CMAT January 2018 was conducted on January 20.
The morning slot was from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
The afternoon slot was from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
The sections were:
Overall, based on the feedback received from students, the test was marginally easier than CMAT 2017.
As is the case generally with CMAT, this time too, time was not a severely constraining factor. Some students reported that they could complete the paper in less than 3 hours, leaving enough time to check their answers. Except for the GA section, each of the remaining 3 sections had many easy questions.
In both slots, the QT & DI and LR sections were on the easier side compared to those of CMAT 2017.The Language Comprehension section also easier compared to CMAT 2017.The GA section was much more challenging and difficult compared to that of CMAT 2017.
The biometric authentication process went off smoothly at most centers. There were a few complaints of the system hanging at a couple of centres and the exam getting was delayed by 30 to 45 minutes. Some students reported that there were minor server issues at their centers.
This section can be rated as easy. Like the previous CMATs, it had all single questions and no set-based ones. The Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation section had 2-3 moderate questions, the rest were easy.
Students reported that the section had 17-18 easy questions (sitters) which required implementation of basic concepts.
As normally is the case, this section was dominated by Arithmetic-based questions. The rest of the questions were equally distributed in the areas of Numbers, Algebra, Geometry and Modern Math. There were three questions in Data Interpretation but these too were single questions and not set based ones. Many students reported that they could easily solve the entire QA section.
| Specifics | No of Qs. | Area |
| Simultaneous Equation | 1 | Algebra |
| Number series and basic properties | 4 | Numbers |
| Time Speed & Distance, Profit & Loss, Ratios, Averages, Mixtures, Time and Work, SI & CI | 11 | Arithmetic |
| Mensuration, Circles | 4 | Geometry |
| Table-based individual questions | 3 | Data Interpretation |
| Probability and HCF-LCM | 2 | Modern Math |
In around 50-55 minutes, around 23-25 attempts in this section with 90% accuracy would be good.
This section would again be rated as easy–moderate. The Logical Reasoning, though a bit time consuming, was quite doable and easier compared to the LR section of CMAT 2017. According to students, the section was dominated by questions on Arrangements. The others topics covered in this section included Family Tree, Puzzles, Series, Directions, Syllogisms, etc. All were single questions only and there were no set-based questions.The questions were not lengthy, not even those based on arrangements.
| No. of Qs. | Area |
| 1 | Directions |
| 6 | Puzzles /Arrangements |
| 8 | Groups and Conditionalities |
| 4 | Family Tree/ Blood Relations |
| 1 | Missing terms |
| 1 | Probability |
| 2 | Routes and Networks |
| 2 | Syllogism |
Around 22 to 24 attempts in this section, with 90% accuracy, in 50-55 minutes would be good.
There were 4 passages with a total of 15 questions. The questions accompanying the passage were of easy-to-medium difficulty level. Three of the passages were short and contained 3-4 questions each and 1 passage was slightly long and contained 5-6 questions. Many questions in the Reading Comprehension were inference based. However, options were helpful in identifying the right answer.
Out of the 10 non-RC questions, 5-6 were of easy-to-medium difficulty level. Some of the questions in this section were Antonyms, Synonyms, Fact Inference Judgement, FIB, Idiom-based questions etc.
| Area | No. of Qs. | Specifics |
| RC | 15 | 4 passages |
| Fact/Inference/Judgment | 1 | 2 questions |
| Synonyms/Antonyms | 2 | Moderately-difficult words |
| FIB | 1 | 1 Idiom based |
| Idiom-based | 1 | Meaning of the idiom given in a sentence |
| Word analogy | 1 | A relation between Soap and Rinse was given |
| Meaning of phrase | 2 | Easy questions |
| Grammar | 2 | 1 - Identify the correct sentence |
| 1 - Arrange the jumbled words into a sentence |
Around 22-24 attempts in this section, with 85-90% accuracy, in 50-55 minutes would be good.
General Awareness:
This section is the differentiator in this year’s CMAT. 18 of the questions were based on Static GK. Only 7 questions were on Current Affairs.
Around 14 questions were based on Indian events, 4 were on international ones and the remaining 7 were miscellaneous ones.
About 5 questions were easy, 8 medium and 12 difficult.
If you are able to attempt around 11 to 13 questions in about 15 minutes in this section with 80 % accuracy, it would be a good attempt.
Based on the feedback available from students, we estimate that an overall an attempt of around 72 to 74 questions with 85-90% accuracy would help to get a GD-PI call from GIM and 75 to 78 questions with 85-90% accuracy would help to get a GD-PI call from KJSOM (PGDBM).
CMAT 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Results
According to CMAT 2018 results, a score between 335-341 was equivalent to 100 percentile, a score between 327-330 was equivalent to 99.99 percentile, a score of 325 was equivalent to 99.98 percentile, a score between 296-297 was equivalent to 99.9 percentile and a score of 290 was equivalent to 99.86 percentile.
For your reference and a better understanding of the test, we have also mentioned CMAT 2017, 2016 and 2015 First and Second test results.
According to CMAT 2017 results, a score between 350-329 was equivalent to 100 percentile, a score between 328-316 was equivalent to 99.99 percentile, a score between 315-307 was equivalent to 99.98 percentile, a score between 295-294 was equivalent to 99.9 percentile and a score of 290 was equivalent to 99.86 percentile.
According to CMAT 2016 results, a score of 300 was equivalent to 100 percentile, a score between 296-283 was equivalent to 99.99 percentile, a score between 278-273 was equivalent to 99.98 percentile, a score between 278-273 was equivalent to 99.98 percentile and a score between 252-251 was equivalent to 99.84 percentile.
According to CMAT September 2014 results, a score of 251 was equivalent to 99.13 percentile and a score of 185 was equivalent to 90.05 percentile.
According to CMAT February 2015 results, a score of 220 was equivalent to 99.55 percentile and a score of 198 was equivalent to 98.64 percentile.