CMAT previous year question papers from 2019 to 2026 are free to download here, 13 shift-wise NTA papers in all, with NTA’s final answer keys for 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2026 (2023 has the key and video solutions, but no paper PDF). CMAT is a 3-hour computer-based test of 100 questions in five sections for 400 marks, marked +4 and −1, and the single-shift 2026 paper is the closest match to CMAT 2027 on 7 February 2027 (tentative).
CMAT Previous Year Question Papers
Pick a year to open its shift papers; where a final key is on the page, match the question IDs in the key with the paper.
Newest papersCMAT 2026 Question Paper
View 2026 papers1 paper
CMAT Question Papers by Year
| Year | Papers | Answer key | Pattern that year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMAT 2026 | 1 paper | Yes | 100 Q · single shift | View papers |
| CMAT 2025 | 2 papers | Yes | View papers | |
| CMAT 2024 | 2 papers | Not available | 400 marks · 180 min | View papers |
| CMAT 2023 | 7 papers | Yes | View papers | |
| CMAT 2022 | 1 paper | Not available | 100 Q · 5 sections · 3 h | View papers |
| CMAT 2021 | 4 papers | Yes | 400 marks · 180 min (+I&E) | View papers |
| CMAT 2020 | 1 paper | Not available | 400 marks · 180 min | View papers |
| CMAT 2019 | 2 papers | Not available | 400 marks · 180 min | View papers |
CMAT Paper at a Glance
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions, 20 in each of five sections |
|---|---|
| Marks and time | 400 marks in 180 minutes |
| Marking | +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one, 0 if unanswered |
| Sections | Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation and Entrepreneurship |
| Medium | English only; no calculator |
| Papers on this page | 2019 to 2026 (13 papers; no 2023 paper PDF); final keys for 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2026 |
| Next exam | CMAT 2027: 7 February 2027 (tentative) |
How the CMAT Paper Changed (2019–2026)
- 2019 to 2020: NTA’s first CMATs after taking over from AICTE, each 400 marks in 180 minutes.
- 2021: Innovation and Entrepreneurship was an optional extra section. Papers with it carry 500 marks and 210 minutes, so each shift has two papers here.
- 2022 onwards: Innovation and Entrepreneurship became the fifth section inside the 100-question, 3-hour paper. CMAT 2026 was held in a single shift on 25 January 2026.
How to Use CMAT Previous Year Papers?
- Work at 108 seconds a question. 100 questions in 180 minutes gives you about 36 minutes for each 20-question section. Note which section runs over in each mock, and save time from the sections you finish early for that one.
- Know what a guess is worth. With +4 and −1, a blind guess among four options averages +0.25 marks. Ruling out one option raises that to about +0.67, so guess once you can drop a choice.
- Solve 2026 and 2025 first. Both have NTA’s final key, and 2026 matches the five-section pattern of the latest bulletin. In the 2021 papers, skip the optional Innovation and Entrepreneurship part if you time the main paper.
- Plan for 7 February 2027. About 14 weeks remain, and registration is expected in October to November 2026. One full paper a week covers every paper here before the exam.
Practise for CMAT on the real exam pattern
Start a free mock testFree full-length CMAT mock tests with timers and answers.
CMAT Previous Year Question Papers FAQs
How many questions are there in the CMAT paper?
100 multiple-choice questions in five sections of 20 each, for 400 marks in 180 minutes.
Is there negative marking in CMAT?
Yes. Each correct answer gets 4 marks and each wrong answer loses 1 mark. Unanswered questions get 0.
Which CMAT papers have answer keys?
NTA’s final keys are here for 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2026. The 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2024 pages have the papers without a key.
Is the CMAT 2023 question paper available?
Not as a PDF. The 2023 page has NTA’s final answer key for both shifts and video walkthroughs of both slot papers.
Why do the CMAT 2021 papers have 500 marks?
In 2021 Innovation and Entrepreneurship was an optional extra section. Candidates who took it had a 500-mark, 210-minute paper; the main paper was 400 marks in 180 minutes.
Is the CMAT paper in Hindi?
No. CMAT is held in English only.
When is CMAT 2027?
CMAT 2027: 7 February 2027 (tentative). See the CMAT 2027 page for every date.