CMAT Exam Date 2026: What You Should Know?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially announced the CMAT Exam Date 2026 and registration schedule on October 17, 2025, through its official website at exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT. As per the latest notification, CMAT 2026 registration has started on October 17, 2025, and will continue till November 17, 2025. Candidates can pay the application fee until November 18, 2025, while the correction window will be open from November 20 to 21, 2025. The CMAT 2026 exam date is expected to fall in the last week of January 2026, while the admit card will be issued in the third week of January 2026.

What is CMAT?

The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national-level entrance test conducted annually by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to MBA and PGDM programmes approved by AICTE. The exam evaluates a candidate’s management aptitude across areas such as Quantitative Techniques, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Thousands of candidates appear for CMAT every year to secure admission in top B-schools such as PUMBA, KJ Somaiya, Welingkar, and JIMS Delhi.

CMAT 2026 Highlights

NTA will conduct CMAT exam in CBT mode. The exam will last for 3 hours. To get more information, candidates should refer to the table below:

CMAT 2026 Exam Dates

CMAT 2026 exam is a key milestone for management aspirants seeking admission to over 1,300 AICTE-approved B-schools in India. To help candidates plan effectively, NTA has outlined a structured schedule for all major activities, including registration, application corrections, admit card release, exam day, and result declaration. To get detailed information on the exam date, candidates should refer to the table below:

Note: Dates are tentative and will be confirmed once the official CMAT 2026 notification is published by NTA.

CMAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for CMAT 2026, candidates must ensure that they meet the prescribed eligibility conditions. Below is an overview of the CMAT eligibility criteria:

Educational Qualification

• Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
• Final-year students whose results will be declared before the start of the 2026–27 academic session are also eligible.

Age Limit

• There is no age restriction for appearing in the CMAT 2026 exam.

Nationality

• Only Indian citizens are eligible to apply.

Minimum Marks Requirement

• NTA does not specify a minimum percentage; however, individual institutes may set their own cutoffs during admission.

Tip: Candidates must carefully verify specific eligibility norms of their preferred MBA/PGDM colleges before applying.

CMAT 2026 Registration Process

CMAT registration process is entirely online through the official NTA portal — cmat.nta.nic.in.

Steps to Register for CMAT 2026

1. Visit the Official Website: Go to cmat.nta.nic.in.
2. New Registration: Click on “New Registration” and fill in your personal and contact details.
3. Fill the Application Form: Enter academic qualifications, select test cities, and upload documents.
4. Upload Documents:
   • Photograph (10 KB–200 KB, JPG/JPEG format)
   • Signature (4 KB–30 KB, JPG/JPEG format)
5. Pay Application Fee: Payment can be made via UPI, net banking, or credit/debit card.
6. Download Confirmation Page: After payment, save and print the confirmation page for future use.

CMAT Application Fees

Correction Window: Candidates can edit limited details such as uploaded images, category, or exam city preferences from November 20 to 21, 2025.

CMAT 2026 Exam Centres

NTA will conduct CMAT 2026 in approximately 110 cities across India. Candidates can select up to four preferred cities while filling out the application form. The final exam city allotment will be mentioned on the admit card.

CMAT 2026 Admit Card

The CMAT admit card 2026 will be released in the third week of January 2026. Candidates must download it from the NTA website using their application number and password/date of birth.

Details Printed on CMAT Admit Card

• Candidate’s name, roll number, and photograph
• Exam date, time, and shift
• Exam centre name and address
• Reporting time and instructions

Documents Required on Exam Day

• CMAT 2026 admit card (printed copy)
• Valid photo ID proof (Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, PAN Card, Driving Licence)

Exam Day Guidelines

• Arrive at the center at least 90 minutes before the exam.
• Electronic devices, calculators, or rough papers are strictly prohibited.
• Follow NTA’s COVID-19 and security protocols.

CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The CMAT 2026 will be held in online (CBT) mode with objective-type questions (MCQs).

• Each question carries 4 marks.
• 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer.
• Total exam duration: 180 minutes (3 hours).
• The paper is conducted in English only.

CMAT Syllabus 2026

CMAT exam evaluates a candidate’s aptitude across multiple areas essential for management studies. Understanding CMAT syllabus is crucial for effective preparation, as it helps candidates allocate time efficiently and focus on high-weightage topics. The exam comprises five major sections: Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Language Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and General Knowledge. Below is a comprehensive table covering all topics and subtopics for CMAT 2026:

CMAT 2026 Answer Key

NTA will release the provisional CMAT 2026 answer key in the last week of January 2026, soon after the exam. Candidates can check their recorded responses and question paper on the NTA portal.

How to Challenge CMAT Answer Key

1. Visit the CMAT official website.
2. Click on the “Challenge Answer Key” link.
3. Select questions you wish to challenge and upload supporting evidence.
4. Pay ₹200 per question as a non-refundable processing fee.

After reviewing objections, NTA will release the final answer key along with the CMAT result 2026 in February 2026.

CMAT 2026 Result and Scorecard

The CMAT 2026 result is expected to be declared in the second week of February 2026 atcmat.nta.nic.in.

The scorecard includes:

• Candidate’s name, roll number
• Sectional and overall marks
• Percentile score
• All India Rank (AIR)

How to Check CMAT Result

1. Visit the official CMAT website.
2. Click on “Download CMAT 2026 Scorecard.”
3. Enter your application number and date of birth.
4. View and print the scorecard for future admissions.

The CMAT score remains valid for one academic year.

What After CMAT 2026 Result?

Once results are announced, participating institutes will release their individual cutoffs for shortlisting candidates.

The next stages typically include:

• Group Discussion (GD)
• Personal Interview (PI)
• Written Ability Test (WAT)

Each institute has its own selection process and weightage for CMAT scores, academics, and work experience.

Colleges Accepting CMAT 2026 Scores

More than 1,300 management institutions across India accept CMAT scores. Some of the top ones include:

Tips to Prepare for CMAT 2026

Preparing for CMAT 2026 requires a strategic approach since the exam tests a mix of quantitative ability, logical reasoning, language comprehension, general awareness, and innovation & entrepreneurship skills. Effective preparation not only improves your accuracy but also helps in time management during the exam. Here are some expert tips for aspirants:

1. Understand the Exam Pattern: Review past question papers to identify weightage across sections.
2. Create a Study Plan: Allocate 2–3 months for full syllabus coverage and 1 month for revision.
3. Focus on Mock Tests: Attempt 10–15 full-length mocks to improve speed and accuracy.
4. Stay Updated on GK: Read newspapers and business magazines regularly for current affairs.
5. Practice Quant & LR Daily: These two sections are highly scoring with consistent practice.

Conclusion

The CMAT Exam Date 2026 marks the beginning of the MBA admission season for management aspirants across India. With the National Testing Agency confirming the registration and correction schedule, candidates must complete their applications well before the deadline and begin focused preparation.

CMAT 2026 FAQs