CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Check Revised CMAT Question Pattern, Marking Scheme, Duration, Syllabus

Q: I am appearing for multiple management exams. How should I divide my preparation?

Those who areappearingfor many management entrance exams such as XAT, CAT, IIFT, SNAP, NMAT, and MAH CET, aside from CMAT must utilize the below-mentioned preparation strategy:After completing a certain section, he would take section-wise mock tests to figure out his weaknesses.After working rigorously on his faults, he would take full-length mock tests.His main objective in completing mock tests included getting comfortable with the test environment.For preparation, he used material provided by T.I.M.E institute, as well as Quantum Cat by Sarvesh Sharma, MBA Entrance Examinations by Nishit Sinha, Six Weeks to Words of Power by Wilfred Funk, and Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.For GK, he mainly kept himself updated by reading several different newspapers. Guesswork isnt useful in this section since the applicant either knows the answer or doesnt.

Q: What strategy should I use for revising for CMAT 2023?

Dont give a lot of mock tests for the sake of completing mock tests. Make sure that whenever you complete a test, you fully analyze it.If you are completing a full CMAT mock test, it is important to maintain your concentration for 3 hours so that you can replicate the test environment.Do not create a very time-sensitive timetable, there should be space for flexibility.A subject should preferably be studied for 1-2 hours and not more than that.

Q: What isthe duration of CMAT 2023exam?

The total duration of CMAT 2023is 180 minutes or 3 hours. There is no section-wise division of time. Candidates have to attempt 100 MCQs in this overall time limit.

Q: What sections will be there in CMAT 2023exam?

As per the updated CMAT Exam Pattern, the 2023exam will comprise5sections:Language ComprehensionLogical ReasoningQuantitative Techniquesand Data InterpretationGeneral AwarenessInnovation & Entrepreneurship

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: CMAT Exam Pattern was revised by NTA last year. No new changes are expected to be introduced in the CMAT Exam Pattern 2023. CMAT exam time duration is fixed at 3 hours. The number of questions is decreased to 100 compulsory questions. Section 5 on Innovation & Entrepreneurship is changed from an optional to a compulsory section.

CMAT exam total marks for CMAT 2023 is 400. As per the CMAT marking scheme, each question carries 4 marks with a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer.
CMAT 2023 Exam Date is going to be announced soon by NTA. CMAT 2023 is going to be conducted in an online Computer-Based test (CBT) mode.
CMAT 2023 aspirants must begin CMAT 2023 Exam Preparation as per the latest CMAT Exam Pattern and CMAT Syllabus 2023.
Candidates should solve CMAT Previous Year Papers and CMAT Mock Papers to get acquainted with the revised exam pattern.

Check CMAT Syllabus 2023

Table of Content

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023 Highlights
CMAT 2023 Exam Pattern: Key Changes
CMAT 2023 Section-wise Exam Pattern
CMAT 2023 Marking Scheme
CMAT 2023 Syllabus
CMAT Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level & Good Attempts
CMAT Preparation Tips
8.1 Best Books for CMAT 2023 Preparation
8.2 Recommended Newspapers/Magazines for CMAT
CMAT Previous Year Papers
CMAT vs XAT vs CAT vs SNAP – A Comparative Analysis of Exam Pattern
Frequently Asked Questions

CMAT Exam Pattern

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023 Highlights

Particulars	Details
Mode	Online (Computer Based Test)
Duration	3 hours
Sectional Time Limit	No
Nature of Questions	Objective Type (MCQs)
Number of Choices	Four Choices, out of which only one choice will be correct
Number of Sections	5
Number of Questions	100
Total Marks	400 Marks
Marks Awarded	+4 for every correct answer
Negative Marking	-1 for every wrong answer
Medium	English Only

Quick Links:

CMAT 2022 Question Paper with Solutions	CMAT 2021 Question Paper with Solutions
CMAT 2020 Question Paper with Solutions	CMAT 2019 Question Paper with Solutions

CMAT Pattern Key Changes

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Key Changes Introduced

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023 has been revised and as per the new paper pattern, there will be 5 compulsory sections in CMAT 2023 exam. The changes introduced are mentioned below:

