CMAT 2026 Exam Analysis: Review of Sectional Difficulty & Good Attempts - Expert Take by Prof. Route

The CMAT exam, which was conducted in CBT mode in a single shift from 9 AM to 12 PM on January 25, Considering that many MBA/PGDM colleges that accept AICTE recommendations use CMAT exam scores for admission, it's now time to share the Overall and sectional difficulty of the CMAT 2026 Question paper review, along with your own percentile predictor based on 'good attempts' in each section.

CMAT 2026 Exam Timing and Test-Day Schedule

According to NTA’s official notice, the exam was conducted in one shift (09:00 AM–12:00 PM).
Common test-day advice was also reported to include arriving at the centre early for verification and security checks (reporting starts well before the test).

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 Paper Review: Difficulty Level + Good Attempts

CMAT had the following pattern of 5 sections (20 questions each):

Language Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude & DI, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

1) Language Comprehension (20 Questions)

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 earned by those who didn’t overthink grammar- and vocabulary-specific questions.

2) Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (20 Questions)

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.

3) Logical Reasoning (20 Questions)

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.

4) General Awareness (20 Questions)

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 (20 Questions)

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

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.