CMAT 2025  

Pattern of Examination:

Medium of Question Paper: The medium of Question Paper shall be in English only.

Marking Scheme:

i) Each question carries 04 (four) marks.
ii) For each correct response, candidate will get 04 (four) marks.
iii) For each incorrect response, 01 (one) mark will be deducted from the total score.
iv) Un-answered/ un-attempted will be given no marks.
v) To answer a question, the candidate needs to choose one option as correct option.
vi) However, after the process of Challenges of the Answer Key, in case there are multiple correct options or change in key, only those candidates who have attempted it correctly as per the revised Answer key will be awarded marks.
vii) In case a Question is dropped due to some technical error, full marks shall be given to all the candidates who have attempted it.
 

CMAT 2024, by NTA, was conducted in a glitch-free environment across India.
The exam had 5 sections , including the Entrepreneurship & Innovation section, that was made compulsory this year.
The exam was, overall, a of moderate level of difficulty.

The pattern of the exam was as below:

Total Number of Sections: 5 
Section 1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation,
Section 2. Logical Reasoning,
Section 3. Language Comprehension,
Section 4. General Awareness,
Section 5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship)

Marking scheme: Four marks for every correct answer, One mark penalty for wrong answers
Number of questions: 20 in each of the five sections
Duration: 3 hours
Sectional Time-limit: No

1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation (QTDI):

The QT and DI section of CMAT 2024 had a good mix of questions from various topics. At least half of the questions can be considered as easy while the remaining are easy-moderate with a few difficult questions also being present. The questions given on Data Interpretation were slightly difficult.

There are new varieties of questions given in this area – Match the following type, statement-based questions which we usually come across in GA or Reasoning.
The questions were spread across a wide range of topics viz., Numbers, Ratio & Proportion, Percentages, Profit & Loss, Compound Interest, Time & Work, Time & Distance, Geometry, Mensuration, Probability, Sets & Venn Diagrams, etc.

2. Logical Reasoning

This section would have come as a pleasant surprise to students who might have struggled with LR in other exams like CAT/XAT etc. Very few questions in this section were based on Puzzles, majority of the questions were based on other areas. There were a few critical reasoning-based questions also. There was an error in one of the blood relations based questions.

The following is a snapshot of this section:

3.Language Comprehension

This section consisted of one Reading Comprehension passage with 4 questions and 16 questions on Verbal Ability.
The Reading Comprehension passage was on megacities and urban development, and it was not difficult to understand. The questions however were largely inference based. There was a question pertaining to main idea and supporting idea, one on the meaning of a phrase, and one on meanings of four quotes from the passage. This set can be said to be on the moderate-difficult side, given that this is the third section in the test. Rather demanding, given that this was the third section. However, those who chose to do this set early in the exam may not have fund this to be as challenging.
Verbal questions on grammar, Idiom and Phrases, Synonyms, Antonyms, Spellings, and Analogies. Grammar itself can be subdivided into sentence correction, prepositions, direct speech, and verbs. Interestingly, there was a four-sentence quiz on homophones. The 4-sentence paragraph jumble also required some effort. But, on the whole, this was a comfortable section, which required application.

4. General Awareness

The questions in this section were from various areas and only those students who have been reading the newspapers regularly would have found this section to be relatively easy, other may have struggled to score a high score in this section.

The following is a snapshot of this section

5.Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The questions in this section effectively evaluated interest of a test taker in this domain. The questions comprised Entrepreneurship related concepts/terms, Government policies and General Awareness regarding this sector. Students who have been regularly reading the Business section of newspaper would have found this to be very easy, though even for other students this might not have seemed very difficult as the questions were generic and not detail/specifics oriented.

The following is a snapshot of this section