Particular	CMAT Exam Pattern (Old)	CMAT Exam Pattern (Revised)
No. of Sections	4 or 5	5
Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Section 5)	Optional	Compulsory
Test Duration	Choice between 3 hours or 3½ Hours	Fixed to 3 Hours
Total Questions	125 Questions (Option to attempt 100 or 125 questions)	Fixed 100 Questions
Additional Time	30 Minutes additional time for Section 5	No additional time for Section 5
Weightage of Section 5	Section 5 score not counted for percentile calculation to prepare merit list	Section 5 score counted for percentile calculation to prepare merit list
No. of questions in each section	25 Questions in Each of the five Sections	20 Questions in Each of the five Sections
Sectional Time Limit	No sectional time limit and candidates can attempt any question in any section within the time limit of 3½ hours	No sectional time limit and candidates can attempt any question in any section within the time limit of 3 hours
Application for new Course	Candidates had to apply for the new course of Innovation & Entrepreneurship	Candidates need not apply for the new course of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Exam Cities	153 exam cities	124 exam cities

Students also need to remember the below-mentioned points regarding CMAT Exam Pattern 2023:

Scores obtained in all the sections will be considered for the calculation of the final CMAT 2023 Score.
As mandated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, NTA is going to provide Test Practice Centers for candidates (especially in rural and remote areas) to help them practice and be comfortable with the CBT test pattern.
CMAT 2023 exam is going to be conducted in CBT mode and as per the rules, candidates are going to be provided A4 size sheets for rough work.

Quick Links:

CMAT Preparation Books	CMAT Exam Analysis	CMAT Cut off

CMAT Section-wise Exam Pattern

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Section-wise Weightage

As per CMAT Exam Pattern 2023, there are 5 sections in the exam carrying an equal weightage of 80 marks.

Section	Number of questions
Language Comprehension	20
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation	20
Logical Reasoning	20
General Awareness	20
Innovation & Entrepreneurship	20
Total	100

Candidates must take note of the following points regarding the CMAT exam pattern:

Candidates can switch between sections at their convenience. However, it is recommended that candidates complete a section before moving on to the next one.
Candidates can attempt the questions in any order. There is no restriction on going back and forth in the CMAT question paper.
There is no sectional time limit in CMAT 2023 as per the latest question paper pattern.

Candidates must go through the below-mentioned table to know about the types of questions and important topics for each section in the CMAT exam:

Section	Important Topics
Language Comprehension	Para-jumbles, fill in the blanks, identification of word meaning by selecting correct synonyms and antonyms, idioms, sentence correction, identification of correct sentences, etc.
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation	Bar graphs, pie charts, tables, Arithmetic operations, Modern Maths, Geometry, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Number Systems, Fractions, and Decimals,
Logical Reasoning	Puzzles, Statements and Conclusions, Cause and effect, Assumptions and Conclusions, and missing term
General Awareness	Conventional, Current, and Business & Economics General Knowledge
Innovation & Entrepreneurship	Economic Survey, Business current affairs, Startups & Innovation, RBI, Banking regulation and reforms, government schemes, and economic current affairs.

CMAT Marking Scheme

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Marking Scheme

Candidates need to be aware of the CMAT Marking Scheme for CMAT 2023. The details of the marking scheme as per CMAT Test Pattern 2023 are tabulated below:

Particulars	Marks Allotted
For Every Correct Response	+4
For Every Wrong Response	-1
For Unattempted Question	0

CMAT Syllabus 2023

It is extremely important to go through the entire syllabus for CMAT exam before starting with the preparations. Given below are the topics that cover the complete CMAT Syllabus 2023:

Section	Important Topics
Language Comprehension	Jumbled Paragraphs, Reading Comprehension, English Grammar, Sentence Correction, Paragraph Completion, \ Idioms and Phrases, English Usage Errors, Sentence Improvement, One-word substitution, Synonyms, Antonyms, Phrases
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation	Number Systems, Fraction and Decimals, Geometry, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Tabulation, Partnership, Simple Interest, and Compound Interest Probability, Profit and Loss, Percentages, Mensuration, Averages, Work and Time, Graph, Ratios and Proportion of Line, Pipes and Cisterns, Time-Speed-Distance, Allegations and Mixtures, Permutations and Combinations, Algebra Pie Chart, Bar Charts
Logical Reasoning	Analytical Reasoning, Statement Assumptions, Analogy Test, Inferences, Statement Arguments, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Cause and Effects, Statement and Conclusion, Blood Relationship, Symbol Based Problems, Sequencing, Matrix Arrangements, Number Series, Coding and Decoding, Direction and Distance Test, Ranking Tests
General Awareness	Current Affairs of National and International Economy, Personalities in News, Indian Constitution, Sports News, Trade Awareness, Politics, History, Culture, Geography, Economics, Sports Science in Everyday Life
Innovation & Entrepreneurship	Budget & Economic Survey, Business current affairs, New Investments & Opportunities, Important Events & Developments related to the financial & economic sectors, Schemes and Policies related to Entrepreneurship and business promotion, Startups & Innovation, Banking regulation, organizations & reforms, general economy, and current affairs.

