Following the CMAT 2026 exam on January 25, candidates have transitioned into a phase of rigorous score estimation and paper analysis. The five-section paper saw a moderate difficulty level, with students focusing on the Innovation & Entrepreneurship and General Awareness sections to gauge their rankings. Top MBA colleges are expected to maintain high cut-offs, making the raw score calculation against the 1/4th negative marking scheme vital for aspirants. Expert reviews and student feedback suggest that a raw score above 300 will be necessary to breach the 99th percentile mark for premier institutes like JBIMS. Stay tuned for the official release of the response sheets on the NTA portal to confirm your final projected standings.

In the wake of the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) conducted on January 25, 2026, aspirants have shifted their focus toward detailed performance evaluation. As of January 29, the management education community is abuzz with shift-wise comparisons and difficulty mapping. While the National Testing Agency (NTA) is yet to release the official answer keys, students are utilizing memory-based recall to perform a preliminary analysis of their attempts. Early reports indicate that while the Quantitative and Logical sections remained within the "Easy to Moderate" bracket, the General Awareness and Innovation sections presented a more "Moderate to Difficult" challenge, significantly impacting the initial estimation of high-end percentiles.

Sectional Difficulty Breakdown

Expert reviews suggest a balanced paper, though specific sections have emerged as the primary "rank-shifters" for the 2026-27 intake.

• Quantitative Techniques & DI: This section was noted for being calculation-intensive but conceptually straightforward. Aspirants who managed 16–18 correct attempts are considered to be in a strong position.
• General Awareness: Dominated by static GK, this section required a broad knowledge base. Many candidates found it tougher than previous years, making it a critical factor in the final analysis.
• Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Questions focused on business history and recent startup policies. An estimation of 12+ correct answers is currently pegged as a "good attempt" by top coaching institutes.

The Mechanics of Score Calculation

With the official response sheets expected shortly, students are refreshing their understanding of the marking scheme to avoid any errors in their self-assessment.

• The Formula: For every correct response, add 4 marks; for every incorrect response, subtract 1 mark.
• The Impact of Accuracy: In an exam like CMAT, where time is not a constraint, accuracy is the most significant variable. A candidate with 80 attempts and 90% accuracy will outscore one with 95 attempts but only 70% accuracy.
• Normalization Process: Since the exam was conducted across different shifts, the final NTA score will be a normalized percentile. This means the raw estimation of marks is just the first step toward understanding one's All India Rank.

Expected Score vs Percentile Trends

Based on the current analysis of the January 25 session, the following trends are emerging for the 2026 results.

Conclusion

As the CMAT 2026 cycle moves into the result-processing phase, candidates are focusing on score estimation to streamline their business school applications. A comprehensive analysis of the exam's moderate difficulty indicates that while the competition remains stiff, students with high accuracy in the core sections stand a strong chance of securing calls from premier management institutes across the country.