CMAT Preparation

CMAT 2023 exam is expected in the last week of March 2023. The registration process for CMAT exam has already started from February 13, 2023. Very short time is now left to prepare for CMAT exam and as such the CMAT Preparation 2023 must be started well in advance as per the revised CMAT exam pattern. CMAT 2023 question paper pattern has been revamped along with its syllabus and accordingly CMAT 2023 preparation strategy needs to be devised as per the revised CMAT exam pattern.  

CMAT 2023 is an online computer based test. The National Testing Agency which conducts the CMAT exam, has released previous CMAT papers to give complete idea of the overall and sectional overview of the CMAT question paper. Past trends in CMAT exam reveal that CMAT 2023 exam preparation can be synchronized with other MBA entrance exams also as the test sections are more or less same except the 5^th newly added section on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

But before we march on the CMAT preparation journey, let us understand the key changes brought about in the CMAT 2023 exam, which colleges to target, how difficult is CMAT preparation among others

CMAT 2023 Exam: Important Changes
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that CMAT 2023 will have many similarities like CMAT 2022. Some important changes that are made in the CMAT 2023 are as below. You need to devise your CMAT preparation 2023 keeping in view the following key changes in the exam

Which MBA Colleges to Target in CMAT Exam Preparation 2023?
CMAT 2023 preparation should have a clear goal of getting admission in one of the top CMAT score accepting MBA colleges like JBIMS Mumbai, SIMSREE Mumbai, K J Somaiya Mumbai, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai/Gurgaon, PUMBA Pune, GIM Goa, IFMR Chennai, IMT Nagpur, BIMTECH Greater Noida (Specialized Programmes), Welingkar, Mumbai among others. 

How difficult is CMAT Exam Preparation?
CMAT 2023 preparation strategy or the question how to prepare for CMAT exam over the years is answered on the basis of  2 important things – CMAT previous years test papers and the anticipated CMAT exam pattern. Therefore, the CMAT exam Preparation is not very difficult as the basics of CMAT question paper have remained unchanged. In view of the experts and past CMAT exam toppers, the preparation for CMAT exam must be well defined. A key component in CMAT 2023 preparation strategy is your CMAT preparation time.

How to Prepare for CMAT 2023? Step by Step Planning
How to prepare for CMAT 2023 is not a big question as the preparation pattern can be kept same on the basis of revised CMAT exam pattern and syllabus. CMAT exam is divided into five sections and the CMAT preparation strategy needs equal focus on all these five sections which have equal weightage. Accordingly, your CMAT exam Preparation should be focussed on following key points:

1. Step-1: Check CMAT 2023 Exam Pattern & Sectional Composition
2. Step-2: Read Complete CMAT Syllabus
3. Step-3: Planning your CMAT Preparation: Choose your CMAT Preparation Mode
4. Step-4: CMAT Exam Preparation Time: An Important Factor
5. Step-5: CMAT Exam Preparation Books
6. Step-6: Important CMAT Preparation Tips to Prepare in 6 Months, 3 Months, 2 Months…
7. Step-7: CMAT Preparation 2023 With Mock Tests 
8. Step-8: CMAT Preparation Strategy to score 95+ percentile

1. CMAT 2023 Exam Pattern
You must be aware about the Changed CMAT 2023 exam pattern as NTA has brought many changes year after year in CMAT exam pattern. With a changed exam pattern, the CMAT preparation requires a well devised preparation plan. Candidates appearing in CMAT 2023 exam will find 20 questions to attempt in each of the 5 sections with equal weightage. The maximum score for all the five sections taken together is 400 marks. 

CMAT 2023 Exam Pattern: Key Components

• Total Questions: 100
• Total Sections: 5
• Questions in Each Section: 20
• Type of Questions: MCQ
• Sectional Weightage: Equal
• Marks per Correct Answer: 4
• Negative Marking: -1
• Difficulty Level: Moderate

CMAT 2023: Test Composition
Following will be the sectional composition of questions in CMAT 2023:

Check Complete CMAT Exam Pattern 2023

2. CMAT 2023 Syllabus
Once you know about the CMAT Pattern 2023, your next step for CMAT preparation is to scan the CMAT exam Syllabus. In fact, CMAT Exam Syllabus has never had any boundaries and this fact also applies to define the CMAT 2023 exam syllabus.

The CMAT exam syllabus is the outcome of the topics which have earlier appeared in CMAT exam although the type of questions, their composition, format and number may change in each subsequent CMAT exam.

The key point in CMAT exam syllabus 2023 is that there is no repetition of CMAT questions in any CMAT exam although difficulty level of the questions in CMAT exam would not go out of CMAT exam syllabus. 