CMAT Paper Analysis

CMAT Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level and Good Attempts

CMAT paper is usually of moderate level. As per the analysis of CMAT previous year paper 2022, the following can be deduced about the difficulty level and the number of good attempts:

Section	Number Of Questions	Good Attempts	Difficulty Level
Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation	25	20-22	Moderate
Logical Reasoning	25	22-23	Easy to Moderate
Language Comprehension	25	18-20	Easy
General Awareness	25	12-14	Difficult
Innovation & Entrepreneurship	25	15-17	Easy to Moderate
Total	125	87-90	Moderate

Check detailed CMAT Paper Analysis

CMAT Preparation Tips

CMAT 2023 Preparation Tips

Go through CMAT exam pattern & syllabus 2023 thoroughly to ensure that your preparation strategy is in line with the updated CMAT test pattern.
Solve at least 2 CMAT Mock Test 2023 every week. Initially, your score may be less but eventually, it will improve with more and more practice.
Maintain consistency in CMAT exam preparation and prepare a fixed schedule to ensure optimum utilization of time.
Take regular breaks of 1 hour between two study periods to freshen up your mind and retain what has been learned.
To Improve vocabulary and reading speed, one must definitely start reading newspapers, journals, online articles, etc., and make notes of new words encountered during the process.
Prioritize CMAT Preparation 2023 for areas that need more time and effort on your part.
Refer to some leading youtube preparation channels to learn short tricks and formulas to save time during the actual CMAT exam 2023.

Must Read:

Best Books for CMAT 2023

Subject	Book Name	Author
Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation	Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations	RS Agarwal
	Accredited Guide to Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency	Ananta Ashisha
	Data Analysis & Interpretation Data Sufficiency	Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan
Logical Reasoning	A modern approach to logical reasoning	RS Agarwal
	How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT	Arun Sharma
	Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT	Nishit Sinha
Language Comprehension	The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability	Sujit Kumar
	How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension?	Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
	CAT Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Gautam Puri
General Awareness	General Knowledge	Disha Experts
General Awareness	Face To Face MAT With 19 Years	BS Sijwali
Innovation & Entrepreneurship	Manorama Year Book	Mammen Mathew
	India Year Book	Rajiv Mehrishi
	Budget & Economic Survey	-

Check Complete List of Best Books for CMAT Exam Preparation

CMAT Recommended Newspapers/Magazines

Type	Papers
Newspapers	The Hindu
	Business Standard
	The Indian Express
	Financial Express
	Economic Times
	Hindu Business Line
Magazine	Business Today
	Business World
	Manorama Year Book
	Competition Success Review
	Arihant GK
	Lucent’s GK

CMAT Previous Year Papers

It is very important to practice CMAT previous year papers as they are extremely beneficial in devising the right preparation strategy. Practicing CMAT mock tests is also of utmost importance for all candidates appearing for CMAT exam 2023. Attempting CMAT previous year papers help in:

Increasing speed and accuracy to mark all the correct answers within the specified time frame
Get a real-time idea of CMAT exam pattern & important topics of CMAT syllabus
Understand the difficulty level of CMAT exam
Understand the difficulty level of CMAT exam

CMAT Previous Year Question Papers	PDF Link
CMAT 2021 Question Papers with Solutions	Download
CMAT 2020 Question Papers with Solutions	Download
CMAT 2019 Question Papers with Solutions	Download
CMAT 2018 Question Papers with Solutions	Download

CMAT vs XAT vs CAT vs SNAP

XAT vs CAT vs SNAP vs CMAT Exam Pattern - A Comparative Analysis

Given below is a comparative analysis of CMAT exam pattern with that of other management competitive exams.

