CMAT 2027: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is the national management entrance test run by the National Testing Agency (NTA). AICTE-approved institutions, university departments and their colleges accept the score for MBA and PGDM admissions. What candidates want to know now: NTA's examination calendar of 16 September 2026 lists CMAT on 7 February 2027, as a one-day test, and says the dates are tentative. No CMAT 2027 information bulletin had been published as of 20 October 2026, so registration has not opened yet. This guide covers what is known, the pattern, the syllabus and a plan.
CMAT at a glance
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency (NTA); AICTE until 2018 |
| What it is for | Admission to management programmes in institutions that accept the score |
| Mode | Computer-based test at a centre |
| Questions | 100 in five sections of 20 |
| Time | 180 minutes on one clock |
| Marking | +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one, 0 for a blank |
| Language | English only |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | cmat.nta.nic.in |
CMAT 2027 exam date
As of 20 October 2026:
| Event | Status |
|---|---|
| CMAT 2027 test | 7 February 2027, one day, tentative (NTA calendar of 16 September 2026) |
| Information bulletin and registration | Not yet published on cmat.nta.nic.in |
| City slip, admit card, answer key, result | Announced later on the CMAT site |
NTA's notice says the calendar "does not constitute a notification for any particular examination" and that a detailed bulletin will be issued separately. For comparison, CMAT 2026 was held on 25 January 2026, with registration opening on 17 October 2025, so the 2027 bulletin could appear any week now. Watch the CMAT website and nta.ac.in. Our CMAT exam-dates page will carry the date once NTA confirms it.
How to apply for CMAT
The CMAT 2027 form is not open yet. Based on how NTA ran CMAT 2026, expect these steps once the bulletin is out:
- Read the information bulletin on the CMAT documents page, including eligibility and the fee.
- Register on the CMAT website with your own e-mail address and mobile number.
- Fill in the form: personal and academic details and the exam cities you prefer.
- Upload your photograph and signature (and a category or PwBD certificate if it applies) in the sizes the bulletin sets.
- Pay the fee online and download the confirmation page.
- Use the correction window, if NTA opens one, to fix mistakes.
- Download the city slip and then the admit card from the CMAT website.
Keep ready: a photo ID, your graduation mark sheet or proof of final-year study, and any category or PwBD certificate.
CMAT exam pattern
This is the CMAT-2026 pattern; NTA has not published a 2027 bulletin to change it.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | 20 | 80 |
| Logical Reasoning | 20 | 80 |
| Language Comprehension | 20 | 80 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 80 |
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 20 | 80 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
All five sections share one 180-minute clock, and the screen lets you move among questions by number. That is close to two minutes a question, which is generous compared with CAT.
Is there negative marking in CMAT? Yes: a wrong answer costs 1 mark against 4 for a right one. Our practice tests use four options, as the bulletin does not print the number. With four options, four random guesses average one right (+4) and three wrong (−3), a net +1, so even a blind guess is slightly favourable, and a guess after ruling out one option is clearly worth it. Our negative-marking article explains when to guess.
When the test runs in more than one shift, NTA turns raw marks into percentiles. Each institution sets its own cut-off and may add a group discussion and interview; NTA does not allot seats.
CMAT syllabus
The CMAT bulletin names the sections but does not print a topic list. Prepare from the section names:
- Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, numbers and tables or charts.
- Logical Reasoning: arrangements, series, coding, syllogisms and critical reasoning.
- Language Comprehension: reading passages, grammar, vocabulary and sentence questions.
- General Awareness: static GK, economy, business and current events.
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship: the basic ideas of starting and running a new venture and of innovation in business.
See our CMAT syllabus page for the topics in more detail.
A plan for the weeks before CMAT
You have about fifteen weeks if the tentative date holds.
| Weeks | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | One full CMAT mock test. Mark your strongest and weakest of the five sections. |
| 2–5 | Quant and Logical Reasoning daily (an hour each). Language: two passages a day. |
| 6–8 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship and General Awareness: 30 minutes a day each; these are 160 marks that reward steady reading. |
| 9–12 | One full mock a week; analyse every one (how to analyse a mock test). Apply as soon as the bulletin is out. |
| 13–14 | Two mocks a week. Fix your section order and a time check at 90 minutes. |
| 15 | Revision, admit card, centre. |
If you are also sitting CAT or MAT, the Quant, reasoning and reading work carries over directly; see the CAT 2026 guide.
Useful links
- CMAT website: registration, notices, admit card
- CMAT documents: information bulletin
- NTA: examination calendar and public notices
- Free CMAT mock tests on Mockrooms (practice tests, not NTA's own)
- CMAT syllabus
- CMAT exam dates
- CAT 2026: exam date, pattern and how to prepare
Frequently asked questions
When is the CMAT 2027 exam date?
NTA's calendar of 16 September 2026 lists CMAT on 7 February 2027, and says the date is tentative. The confirmed date will come in the CMAT 2027 information bulletin.
When will CMAT 2027 registration start?
NTA had not opened it as of 20 October 2026. Registration opens when the information bulletin is published on cmat.nta.nic.in.
Is there negative marking in CMAT?
Yes. A right answer scores 4, a wrong answer costs 1, and a blank scores 0.
Is CMAT available in Hindi?
No. The CMAT-2026 bulletin and NTA's public notice both say the paper is in English only.
Is there a sectional time limit in CMAT?
The bulletin describes a single 180-minute clock with free movement among questions, and no separate timer for each section.
What is a good CMAT score?
There is no pass mark. Each institution sets its own cut-off from the NTA score, so check the institutes you are aiming for.