CMAT 2026 Exam Date: Registration, Admit Card, & Result Dates

Updated on Mar 31, 2026 16:11 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CMAT 2026 exam was held on January 25, 2026 in over 120 cities across India. CMAT 2026 result was released on February 17, 2026. The result cum scorecard is available through download. NTA will conduct the next session of CMAT in January 2027. Registration process for CMAT 2027 will start from October 2026. Scroll down to read all about CMAT exam dates 2026.

Table of contents

CMAT 2026 Registration Dates
CMAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
CMAT 2026 Admit Card Date
CMAT Exam Date 2026
CMAT 2026 Answer Key Date
CMAT Result 2026 Date
FAQs Related to CMAT Exam Dates

CMAT 2026 Registration Dates

CMAT 2026 application form had to be submitted at the official website cmat.nta.nic.in, with payment of INR 2,500 as fee (INR 1250 for Reserved categories, women and transgender candidates). Facility to edit the already submitted CMAT form 2026 was provided to candidates after the closure of registration window. Those who wanted to change their test city option could do so in form correction.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How similar is CMAT syllabus to CAT syllabus?

Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning topics of CMAT syllabus are same as CAT syllabus. So, an MBA aspirant can prepare for CAT and CMAT simultaneously with the same study material. However, they will need CMAT specific books and resources to study Innovation and Entrepreneurship and GK section. CAT doesn't have these two sections.

Q: What is CMAT city intimation slip?

CMAT city intimation slip is the document released by the NTA to inform candidates the city in which they have been allotted the test city. The CMAT city intimation is issued 2-3 days before the release of CMAT admit card. With the help of city intimation slip, candidates can make arrangement of travel and stay in the city where the candidate has been allotted the test centre.

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?

If you score between 80 to 85 percentile CMAT you need not worry about admission. There are a large number of MBA colleges that accept candidates with CMAT score in the range of 80 to 85 percentile. A number of government as well as private institutes with good infrastructure and placements are within your reach. Some of those popular colleges include, Welingkar Institute of Management-Mumbai, Welingkar Institute of Management-Bangalore, Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, IFIM-Bangalore, IFMR- Chennai, NIBM-Pune, NL Dalmiya Institute of Management, IMT Hyderabad, IMT Nagpur, XISS Ranchi, ITM Navi Mumbai, Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida, Xavier Business School-Xavier University, Great Lakes Institute of Management-Gurgaon, BIMTECH-Greater Noida, XIME-Bangalore, ISBM-Pune, Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow, KIIT School of Management, IPE Hyderabad, SIES College of Management Studies-Navi Mumbai and Chetana Institute of Management and Research-Mumbai among others.

CMAT 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CMAT 2026 exam

Dates	Past Exam Dates
17 Feb ' 26	CMAT 2026 result
31 Jan ' 26 - 02 Feb ' 26	CMAT 2026 exam answer key objection
25 Jan ' 26	CMAT 2026 exam
View More Past Events (4)

CMAT 2026 Admit Card Date

The hall ticket was released in online mode on January 21. Candidates had to download their CMAT 2026 admit card from the exam website by using their login credentials. CMAT admit card may be required at the time of admission, so you must not discard it as yet.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many questions are asked in GK section of CMAT?

There are 20 questions from General Knowledge in CMAT. All the questions are in MCQ format. Four options are given for each question to choose the right answer from. The General Knowledge section of CMAT is usually of a higher difficulty level but as it is a memory based section, it can be completed in maximum 15 minutes. The questions pertain to static GK and Current Affairs. Topics included in CMAT GK section are business, politics, awards, inventions, Science and technology, sports, society, world, advertising, trade, books and authors, arts, entertainment, history, geography and politics. Candidates should attempt the GK section in the end as the main criteria for MBA are English Quantitative Aptitude Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation. The candidate's main focus should be on getting maximum questions correct in these three sessions. GK can be handled at the end.

Q: What is the CMAT Innovation and entrepreneurship syllabus? Which books to study?