Component	XAT 2023	CAT 2022	SNAP 2022	CMAT 2023
Mode of Exam	Computer Based Test	Computer Based Test	Computer Based Test	Computer Based Test
Number of Questions	101	66	60	100
Total Time Duration	190 minutes	120 minutes	60 minutes	180 minutes
Type of Questions	100 MCQs + 1 Descriptive	MCQs and NATs	MCQs	MCQs
Marking Scheme	+1 mark for a correct answer	+3 mark for a correct answer	+1 mark for a correct answer	+4 mark for a correct answer
	- 0.25 mark for an incorrect answer	No Negative Marking for subjective questions	- 0.25 mark for an incorrect answer	- 1 mark for an incorrect answer
	Beyond 8 unanswered questions, 0.10 marks are deducted for each unanswered question.	-1 marks for every wrong answer in objective questions	- 0.25 mark for an incorrect answer	- 1 mark for an incorrect answer
Sectional Time Limit	Part 1- 165 minutes Part 2- 25 minutes	40 hour for each section	None	None
Sections	Verbal & Logical Ability	Verbal and Reading Comprehension	Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Language Comprehension
	Quantitative Ability and DI	Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation	Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	Logical Reasoning
	Decision Making	Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation	General English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability	General Awareness
	Decision Making			Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation
	General Knowledge & Essay			Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Check Other Top MBA Entrance Exams:

CAT	MAT	XAT
NMAT	SNAP	IBSAT

CMAT Exam Pattern FAQs

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023 FAQs

Ques. Has the Exam Pattern for CMAT 2023 changed?

Ans. NTA has revised CMAT exam pattern. The section on Innovation & Entrepreneurship has been made mandatory and the number of questions in each section has been reduced to 20. There will be 100 MCQs divided equally between 5 sections. No change has been made in the time limit.

Ques. Is there any sectional time limit in CMAT exam?

Ans. No, there is no sectional time limit in CMAT exam. You will be provided 180 minutes for attempting all four sections and you can divide your time for each section accordingly.

Ques. What are some of the most important topics in the GK section of CMAT?

Ans. CMAT GK section is the most dynamic as there is no definite syllabus. Based on previous year papers, candidates should try to focus on current affairs, history, economy, and personalities in news the most.

Ques. How long should I study GK to prepare for CMAT 2023?

Ans. CMAT Toppers advise candidates to prepare daily for the GK section beginning 3-4 months prior to the exam. This can be done alongside preparation for other exams and can be mixed with preparation for other topics.

Ques. I am appearing for multiple management exams. How should I divide my preparation?

Ans. Those who are appearing for many management entrance exams such as XAT, CAT, IIFT, SNAP, NMAT, and MAH CET, aside from CMAT must utilize the below-mentioned preparation strategy:

After completing a certain section, he would take section-wise mock tests to figure out his weaknesses.
After working rigorously on his faults, he would take full-length mock tests.
His main objective in completing mock tests included getting comfortable with the test environment.
For preparation, he used material provided by T.I.M.E institute, as well as Quantum Cat by Sarvesh Sharma, MBA Entrance Examinations by Nishit Sinha, Six Weeks to Words of Power by Wilfred Funk, and Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.
For GK, he mainly kept himself updated by reading several different newspapers. Guesswork isn’t useful in this section since the applicant either knows the answer or doesn’t.

Ques. What strategy should I use for revising for CMAT 2023?

Ans. Don’t give a lot of mock tests for the sake of completing mock tests. Make sure that whenever you complete a test, you fully analyze it.

If you are completing a full CMAT mock test, it is important to maintain your concentration for 3 hours so that you can replicate the test environment.
Do not create a very time-sensitive timetable, there should be space for flexibility.
A subject should preferably be studied for 1-2 hours and not more than that.

Ques. What is the duration of CMAT 2023 exam?

Ans. The total duration of CMAT 2023 is 180 minutes or 3 hours. There is no section-wise division of time. Candidates have to attempt 100 MCQs in this overall time limit.

Ques. What sections will be there in CMAT 2023 exam?

Ans. As per the updated CMAT Exam Pattern, the 2023 exam will comprise 5 sections:

Language Comprehension
Logical Reasoning
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation
General Awareness
Innovation & Entrepreneurship

