CMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2024

Every year the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the CMAT for aspiring students seeking admission to various management programs offered by institutions across India. Initially, CMAT comprised four subjects, but in 2021 Innovation & Entrepreneurship was brought in as a fifth optional section in the CMAT syllabus. However, in 2022, the exam pattern was revised, making the Innovation & Entrepreneurship section mandatory for all test takers. Any new alterations to the exam pattern or syllabus will be disclosed upon the announcement of the CMAT notification 2024. Candidates planning to appear in the CMAT 2024 exam must prepare for all the important topics of these five subjects. Check below the CMAT exam pattern, syllabus 2024, best books and preparation tips.

CMAT Syllabus 2024

Before starting your CMAT 2024 exam preparation it is important that aspirants are well versed with topics and the detailed syllabus for the exam. As mentioned earlier, now CMAT will have objective questions from Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, English Language, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. With CMAT scores accepted by over 1000 management colleges in India, it's reasonable to anticipate a good level of difficulty in the exam. The topics related to each section are given in detail below. You can check and start your preparation.

SectionTopics
Language Comprehension Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms / Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings / Detecting Mis-Spelt Words, Idioms & Phrases, One Word Substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active / Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct / Indirect Narration, Shuffling of Sentence Parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a Passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage
Logical Reasoning Verbal and Nonverbal, Semantic Analogy, Symbolic Operations, Symbolic / Number Analogy, Trends, Figural Analogy, Space Orientation, Semantic Classification, Venn Diagrams, Symbolic / Number Classification, Drawing Inferences, Figural Classification, Punched hole / Pattern-Folding & Unfolding, Semantic Series, Figural Pattern-Folding and Completion, Number Series, Embedded figures, Figural Series, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Emotional Intelligence, Word Building, Social Intelligence, Coding and De-Coding, Numerical Operations
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation
  • Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship Between Numbers
  • Fundamental Arithmetical Operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square Roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Allegation, Time and Distance, Time and work
  • Algebra: Basic Algebraic Identities of School Algebra and Elementary Surds (Simple Problems) and Graphs of Linear Equations
  • Geometry: Familiarity with Elementary Geometric Figures and Facts: Triangle and its various kinds of Centres, Congruence and Similarity of Triangles, Circle and its Chords, Tangents, Angles Subtended by Chords of a Circle, Common Tangents to two or more Circles
  • Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with Triangular or Square Base
  • Trigonometry: Trigonometry, Trigonometric Ratios, Complementary Angles, Height and Distances (Simple Problems Only) Standard Identities
  • Statistical Charts: Use of Tables and Graphs: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-Diagram, Pie-Chart
General Awareness General Awareness of the Environment, Current Events (BeePedia), India and its Neighboring Countries especially pertaining to History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General policy and scientific research
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
  • Concepts of Innovation Management Terminology
  • Entrepreneur Vs. Intrapreneur, Entrepreneur Vs. Manager & Entrepreneur Vs. Entrepreneurship
  • Creativity and its stimulation
  • The Entrepreneurial Development
  • Three types of idea management systems
  • Creating Entrepreneurial Venture

CMAT Exam Pattern 2024

The total duration of the computer-based online exam is 180 minutes. Now, as per the latest CMAT exam pattern there are five different sections and each section has 20 questions with 100 marks. Each correct answer is of 4 marks and each incorrect answer will have a negative marking of 1 mark. The medium of the exam is English only. Please refer to the table below:

SubjectsNo. of questionsMaximum marks
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation 20 80
Logical Reasoning 20 80
Language Comprehension 20 80
General Awareness 20 80
Innovation & Entrepreneurship 20 80

CMAT Books

Books are considered as a man’s best friend, and rightly so. Good books and relevant study material can take your CMAT exam preparation to another level. You can refer to the books to learn and clear your basic concepts. Therefore, it is very important that you choose the correct books that augment your CMAT exam preparation. For this purpose, we have provided a list of relevant books that will help you with your exam preparation.

SubjectsUseful BooksAuthor/Publisher
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation Quicker Mathematics BSC Publications
Quantitative Aptitude RS Agarwal
Class Notes SS Bharti
General Awareness Lucent General Science Lucent Publication
General Knowledge Arihant Publication
General Science Kiran Publications
BeePedia  
Logical Reasoning A modern approach to verbal & Non-verbal reasoning R.S. Agarwal
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning S.Chand
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning Arihant Publication
Language Comprehension English Comprehension Wren & Martin
Word Power Made Easy Norman Lewis
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Innovation and Entrepreneurship Peter F. Drucker

Best Preparation Tips for CMAT exam 2024

Here are some effective preparation tips for the CMAT exam in 2024:

  • Understand the Exam Pattern : Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern, including the number of sections, types of questions, and marking scheme.
  • Create a Study Plan : Develop a structured study plan that allocates sufficient time for each section of the exam, focusing on your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Strengthen Fundamentals : Work on strengthening your fundamental concepts in areas such as Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, English Language Comprehension, and General Awareness. Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a comparatively new and unique subject added to the CMAT syllabus aimed at fostering creativity, adaptability, and business grasp among aspiring management professionals. So you need to give extra focus to its concepts.
  • Time Management : Practice time management techniques during your preparation and aim to solve questions within the stipulated time frame during practice sessions.
  • Stay Updated : Stay updated with current affairs, business news, and general knowledge topics relevant to the CMAT exam.
  • Practice Regularly & Revision : Only through practice can one truly master a skill or subject. Solve previous years' question papers, mock tests, and sample papers to enhance your speed, accuracy, and time management skills. Regularly revise the topics you've covered to ensure retention and reinforce your understanding.
  • Mock Test Analysis : Analyze your performance in CMAT mock tests to identify strengths and weaknesses, and focus on improving areas where you face challenges.
  • Stay Healthy and Positive : Maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced diet to stay focused and energized during the preparation phase. Stay motivated and maintain a positive attitude throughout your preparation journey, believing in your abilities to succeed in the CMAT exam.

Wish you All the Best!