What is the difficulty level of NMAT exam?

The NMAT exam is conducted for MBA admission across multiple B -schools across India and abroad. Based on feedback from test takers of the past exam sessions, test takers found the exam to be moderate to tough in terms of difficulty standards. If compared with other MBA entrance exams, NMAT is comparatively easy as the candidates have the liberty to appear for the test three times and use the best scores for admission. Additionally, candidates can schedule the exam based on his/her convinience. However, the level of difficulty can vary from year to year. Success in any entrance exam ultimately depends on the candidate's preparation and performance on the exam day.

How can I prepare for the CAT and NMAT simultaneously?

The sections in CAT and NMAT exam are on similar lines. The space below mentions the similarities in the syllabus and exam sections: Quantitative Aptitude in CAT and Quantitative Skills in NMAT: The Quantitative Aptitude section of the CAT and the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test are both based on very similar topics. If the candidates prepare for the Quantitative Aptitude section of the Common Admission Test, which requires knowledge of higher-level topics, they can easily solve the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test since the same foundation topics are covered thoroughly in the Common Admission Test preparation. DILR in CAT and logical reasoning in NMAT: The DILR section in the Common Admission Test exam is a combination of data interpretation and logical reasoning, whereas, in the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test, the section is solely logical reasoning. These two sections of the respective exams are different from the other sections. As a result, anyone hoping to pass the NMAT by GMAC should devote enough time to studying for the reasoning section of the exam, as the syllabus covered in the CAT-D section will not suffice. VARC in CAT and Language Skills in NMAT: The VARC section of the Common Admission Test combined verbal ability and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension in Common Admission Test usually comes with tricky passages, whereas the passages in NMAT are relatively straightforward. Vocabulary- and grammar-based questions have more weight in the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test. However, the CAT VA will include reasoning-based questions. Students who want to prepare for NMIMS Management Aptitude Test and Common Admission Test at the same time must pay close attention to the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test after the Logical Reasoning section.

Does GMAC prescribe any book for NMAT preparation?

Yes, Graduate Management Admission Council prescribes the NMAT Official Guide for exam preparation. It is created and developed by the exam conducting authority, GMAC, itself and comprises everything an aspirant need to know about the exam, including: A detailed overview of the exam format and content Actual practice questions from past NMAT exams In-depth explanations of each question Answer key and scoring guide Tips and strategies for test-taking The NMAT by GMAC official guide is among the most comprehensive resource available for NMAT preparation. It is essential for candidates who aims to maximise their chances of converting admission calls based on NMAT scores.

Where can I get the best books to study for NMAT exam?

NMAT by GMAC is among the major MBA exams conducted for admission in India and abroad. Candidates planning to pursue MBA typically appear for NMAT exam besides XAT, MAT, CAT, SNAP and more. Owing to its popularity, candidates preparing for the NMAT exam can find numerous books on exam preparation available at major book stores and online retailers. Candidates can also find the NMAT preparation books at a few libraries. In cases when the NMAT books cannot be found in the nearest store, one can use CAT exam books for NMAT preparation.

Can I refer to CAT books for NMAT exam preparation?

Yes, one can refer to CAT books for NMAT exam preparation. The NMAT and CAT are both management entrance exams for admission to MBA courses. Both CAT and NMAT share major parts of the exam sections such as quantitative aptitude, verbal reasoning, and logical reasoning skills. However, there are some minor differences between the two exams in terms of pattern. Some of the best CAT books for NMAT preparation include: Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Agarwal How to Prepare for Quantitative for the CAT by Arun Sharma Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K Verma Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay Logical Reasoning by Arihant Logical and Analytical Reasoning by Ashok Gupta In addition to the above mentioned books, candidates may also want to consider using online resources and practice tests to prepare for the NMAT. Candidates must also prepare for NMAT using the official guide and practise papers available on the NMAT website.

Should I refer to more than one book for NMAT preparation?

Yes, it is always advisable to refer to at least two books for each section while preparing for the NMAT exam. This is helpful as candidates get a chance to compare the contents of more than one book. In addition, the language of books also matter. While person A might find Book 1 over Book 2 to be having a language simple to comprehend, person B may find Book 2 to be easier than Book 1. Additionally, candidates get a chance to cover more question variety from the wide range of practise material available with an extra book for preparation.

