The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) 2026 was successfully conducted on January 27, 2026, by the National Testing Agency (NTA).Candidates are now waiting for the release of the provisional answer key and their recorded response sheets, expected by the end of January. The NTA portal will host the challenge window, allowing students to dispute the official key with a fee of ₹200 per question. Following the objection period, the final result and merit list are projected for release by mid-February.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has successfully wrapped up the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) 2026 across various centers nationwide on January 25. The entrance test, which serves as a gateway to over 1,300 AICTE-approved management institutes, was held in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format. With the conclusion of the examination, the focus of thousands of candidates has now shifted toward the official NTA CMAT portal for the release of the provisional answer key. Historically, the agency provides students with their recorded responses within a few days of the exam's completion to maintain transparency in the scoring process.

Post-Exam Timeline and Answer Key Release

The provisional answer key is the first major post-exam document that allows students to estimate their raw scores. This document is typically accompanied by the response sheet, which contains the specific options selected by the candidate during the session.

• Release Window: The NTA is expected to upload the provisional key and recorded responses by January 30 or 31, 2026.
• Objection Process: Candidates can challenge any answer in the provisional key by paying a non-refundable processing fee of ₹200 per question.
• Subject Expert Review: All challenges submitted during the two-day window will be reviewed by a panel of subject experts before the final results are prepared.
• Final Key: If an objection is found valid, a revised final answer key will be released, which will be the basis for the final score calculation.

CMAT 2026 Exam Structure and Participation

This year's CMAT exam pattern remained consistent with the revised five-section format. The test was conducted in two shifts—morning and afternoon—to accommodate the large volume of management aspirants.

Scoring System and Normalization Process

Since the examination was conducted in multiple shifts, the NTA will employ a normalization process to ensure that candidates are not disadvantaged by varying levels of difficulty. This ensures that the final Common merit list is fair and accurately reflects the performance of all test-takers.

• Marking Scheme: Each correct response earns 4 marks, while an incorrect answer leads to a deduction of 1 mark (-1 negative marking).
• Unanswered Questions: No marks are awarded or deducted for questions left blank by the candidate.
• Percentile Calculation: The raw marks are converted into NTA scores (percentiles) through the normalization procedure to account for shift differences.
• Result Declaration: The final CMAT results and rank cards are tentatively scheduled for release on February 12, 2026, through the official NTA result server.

Conclusion

The conclusion of the CMAT 2026 marks the beginning of the crucial evaluation phase for management aspirants. The availability of the provisional answer key will soon provide a clearer picture of the expected cut-offs for top B-schools. As the Common merit list preparation begins, candidates are tracking the official website to ensure they do not miss the brief window for raising objections to their recorded response data.