2.1 Key Topics to prepare as per CMAT Syllabus
CMAT 2023 exam Syllabus is not pre-defined by National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducts Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) as Online exam nor the CMAT syllabus was outlined earlier also. CMAT 2023 exam syllabus, as prepared by experts, is based on the mentioned guidelines and current structure of CMAT exam.

CMAT exam syllabus and pattern 2023 overall tests the candidate on:

• English Language which includes Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension;
• Quantitative Techniques which include all the relevant topics on Mathematics with special emphasis on Arithmetic & Data Interpretation that include Graphs, Tables, Charts to analyse, compare and interpret the data;
• Logical Reasoning which includes all type of questions on Reasoning;
• Current Affairs which include all type of GK questions at national and international level
• Newly added 5^th section on Innovation & Entrepreneurship which covers comprehensive test on your knowledge regarding Innovative business practices, Government plans and policies, global entrepreneurs and personalities among others

CMAT exam Syllabus covers all the major topics on these five test sections which are further divided into sub-sections... Check complete CMAT Syllabus section wise

2.3 No CMAT Preparation without CMAT Syllabus
The fact is that you will find it difficult to proceed with CMAT preparation even if you have all the CMAT exam preparation material, unless you know the CMAT exam syllabus. CMAT MBA exam syllabus is much wider than one can anticipate.

CMAT syllabus does not leave any study topic untouched. The glimpses of CMAT syllabus 2023 for MBA admission 2023 in AICTE approved MBA colleges is a testimony to this fact.

If you go through the CMAT exam syllabus, it will help you to decide when to begin CMAT preparation? How to prepare for CMAT 2023? What important topics covered in CMAT syllabus need your focused attention in CMAT preparation?

3. Planning your CMAT Preparation: Choose Your Mode
Now that you know about the CMAT exam pattern, key changes in it and the CMAT syllabus now get ready to plan your CMAT preparation and devise the study plan taking into account following factors:

3.1 Whether to Opt for CMAT Coaching or Go for CMAT Self-Preparation
After synchronizing the CMAT preparation time, you need to find out whether to go for CMAT coaching or prepare for CMAT at home. One of the important CMAT exam preparation tips for beginners is to come out of this dilemma of moving between CMAT coaching and CMAT preparation at home after analyzing following points:

3.1.1. Carefully Choose Coaching: If you wish to prepare with CMAT Coaching, it is important to find out the best coaching for CMAT exam. Even the best coaching for CMAT exam may have its draw backs in regard to imparting CMAT coaching on certain topics. So along with your preparation through the best CMAT coaching, you should find out an individual best expert coach for CMAT preparation for the topics that need your greater attention.

3.1.2 Select Best CMAT Coaching
CMAT coaching helps you overcome many weak areas. Choose for the best coaching for CMAT preparation, if you wish to prepare for CMAT with the help of coaching. Some of the best CMAT test coaching institutes are TIME, CL, IMS.

CMAT coaching online is a good answer to the working professionals who find it difficult to attend regular class room coaching for CMAT. During the past few years preference for CMAT online coaching has gone up many times. In fact, CMAT online preparation through online coaching for CMAT is more cost effective, less time consuming and offers you more time to practice CMAT question papers and CMAT exercises.

3.2. Plan Self Preparation for CMAT: If you wish to self-prepare for CMAT, you need to understand first how to prepare for CMAT exam at home with the help of right books for CMAT preparation 2023 and other appropriate CMAT preparation material. So instead of getting involved into CMAT exam coaching, CMAT preparation with best books for CMAT Test recommended by toppers, like CMAT preparation books by Arun Sharma, CMAT exam book by Nishit Sinha, abundantly available good CMAT preparation material, CMAT Study material online, freely available CMAT preparation online facility, CMAT exam Quiz 2023, CMAT Mock test 2023 that can hone your CMAT preparation and make you aware how to prepare for CMAT without coaching are the best tools for CMAT preparation.

3.2.1 How to prepare for CMAT without coaching and with self study?
There is no substitute of CMAT preparation with self study which does not require any coaching until and unless you are stuck. Experts therefore, recommend that you should start your CMAT preparation by self study and later make it a mix of self study as well as help from coaching to avoid wastage of time.

• Self Preparation is the best preparation strategy for CMAT 2023 however time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It could be a small quant formula, LR logic, or Verbal usage clarity which might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.   
• Most of the candidates coming from Engineering or other technical background find it easy to get along well with Quant, DI and LR but when it comes to Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, they find the section difficult. It is where they need an expert guidance.
• CMAT preparation 2023 needs improvement in your speed and accuracy as the time to solve per question is short. You need to solve 100 questions in 180 minutes.
• CMAT 2023 preparation should equip you with continuous sitting for more than 3 hours without break. To achieve this you are required to take more Mocks, CMAT previous year test papers.