The syllabus of CMAT Innovation and entrepreneurship section includes Concepts of Entrepreneurship, Overview of Entrepreneurship, Evolution of Entrepreneurship in India, Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Development, Theories and Models of Entrepreneurship, Framework of Entrepreneurship Theories, Models of Entrepreneurship, Emerging Models of Corporate Entrepreneurship, Dimensions of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Society, Entrepreneurial Culture, Rural Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurship, Emerging Trends in Social Entrepreneurship, Principles of Business Organisation, Motivation, Communication and Leadership To study these topics candidates should refer to books like: 1. Innovation & Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker 2. Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management by R Goal 3. Entrepreneurship - Robert D. Hisrich 4. Manorama Year Book - Mammen Mathew Apart from these books, candidates must solve last two years' CMAT question papers to know the type of questions asked in this section and their difficulty level. These questions will give you an insight into CMAT Innovation and entrepreneurship.

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

Ideally, one would say that 99 to100 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 to 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 to 350 score is equal to 100 percentile in CMAT About 281to 340 score is equal to 90 to 99.99 percentile in CMAT About 201 to 280 score is equal to 81 to 89 percentile in CMAT About 171 to 200 score is equal to 71to 80 percentile in CMAT About 140 to 171 score is equal to 61 to 70 percentile in CMAT About 116 to 140 score is equal to 51 to 60 percentile in CMAT.

CMAT Exam Date 2026

CMAT 2026 exam date was January 25 in two sessions. Both sessions had 100 questions from Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, General Awareness and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Every section had 20 questions of 4 marks each. The duration was 180 minutes.

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the ideal time duration for CMAT preparation?

CMAT has five subjects – Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, English Comprehension, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship and to cover all of them, one will need good enough time. Overall, 3 months are needed to cover syllabus of CMAT and about 2 to 3 months for practice and revision. So, overall 6 months are good for CMAT preparation.

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?

Q: What is the latest CMAT exam pattern?

Latest CMAT exam pattern is given below:

Question paper carries 100 MCQs
Each section has 20 question
Exam duration is 180 minutes
Each question carries 4 marks
There is no negative marking

CMAT 2026 Answer Key Date

NTA released the preliminary answer key of CMAT 2026 on January 31, 2026. Candidates had to download response sheets and CMAT answer key 2026 by using their login credentials. The objection window was open from January 31 to February 2, 2026 during which candidates could apply to challenge the official answer key. If any of the objections is found valid, a revised answer key will be released.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is CMAT syllabus the same as that of CAT?

Yes, syllabus of CMAT and CAT are same and include: 1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation: Mensuration Number System Algebra Time-Speed-Distance, Allegation and Mixtures, Geometry, Graph, Quadratic and Linear Equations, etc. 2. Logical Reasoning: Analytical Reasoning, Linear Arrangements, Number Series, Matrix Arrangements, Blood Relationship Tests, etc. 3. Language Comprehension: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Grammar, English Usage Errors, Para jumbles, etc. However, CMAT has two extra sections - General Knowledge and Innovation and Entrepreneurship, topics of which are mentioned below: 4. General Awareness: Economy, Business, World, Politics, Sports, Culture, Society, Arts, Awards, Inventions 5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Questions related to innovation, entrepreneurship and start up business, models of entrepreneurship, Emerging Trends in Social Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Society, Rural Entrepreneurship, etc.

Q: Which are the best books for CMAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation?

The Quantitative Aptitude section of CMAT has questions from Arithmetic, Geometry, Modern Math, Numbers, Algebra and Data Interpretation. The questions are of moderate difficulty level and one can prepare for it with the help of best books for CMAT recommended by experts and toppers. We have listed down some of the popular CMAT books that candidates usually refer: 1. NCERT Mathematics Books for Class 8, 9 and 10 2. The Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams 3. How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT Arun Sharma (Mc Graw Hill Education) 4. Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Common Admission Tests for Admission into Iims by Sarvesh K Verma (Arihant) 5. Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha (Mc Graw Hill Education) 6. Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by RS Aggarwal.

Q: What after CMAT result?

After CMAT result has been declared, colleges accepting the exam score for MBA/PGDM admission will start the selection process. CMAT qualifying students will be required to fill the application forms of their target MBA colleges for admission. Colleges will select students on the basis of CMAT cut offs, and then will conduct GD/PI round for final selection.