How can I prepare for the CAT and NMAT simultaneously?

The sections in CAT and NMAT exam are on similar lines. The space below mentions the similarities in the syllabus and exam sections: Quantitative Aptitude in CAT and Quantitative Skills in NMAT: The Quantitative Aptitude section of the CAT and the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test are both based on very similar topics. If the candidates prepare for the Quantitative Aptitude section of the Common Admission Test, which requires knowledge of higher-level topics, they can easily solve the Quantitative Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test since the same foundation topics are covered thoroughly in the Common Admission Test preparation. DILR in CAT and logical reasoning in NMAT: The DILR section in the Common Admission Test exam is a combination of data interpretation and logical reasoning, whereas, in the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test, the section is solely logical reasoning. These two sections of the respective exams are different from the other sections. As a result, anyone hoping to pass the NMAT by GMAC should devote enough time to studying for the reasoning section of the exam, as the syllabus covered in the CAT-D section will not suffice. VARC in CAT and Language Skills in NMAT: The VARC section of the Common Admission Test combined verbal ability and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension in Common Admission Test usually comes with tricky passages, whereas the passages in NMAT are relatively straightforward. Vocabulary- and grammar-based questions have more weight in the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test. However, the CAT VA will include reasoning-based questions. Students who want to prepare for NMIMS Management Aptitude Test and Common Admission Test at the same time must pay close attention to the Language Skills section of the NMIMS Management Aptitude Test after the Logical Reasoning section.

NMAT 2024 Analysis (Available): Get Detailed Paper Analysis & Review

924 Students Q&A

Updated on Dec 23, 2024 11:38 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Assistant Manager – Editorial Content

NMAT 2024 test window is now closed. Candidates were able to appear for NMAT exam as per the scheduled date. This year, NMAT exam was available within a window of 45 days. As per the NMAT exam analysis, the difficulty standards were recorded to be moderate to tough. There was no change in the NMAT exam pattern from the past exam session. Through this page, candidates can get the NMAT 2024 analysis in detail. As per the initial exam analysis, candidates found Quantitative Skills as the toughest section, while Language Skills was yet again the easiest section of all.

Coming to the section wise weightage of questions, most of the test takers found three reading comprehension with four questions each. In the Logical Skills section, 50 per cent questions were from Critical Reasoning and Deducations. On the other hand, Quantitative Skills section had most questions from Probability, PNC, Logs, and APGP.

Scroll down for more details on NMAT 2024 exam analysis.

Q: How to score high in NMAT? How does NMAT mock tests help in exam preparation?

To score high in NMAT exam, a candidate must follow an approach to attempt the questions for which he/she knows the answer, and guess the question for which he/she doesn't know the answer. Since there is no negative marking, candidates must attempt all questions in NMAT exam. In the speed-based test, one must aim to answer the questions as soon as possible.

Coming to NMAT exam, a test taker has to answer each question keeping in mind the sectional time limit. Additionally, candidates get to choose the section chronology before the test starts. One can use their analysis from NMAT mock tests to devide a good exam day strategy. Speed and accuracy can also be improved by practising previous years papers and mock tests.

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Q: Which books are recommended for the preparation of NMAT Language Skills section?

Candidates preparing for Language Skills for any MBA entrance exam may come across numerous books for the same. Out of the many Language Skills books available, one can refer to any of the following books:

How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma
Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
High School Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin

Besides the above mentioned books, candidates can go through any of the books available for competitive MBA exam. Check the complete list of other books mentioned on the books article by Shiksha (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/nmat-exam-books).

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Q: How can NMAT guidebooks help during preparation?

The NMAT Official Guide is a one-stop solution for NMAT preparation. It comprises topics from all three sections of the NMAT exam. It can help users gain fundamental knowledge and conceptual clarity on all the topics included in the NMAT syllabus. Such knowledge when combined with the rigorous practice of NMAT mock tests and question papers helps any test taker to score high marks in the exam. The key advantage of the Official Guide is that it not only comprises the answers to the questions but also the solution of the same.

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Q: How do I prepare for the NMAT?

