CMAT Counselling 2025: Check Admission Process, Criteria, and Dates

Common Management Admission Test 2025 ( CMAT )

17.5K Views5.9K Comments

Admit Card: 17 Jan '25

Vipra Shrivastava

Vipra ShrivastavaSenior Manager - Content

Updated on Jan 2, 2025 13:24 IST

CMAT counselling - There is no common counselling process for CMAT. After CMAT result announcement, the accepting colleges determine admission cut offs and conduct selection process as per their own schedule. Over 1,300 B-Schools in India accept CMAT score for MBA/PGDM admission. The CMAT 2025 exam will be held on January 25, 2025. Admission process for CMAT 2025 qualifiers will begin in March 2025.

The CMAT counselling or admission process mainly includes Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) which is conducted by B-Schools individually. The institutes shortlist candidates on the basis of CMAT scores of the applicants and call them for GD/PI. Students aspiring to pursue MBA in the next academic year must register for CMAT 2025.They should also apply to the MBA colleges of their choice because CMAT application does not include college application. 

Q:   What is a good score in CMAT for admission to top MBA colleges?

A:

Ideally, one would say that 99-100 percentile is good for MBA Admission. However, it is not possible for all candidates to score so high. So, what shall be considered a good score in CMAT. A good CMAT score is basically a score that will get you a seat in your desired college. So, if you desire a Tier 1 college, a good score in CMAT will be 85 percentile and above. If you desire a Tier 2 college, a good score in CMAT will be 70-85 percentile and for a Tier 3 college, less than 70 percentile in CMAT will be good. Now, if you want to understand CMAT. Score in terms of percentile, so that while giving the exam you know how much raw score is needed to get the required percentile for the desired college, you need to know how much CMAT score is equal to percentile. About 340-350 score is equal to 100 percentile in CMAT About 281-340 score is equal to 90-99.99 percentile in CMAT About 201-280 score is equal to 81-89 percentile in CMAT About 171-200 score is equal to 71-80 percentile in CMAT About 140-171 score is equal to 61-70 percentile in CMAT About 116-140 score is equal to 51-60 percentile in CMAT.

Thumbs Up IconUpvote Thumbs Down Icon

Q:   Is there a centralized counselling for admission through CMAT score?

A:
No, there is no centralised counselling through CMAT. The national level entrance exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency for the AICTE. The role of NTA starts from framing exam pattern to registrations and ends with result announcement. After that, MBA colleges which accept CMAT score for shortlisting students start the selection process. There are about 1,300 MBA colleges in India which accept CMAT score for admission. All these colleges conduct admissions individually which includes, shortlisting of students on the basis of CMAT score, conduct of group discussion, written ability test and Personal Interview and final selection based on certain parameters. Some common parameters for admission through CMAT include: 1. CMAT score 2. Class 10 and 12 scores 3. Graduation scores 4. Performance in group discussion and personal interview 5. Work experience (if any) Final selection of candidates is based on these parameters. The admission cycle and application schedule of the CMAT accepting colleges can be different so aspirants are required to check admission related notification of the colleges regularly.
Thumbs Up IconUpvote Thumbs Down Icon

Q:   Does NTA conduct MBA Admission through CMAT?

A:
No, the NTA doesn't conduct common counselling for admission through CMAT. The role of NTA viz. CMAT ends with result declaration. The CMAT accepting colleges conduct their own admission process individually. Candidates have to fill admission forms of the target colleges individually. The MBA colleges and universities accepting CMAT scores conduct group discussion and Personal Interview to select candidates for admission. This selection is based on minimum CMAT cut off fixed by the institute. Admission through CMAT also includes assessment of candidates on the basis of other parameters such as academic record and work experience (not mandatory for all colleges). Overall, the admission process through CMAT includes selection of candidates on the basis of: 1. CMAT score 2. Class 10, 12 and graduation score 3. Work profile and other activities 4. Performance in Personal Interview and group discussion To check your chances of CMAT admission check this college predictor: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cmat-college-predictor.
Thumbs Up IconUpvote Thumbs Down Icon

Q:   What is the common admission process through CMAT?

