20 Aug, 2026: NMAT 2026 Registration Began on 20 August 2026; Apply Here
NMAT 2026: Registration Ongoing, Check How to Apply, Eligibility, Admit Card, Syllabus, Exam Pattern
Content Curator | Updated On - Aug 26, 2026
What's New in NMAT 2026?
NMAT 2026 registration began on 20 August 2026. You can register for NMAT 2026 on the official website at mba.com/exam/nmat.
- NMAT 2026 registration will conclude on 10 October 2026.
- The registration fee for NMAT 2026 is INR 3000 for the first attempt, 3000 for each retake, and the rescheduling fee is INR 1200.
- NMAT 2026 exam scheduling will start on 20 August 2026 and will conclude on 22 October 2026.
- Exam delivery of NMAT 2026 will begin on 2 November 2026 and will conclude on 20 December 2026.
To apply for the NMAT 2026 examination, you must have completed a bachelor's degree from any recognized university.
Related Articles
- Eligibility Criteria for NMAT 2026
- How to Log in and Apply for NMAT 2026
- Mistakes to Avoid in the NMAT 2026 Registration Process
- NMAT 2026 Application Fee
Key Summary
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Table of Contents
- NMAT 2026 Exam Dates
- NMAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- How to Apply for NMAT 2026?
- NMAT 2026 Registration Fees
- NMAT 2026 Exam Pattern
- NMAT 2026 Syllabus
6.1 NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Language Skills
6.2 NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Quantitative Skills
6.3 NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Logical Reasoning Skills
- Best Books for NMAT Preparation
- NMAT 2026 Admit Card
- NMAT 2026 Exam Centers
- NMAT 2026 Result
- NMAT 2026 Cutoff
- NMAT 2026 Score vs Percentile
- NMIMS NMAT Selection Process
- NMAT 2026 FAQs
NMAT 2026 Highlights / Quick Facts Table
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Form | NMAT by GMAC (originally NMIMS Management Aptitude Test) |
| Conducting Body | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Exam Mode | Computer-based/Computer-adaptive test (CBT) |
| Exam Purpose | Admission to MBA/PGDM programs at NMIMS and 50+ other B-schools |
| NMAT 2026 Registration | 20 August to 10 October 2026 |
| NMAT 2026 Exam Window | 2 November to 20 December 2026 |
| Number of Attempts | Up to 3 (1 attempt + 2 retakes), with a 15-day gap between attempts |
| Number of Sections | 3 (Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, Logical Reasoning) |
| Total Questions | 108 |
| Total Exam Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative Marking | No negative marking |
| Score Range | 36 to 360 (scaled score) |
| Sectional Score Range | 12 to 120 per section |
| Exam Fee | INR 3,000 + taxes (registration/retake); INR 1,200 + taxes (reschedule) |
| Result Declaration | Within 48 hours of the test |
| NMAT Accepting Colleges | 50+ B-schools in India (NMIMS, XIMB, TAPMI, KJ Somaiya, SPJIMR, ISB, SDA Bocconi, etc.) |
| Official Website | mba.com/exams/nmat |
NMAT 2026 Exam Dates
GMAC has released the dates for the NMAT 2026 exam. You can check the dates for various events of NMAT 2026 in the table below.
| Dates | Events |
|---|---|
| 20 August 2026 | NMAT 2026 Registration Starts |
| 10 October 2026 | NMAT 2026 Registration Ends |
| 20 August 2026 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Starts |
| 22 October 2026 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Ends |
| 2 November 2026 | NMAT 2026 Exam Delivery Starts |
| 20 December 2026 | NMAT 2026 Exam Delivery Ends |
Source: Official Website
Also Read
NMAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
You must fulfil the NMAT 2026 eligibility criteria before filling out the NMAT 2026 application form. You can check the NMAT 2026 eligibility criteria below.
- You must have completed your graduation with a minimum of 50% marks.
