CMAT Syllabus 2026: Section-wise Syllabus, Weightage, Pattern & Books
The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national-level entrance examination for admission to management programs in the country. Its purpose is to select suitable graduate candidates for admission to management courses at affiliated or participating institutions. The CMAT 2026 will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in January 2026(tentatively). The CMAT syllabus evaluates candidates on logical reasoning, quantitative techniques, data interpretation, general awareness, and comprehension.
CMAT Syllabus and Sections 2026
The CMAT Syllabus comprises five sections: logical reasoning, quantitative techniques and data interpretation, general awareness, language comprehension, and innovation and entrepreneurship. NTA will not release an official CMAT Syllabus on its website. The authority will mention only the sections that must be included in the CMAT exam syllabus.
The CMAT entrance exam has 100 questions, with 20 questions asked in each section. The CMAT Syllabus 2026 is anticipated to follow the same trend as last year.ย
Important topics on the CMAT Syllabus:
The key topics covered in the past yearโs CMAT exam syllabus are:ย
- Most of the questions in Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation were based on Arithmetic, Algebra, and Number System.
- The section on Logical Reasoning of the CMAT included questions on topics like coding, decoding, series, and more.ย
- The language comprehension section had most of its questions from vocabulary, grammar, and RC passages.ย
- The general awareness section comprised of questions from static and current affairs.ย
- The section on innovation and entrepreneurship was added in 2021. The questions asked were based on entrepreneurship and management.ย
Read More –ย CMAT Answer Key 2024 – Download answer key PDF here
CMAT Syllabus – Sections and important topics
CMAT Exam Syllabus for Logical Reasoningย
This section of the CMAT Syllabus for logical reasoning includes 20 questions in total. In the logical reasoning section, students are assessed for their logical thinking and verbal/reasoning ability. The logical reasoning section of the CMAT Syllabus 2026 includes topics ranging from verbal reasoning to analytical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.ย
The important concepts covered in this section of the syllabus for logical reasoning are:
| Logical Reasoning |
||
| Analytical Reasoning | Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| Linear Arrangements
Circular Arrangements Matrix Arrangements Blood Relationship Coding and decoding Numerical puzzles Number and Alphabet Series Direction and Distance Analogy Order and Ranking |
Syllogism
Course of Action  Inference Statement Assumptions Statements and Conclusion Statements and Arguments Cause and Effects Strong and Weak arguments |
Visual Reasoning |
CMAT Exam Syllabus for Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretationย
There are a total of 20 MCQ questions in the quantitative aptitude and data interpretation section of the CMAT 2026 syllabus. This section is divided under the headings geometry, arithmetic, number systems, algebra, and modern maths.ย
The key topics of the CMAT exam Syllabus are as follows. Below is the CMAT analysis from last year to get an idea of how difficult the exam is.
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | |||||
| Arithmetic | Algebra | Number System | Modern Maths | Geometry and Mensuration | Data Interpretation |
| Time and Work
Percentages Simple Interest and Compound Interest Averages Mixtures and Allegations Speed, Time, and Distance Ratios and Proportion Profit, Loss, and Discount Unitary Method |
Logarithms
Progression Linear Equations Quadratic Equations Inequalities |
HCF and LCM
Indices and surds Remainders Last Digit |
Set Theory
Permutation and Combination Probability |
Coordinate Geometry
2-D and 3-D Mensuration Lines and Angles Triangles Circles Polygons Trigonometry |
Caselet-based dataย
Tablesย Line graphsย Bar graphsย Stacked chartsย Pie charts |
CMAT Exam Syllabus for Language Comprehensionย
The section on language comprehension comprises 20 questions. The syllabus for language comprehension includes questions on vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension.
The CMAT 2026 syllabus covers the following topics for language and comprehension:
- Synonyms and Antonymsย
- Reading Comprehensionย
- Grammar/Vocabulary based fill in the blanksย
- Error Spottingย
- English usage errorsย
- One-word substitutionย
- Idioms and phrasesย
- Sentence correctionย
- Para jumblesย
- Foreign language words used in Englishย
CMAT Exam Syllabus for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The CMAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship section was first introduced in CMAT 2021. It was an optional section that included 25 questions. Meanwhile, in CMAT 2022, the section was made compulsory and included 20 questions.
The CMAT Syllabus 2026 for Innovation and Entrepreneurship includes topics that test the entrepreneurial skills of the aspirants.ย
Below is the detailed syllabus for entrepreneurship and innovationย
The CMAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship section:
- Entrepreneur- Definition, Typesย
- Concepts of Innovationย
- Innovation Frameworkย
- Theories of Entrepreneurshipย
- Entrepreneurship Challengesย
- Types of Entrepreneursย
- Role of the Government in Promoting Entrepreneurshipย
- The legal structure of start-upsย
- Marketing and growth strategyย
- Funding of start-upsย
CMAT Exam Syllabus for GK
The GK Syllabus section is slightly different from other MBA exams, like IIFT and CAT. This section does follow a fixed Syllabus. The questions are asked from topics including current affairs and static GK.ย
Below are some key topics of CMAT GK Syllabus 2026:
Static GKย
History |ย Geography | Books and Authors |ย Important Days |ย Indian Polity |ย Art and Cultureย
Current Affairsย
Awards |ย Business and Economy |ย National and International Affairs |ย Obituaries |ย Sports |ย Appointment |ย Science and Technology.
