NMAT Exam Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility

108 questions, 120 minutes, three separately timed sections

Same question count in each section, very different clocks: about 47 seconds a question in Language Skills, 67 in Logical Reasoning and 87 in Quantitative Skills.

You choose the section order at the start. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer.

Adaptive format

Questions come one at a time, drawn from a pool based on how you've answered so far, so a stronger candidate generally gets harder questions. You can't go back to an earlier question. Your final ability estimate is converted to a scaled score of 12 to 120 per section, so two people with the same number right can score differently.

GMAC says the question count, difficulty levels and timings are the same whenever and wherever you test.

GMAC lists topics per section, not a detailed syllabus.

Language Skills, 36 questions in 28 minutes

Reading Comprehension, Para Forming, Error Identification, Prepositions, Sentence Completion, Analogies. Prepositions get a topic of their own, and the analogies are verbal.

Quantitative Skills, 36 questions in 52 minutes

Number Properties, Arithmetic, Algebra and Probability, Data Integration Caselets and Tables, Data Integration Graphs and Charts, Data Sufficiency. Data interpretation takes two of the six heads.

Logical Reasoning, 36 questions in 40 minutes

Critical Reasoning, Analytical Puzzles, Deductions, and Other Reasoning. Critical reasoning is the GMAT kind: assumptions, inferences, strengthening and weakening, flaws. Puzzles cover arrangements, groupings and orderings; deductions cover syllogisms and formal inference.

GMAC doesn't set eligibility; the schools do. A bachelor's degree is the usual expectation, but minimum marks, discipline and work experience depend on the programme. Check the school's own site before you pay.

What GMAC requires

• Your name and date of birth must exactly match your photo ID.
• A valid email, verified through a link GMAC sends.
• A photograph that looks like you and like your ID photo. It's printed on the admit card.

Attempts

Three per testing period, the first plus two retakes, at least 15 days apart. No-shows count. If you were a no-show, didn't accept the non-disclosure agreement, or your exam was marked Incomplete, you can rebook straight away for any slot after 24 hours.

Accommodations for test takers with disabilities are requested through GMAC's Register and Schedule pages; start early.

1. Register on mba.com and complete the application on your dashboard.
2. Pick your schools. Up to five programmes are included in the fee; more cost US$5 each plus taxes. You choose them at registration, not after the result.
3. Schedule date, time, city and mode, and pay.
4. Sit the exam, choosing your section order.
5. See your unofficial score immediately; the scorecard follows within 48 hours.
6. Retake up to twice, 15 days apart, if you want.
7. Apply to each school separately, on its own form and deadline. A score sent isn't an application.

If there's a test security incident, your exam is audited and the result takes 10 working days instead.

NMAT is an admission test, so there's no salary. Here's what it costs.

Outside India: US$65 plus taxes to register, US$65 per retake and US$30 to reschedule, paid by international card or PayPal. The India fee is on GMAC's Important Dates and Fees page for India. A retake costs the same as the first attempt, so three attempts means three fees.

Each school charges its own application and course fees and publishes its own placement figures.

Everything runs from your dashboard on mba.com/exams/nmat: registration, scheduling, payment, admit card and scorecard.

Registering

1. Click Register for NMAT by GMAC and create an account.
2. Fill in Manage NMAT Profile.
3. Verify your email (check spam, or use Resend Email Verification).
4. Complete the application on the NMAT by GMAC Dashboard, with your name and date of birth exactly as on your ID.
5. Choose schools under School Preferences.
6. Upload your photograph.
7. Submit, then schedule the exam and pay.

The retake option shows up in your dashboard after your exam date. Queries: nmatsupport@gmac.com.

GMAC says 58-plus B-schools accept NMAT, for the regular MBA and for programmes in AI, digital transformation, analytics and emerging technologies.

Schools GMAC quotes students from on its NMAT page:

• SBM, NMIMS, MBA Core
• SDA Bocconi Asia Centre, IMB programme
• T. A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal
• K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management

The full list changes between cycles. Work from the Accepting B-Schools page on mba.com/exams/nmat, and recheck each programme's rules on using NMAT scores.

• Test centre, in one of 70-plus cities in India.
• Online proctored at home, on your own computer. This mode runs only on certain dates with limited capacity, so book early.