- Your academic qualification must be in 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 format.
- It is recommended to have 2-3 years of work experience for the examination; however, it is not mandatory.
- There is no age limit required to apply for the examination.
Ques. Can freshers (no work experience) apply for NMAT
Ans. Yes, freshers with no work experience can apply for NMAT 2026 exam provided they meet the minimum qualification requirements.
How to Apply for NMAT 2026?
The last day to apply for the NMAT 2026 exam is October 10, 2026. You can follow the steps listed below to apply for NMAT 2026.
- Go to the official website at mba.com/exams/nmat.
- Register using your name, mobile number, and email address.
- Log in to the portal and fill out the NMAT 2026 application form.
- Select the preferred schools in the School Preferences section.
- Upload a photograph that is not older than 6 months.
- Pay the NMAT 2026 exam fee.
Source: Official Website
Ques. How to apply for NMIMS using NMAT details?
Ans. NMIMS registration using NMAT registration details consists of 2 steps, as discussed below.
- Step 1: Registration at NMAT by GMAC: First, register for NMAT by GMAC and pay the registration fee.
- Step 2: Registration at NMIMS: Enter your NMAT registration number and password and complete the NMIMS application process.
Note: Students must register with NMIMS before the scheduled exam day.
NMAT 2026 Registration Fees
Payment of the NMAT 2026 registration fees is mandatory to get the application form accepted. Given below are the details of registration fees for the examination:
| NMAT Registration Fees | |
|---|---|
| Registration (Regular fee) | INR 3000 + Taxes |
| Exam retake fee | INR 3000 + Taxes |
| Exam reschedule fee | INR 1,200 + Taxes |
Read More
Ques. What happens if I miss my scheduled NMAT exam slot?
Ans. In case you miss your scheduled NMAT exam, you can retake the exam by paying an NMAT retake fee of INR 3000. You cannot reschedule the missed NMAT slot, nor can you get a refund for the missed NMAT slot.
Ques. Can I change my exam city after scheduling NMAT?
Ans. Yes, you can change your exam city after scheduling NMAT exam through the NMAT rescheduling process. You must do that before 72 hours of previously scheduled slot. You will have to pay an NMAT rescheduling fee of INR 1200.
NMAT 2026 Form Correction Window
GMAC will provide students with a brief form correction window. The NMAT form correction window is likely to be available for around 3-7 days. During the form correction process, you can edit fields like name spelling, mobile number, email address, photo, and signature.
NMAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Exam pattern for NMAT 2026 has 3 sections, including Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning.
- Each section of NMAT 2026 carries 36 questions; however, section duration varies across sections.
- Sectional duration for Language Skills is 28 minutes, Quantitative Skills is 52 minutes, and Logical Reasoning is 40 minutes.
- Total duration of NMAT 2026 is 120 minutes, and the total score range is 36-360 marks.
Source: Official Website
Check Here
Ques. Can I choose which section to attempt first in NMAT?
Ans. Yes, you can choose the order of sections as per your convenience to solve the NMAT 2026 exam.
Ques. Is a calculator allowed in the NMAT exam?
Ans. No, you can not take your own calculator in NMAT exam center. Also, there is no on screen calculator that you can use in NMAT exam 2026. You can only do the rough work for all your calculations.
NMAT 2026 Negative Marking Policy
NMAT exam has no negative marking for incorrect answers. Also, for unattempted questions, you don’t get any marks deducted from the overall score.
| Response Type | Marking Scheme |
|---|---|
| Incorrect Response | 0 marks |
| Unattempted Question | 0 marks |
Ques. Why does NMAT 2026 have a Scaled Score?
Ans. As the NMAT exam is computer-adaptive and while attempting the questions, difficulty level keeps on changing. After every correct response, you get a more difficult question, and after every incorrect response, the difficulty level decreases. Marks for questions with a lower difficulty level are less, and for a higher difficulty level are more. Due to this, the scaled score for the NMAT exam for each section is 12-120, and overall is 36-360 marks.
