The CMAT Exam Paper Pattern

The Common Management Admission

Test (CMAT), a national MBA entrance
exam conducted by AICTE, is held in
January.

Paper Pattern for last conducted

AICTE CMAT exam:
CMAT is a test of 180 minutes duration. There are
four sections; Quantitative Techniques and Data
Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language
Comprehension and General Awareness. The total
number of questions was 100, with 25 questions in
each section. Each correct answer is awarded 4 marks
and there is 1 mark penalty for every wrong answer.
Also, there was no sectional time limit. So, one can
spend less time on strong areas and could devote
more time on weak areas to boost their overall score.
Tips: Majority of the questions in Quantitative
techniques and Logical Reasoning could have been
solved by using options. In majority of the cases,
options were very abstract and not relevant to the
questions or could have been eliminated from the
given condition.

Quantitative Techniques & Data

Interpretation Section:
The Section is relatively easy and questions are asked
from almost every module.

These were the topics on which questions were based

in one of the slot and may not be the exact replica
throughout all the slots.
No. of
Questions

Topics
Number System Last Digit, Algebraic Equation, HCF,
LCM
Algebra Linear Equation, Inequation
Percentage and Ratio Successive Percentage Change,
Alligation, Simple & Compound Interest, Ratio,
Mixture.
Geometry Equilateral Triangle, Angle of Elevation,
Coordinate Geometry, Area of Triangle
Modern Maths Permutations & Combination,
Probability, Time & Work, AP & GP, Set Theory
Data Interpretation
Data Sufficiency

6
2
4
3
7
2
1

One should focus on questions based on number

properties, percentage and its application and time
and work.
Difficulty: Easy to Average
Good attempts: 20+ questions with 90% accuracy.

Logical Reasoning:
In this section, there are individual questions unlike
other entrance exams, where you find set based
questions. The caselets are very lengthy. If one has
read the question first and then the caselet, he could
get answer by reading first few points and eliminating
the options.
These were the topics on which questions were based
in one of the slot and may not be the repeated
throughout all the slots.
Topics
Family Relationship

No. of Questions
1

Linear Arrangement
Circular Arrangement
Matrix Arrangement
Groups and Conditionalities
Binary Logic
Data Sufficiency
Number Series
Conclusion
Course of Action
Assumption
Logical Set Theory

2
2
4
6
1
1
1
2
1
2
2

Difficulty: Easy to Average

Good attempts: 22+ questions with 85% accuracy.

Verbal Section:
This section tested more on reading skills as majority
of the questions were inferential or based on
reasoning, which ideally takes more time per question
as compared to other management entrance exams.
Presence of 12 RC questions could make a difference
for some students if they are not well prepared.
Topics
3 Reading Comphrension (250-400
words)
Paragraph Jumble
Paragraph Jumble
Fact Inference Judgment
Fill in the Blanks (cloze test)
Fill in the Blanks (single blank)
Analogy
Synonyms
Grammar

No. of Questions
12
2
1
2
4
1
1
1
1

Difficulty: Easy to Average

Good attempts: 20+ questions with 80% accuracy.

General Knowledge:

This section is the differentiator for high scoring

students. The focussed was more inclined towards
Static GK which covered topics from History, Science,
Politics, Astronomy, Author, Slogan, Economics etc.
Current Affairs questions were based on Olympics,
Oscar Award, Politics, Merger and Acquisition etc. If
one would have read front page of the newspaper
over last two years or focused on major events across
the world then questions based on current affairs
would have been a cake walk.
Difficulty: Easy to Average
Good attempts: 12+ questions with 90% accuracy.
All the best!!

You can read the full article here: The CMAT Exam
Paper Pattern