The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a National Level Entrance Examination. This test will be conducted for admission to the Management Programs in India. The colleges that have AICTE affiliation can participate in this examination to select graduates qualified in this test for admission to their institutions. These colleges will offer seats in MBA and PGDBM based on the scores obtained in this test. Initially, the test was conducted by the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). However, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has been conducting this test since 2019. The dates for 2024 are not yet announced.
The duration of the examination is three hours, and it is a computer-based test. This test is designed in such a way that the candidate's knowledge in Quantitative Techniques, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. NTA will not conduct any counselling for admissions. Candidates should apply separately for the participating colleges. Each college will separately announce its cut-off marks and eligible candidates can apply. Selection for admission will be based on the performance of the candidate in the Group discussion and personal interview that will be conducted by the participating college.
Eligibility Criteria
The following are the eligibility criteria for appearing in this test
A Bachelor's Degree holder in any discipline can attend this test.
Candidates appearing for the final year of any Undergraduate course can also appear for this test. However, their results should be declared before the commencement of admissions.
Only Indian citizens are eligible to attend.
There are no age limits specified.
Application Process
Candidates should apply for this test online on the NAT website. Only applications submitted online will be accepted by the agency.
The following are the steps involved in the process of application-
Candidates should register their names on the website using their own mobile number and email ID
Fill out the application online. Note down the application number generated by the system.
Upload all the scanned copies of the certificates asked for.
Pay the fees as prescribed online.
The test will be conducted in multiple centers across the country. Candidates should select 4 options from the list given and generally, the first option will be allotted.
Download and save a copy of the confirmation page of the Application Form. A printout of the same can be taken and kept for future reference.
List of documents to be uploaded
The following is the list of documents to be uploaded.
A recent photograph of the candidate. The file size should be between 10Kb - 200Kb. The photo can be either a color or black & white with 80% face visible including ears against a white background. Face should not be masked in any manner.
Candidate's signature. The file size should be between 4kb to 30kb).
PwD certificate if applicable. The file size (file size should be between 50kb to 300kb.
Details of the test
The following are some of the important details about this test.
The syllabus for this examination will be as prescribed by AICTE.
The test will be in English only
This test will be conducted once a year
The test will have 100 questions and they are multiple-choice questions (MCQ).
Each question will carry 4 marks. Each correct answer will be given 4 marks.
There will be negative markings for wrong answers. That means one mark will be deducted from the marks scored.
For more information, candidates can visit NTA website.
How to prepare
Hard work and smart work are required to get a good score on this test.
The following are some tips for obtaining a better score-
Cover the syllabus completely as prescribed by AICTE.
Make a timetable and follow the same. Start preparation early to avoid confusion at the last minute.
Answer old papers and attend mock tests. That will help in planning your time in the examination hall and the question pattern.
See that you will complete your preparation early so that you can revise the important topics.
Talk to your seniors who attended this test earlier and take their suggestions.