CMAT Syllabus 2026 (Latest): Section-Wise Topics, Weightage & Best Books
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The latest NTA CMAT syllabus 2026 provides a clear roadmap for exam preparation. The Common Management Admission Test checks a candidate’s overall aptitude required for MBA and management courses. CMAT exam evaluates a candidate’s ability for management courses. Knowing section-wise important topics helps aspirants focus on the most scoring areas. Scroll through the article to know the complete detail on the subject wise topics for the CMAT exam.
CMAT 2026 Syllabus
The syllabus for the CMAT exam is not very vast and can be easily completed within a few months. As the syllabus is same as of other entrance exams for MBA colleges and subjects are also somewhat same like Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness with just 1 new section Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Each section has 20 questions of different difficulty levels which are to be attempted in 180 minutes. The best thing about CMAT is that this entrance does not have any negative marking.So candidates can maximize the number of attempts and increase their scores.
| NTA CMAT Syllabus 2026 | ||
| S.No | Section | Topics Covered |
| 1 | Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | Arithmetic: Percentages, Profit & Loss, Averages, Ratio & Proportion, Time & Work, Speed & Distance.Algebra: Linear and Quadratic Equations, Sequences & Series.Geometry & Mensuration: Triangles, Circles, Area & Volume.Data Interpretation: Tables, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Line Charts, Venn Diagrams. |
| 2 | Logical Reasoning | Analytical Reasoning: Syllogisms, Statements & Conclusions, Cause & Effect.Arrangements & Puzzles: Linear & Circular Arrangements, Complex Puzzles.Other Topics: Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Number & Letter Series. |
| 3 | Language Comprehension | Reading Comprehension: Passages with inference-based and direct questions.Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases.Grammar & Verbal Skills: Sentence Correction, Error Spotting, Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion. |
| 4 | General Awareness (GA) | Current Affairs: National & International Events, Awards, Sports Highlights.Static GK: History, Geography, Indian Constitution.Economy & Business: Budget Updates, Corporate Affairs, Banking & Financial Policies. |
| 5 | Innovation & Entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship Concepts: Start-up Ecosystem, Business Models.Innovation Skills: Design Thinking, Product Development.Trends & Policies: Government Initiatives, Business & Market Trends. |
Check Latest NTA CMAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation Syllabus for CMAT
The Quantitative section is mostly calculative. Questions are mostly based on school-level mathematics but require speed and accuracy.Check the names of unit wise topic names given in the table below for CMAT exam preparation.
| Important topics for CMAT Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation Section | ||
| S.No | Unit Name | Key topics |
| 1 | Arithmetic | Percentages, Profit & Loss, DiscountRatios & Proportions, AveragesTime & Work, Pipes & CisternsTime, Speed & Distance (TSD)Simple & Compound InterestMixtures & Allegations, Partnerships |
| 2 | Algebra | Linear & Quadratic EquationsInequalities, Indices & SurdsProgressions (AP, GP, HP)Logarithms, Set Theory |
| 3 | Number System | Number Properties, Divisibility RulesLCM & HCF, Remainder TheoremFractions & Decimals |
| 4 | Geometry & Mensuration | Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, PolygonsCoordinate Geometry2D & 3D Mensuration (Area & Volume) |
| 5 | Modern Mathematics | Permutations & Combinations (P&C)Probability, Binomial Theorem |
| 6 | Data Interpretation (DI) | Tables & TabulationBar Charts, Pie ChartsLine Graphs, Caselets |
Logical Reasoning Syllabus for CMAT
The Reasoning section is mostly tricky as the questions can be asked from anywhere based on the syllabus. Candidates need to thoroughly practice a lot of puzzles and reasoning problems including seating arrangements, alphabet and numerical series, blood relations and more to maintain accuracy while solving questions in exam.Check the table mentioned below for complete syllabus topics for CMAT preparation.
| Important topics for CMAT Logical Reasoning | ||
| S. No | Unit Name | Topics Included |
| 1 | Analytical Reasoning | Linear, Circular & Matrix ArrangementsBlood Relations, Direction & DistanceCoding-Decoding, Number & Alphabet SeriesRanking & Order, Symbol-Based Problems |
| 2 | Verbal/Critical Reasoning | Statements & ConclusionsAssumptions & Arguments (Strong/Weak)Cause & Effect, InferencesLogical Consistency |
| 3 | Non-Verbal / Visual Reasoning | Image & Diagram-Based PuzzlesAnalogy Tests, Odd One Out |
CMAT Language Comprehension Syllabus
In the CMAT exam English section the easiest questions are direct and based on commonly used daily language. Check the main topics for CMAT preparation mentioned in the table below.