3.2.2 How to start CMAT preparation at home?
CMAT preparation should be started at home now without waiting any further. CMAT toppers studying at top AICTE approved CMAT score accepting colleges advise to start self-preparation at home without being dependent on any coaching. CMAT preparation tips to start CMAT preparation at home are:

• Go through the revised CMAT exam pattern
• Read thoroughly the CMAT syllabus 2023
• Pick out your strong and weak areas in all the four sections
• Gather the best books and preparation material for CMAT preparation
• Improve on your weak areas and monitor the improvement regularly
• Take as many CMAT Mocks during your CMAT 2023 preparation and do the analysis of each Mock. Without analysis of Mock, attempting a mock test may not be useful.
• If you are weak in VARC, reading different articles and novels, conversing in English with friends and even watching English TV series and movies will be helpful.
• Write down whatever new words you encounter after reading at least 5-6 newspaper articles every day
• Data Interpretation (DI) is considered a bit more time consuming. Start practicing on DI questions. Use approximation techniques for quick calculations.

4. CMAT Exam Preparation Time: An Important Factor
As the CMAT preparation time goes on reducing month after month with every passing day, you need to revisit your CMAT preparation strategy and synchronise it with remaining CMAT preparation Time. CMAT preparation tips by toppers who suggest ‘How to prepare for CMAT in 3 months’; ‘How to prepare for CMAT in 2 months’ and so on, are more relevant as the CMAT exam preparation time is getting shorter with each passing day now.

4.1 Manage CMAT Preparation Time
What is the ideal CMAT preparation time that could ensure a high percentile score in CMAT exam? Although there is no thumb rule on it, CMAT toppers suggest the CMAT aspirants to remain steady and regular in their CMAT preparation and always think that CMAT exam is round the corner.

There is still good CMAT preparation time which if fruitfully used, can turn the table in your favour.  

  5. CMAT Exam Preparation Books
CMAT preparation books and CMAT preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you score high in the CMAT exam. A few of the best books for CMAT preparation recommended by toppers to prepare for CMAT 2023 and other national level exams are:

5.1 CMAT Exam Preparation Books for Language Comprehension Section: VARC

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT’- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
• ‘Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT’ - by Nishit K Sinha
• Latest RC Passages and practice questions provided by Study centres like TIME, CL among others
• Editorial and short articles published in English news papers
• ‘Word Power Made Easy’ – by Norman Lewis
• ‘High School English Grammar & Composition’ – by Wren & Martin
• Regularly solve the Verbal Ability questions from your study material especially on Para summary, Jumbled Paragraphs
• There is also number of CMAT preparation books PDF free download available online for CMAT 2023 aspirants
• Use the study material of best online coaching for CMAT 2023

5.2 CMAT Preparation Books for Quantitative Techniques and DI

• ‘How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
• ‘How to prepare for Quantitative for the CAT’ - by Arun Sharma, published by MGH Education
• ‘Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT’ – by Nishit K.Sinha, Published by Pearson
• ‘The Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for competitive exams’
• Quant study modules by TIME, CL, IMS

5.3 CMAT Preparation Books for Reasoning

• ‘Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT’ - by Nishit K Sinha (Published by Pearson)
• ‘How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)

5.4 CMAT Preparation Books for Current Affairs (GK)
One of the important sections for CMAT preparation is the Current Affairs (GK). Your current Affairs preparation for CMAT should cover all the important topics and events and changes at national and international level. GK for CMAT exam is as important as other sections and cannot be avoided.

To prepare GK for CMAT, you should gather the CMAT Exam GK material. It should be noted that good preparation of Current Affairs for CMAT 2023 can lead you through the best AICTE approved MBA/PGDM programme. If you avoid CMAT GK syllabus in CMAT preparation, you may not expect admission in MBA at JBIMS, K J Somaiya, GIM Goa, Great Lakes or other top AICTE approved  colleges.

This section can be divided in three parts and each part has to be given due weightage. 

• Conventional GK-available in books;
• Current GK- based on current reading of newspapers and periodicals; 
• Business & Economics GK -for example changes in Fiscal and monetary policy, CRR, Repo Rate, Devaluation and up valuation of Rupee.  

Please remember current GK-whether Business, national and international has an on-going preparation method and thorough reading of the newspaper only can keep you updated. The section covers questions on Who’s who; Constitutional knowledge; Current affairs; business; economics; currency and Capitals of the countries as well as States of India; International Organizations; monetary and fiscal tools among others. Candidates may find questions with photo and emblem identification of personalities, companies among others.