CMAT 2025 : 5 Answered QuestionsView All

• Top Answer By Saloni Gupta on 08-Apr-2022

Ans. Here’s a list of some of the best CMAT accepting colleges. Colleges accepting CMAT score CMAT 2022 cutoff (expected) Fees (in INR) Asia-Pacific Institute of Management 85 percentile 8.75 Lakhs KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar (KSOM) 80 percentile 10.10 Lakhs XIME, Bangalore 75 percentile 11.5 Lakhs IMS Ghaziabad 70 percentile 7.95 Lakhs Institute of Management, Christ University 70 percentile 7.70 Lakhs Welingkar Mumbai 70 percentile 13 Lakhs Welingkar Bangalore 70 percentile 13 Lakhs Universal Business School 70 percentile 8.48 Lakhs DY Patil University School of Management 70 percentile 8.40 Lakhs NSB Academy, Bangalore 70 percentile 7.50 Lakhs Here are the top colleges accepting MAT score. Colleges accepting MAT score MAT 2022 cutoff (expected) Fees (in INR) Pumba, Pune 90+ 1.29 Lakhs Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow 70-80 11 Lakhs TA Pai Management Institute, Manipal 70-80 16 Lakhs BIT, Mesra 70-80 5.89 Lakhs XIME, Bangalore 95+ 11.5 Lakhs NIT, Warangal 70-80 1.64 Lakhs Amity Business School 90-95 7.80 Lakhs SIMREE 85-90 1.36 Lakhs BIMTECH, Noida 80-90 12 Lakhs Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad 85-95 8 Lakhs Alliance Bangalore 80-90 14 Lakhs If you are preparing for CMAT 2022/MAT 2022, these are the colleges that you can consider. Read more

2 Answers

• Top Answer By Ragini Sharma on 18-Jan-2021

Ans. JBIMS Mumbai is one of the prestigious management colleges which is also affiliated with Mumbai University. The institute offers admission on the basis of score in MAH CET score. Apart from the MAH CET score, the institute also accepts CAT and CMAT scores in the selection process. If you are applying through a score other than MAH CET, then you have to fulfill the minimum cut-off score set by the institute. The institute offers Masters in Management Studies (MMS program) and certain parameters are considered before offering the final admission letter. Parameter Weightage CAT/MAH CET/CMAT/GMAT Score 60% Class 10, 12, and Graduation marks 15% Work Experience 20% Diversity 5% Total 100% The entrance test is the major criteria to get into JBIMS, Mumbai. Therefore it is important to have a good score in any one of the above-mentioned exams. Five specializations are available in the MMS program. The specialization is: Finance Marketing Operations HR System On the basis of your score in the entrance and the number of seats in each specialization, admission will be granted. You need to be among the top scorers in CMAT to get admission to the institute. Usually, candidates with 95% and 100 scores in CAT and CMAT respectively can get admission. Read more

1 Answer

• Top Answer By Parag Sinha on 19-Apr-2023

Ans. Candidates belonging to Maharashtra can apply through MAH CET MBA whereas, outside Maharashtra, candidates can apply through CMAT/CAT or MAH CET MBA scores. Candidates who will meet the minimum cutoff criteria will be able to appear for the counseling rounds. PUMBA, CMAT Cutoff 2020 for General Category is listed below. The overall cutoff for CMAT is 90 percentile. Read more

1 Answer

• Top Answer By Samruddha Gawande on 26-Dec-2022

Ans. There are two courses available in management studies PGDM (fully autonomous) MMS (autonomous affiliated to Mumbai university) The PGDM course requires a separate form to be filled out if you are applying through CAT/CMAT/XAT or other All India Entrance exams. PGDM course doesn't have any kind of reservation criteria but you need only an All India Level Entrance exam score to apply. The MMS course does not require you to fill out a separate form for applying through MHT-CET/CMAT/CAT because they are under DTE. One thing that you need to know is that this course is a Gujarati linguistic minority course where 51% of seats are reserved for Gujarati Speaking students 49 % don't have any caste-based quota, Out of the total intake in MMS 15% is reserved for All India Entrance exams like CAT, XAT, etc. Read more

1 Answer

• Top Answer By Salini Dasgupta on 01-Jul-2022

Ans. Yes, you have a good chance to get shortlisted in some of the top B-Schools in Pune with a score of 125 in CMAT 2022. Here are some of the top MBA colleges in Pune that accept CMAT scores. Colleges CMAT cutoff (expected) PUMBA 80-100 Balaji Institute of International Business 80-100 IIMS Pune 80-100 ISBM Pune 80-100 IBS Pune 60-70 You can consider these colleges for an MBA. Read more

1 Answer

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College

Table of Contents

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Check Revised CMAT Question Pattern, Marking Scheme, Duration, Syllabus

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023 Highlights

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Key Changes Introduced

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Section-wise Weightage

CMAT Exam Pattern 2023: Marking Scheme

People Also Ask

CMAT Syllabus 2023

CMAT Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level and Good Attempts