| Important Topics for English Language Comprehension for CMAt | ||
| S.No | Unit Name | Topics Covered |
| 1 | Reading Comprehension (RC) | Passages with direct and inference-based questions (main idea, tone, meaning) |
| 2 | Vocabulary | Synonyms & Antonyms, One-Word Substitution, Contextual Usage of Words |
| 3 | Grammar & Usage | Error Spotting, Sentence Correction, Subject-Verb Agreement, Tenses, Articles, Prepositions, Parts of Speech |
| 4 | Verbal Ability | Para Jumbles, Paragraph Completion, Sentence Improvement, Fill-in-the-Blanks |
| 5 | Idioms & Phrases | Common English idioms and their correct usage |
NTA CMAT General Awareness Syllabus
General Awareness checks how well candidates stay updated with the current events and basic static knowledge related to business and society that are happening around. Know the topics candidates need to prepare for the CMAT general awareness section in the table below.
| Most Important Topics for CMAT General Awareness | ||
| S.No. | General Awareness Section | Unit Name |
| 1 | Current Affairs | National & International EventsEconomy & Business Updates (Trade, Finance, Companies)Awards & Honours (Nobel, Dronacharya, etc.)Notable People in News (Appointments, Personalities)Government Schemes & Policies |
| 2 | Static General Knowledge (GK) | History: Indian History, Freedom Movements, Key EventsGeography: Indian & World Geography, Capitals, Rivers, National ParksPolity: Indian Constitution, Governance, JudiciaryScience & Technology: Everyday Science, Key Inventions & DiscoveriesEconomy: Basic Economic Concepts (GDP, Inflation)Culture: Folk Arts, Dance Forms, Literature (Books & Authors)Sports: Major Tournaments, Awards (Olympics, Commonwealth Games) |
Innovation and Entrepreneurship CMAT Syllabus
In CMAT candidates are also tested about the awareness of business ideas, innovation and startup culture. Questions are mostly theory based and practical in nature.Check the table for detailed list of topics form this section
| Most Important Topics for CMAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Syllabus | ||
| S.No | Innovation & Entrepreneurship | Topics Covered |
| 1 | Entrepreneurship Fundamentals | Core concepts, business models, SWOT Analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, types of entrepreneurship (social, rural, women), evolution of entrepreneurship in India |
| 2 | Innovation Concepts | Innovation lifecycle, types of innovation, and application in business practices |
| 3 | Startups & Ecosystem | Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Unicorns, Angel Investors, Venture Capital, Lean Startup methodology, incubation & acceleration |
| 4 | Government Initiatives | Key policies and schemes supporting startups (e.g., Startup India, Atal Innovation Mission) |
| 5 | Business & Management Basics | Fundamentals of organization, leadership, motivation, finance, operations, and economics |
| 6 | Key Personalities & Terms | Notable entrepreneurs, founders, and essential business terminology |
Recommended Books for CMAT Exam
Choosing the right books for CMAT helps candidates in building concepts and practicing quality questions.
| Best Books for CMAT Preparation | |
| Section | Book Suggestions |
| Quantitative Techniques | Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal |
| Logical Reasoning | A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal |
| Language Comprehension | Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis |
| General Awareness | Lucent’s General Knowledge + daily newspapers |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship | Business awareness books and current affairs magazines |
How to Crack CMAT Exam 2026?
Cracking the CMAT entrance is not that difficult but requires smart planning, consistency and focused practice. Candidates should begin by strengthening basics in arithmetic and reasoning, as topics from these sections demand good calculation speed. With daily practice of quick calculations, revision of formulas, tables, squares and cubes helps reduce time spent per question. Reading daily newspapers and short articles from various sources improves language skills and also builds vocabulary. It also keeps aspirants updated for the recent events happening around the world. Candidates need to at least solve 1 Mock tests per week and then increase the number to 2 review the responses on the same day and keep a track of progress to see the performance during the course of CMAT preparation.