You may be eligible for admission to the best management colleges in India and abroad based on your NMAT score. Therefore, performing well on this exam becomes essential. You can use the following expert strategy to clear the NMAT:

Before beginning your preparation, familiarize yourself with the NMAT's syllabus and exam format.
Create a schedule to finish the NMAT syllabus.
Choosing the best books and study materials to cover the NMAT syllabus
To prepare for the Language section, concentrate on vocabulary since it is a key element of this section.
Develop reading habits and conceptual clarity in grammar to perform well on the language section.
Basic concepts should be conceptually clear and practiced in order to prepare the quantitative section.
You should practice a lot of questions on arrangements and puzzles in order to do well on the logical reasoning section.
Before the exam, go over all crucial ideas, calculations, and theorems several times.
Start practicing mock tests and previous year's questions one month before the exam.
Analysing mock results will help you continuously raise your score over time.

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Section Wise NMAT 2024 Exam Analysis

NMAT exam had three sections, namely Language Skills, Logical Skills and Quantitative Skills. Candidates were allowed to choose the order of sections before starting the exam. The section wise NMAT exam analysis is as follows:

NMAT 2024 Language Skills Analysis

On the first day of th/e NMAT exam, most candidates found three reading comprehension passages with 12 questions. There were five questions each for para jumbles and analogies. The remaining 14 questions were divided among error identification, prepositions, and sentence completion in the Language Skills section. Overall, candidates found the section to be of easy to moderate difficulty, similar to previous exams.

NMAT 2024 Logical Skills Analysis

In the Logical Reasoning section, candidates encountered one set from Analytical Puzzles, while some found two sets from Input-Output. Under Deductions, there were a few questions on a new topic, "Fact Analysis," which most candidates found doable. Most of the questions in the section focused on Critical Reasoning and Deductions. Candidates found the overall difficulty level of the section to be moderate.

NMAT 2024 Quantitative Skills Analysis

There was an increase in the number of questions on divisibility rules in number systems compared to past exam session. Important topics from the section included Probability, Permutations and Combinations, Logarithms, and Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions, with around 8-10 questions from these areas. The difficulty level of Quantitative Skills was moderate to tough.

Explore subject-wise topics asked in NMAT

Select your preferred subject

Quant

VARC

DILR

NMAT Exam Analysis 2024: Overview

The table below mentions an overview of NMAT 2024 exam analysis:

Section	Difficulty Level	Expected Cutoff
Language Skills	Easy	70
Logical Skills	Easy to Moderate	75
Quantitative Skills	Moderate to Tough	74
Overall	Easy to Moderate	229

Previous Year's NMAT Analysis: Overall Difficulty Level

Experts suggest the difficulty level of the NMAT exam was moderate to tough in comparison to the previous exams in the past. Questions from the Quantitative Skills section was considered as the toughest section among all the sections followed by the Language Skill and Logical Reasoning section was easy and on the expected line as the previous year.

NMAT Exam Structure

Take a look at the table below that highlights the important details of the NMAT 2023 exam structure.

Features	Details
NMAT 2023 Exam Window	October 10 to December 19
NMAT 2023 Exam Duration	120 Minutes
Total questions	108
Total Marks	36 to 360
Marking Scheme	3 Marks Per Question
Negative Marking	No
NMAT 2023 Exam was held in CBT mode

Previous Year's NMAT Exam Analysis: Topic-Wise Questions, Time Allotment & Marks

Take a look at the details on topic-wise questions, allotted time as well as marks in each section.

Sections	Number of Questions	Score Range	Duration (in minutes)
Quantitative Skills	36	12-120	52
Logical Reasoning	36	12-120	40
Language Skills	36	12-120	28
Total	108	36-360	120

NMAT 2023 Sectional Overview

The space below mentions the question weightage of NMAT on the first day of the previous term's exam:

Language Skills

This section was termed easy to moderate on the first day of the NMAT 2023 exam. However, candidates found a slight change in the number of questions across topics. Check the weightage in the NMAT VARC section from the table below:

Topic	Number of Questions
Reading Comprehension	8
Para jumbles	4-5
Analogy	7-8
Error Identification	8-9
Prepositions	3-4
Fill in the Blanks	3-4
Total	36

Comparing NMAT 2023 to previous exam sessions, GMAC had reduced four questions from the RC part. Whereas, weightage in other topics of the section was slightly increased.