Check for CMAT mock tests and prepare for the best.
CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern:ย
The CMAT exam pattern will help students prepare for the CMAT 2026 exam, and the same is mentioned below:ย
| CMAT Exam Structure | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Number of sections | 5
|
| Mode of examination | Online (Computer Based Test) |
| Duration of exam | 180 minutes |
| Total Number of questions | 100 (20 questions per section) |
| Total Marks | 400 |
| Number of answer choices | 5 |
| CMAT Marking scheme | +4 marks for every correct answer
-1 mark for every incorrect answer 0 marks for questions not attempted |
Section-wise weightage for CMAT 2026 syllabus
The table below exhibits the section-wise weightage of the CMAT Syllabus:ย
| Sections | No. of Questions | Marks |
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | 20 | 80 |
| Logical Reasoning | 20 | 80 |
| Language Comprehension | 20 | 80 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 80 |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship | 20 | 80 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
Changes in CMAT Exam Syllabus
CMAT exam pattern was revised by the exam conducting body NTA in 2022. There was a compulsory section on entrepreneurship and innovation. CMAT 2021 introduced a 25-question optional section for this section. In 2023, the CMAT exam syllabus remained the same. There have been no changes in the CLAT syllabus since.
Tips and Strategies to Prepare for CMAT Exam Syllabus 2026
Below are some tips that will help aspirants prepare for the CMAT Exam Syllabus and ensure a thorough understanding:
- Practice past yearโs papers to get familiar with the type of questions asked and the difficulty level of the exam.
- Keep a journal and jot down difficult words while preparing for sections like language comprehension. Prior to the exam day, review them.
- Candidates should enhance their habit of reading newspapers for the CMAT GK Syllabus. In addition to enhancing your vocabulary, it will also help you in the language comprehension section.ย
- Aspirants should practice more while preparing for the CMAT exam syllabus for quantitative techniques and data interpretation. Make use of formulas and tricks to help you answer the questions quickly.
- Refer to the basics of entrepreneurship while preparing for the innovation and entrepreneurship section. The questions in CMAT 2021 tended to focus on the GK side of Entrepreneurship. Hence, candidates should familiarize themselves with basic terminology, such as government schemes that provide funds to start-ups.ย
- The candidates should practice mock and online tests to prepare for the logical reasoning section.ย
Read more about CMAT Preparation 2024 โ How To Prepare For CMAT Exam? โ (Tips, Tricks & Strategy)
Read more about CMAT Eligibility 2024 โ Age Limit, Educational Qualification, Marks, Reservation & Fees
FAQs on CMAT Exam Syllabus 2026
Does the CMAT syllabus change each year?ย
The CMAT exam syllabus depends on the pattern of the CMAT exam of that year. In CMAT 2021, the optional section on innovation and entrepreneurship was introduced, and it was included in the syllabus also. But in the years 2022 and 2023, this section was covered as a compulsory section in the CMAT exam syllabus.ย
Read more about CMAT Exam Pattern โ Check CMAT Paper Pattern, Duration, Marking Scheme
What are the sections of CMAT Syllabus 2026?
There are five sections in the CMAT Syllabus comprising data interpretation and quantitative techniques, logical reasoning, general awareness, language comprehension, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Are the CMAT and CAT syllabi the same?ย
The syllabi for CAT and CMAT are not the same.
What is CMAT GK Syllabus?ย
The CMAT GK Syllabus includes questions on any topic related to current affairs and static GK. It is not defined. A few topics that it includes are books, the latest awards, science and technology, and important dates.ย
What is the best way to complete the CMAT detailed syllabus while working?ย
Students should ensure that they have a proper strategy to ace the CMAT exam and complete the detailed syllabus while working. Before starting the preparation, students should study difficult topics and understand the CMAT exam syllabus.ย
What is the CMAT Math syllabus for 2026?ย
The CMAT Math syllabus 2026, comprising quantitative techniques and a data interpretation section, includes topics like algebra, arithmetic, number systems, modern math, tables, charts, and geometry.ย
How many days are needed to cover CMAT Exam Syllabus completely?ย
The aspirants should keep a minimum of 4-5 months aside to complete the CMAT syllabus since there are five subjects and multiple topics. But, if you have taken CAT and IIFT, you can complete the CMAT syllabus in two months.
