NMAT
NMAT by GMAC is a national-level entrance test conducted for MBA admissions at NMIMS University and other reputed B-Schools in India as well as abroad. Total 22 MBA colleges accept the score of NMAT. One can appear for the NMAT 3 Times, the highest score out of the three attempts will be counted. NMAT is designed to keep the test-takers’ convenience in mind. Candidates can choose the exam date and venue preference during the exam window using the NMAT scheduling option
The national-level entrance exam, NMAT, is conducted annually during the test window of specified days. NMAT by GMAC score is based on the performance of candidates in three sections, namely, Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning.
NMAT Exam Calendar
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NMAT 2023 exam
| Events | Tentative Month |
| Admit Card Issuance (immediately after scheduling) | August ’23 – December ’23 |
| Rescheduling Window | August ’23 – December ’23 |
| Scheduling Window | August ’23 – October ’23 |
| Registration Window | August ’23 – October ’23 |
| Result Declaration | October ’23 – December ’23 |
| Retake Scheduling | October ’23 – December ’23 |
| Retake Registration Window | October ’23 – December ’23 |
| Exam Window | October ’23 – December ’23 |
NMAT Highlights
NMAT exam has a unique exam structure with the below-mentioned user-friendly features.
- Three Attempts: Candidates can take the test three times in an admission cycle – one exam and two retakes.
- Slot Booking/Exam Scheduling: Candidates can choose a date, time and location of the exam according to their convenience.
- Choosing the section order Candidates can choose the order of sections of the NMAT question paper while writing the test. For instance, one can opt to attempt the QA section first followed by VA and LR.
- Reviewing: Candidates can review their answers at the end of each section and reattempt if required.
| Features | Details |
| Exam name | NMAT by GMAC |
| Conducting body | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Exam level | National level for PG admission |
| Frequency | Once a year (74-day test window as per 2023 data) |
| Mode | CBT from test centre |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Fees | INR 2,800 |
| Exam purpose | Admission into India’s top business schools such as NMIMS, SPJIMR, ISB, XIMB, SDA Bocconi,etc. |
| Course offered | MBA/PGDM |
| Number of test centers and cities | 70+ |
| Exam helpdesk number | 0120 4397855 |
| Exam website | https://www.mba.com/en-in/exams/nmat |
NMAT Eligibility Criteria
A candidate is expected to meet the eligibility criteria given below:
- The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% aggregate.
- Students in the final year of their bachelor’s degree are also eligible for the exam.
Before selecting the colleges in the application, candidates should confirm the eligibility criteria of the participating colleges individually as they may vary.
Age Limit
There is no maximum age bar decided by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) as per NMAT Eligibility.
NMAT Exam Pattern
NMAT 2023 will comprise as many as 108 questions from three sections. Each section shall have equal questions and marks weightage. In addition, all three sections of NMAT 2023 also have a sectional time limit.
| NMAT Sections | Number of Questions | Time limit | Score Range |
| Language Skills | 36 | 28 minutes | 12-120 |
| Logical Reasoning | 36 | 40 minutes | 12-120 |
| Quantitative Skills | 36 | 52 minutes | 12-120 |
| Total | 108 | 120 minutes | 36-360 |
Marking Scheme
- Each objective-type question of the NMAT exam carries 3 marks
- Candidates can choose the order of sections. But once chosen the order cannot be changed.
- There is no negative marking in case of wrong attempts
- Zero marks are deducted for unattempted questions
- Once the candidate ends a particular section, all answers are considered final
NMAT Syllabus
The below mentioned are important topics as per the NMAT syllabus.
- Language Skills- Analogies, Prepositions, Para Forming, Error Identification, Sentence Completion and Comprehension Passages
- Quantitative Skills- Arithmetic, Algebra, Modern Math, Data Interpretation, Graphs & Charts and Data Sufficiency
- Logical Reasoning- Assumptions, Critical Reasoning, Syllogism, Deductions, Other Reasoning and Analytical Puzzles
Registration Process
To register, candidates can apply through the online registration application available on the official website https://www.mba.com/en-in/exams/nmat
NMAT has the longest testing window and candidates can give the exam a maximum of 3 times per year.
- The candidate will be requested to fill in the requisite details. Candidates should ensure that there are no errors entering the details and submitting them.
- After filling in the details, candidates will be required to pay the application fee. The payment can also be made online.
- Once the payment has been successfully processed, candidates can select the time slot, date, and test centre for their NMAT exam.
- Please note that the time slot, date, and test centre are subject to availability. The scheduling will take place on a first come first serve basis.
- Following the scheduling of the NMAT exam, candidates will receive a confirmation mail comprising the test time, test date and test centre.
- When the NMAT admit card is released, candidates can download it from the official website.
Retaking and Rescheduling
The key points of retaking and rescheduling the NMAT exam-
- A candidate can reschedule the exam up to 72 hours before the exam date. The exam cannot be rescheduled within 72 hours of the exam.
- For rescheduling, the candidate must pay an extra INR 1,200 + taxes.
- For retaking the exam, candidates can select the date only after attempting the previous exam.
- Candidates should also note that they can retake the NMAT exam after a 15-day gap from the last NMAT exam.
- Retake is also on a first cum first serve basis according to the availability of seats on that date and venue.
- For retaking the exam, the candidate must pay a fee of INR 2,800 + taxes.
NMAT Selection Process
The next stage of the NMAT selection process is the Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD & PI) round conducted by the participating institutes.
The participating institute may also decide to conduct a WAT (Writing Ability Test) or Case Discussion (CD) round instead of the conventional GD round. The final admission decision is based on the combined performance in NMAT online test and GD-PI round.
Top colleges accepting NMAT Scores
| MBA college | Programmes Offered |
| NMIMS University | University MBA |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai | MBA |
| XIM University Bhubaneswar School of HRM | MBA – HRM |
| XIM University Bhubaneswar School of Rural Management | MBA-RM |
| TAPMI Manipal | MBA |
| SPJIMR – Mumbai | GMP & PGMPW |
| JAGSOM Bangalore | PGDM |
| Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad | AMPBA |
| VIT University Vellore, Chennai | MBA |
| MBA college | Programmes Offered |
| IFMR GSB KREA University | MBA |
| Woxsen University | MBA |
| SOIL – School of Inspired Leadership, Gurgaon | PGPM, PGDM |
| SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Mumbai | International Master in Business |
| ICFAI IBS Dehradun, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Gurgaon Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune | MBA/PGPM |
| IBA Bangalore | PGDM |
| Dayananda Sagar Business School Bangalore | PGDM |
| Alliance School of Business Bangalore | MBA |
| Sparsh Global Business School | PGDM |
| NSB Academy Bangalore | MBA |
| ATLAS SkillTech University Mumbai | MBA |
| Rajalakshmi School of Business – RSB Chennai | PGDM |
| Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab | MBA |
| Jindal Global Business School – Sonepat, Delhi/NCR | MBA |
| Flame University | MBA |
| Jain University- CMS Business School | MBA/PGDM |
| IFIM College, Bangalore | MBA (Dual Specialization) |