NMAT 2026 Syllabus
NMAT 2026 syllabus is divided into 3 sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. You can check the topics and syllabus for each section below.
NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Language Skills
NMAT 2026 Language Skills question paper will include questions from the topics listed below.
- Reading Comprehension
- Para Forming
- Error Identification
- Prepositions
- Sentence Completion
- Analogies
NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Quantitative Skills
NMAT 2026 Quantitative Skills questions will be asked from the topics listed below.
- Critical Reasoning
- Analytical Puzzles
- Deductions
- Other Reasoning
NMAT 2026 Syllabus for Logical Reasoning Skills
NMAT 2026 Logical Reasoning Skills question paper will include questions from the topics listed below.
- Number Properties
- Arithmetic
- Algebra and Probability
- Data Integration Caselets and Tables
- Data Integration Graphs and Charts
- Data Sufficiency
Also Check
Best Books for NMAT Preparation
You can consider the books listed below to prepare for the NMAT 2026 exam.
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT | Arun Sharma |
| Mathematics for MBA | RS Aggarwal |
| Nonverbal reasoning | RS Aggarwal |
| Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation | Nishit Sinha |
| Objective General English | RS Aggarwal |
| Mastering the Verbal Ability | Arihant |
Read More
Ques. Is NMAT easier than CAT exam?
Ans. Yes, NMAT is considered to be easier in terms of difficulty level than CAT exam. NMAT is a computer-adaptive test where after every correct answer, you get difficult questions and after incorrect answer, the difficulty level decreases.
NMAT 2026 Admit Card
NMAT 2026 admit card will be available on the official website at mba.com/exams/nmat. The admit card for NMAT 2026 will be available 7 days before the scheduled exam date.
You can follow the steps listed below to download the NMAT 2026 admit card PDF.
- Visit the official NMAT by GMAC website.
- Log in using your email ID and password.
- Click on the link for the NMAT 2026 admit card.
- NMAT 2026 admit card will be displayed on the screen.
- Download the NMAT admit card PDF and take printouts for future reference.
Source: Official Website
Check Here
NMAT 2026 Exam Day Guidelines
Students appearing for NMAT 2026 at test centers must familiarize themselves with the guidelines for NMAT exam day as discussed below.
- Arrive at the NMAT test center 45 minutes before the exam begins.
- Take a printout of the NMAT admit card and bring it to the test center on the exam day.
- Photograph on NMAT admit card must be recent and clearly visible; if the staff did not clearly authenticate your Identity, you will not be allowed to take the exam.
- Take a valid photo ID with a recent photograph on it. You can take any photo ID from the list below.
- UID/Aadhaar Card
- Passport issued by the Government of India
- PAN Card issued by the Government of India
- Voter's ID Card
- Driver’s License
- Accept the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) presented on the screen before you begin your NMAT exam.
- You can also choose the order of the sections in the NMAT exam.
Ques. What documents are required at the NMAT exam center?
Ans. Documents required at the NMAT exam center are listed below.
- NMAT Admit Card 2026
- Photo ID
- UID/Aadhaar Card
- Passport issued by the Government of India
- PAN Card issued by the Government of India
- Voter's ID Card
- Driver’s License
- Proof of Disability (if applicable)
NMAT 2026 Exam Centers
NMAT 2026 exam centers will be mentioned on the NMAT 2026 admit card. You will get a test city allotted from the list of NMAT exam centers below.
| Regions | Cities |
|---|---|
| North | Agra, Alwar, Allahabad, Bareilly, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Jammu, Jhansi, Ludhiana, Panipat, Delhi, Gurugram, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Noida, Patiala |
| South | Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Manipal, Madurai, Mangalore, Mysore, Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvananthapuram, Vizag, Vijayawada |
| West | Aurangabad, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jalgaon, Kota, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nasik, Pune, Surat, Vadodara, Udaipur |
| East | Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Shillong, Durgapur, Dhanbad, Rourkela, Siliguri |
| Central | Bhilai, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Raipur, Gwalior, Ujjain, Bilaspur |
NMAT 2026 Result
NMAT 2026 result will be available within 48 hours of taking the NMAT 2026 examination. Your NMAT 2026 scorecard will include your scaled section scores and total score.
