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SupportCMAT Marking Scheme 2027: Marks Distribution and Total Marks
The National Testing Agency (NTA) prescribes the CMAT marking scheme in its official brochure. As per the marking criteria, the total CMAT marks are 400. The number of sections in CMAT is 5: Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. As per the official CMAT marking scheme, each section is allotted 80 marks, with each question worth 4 marks.
CMAT is an MCQ-based test conducted online. The duration is 180 minutes with no sectional time limit. The marks are calculated based on the marking scheme. CMAT is held in a single shift. The candidate's raw score is the final score based on which cutoffs will be decided by the participating institutes
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CMAT Marking Scheme 2027: Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 400 |
| Number of Sections | 5 sections:- Logical Reasoning- Language Comprehension- Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation- General Awareness- Innovation and Entrepreneurship |
| Marks for Correct Answer | +4 |
| Negative Marking | -1 for each incorrect answer |
| Marks for Unattempted Questions | No marks are awarded |
| Exam Duration | 180 Minutes |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Check out the full CMAT Syllabus
Section-wise CMAT Marks Distribution 2026
CMAT has 5 sections, each with a different difficulty level. Although there are 20 questions in each section, the good attempt varies. Check the section-wise marking scheme and the good attempt mentioned below.
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation
Many find Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation tricky. The number of questions asked in this section is fixed. Check the detailed marking criteria below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 20 questions |
| Marks Allotted | 80 marks |
| CMAT Marking Scheme | 4 marks per question, 1 mark deducted for incorrect response |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time |
| Good Attempt | 16 to 20 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate |
Logical Reasoning
Similar to Quant, the Logical Reasoning section includes 20 questions. Out of 20, attempting 15-16 questions is considered a good attempt.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 20 questions |
| Marks Allotted | 80 marks |
| CMAT Marking Scheme | 4 marks per question, 1 mark deducted for incorrect response |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time |
| Good Attempt | 15 to 16 questions |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to Moderate |
Language Comprehension
The Language Comprehension section is considered easy to moderate. There are 20 questions, each carrying 4 marks. In this section, scoring marks above 15 is considered ideal.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 20 questions |
| Marks Allotted | 80 marks |
| CMAT Marking Scheme | 4 marks per question, 1 mark deducted for incorrect response |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time |
| Good Attempt | 15 to 16 |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to Moderate |
General Awareness
The General Awareness section is often on the higher-difficulty side. As per the CMAT Exam pattern, 20 questions will come from current affairs, History, Polity, Sports, etc. Each question carries 4 marks, with a penalty of 1 mark for an incorrect answer.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 20 questions |
| Marks Allotted | 80 marks |
| CMAT Marking Scheme | 4 marks per question, 1 mark deducted for incorrect response |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time |
| Good Attempt | 10 to 12 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to tough |
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
This section contains 20 questions, covering areas such as the Startup Ecosystem, Business awareness, and more.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 20 questions |
| Marks Allotted | 80 marks |
| CMAT Marking Scheme | 4 marks per question, 1 mark deducted for incorrect response |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time |
| Good Attempt | 13 to 14 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate |
Check the comparison between the CMAT V/s MAT
Marking Scheme of CMAT vs CAT
CMAT is one of the most popular MBA entrances like CAT. To understand the differences, check the CMAT marking scheme vs. CAT marking pattern below.
| Particulars | CMAT | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Type of questions | MCQ only | MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA) |
| Exam duration | 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Number of sections | 5 sections | 3 sections |
| Sectional time limit | No | 40 minutes per section |
| Marks per question | 4 marks per correct response | 3 marks per correct response |
| Negative marking | 1 mark for each incorrect attempt | 1 mark for a wrong response. No negative marking for TITA-based questions |
| Exam difficulty level | Easy to moderate | Moderate to hard |
Does CMAT Have Negative Marking?
Yes, the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) has a negative marking criterion. 1 mark is deducted for each incorrect answer. Check the overall marking scheme below.
| Component | Marks Awarded |
|---|---|
| Correct Answer | +4 Marks |
| Incorrect Answer | -1 Mark |
| Unattempted Question | 0 Marks |
| Final Score Calculation | Total Correct Marks – Negative Marks |
Important Resources for MBA Aspirants
How is the CMAT Score Calculated?
CMAT Score is calculated based on the marking scheme provided by the NTA. To calculate the score, use the following formula.
CMAT Score=(Correct Answers×4)−(Incorrect Answers×1)
CMAT Marks vs. Percentile
Now that you know the CMAT marking scheme, here is the CMAT score range and the expected percentile. If your marks are within the score range of 355 to 360, the expected percentile you may get is 100. Check the complete marks vs. percentile below.
| CMAT Score | Percentile (Expected) |
|---|---|
| 355 - 360 | 100 %ile |
| 300 - 305 | 99.9 %ile |
| 275 - 279 | 99.5 %ile |
| 260 - 264 | 99 %ile |
| 246 - 249 | 98 %ile |
| 225 - 229 | 95 %ile |
| 202 - 205 | 90 %ile |
| 173 - 175 | 80 %ile |
| 154 - 158 | 70 %ile |
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CMAT 2027 Important Topics
For the CMAT 2027 sessions, here are the section-wise key topics you should focus on more. Focus on developing reading skills, basic Arithmetic, and current affairs to maximise your score.
| CMAT Sections | Important Chapters (Expected) |
|---|---|
| Language Comprehension | Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Para Jumbles, Grammar, Cloze Test and Idioms and Phrases. |
| Logical Reasoning | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Critical Reasoning |
| Quantitative Techniques | Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, DI, Number System |
| General Knowledge | Business, Economy, Current Affairs and Static GK |
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, Startup Ecosystem, Business Models, Government Initiatives. |
CMAT Tie Breaking Criteria
You can calculate your score using the official CMAT marking scheme discussed above. However, for the All India Ranking merit list, the National Testing Agency (NTA) shall follow the following tie-breaking rule if two or more students score the same marks:
- If multiple students score the same marks, their names will be listed in chronological order by date of birth.
- After applying the first rule, if the issue persists, the same merit rank will be given to the students, skipping the next rank. For example, if two candidates secured rank 4, the rank 5 will be skipped and the next candidate will get rank 6.
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FAQs On CMAT Marking Scheme
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