Logical Reasoning

The difficulty level of logical reasoning section was termed as moderate. Candidates found a change in the number of questions in NMAT logical reasoning section. refer to the table below for weightage in NMAT Logical Skills section:

Topic	Number of Questions
Input-Output	8
Fill in the Blanks-Puzzle	2
Arrangements	4
Critical Reasoning	20
Decision Making	2
Total	36

Quantitative Skills

Candidates found the NMAT 2023 Quantitative Skills section moderate to tough in terms of difficulty level. Similar to other sections, topic wise number of questions saw a change. The table below mentions the number of questions in each topic of NMAT Quantitave Skills section:

Topic	Number of Questions
Data Interpretation	8
Data Sufficiency	4
Profit and Loss	2
Logs	2
Ratio & Proportion	1-2
SI-CI	2-3
Permutation & Combination	3-4
Time & Work	1
Probability	3-4
Averages	1-2
Number Systems	2-3
Arithmetic & Geometric Progression	1-2
Equations	1-2
Percentages	3-4
Total	36

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

Predict NMAT Admission Calls

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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 Regarding NMAT 2024 Exam Analysis

Q: What is the level of difficulty of the NMAT 2020 exam?

A: The level of difficulty of the NMAT 2020 exam was moderate to tough. The difficulty level of questions in the Language skills sections was on the higher side.

Q: Which section was the most difficult in the NMAT 2020 exam?

A: Questions from the Quantitative Skills section turned out to be the most difficult in the NMAT 2020 exam in comparison to the other sections.

Q: What was the level of difficulty of the Quantitative Skills section of NMAT 2020?

A: Most of the questions from the Quantitative section were Arithmetic. Number and Modern Math based. The questions from modern Math was moderately difficult. On the other hand, questions relating to Time and work were easy.

Q: Was questions in the Language Skills section in NMAT 2020 exam tricky?

A: The questions from the Language Skills Section were straightforward and the vocabulary questions were easy to solve.

Q: What is the predicted NMAT 2020 cut-off?

A: From the NMAT 2020 exam analysis, predictions are that 248+ is likely to be the cut off for Mumbai Campus.

Q: What is the distribution of questions on Analytical and Logical Reasoning?

A: The questions were distributed among Logical Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning.

Q: What was the composition of

A: There were five-set of questions from the Data Interpretation section. Out of the five questions, four questions were easy while one question was on the difficult side. Two questions were table-based from DI sets, two bar graph based set and one from the pie chart based set.

Q: What was the composition of questions from the Logical Reasoning Section of NMAT 2020?

A: The LR sets are based on the arrangement and straightforward in nature. There were 15 questions from the area of Verbal Logic. The difficulty level was easy to moderate.

Q: What is considered as a good attempt in the Language skills section of NMAT 2020?

A: The questions from the Language Skills section of NMAT 2020 was on the predictable lines. It was overall on the difficult side so on average, an attempt of 25-27 along with 90 per cent accuracy is considered realistic.

Q: What was the composition of questions from the Language Skills section of NMAT 2020?

A: In the error spotting questions, the errors were not just grammatical but have differences in meaning, expression and sound. There were two reading comprehension passages and four para jumble questions.

Q: What was the bar graph based DI set about?

A: The bar graph was based on DI set talking about a power-grid that produces a certain amount of energy, expends a certain amount on its own operations and sells the remaining output.

Q: Which topics from the Logical Reasoning section had maximum questions in NMAT 2020?

A: Three topics, namely Coding, Singlets and Statement assumption ruled with the maximum number of questions from the Logical Reasoning section in NMAT 2020. Check the number of questions from each topic below-

5 questions from Coding
2 question from Blood Relation
3 question from Statement-Argument
3 question from Statement Conclusion
2 question from a course of Action/Decision Making
4 question from Statement Assumption
3 question from Statement-Inference
2 question from Syllogism
2 question from Input/output
1 question from Missing Number and Visual Reasoning
5 Question from Singlets

Q: What is the suggestive time one must assign to solve the Quantitative Skills section of the NMAT exam?

A: Allotting 60 minutes out of total 120 minutes was considered a good time to help students finish off the section well within time and devote the other saved time to solve questions from other sections of the NMAT question paper.

Q: What can be a good attempt of questions that can yield students a good score in NMAT 2020?

A: 77-83 questions is a range experts believe is a good attempt in 120 minutes that will yield students score good score in NMAT 2020 exam, viewing the level of NMAT question paper.

Q: What was the total number of questions in each section of NMAT 2020?

A: Each section carried 36 questions.