- Visit the official website of NMAT
- Click on “Log in”
- Enter your required details, as asked
- Search for the NMAT scorecard link
- Download the scorecard
- Download and save the scorecard in PDF format
Ques. What is NMAT scaled score?
Ans. NMAT by GMAC exam is scored by analyzing the candidate’s final ability based on the probabilistic model approach of modern exam theory and then converted to a scaled score ranging from 12-120 marks for each section.
NMAT 2026 Cutoff
| Institute | NMAT 2026 Cutoff |
|---|---|
| NMIMS Mumbai (MBA) | 290+ |
| XIMB (MBA-HR) | 234+ |
| TAPMI | 220+ |
| ISB (AMP-BA) | 215+ |
| KJ Somaiya Institute of Management | 225+ |
| IFMR | 215+ |
| SOIL Gurgaon | 190+ |
| SDA Bocconi Asia Center | 180+ |
| ISBR | 170+ |
Source: YouTube
NMAT 2026 Score vs Percentile
| NMAT Percentile | NMAT 2026 Marks |
|---|---|
| 99 | 255-265 |
| 98 | 250-254 |
| 95 | 242-243 |
| 90 | 233-234 |
| 85 | 227-228 |
| 80 | 223-224 |
| 70 | 214-215 |
| 60 | 206-207 |
Source: YouTube
NMIMS NMAT Selection Process
NMIMS NMAT 2026 selection process includes 2 stages as listed below.
- Stage 1: Appearing for NMAT by GMAC (mandatory for selection).
- Stage 2: Merit List and cutoff, Competency test, and AI Personal Interview.
The final merit list will be prepared based on NMAT score, personal interview, competency test, work experience, and academic performance.
Ques. What is the validity of NMAT exam?
Ans. 1 year, you can use your NMAT scores for the same academic year in which you appear for the exam. You can use your NMAT 2026 scores for admission to academic session 2026-27.
List of Colleges Accepting NMAT Scores
As per the NMAT by GMAC official website, 60 colleges accept NMAT scores for admission to MBA/PGDM courses. You can check the list of colleges accepting NMAT scores in the table below.
| S.No. | College | S.No. | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies | 31 | Indus Business Academy (IBA), Bangalore |
| 2 | K J Somaiya Institute of Management | 32 | Bennett University |
| 3 | Indian School of Business (ISB)-Advanced Management Programme in Business Analytics (AMPBA) | 33 | SRM University, Delhi – NCR, Sonepat |
| 4 | S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) - Global Management Programme (GMP) | 34 | University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES) |
| 5 | XIM University | 35 | Mody University |
| 6 | Great Lakes Institute of Management (PGPM) | 36 | Lovely Professional University |
| 7 | T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), A Constituent Unit of MAHE, Manipal | 37 | IILM University |
| 8 | SDA Bocconi Asia Center | 38 | IFIM College |
| 9 | University of Southampton, Delhi | 39 | Amrut Modi School of Management |
| 10 | ICFAI Business School | 40 | Jagdish Sheth School of Management |
| 11 | SOIL Institute of Management | 41 | GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam |
| 12 | FLAME University | 42 | IIHMR University |
| 13 | ISBR Business School | 43 | BSE Institute Limited |
| 14 | Alliance University | 44 | Chitkara university |
| 15 | BML Munjal University | 45 | Sir Padampat Singhania University, Udaipur (SPSU) |
| 16 | S P Jain School of Global Management | 46 | Myra School of Business |
| 17 | IFMR Graduate School of Business | 47 | Rishihood University |
| 18 | Jindal Global Business School | 48 | Ansal University, Gurgaon |
| 19 | ITM Business School, Navi Mumbai | 49 | International School of Management Excellence, Bangalore |
| 20 | Amity University | 50 | Sparsh Global Business School |
| 21 | VIT University | 51 | Altera Institute – PGPM |
