CMAT Exam Analysis

The CMAT 2026 Analysis provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Common Management Admission Test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). conducted in CBT mode in a single shift from 9 AM to 12 PM on January 25, 2026, the CMAT 2026 exam was a critical milestone for thousands of MBA aspirants aiming for admission to top B-schools in India. This detailed CMAT Exam Analysis 2026 covers the overall exam structure, section-wise difficulty, student reactions, expected cutoffs, and reasonable attempts to help future aspirants and post-exam candidates assess performance and plan accordingly.

CMAT 2026 Exam Highlights

The CMAT MBA Exam Review confirms that the test maintained its familiar format, consistent with previous years, comprising five sections:

1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation

2. Logical Reasoning

3. Language Comprehension

4. General Awareness

5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Each section had 20 questions, for a total of 100 questions carrying 400 marks. The marking scheme included +4 for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect response.

CMAT 2026 Difficulty Level

Overall Difficulty Level of the CMAT Exam: It is Easy to Moderate with Time Management as the Key Screener

Early exam-taker input collected during the post-exam analysis indicates an overall medium-to-easy, and no single section appears to have been "unattemptable." Still, there was clearly a premium on accuracy + smart selection.

Prof. Route’s Expert Analysis:

“Looks like this year’s paper is such that candidates who are disciplined with an attempt strategy, taking into account negative marking, and not getting stuck anywhere while trying to attempt the paper fast — flying through ‘sitters’ to save time for slightly lengthier sets — would appear to be rewarded,” he added. The rank jumps in CMAT are usually due to the combination of speed and accuracy, not because you tried everything.

CMAT 2026 Section-wise Analysis

1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation

Difficulty: Easy (according to a candidate who left a thorough review) – I saw other reviews dub it ‘easier than LR’.

Good Attempts: 16–17

Observed question topics were the application of arithmetic (time–speed–distance, profit & loss, work–time)  and basic geometry.

Prof. Route’s Take: As always, the thing that works is to choose the right 14–16, stay out of calculation traps, and safeguard your accuracy. QT rarely requires “hero attempts” to land on a strong percentile.

2. Logical Reasoning

Difficulty: Easy (notably one of the more comfortable stretches).

Good Attempts: 15–16

Professor Route’s Take: LR is where a lot of folks can really create a cushion. Good picks and speed are the usual factors that differentiate the 80–90th percentile range from the 95+ percentile group.

3. Language Comprehension

Difficulty: Easy

Good Attempts: 15–16

Prof. Route’s Take: That was a high-scoring section for most test-takers! The quickest marks were likely obtained by those who didn’t overthink grammar- and vocabulary-specific questions.

4. General Awareness

Difficulty: Moderate

Good Attempts: 10–11

Prof. Route’s Take: GA is still a toss-up. A “safe” approach would be to try only what you are comfortable with—because negative marking can silently eat into the overall score.

5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Difficulty: Moderate

Good Attempts: 11–12

Prof. Route’s Take: This section is frequently a payoff for having basic business savvy and applied logic. Those candidates who used it as a scoring section (not an optional add-on) in all probability gained an advantage.

CMAT 2026 Good Attempts Overall: What’s a “Safe” Attempt Range?

A widely reported benchmark indicates:

Total Good Attempts: 70–75 (with 90% accuracy)

Some of the analyses also suggest that 70–80 tries is a powerful zone, if accuracy within that range can be maintained.

CMAT 2026 Expected Cutoff

The CMAT 2026 Expected Cutoff for top B-schools is projected to be:

• 99+ percentile: 300–320 marks

• 95+ percentile: 270–290 marks

• 90+ percentile: 250–270 marks

Cutoffs will vary across institutions and depend on the final normalization and percentile distribution.

Prof. Route’s Expert Benchmark:

Percentile is not based on trying in CMAT, but on accuracy. A candidate with 72 attempts is well placed to beat someone with a whopping 85 attempts and rather muddy negatives. This is relevant for MBA admissions shortlisting, because good CMAT-accepting colleges often see their cut-offs bunching too tightly at the higher end.

What After CMAT 2026?

Prof. Route’s Strategy for MBA/PGDM Admissions 2026–27:

1. Track response sheet and answer key updates and estimate your score.
2. Begin by creating your CMAT college wish list by location, fee structure, placements, ROI, and specialization.
3. Start preparing for the GD/PI/WAT rounds early, as most of the CMAT-accepting B-schools are quick to the mark once their results are announced.
4. Be prepared with documents: academics, work experience, achievements, points for the SOP - saves a lot of time in applications.