Tips & Trick To crack CMAT Exam 2025

Career MantraNovember 12, 20244 Mins read4 Views

One of the most popular management entrance exams in India, CMAT allows entry to many top MBA/PGDM programs across the country, conducted by the National Testing Agency. The exam is fast approaching this year 2025 and thus requires stronger preparation with a concrete strategy to enhance success. Here is an overall guide along with the best expert tips and tricks which help crack the CMAT exam in 2025.

1.Understanding the CMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus

Preparation time for different sections will be decided based on the exam pattern and syllabus for the CMAT exam before going into the preparation.

Exam Pattern:

No. of Questions: 100
Sections: 5 Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Marks: All the five sections are of 20 questions each; hence a total of 400 marks will be there.
Duration: 3 hours Negative Marking: 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

Key Features of the Syllabus :

Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and data interpretation
Logical Reasoning: puzzles, coding-decoding, series, analogies, and logical statements.
Language Skills: Grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension passages, and sentence correction.
General Knowledge: Current events, business, history, politics, sports, and economics.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship: This section covers what it means to have an idea for a start-up, business strategies, and innovation trends.

2.Study Plan

A well-thought and practical study plan is the backbone of proper preparation. Split your study time into daily and weekly targets. Here’s how you can frame your plan: Daily Routine:

Morning (2-3 hours): Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

Afternoon (1-2 hours): Logical Reasoning

Evening (1-2 hours): Language Comprehension and General Awareness

Weekly Work:

Practice 2-3 full-length mock tests.
Prepare time for revision.
Focus on weak areas that appear in the mock tests.

Important Tip: While you must cover all areas for a week, it should be regularly revised to stay updated on the concepts.

3.Time Management Mastery

Time management is as important as the concepts to be studied during an examination. You need to answer 100 questions in 180 minutes. So, time management is essential and you will have to adopt the strategy of time management.

Strategy for Time Management during Exam

Quant & DI: 50-55 minutes
Logical Reasoning: 45-50 minutes
Language Comprehension: 25-30 minutes
General Awareness: 10-15 minutes
Innovation & Entrepreneurship: 20-25 minutes

Practise mock tests with this time management strategy.

That will help you develop your speed and you would also make fewer incorrect attempts. Also, do not waste too much time on tough questions; you can move to the next one.

4.Focus on High-Scoring Areas

Some areas in CMAT are relatively easier and can carry a better proportion of questions if you focus on them.

Language Comprehension: Enhance your vocabulary and understanding. Read the editorials and the news of the newspapers on a daily basis. Practising a few questions from previous years on that too will also try to improve your reading speed.
Logical Reasoning: Jumble and reasoning problems given in RS Aggarwal or Arun Sharma. Specialise in series, analogies and critical reasoning.
General Awareness: This can be done by reading the daily news, going through business magazines, and keeping abreast with the current affairs. Video summarising the major events of the year should be watched to revise fast.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Major trends about the startups, government policies about entrepreneurship, and success stories of famous entrepreneurs need to be updated.

These sections require a minimum amount of time for preparation and can help to move up one’s grade overall.

5.Regular Mock Tests

Mock tests are an absolute requirement in CMAT preparation. They provide pattern practice but also help to build speed, accuracy, and timely performance.

Early Start: Preparing a tour of three to four months before the date of the exam.
Performance Analysis : The performance shall be analysed in terms of its accuracy, the speed maintained, and the time consumed for individual sections of every single test conducted.
Improvement of Weak Areas: Improve the weak areas. If Logical Reasoning takes too much time, then work more on quicker solutions of puzzles. Similarly, if Quant seems to be challenging, then work on key concepts.

6.Revision as a Habit

CMAT is not just for learning new topics; it is for revision of previous knowledge too. So keep at least an hour in a day for revision.

Notebook carrying all the important formulas, shortcuts, and concepts so that you can revise rapidly

Revision Tests: Revision of the topic once it is practised completely with practice questions and short quizzes.
Review of Mock Test: Revision of the topics and questions, which were wrongly attempted in the mock tests so that you do not commit the same mistake again while sitting in the actual exam.

7.General Awareness

The General Awareness section can be a real game-changer since it requires less time but contributes to a big extent in adding up to your score. To do so well in this section,

Read the National Newspaper: Read The Hindu or The Economic Times as a daily routine
Follow Current Affairs Magazines: Keep yourself updated about what is happening around the world with magazines like Manorama Yearbook and Pratiyogita Darpan.
Online Portals: Subscribe to online current affairs websites or apps to keep abreast with the latest happening in business, politics, and sports.

8.Calm and Confidence

What your mind is on the day of the exam can make all the difference. Here are some tips to remain calm and confident:

Do not study any new topics in the final week before the exam. Concentrate on revision and relaxation.

Adequate Sleep: Attempt to have good sleep during the night of your examination to have a fresh mind.
Positive Frame of Mind: You should attempt to have a positive frame of mind when sitting for the examination. There is nothing wrong taking more time over a problem if it is not coming easily, but you have to always move on with the next question. Confidence will help you be focused and motivated.

Cracking CMAT 2025 encompasses an equal blend of strategy preparation, practice, and self-discipline. Understand the examination pattern, utilise time for effective management, and focus on revision to do better. Always keep updating yourself with present affairs, solve as many mock tests as possible, and be confident. Even the toughest bolt will crack with consistent efforts; hence, cracking CMAT 2025 is well within your reach. Best wishes to all!