CMAT Result 2026 Date

Result of CMAT 2026 is available at the cmat.nta.nic.in website. Candidates can check their CMAT result and download scorecards using their login IDs. The scorecard contains sectional and overall percentiles of the candidate. Those who have qualified the exam, can apply for admission to score accepting colleges.

FAQs Related to CMAT Exam Dates

Check here Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CMAT important dates.

Q: I scored less than 50 percent marks in Graduation. Am I eligible to apply for CMAT?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for CMAT exam. Any candidate who has secured passing marks in graduation can apply for CMAT. Candidates must ensure that they have cleared graduation to be able to apply. Final year students planning to appear for the exam must ensure that they have passed the first two years of Bachelor's degree and must target passing marks in the final year as well. However, colleges accepting CMAT score for admission have a 50 per cent in graduation. The minimum score requirement for SC, ST, PwD candidates is 45 per cent as minimum criteria thus candidates must not target passing marks in graduation as even if they will clear CMAT. They might not get admission as they will not meet the institutes academic eligibility criteria.

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 change my exam centre after the CMAT admit card has been issued?

No. You cannot change the exam centre after the CMAT admit card has been issued. You cannot take the exam at any other centre other than the one mentioned in your admit card, either. So make an informed decision at time of selecting your test city in the CMAT application form. Select only those cities where you can make arrangement of stay on the CMAT exam day. Choose your home city or city of current residence as the first test city. The examination authorities try to allot the test centre to a candidate as per their first preference. However, sometimes if there are not enough number of applicants for a city, the centre may be cancelled there and candidates are allotted a test centre in the next city of preference. If at a particular exam centre in a city has already been filled with candidates, then the remaining students are allotted a test city in the next city of preference.

Q: What details will be mentioned on the CMAT admit card?

The CMAT admit card is a main document of identification of the candidate who will be appearing in the exam. To ensure that a candidate doesn't use proxy candidate for taking the exam, admit card and original photo ID is checked at the exam centre. The personal details mentioned in the CMAT application from and photo ID, should reflect on the CMAT admit card too. The following details are mentioned on every candidate's CMAT admit card. Candidate's name Candidate's roll number Candidate's gender Candidate's category Candidate's date of birth Candidate's signature Candidate's photo Candidate's address Examination year Examination date Examination slot Examination timings Reporting time Test centre address Google link to locate test centre Additional information such as exam day guidelines, examination process in the test lab, items to carry, items not to carry, activities prohibited, dress code and entry process are also mentioned on the CMAT hall ticket.

Q: Is it tough to score 99 percentiles in CMAT?

It is not tough to score 99 percentile in CMAT but it is not a cake walk either. One need to study for the exam in a focused and time bound manner. It is speed based test in which time management is the key. One needs to also achieve maximum accuracy in solving CMAT questions to be able to aim for 99 percentile. Moreover, there is negative marking in CMAT, so one needs to be extremely careful in choosing questions in the exam.

Q: Is there an option of CMAT result evaluation?

There is no option of CMAT result evaluation. Scores mentioned on the CMAT scorecard are considered final. Candidates do have a chance to challenge the official CMAT answer keys on the basis of which results are prepared. CMAT provisional answer key is released a couple of days after the exam, and candidates can check offiicial answers. If they think any of the official answer is incorrect they can challenge it. The examination authority will review the answer key are revised the offiical answe key if required. The final scorecard will be prepared only after all objections have been reviewed.

Q: Can I download CMAT answer key after result has been released?

It is unlikely that the CMAT answer key download link will be available even after the result has been released. The NTA may remove old links from the website after the CMAT result announcement. Thus, it is better to download the CMAT answer key on the day it is released and save a copy of the same.

Q: Can I edit the CMAT application form after submission?

Once you have submitted the CMAT application form, you cannot edit it. Thus, you will have to fill the CMAT form again by creating a new login ID and paying the fee again. However, if the mistake is in photo, signature or test centre fields, you can correct it at the time of form correction. The CMAT form correction window will be opened for three days after the conclusion of application form submission process.