For the current cycle, testing runs 2 November to 20 December 2026.

Setting up the online exam

• ExamiSHOW: photograph your ID and upload it.
• ExamiKNOW: set three security questions. One is asked when you log in, so note your answers.
• ExamiKEY: type your first and last name several times so it records your keystroke pattern. No spaces, no capitals. Three failed attempts raise a red flag.

Pick the right time zone when scheduling; the Begin Test button turns on at the time you chose.

Registering doesn't book a slot; you have to schedule by 22 October. With a 15-day gap between attempts, three attempts need roughly a month of window after the first, so book the first one early.

Testing outside India runs on a separate schedule on GMAC's site.

Download it from your mba.com dashboard once your payment goes through. Nothing is posted. It carries the photo you uploaded, which the proctor checks against you and your ID.

You can move a booking within the rescheduling window for a fee (US$30 plus taxes outside India). Don't just skip it: a no-show uses up an attempt, though you can then rebook any slot after 24 hours instead of waiting 15 days.

You see an unofficial score on screen as soon as you finish, which tells you straight away whether to book a retake. The official scorecard, with scaled section scores and total, is ready within 48 hours, with an email when it is. An exam flagged for a security incident is audited, with the result in 10 working days.

Each section is scored 12 to 120, for a total of 36 to 360. GMAC publishes percentile rankings under Scores on the NMAT site. Your scores go to the up to five programmes you picked at registration.

GMAC publishes no cut-off. Each accepting school sets its own, by programme, and it moves every cycle.

To see where your score stands, use GMAC's percentile rankings under Scores on mba.com/exams/nmat. For the bar at a particular school, check that school's admission pages.

Book your first attempt early

Three attempts, 15 days apart, need about a month of window after the first. Slots are limited, especially online. If you can't make a slot, reschedule; a no-show uses up an attempt.

Answer everything

There's no negative marking, and an adaptive test won't let you come back. Decide once and move on.

Drill Language Skills against the clock

Reading comprehension at 47 seconds a question is where most people run short.

Cover every topic

You can't steer an adaptive paper towards your strengths. Give Data Sufficiency and Critical Reasoning their own practice; both are techniques you can learn. Each section counts the same, so a weak one costs you as much as anywhere else.

Don't panic if it gets harder

Harder questions usually mean you're doing well.

Use GMAC's own material

The NMAT Official Guide, two free and two paid practice exams and a study plan, under Prep for the Exam. Only these reproduce the adaptive behaviour and scoring.

Sort the logistics in advance

Decide your section order and practise in it. Set up ExamiSHOW, ExamiKNOW and ExamiKEY before an online test. Pick your five schools before you register.

NMAT has no previous year papers; questions come from a live pool.

GMAC's official practice material, the Official Guide and two free and two paid practice exams, is under Prep for the Exam on mba.com/exams/nmat.

• mba.com/exams/nmat: registration, scheduling, dashboard and scorecard
• Exam Structure: sections, timings, score ranges and topics
• Register and Schedule: registration steps, delivery modes, retakes and disability accommodations
• Important Dates and Fees: windows and fees by testing location
• Accepting B-Schools, Scores and Prep for the Exam, all on the NMAT site
• Support: nmatsupport@gmac.com
• gmac.com, the Graduate Management Admission Council

Who conducts NMAT?

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which also runs the GMAT.

What is the exam pattern?

108 questions in 120 minutes: Language Skills (36 in 28 minutes), Quantitative Skills (36 in 52) and Logical Reasoning (36 in 40). Scored 36 to 360.

Is there negative marking?

No.

Can I choose the section order?

Yes, at the start of the exam.

How many times can I take it?

Three times per testing period, 15 days apart. A no-show counts.

When do I get my score?

Unofficially on screen at the end; the scorecard within 48 hours.

How many schools get my score?

Five are included in the fee; extra reports are US$5 each plus taxes.

Can I take it at home?

Yes, online proctored, or at a centre in 70-plus Indian cities.

What qualification do I need?

That's set by each school, not GMAC.

How many schools accept NMAT?

More than 58 in India.

Is there a cut-off?

Not from GMAC. Each school sets its own.