| 22 | Shiv Nadar Institute of Management Studies | 52 | NICMAR University |
| 23 | MIT World Peace University | 53 | Adani University – MBA (Infrastructure Management) |
| 24 | Universal AI University | 54 | HSB - Hari Shankar Singhania School of Business |
| 25 | ATLAS- ISME School of Management and | 55 | PES University |
| 26 | SRM University | 56 | Acharya Bangalore B-School (ABBS, Autonomous) |
| 27 | School of Petroleum Management (PDPU) | 57 | Illinois Institute of Technology, Mumbai |
| 28 | School of Business, Woxsen University | 58 | Mahindra University – School of Management |
| 29 | Thapar School of Management | 59 | GIBS Business School |
| 30 | Hyderabad Business School, GITAM University | 60 | Regional College of Management |
NMAT vs CAT vs XAT
| Factor | CAT | XAT | NMAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | IIM Indore (rotational) | XLRI Jamshedpur | GMAC |
| Exam window | Single day-last Sunday of Nov (Nov 29, 2026) | Single day-first Sunday of Jan (Jan 5, 2027) | 45-day flexible window (Nov 2 - Dec 20, 2026) |
| Attempts allowed | 1 | 1 | Up to 3 attempts in the window (best/first score used depending on college) |
| Total questions | 66–68 questions | 100 questions (Part 1 + Part 2) | 108 questions (36 each in 3 sections) |
| Duration | 120 minutes | 210 min total | 120 minutes with sectional time limits |
| Sections | VARC, DILR, QA | Decision Making, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, QA & DI, plus General Knowledge and Essay in Part 2 | Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, Logical Reasoning |
| Marking scheme | +3 correct, −1 wrong (MCQ); no negative marking on TITA questions | Standard positive/negative marking on Part 1; Part 2 GK has no negative marking | +3 per correct answer, no negative marking, adaptive scaled scoring (36–360) |
| Test format | Fixed-form CBT | Fixed-form CBT | Computer-adaptive test |
| Difficulty level | Very high- most competitive; RC alone is ~70% of VARC and needs months of prep | High- Decision Making and Essay sections are frequently underestimated by CAT-prep candidates | Moderate- easier than CAT, XAT and SNAP |
| Eligibility | Bachelor's degree, min 50% marks (45% SC/ST/PwD); final-year students eligible | Recognized bachelor's degree, no official minimum % (practical cutoff ~50%) | Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university |
| Major accepting colleges | All 22 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, IIFT, IIT Bombay DMS | XLRI, XIMB Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, GIM Goa, BIMTECH, TAPMI, 150+ B-schools | NMIMS (all campuses), SPJIMR (PT), TAPMI, KJ Somaiya, VIT, ICFAI, 50+ institutes |
NMAT 2026 FAQs
Ques. Is CAT and NMAT syllabus same?
Ans. Sections in the NMAT syllabus overlap with the CAT syllabus 2026. However, both differ in terms of question types, depth of concepts and specific subtopics.
Ques. Is NMAT exam accepted by IIMs also?
Ans. No, NMAT exam is not accepted by IIMs as admission to IIMs is done based on CAT scores. However, you can get admission to some of the top management institutes including XIMB, NMIMS, ISB, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, etc.
Ques. How many times is NMAT conducted every year?
Ans. NMAT exam is conducted by GMAC once every year. However, each candidate can take the exam a total of 3 times. Every student can retake the test two more times to improve their scores. However, the gap between two consecutive attempts should be 15 days.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