A:
Admission through CMAT exam includes filling up of admission form, appearing for personality assessment test such as group discussion, written ability test and Personal Interview . The personality assessment round is mandatory for all MBA/PGDM candidates as it provides the colleges the opportunity to assess the candidates knowledge, communication skills and leadership abilities. These qualities are essential for making of a good manager or a business leader. Every CMAT accepting MBA college conduct the personality assessment round as per their admission schedule. While some colleges conduct group discussion and Personal Interview . Some colleges conduct written ability test and Personal Interview . There are some CMAT accepting colleges that conduct all three. In the group discussion, candidates are grouped into batched of 8-10, and given a topic to discuss. The group discussion is usually of 15-20 minutes, where every candidate has to display their knowledge and ability to convince others. In this activity, the moderators, judge candidates for their knowledge, ability to hold an argument without screaming and shouting on each other. In the written ability test, candidates are given a topic to write short essay. In this activity, they are judged on their knowledge, English skills and ability to make a convincing argument with facts and reasons. In the Personal Interview round, candidates are judged on their interpersonal skills, ability to ACT under pressure, knowledge and seriousness towards career goals.
Thumbs Up IconUpvote Thumbs Down Icon

CMAT Admission Process 2025: Key Points

Every CMAT participating institute conducts the Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD/PI) round for full-time MBA/PGDM admission. Some B-Schools conduct Writing Ability Test (WAT) instead of GD. The institutes conduct the admission process as per their own schedule, thus aspirants must keep checking the official notifications of their preferred CMAT college in order to participate in the MBA admissiom process.

CMAT 2024 admission process

Steps of admission through CMAT

Here are a few key points to keep in mind for CMAT admission process 2025:

  • NTA, the exam conducting body, does not conduct any common admission process or counselling for seat allocation through CMAT.

  • NTA is entrusted with only conducting the CMAT exam annually across India.
  • CMAT score accepting institutes have their own admission criteria and selection process which they announce during the admission season.
  • Candidates who qualify the CMAT exam, can apply for admission to MBA programmes offered by participating institutes of their choice based on their CMAT percentile and rank.

  • CMAT exam qualifying candidates have to apply to each institute of their choice separately and participate in their selection process.

  • Application process for MBA colleges accepting CMAT 2025 will open after the exam. Candidates can fill the forms as per their preference.
  • Candidates have to pay application fee for every target institute.

Also Read:

CMAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CMAT 2025 exam

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates

25 Jan '25

CMAT 2025 exam date

CMAT Admission Criteria 2025

Candidates seeking admission to an MBA programme for 2025 batch must fulfill the following CMAT admission criteria, common to all the CMAT participating institutes:

Academic requirement: Candidates must fulfil the minimum score requirement for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation

Valid CMAT 2025 score:Selection is largely based on CMAT cut off, which is institute specific

Good performance in GD/PI: Final selection is based on candidate's skill and abilities displayed during GD/PI

Work experience (if applicable): There is additional points for work experience for MBA admission in all top B-Schools

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

Stages of CMAT Admission Process 2025

1.CMAT Admission Process: Screening of Candidates

The CMAT participating institutes will fix cut offs to select candidates for admission to the 2025 batch. The criteria of fixing CMAT cut off 2025 may vary for every institute. The institutes will accept applications from only those candidates who will meet the minimum CMAT cut off criteria. They will be then invited to participate in Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

Also read: CMAT cut offs of top MBA institutes

2.CMAT Admission Process: Group Discussion

Group discussion of CMAT 2025 selection process will weigh the candidate’s communication skills, leadership quality, problem solving ability and other personality traits. A lot of weightage is given to this round for admission hence candidates must prepare well for this round. They must read a lot on socio-economic issues and current affairs and practice public speaking.

