Reasoning as you can. The key to ace this section is practice. The more experience you have of solving factual, verbal or visual reasoning questions the better will be your performance. 

The weightage of Logical Reasoning in CMAT 2025 exam will be same as other sections, i.e. 20 MCQs carrying one mark each. The difficulty level of this section is also moderate. With ample practice of a variety of Logical Reasoning questions, one can score well in this section.

Also Read: CMAT Preparation tips for Logical Reasoning

CMAT Language Comprehension

The Language Comprehension section of CMAT exam consists of one Reading Comprehension passage with about six questions. The passage usually easy to understand. To ace this section one must work on word power as 8-10 questions are vocabulary based. Other topics on which questions area asked in this section are parajumbles, fill in the blanks, idioms and sentence correction.

To prepare well for Language Comprehension section of CMAT 2025, develop reading habit. The more you’ll read the better will be your vocabulary, grammar and reading comprehension. Also Read: CMAT Preparation tips for VARC

CMAT General Awareness

The General Awareness section of CMAT exam is usually tough. Out of 20 questions, most of them are based on Indian events. The candidates preparing for CMAT 2024, must stay updated with current affairs of India and world. They must pay special attention to static GK as the tougher questions of this section are usually from it.

Also Read: 8 tips to prepare well in GK

CMAT Innovation & Entrepreneurship

For this newly introduced section, candidates must prepare on the basic concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship. They should read all about types of entrepreneurs, types of business, fundamental of running a business, market, capital and product innovation. The best resource to prepare for CMAT Innovation & Entrepreneurship section is CMAT question papers of 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. Get hold of that to know the topics and types of questions asked in this section.

Also Read: How to prepare for CMAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (with sample questions)

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025: Solve CMAT Question Papers & Mock Test

CMAT question papers and sample papers form a crucial part of exam preparation plan. One can say, the preparation is not complete without practicing previous years' CMAT questions. The CMAT question papers are released along with solutions by the exam authorities. Candidates must solve previous years' CMAT question papers at least three to four times. They should also practice from CMAT sample papers and on mock test series to improve speed and accuracy in solving the questions.

Listed below are some benefits of practicing previous years’ CMAT question papers and sample papers:

• Solving CMAT previous year question papers will give you an idea of the types of questions asked in the past and weightage of each topic.
• Solving sample paper and mock test series will help you identify gaps in your exam preparation. You will be able to identify, which topics are your strength and which ones are your weakness.

• Solving mock tests will improve your speed and accuracy. You will also explore tricks and shortcuts of solving questions in shorter period of time.
• A number of CMAT mock tests will expose you to a variety of questions – tough, easy, lengthy, tricky – so that you are well prepared for surprise questions in the actual exam.
• Practicing online mock tests, will prepare you for the actual CMAT exam. You will already have the experience of the online exam so there will be no first time jitters in CMAT 2025.

Take CMAT Mock Test

Shiksha has prepared a free CMAT mock test for candidates. They can attempt this mock test and check their preparation level:

CMAT Sample Questions for Practice

Also Read:

• How to prepare for CMAT in 6 months
• How to prepare for CMAT in 3 months
• How to prepare for CMAT in 1 month

How to Prepare for CMAT 2025: Exam Day Guidelines

For a smooth and successful CMAT 2025 exam, keep the following points in mind:

• Revise the main formulae and theorems a night before the CMAT 2025 exam day. Do not practice sample questions.
• Reach the CMAT exam centre before reporting time and carry two print outs of your CMAT admit card 2025 along with the original copy of your ID.
• Do not carry electronic or food items. Do not wear caps, scarfs, etc. Do not wear metal accessories or clothes having metal items.
• Read instructions thoroughly before starting to solve the questions after the CMAT exam starts.
• Start with the section you find easy and are confident of solving quickly.
• If you can’t solve a question within less than a minute, move on to the next question. Come back later to solve the question.
• Choose only those question to answer which you can solve with 100 per cent accuracy. Don’t take the risk of negative marking.
• Get done with the GK section within 15 minutes and devote rest of the time on rest of the four sections.
• Keep aside 10 minute to revise your answers in the end.

Read More:

• CMAT Preparation and Exam Day Tips
• Top MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT scores
• CMAT Score Vs Percentile: How to Calculate