All About NMAT Exam 2026: NMIMS Cutoffs, Pattern, Marks & Top Colleges

The NMAT by GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) is one of the most student-friendly MBA entrance exams in India. It is primarily known as the mandatory gateway to NMIMS Mumbai, but its scores are accepted by dozens of other top business schools.

Unlike CAT or XAT, NMAT allows candidates to take the test up to three times during a testing window, giving them the flexibility to improve their scores.

Here is the complete overview of the NMAT exam for 2026 admissions:

Exam Overview & Conducting Body

• Exam Name: NMAT by GMAC
• Conducting Body: Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)
• Frequency: Multiple times a year (Candidates can take it up to 3 times during a 70-day test window from October to December)
• Mode of Exam: Computer Based Test (CBT) and Online Proctored Exam at Home
• Test Nature: It is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), meaning the difficulty of the next question depends on whether you answered the previous one correctly.

Exam Pattern & Total Marks

NMAT is purely a speed-based test. You have to be incredibly fast.

• Total Duration: 120 Minutes (2 Hours)
  • Note: There are strict sectional time limits, but you can choose the order of the sections before the exam begins.
• Total Questions: 108 Questions
• Total Marks: Scaled Score (Range usually provided from 36 to 360)
• Question Types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
• Marking Scheme:
  • +1 mark for every correct answer (approximate scaled value)
  • No Negative Marking: This is the biggest advantage of NMAT.

Sectional Breakdown

Unlike CAT, NMAT has equal weightage and an equal number of questions per section.

1. Language Skills (LS): 36 Questions | Time Limit: 28 Minutes
2. Quantitative Skills (QS): 36 Questions | Time Limit: 52 Minutes
3. Logical Reasoning (LR): 36 Questions | Time Limit: 40 Minutes

Expected Cut-offs (Scaled Score)

NMIMS evaluates candidates based on overall scaled scores as well as strict sectional cutoffs.

• NMIMS Mumbai (Flagship MBA / Core HR): 235 - 245+ Score
• NMIMS Bangalore / Navi Mumbai: 220 - 230+ Score
• K. J. Somaiya (Mumbai), XIMB (HR Program): 225+ Score
• TAPMI Manipal, Great Lakes, SOIL Gurgaon: 200 - 215+ Score

Top Colleges Accepting NMAT Scores

• NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies) - Mumbai & all off-campuses
• K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai
• XIMB (Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar) - Only for HR specialization
• SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Mumbai
• TAPMI (T. A. Pai Management Institute), Manipal
• Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Chennai
• SOIL (School of Inspired Leadership), Gurgaon
• IFMR Graduate School of Business (Krea University)
• BML Munjal University, Gurgaon

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