3.CMAT Admission Process: Personal Interview

The Personal Interview round is conducted by the institutes to assess the candidate's interpersonal skills, personality, general & managerial aptitude, command over speech, confidence and knowledge of business and industry. It is mandatory to be present in person for both Group Discussion and Personal Interview. Those who will not attend this round, will not be considered for admission. Many institutes have continued to conduct the PI round online, even after COVID-19. 

Also Read: Top MBA colleges accepting CMAT score for admission

4.CMAT Admission Process: Final Selection

Final selection for admission will be based on the candidate’s overall performance in the CMAT 2025 exam, Group Discussion and Personal Interview, academic history and other professional/ECA merits. Admission offers will be sent to selected candidates by the institutes and they will be required to complete the formalities within the deadline. 

Documents Required for CMAT Admission 2025

Documents to carry for Group Discussion and Personal Interview for admission to MBA/PGDM course through CMAT exam are listed below. Additional documents if required will be specified by the institute in the PI-call letter. 

Documents required (original and self-attested photocopy)

CMAT scorecard

CMAT admit card

Class 10 marksheet and certificate

Class 12 marksheet and certificate

Graduation marksheet and certificate

Date of birth certificate

Valid photo ID issued by the Government of India

Permanent Address proof

Caste/PWD certificate

ECA certificates or proof of recognition

Planning to study MBA in India? Find useful insights & emerging trends on student preferences for MBA colleges, locations and more.

Download Free Shiksha MBA Guide

Top Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

CMAT score is accepted by over 1300 MBA colleges in India, which includes some of the top B-Schools. Here is the list of some of the popular B-Schools that accept CMAT scores for admission:

MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Score

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra

Indus Business Academy, Bangalore

LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai

Christ University, Bangalore

Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) Mumbai

Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bangalore

BIMTECH, Greater Noida

Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Hyderabad

N L Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai

Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education, Mumbai

Goa Institute of Management, Goa

KIIT School of Rural Management, Bhubaneshwar

Xavier Institute of Social service, Ranchi

List of MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Scores

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Score: City Wise

Candidates can check from the list below, their preferred MBA college in their preferred city for admission through CMAT:

MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Delhi MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Bangalore MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Bhopal
MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Mumbai MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Pune MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Hyderabad

Check Cut offs of top MBA entrance exams and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict IIM & Non IIM Calls

FAQs on CMAT Counselling

Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CMAT counsellling:

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Get prep tips, practice papers, exam details and important updates

Download Important Dates for MBA/PGDM Exams

1403 Institutes accepting CMAT

MBA in Agriculture and Food Business
  • Total Fees: ₹ 7.80 Lakh
  • |
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • 4.4

    Placements

    4.2

    Infrastructure

    4.5

    Faculty & Course Curriculum

    4.3

    Crowd & Campus Life

    4.6

    Value for Money

    4.3

    Learning Experience

    0.0

    Course Support

    0.0
    (649)
  • |
  • Total Fees: ₹ 8.00 Lakh
  • |
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time
Discontinued (Sep 2024)- MBA (Business Analytics)
  • 4.2

    Placements

    3.9

    Infrastructure

    4.4

    Faculty & Course Curriculum

    4.1

    Crowd & Campus Life

    4.4

    Value for Money

    4.3

    Learning Experience

    0.0

    Course Support

    0.0
    (632)
  • |
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time
Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM)
  • 3.9

    Placements

    3.8

    Infrastructure

    4.1

    Faculty & Course Curriculum

    4.1

    Crowd & Campus Life

    3.9

    Value for Money

    3.8

    Learning Experience

    0.0

    Course Support

    0.0
    (281)
  • |
  • Total Fees: ₹ 15.75 Lakh
  • |
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time

Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates

5 Jan '25: XAT 2025 Exam
5 Jan '25: XAT 2025
Jan '25: IRMASAT 2025 Last Date of Application
8 Jan '25: SNAP 2024 result announcement
14 Oct '24 - 21 Jan '25: UPESMET 2025 Registrations