• You need to prepare both – National and International GK
• Get CMAT GK sample questions from CMAT Mocks and CMAT previous test papers
• Read regularly the news papers and create your own CMAT GK question bank. A good source of preparation for updated GK questions for CMAT is Manorama Year Book
• Your CMAT GK Material should be as per CMAT GK syllabus
• CMAT GK topics to prepare broadly are International current affairs and details about international organizations like ASEAN, TPP, BRICS and also know basic details about them, the headquarters, the year of establishment
• Topics and GK sample questions for CMAT preparation should also include National current developments, Government schemes like UDAN Scheme, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, JAM, Demonetisation, GST among others; latest who’s who; achievements; pacts and agreements

5.5 CMAT Preparation Books & Study Material for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and Entrepreneurship is the recently added new mandatory section in CMAT exam 2023. Some of the updated and comprehensive best books on CMAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship section as per the CMAT syllabus, study material, practice papers and questions are:

• National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015- Published by Govt of India
• Document on Atal Incubation Centre (AIC)
• MSME Market Development Program by Govt of India
• Woman Entrepreneurship Platform by Government of India 
• Venture Capital Scheme by Govt of India
• End to End Energy Efficiency Scheme of Govt of India
• Standup India program 2016 by Govt of India
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management by R. Gopal

The questions in CMAT exam in Innovation and Entrepreneurship section are framed on concepts of innovation and business; Innovation of the life cycle; Entrepreneurship and its devlopment, Start ups, Make in India, How to start a venture, Government policy and guidelines on Entrepreneurship

5.6 CMAT Preparation Books by Arun Sharma
Some of the best books to prepare for CMAT, include the CMAT preparation books by Arun Sharma. These books by Arun Sharma for CMAT exam preparation are available for all the test sections and the topics that appear in CMAT exam. Some of the key features of these CMAT preparation books authored by Arun Sharma are:

• The book is updated with new chapters, exercises, replica test questions and the approach how to answer
• Conceptual clarity and fundamentals with formula in each part of the CMAT Preparation book by Arun Sharma on each topic is well explained followed by sectional quizzes and practice questions as well as past questions on the topic.
• The books to prepare on VARC, Quant, DI, LR, written by Arun Sharma are separately available so as to focus on the topic in which the CMAT aspirant is week.
• Each book on each CMAT sectional preparation by Arun Sharma carries solved past questions

CMAT Preparation Books by Arun Sharma are:

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT’- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
• ‘How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
• ‘How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
•  ‘How to prepare for Quantitative for the CAT’ - by Arun Sharma, published by MGH Education

5.7 Best Books for CMAT Recommended by Toppers
Past CMAT toppers have recommended best books for CMAT preparation. CMAT toppers suggest to follow the undernoted preparation strategy besides the CMAT preparation with books:

• Have only one or two very good CMAT preparation Books
• Read to get conceptual clarity on the topic for CMAT
• Attempt well the exercises, practice questions and Mocks given after each topic of the CMAT preparation book
• Focus more on the weak areas and attempt variety of practice questions on them 

5.7.1 Some of the Preparation Tips and study material for CMAT recommended by Toppers are:

• Regularly Read the articles, editorials in the English news paper to improve your RC skills
• Focus more on your weak areas and solve more practice questions and Mocks
• Make your fundamentals clear conceptually
• Recommended books to prepare for CMAT are the latest preparation books by Arun Sharma and Nishit K Sinha
• Go for only latest edition of CMAT preparation Books
• DILR needs more practice, so attempt as many DILR practice questions for CMAT preparation
• If you are preparing with coaching, best utilize the CMAT preparation material provided by them

Don’t waste time if you are stuck on a particular topic in the book, move on

6. Important CMAT Preparation Tips to Prepare in 6 Months, 3 Months, 2 Months…
The key CMAT 2023 Preparation tips which will guide you how to prepare for CMAT in different time schedule are shared as below:
 

6.1 How to Prepare for CMAT 2023 in 6 months?
CMAT preparation tips for beginners or for the repeaters are not much different? CMAT preparation time of 6 months is sufficient to crack the exam. Following should be adhered to before proceeding on CMAT preparation journey:

• As you are left with sufficient CMAT preparation time, first of all go through and understand the CMAT exam pattern
• Get a good feel of CMAT 2023 exam syllabus
• Find out your strong and weak areas
• Start building up the fundamentals and get conceptual clarity on the topics which fall in your weak areas
• Don’t waste too much time on theory. If you have understood the basics, attempt CMAT sectional quiz.
• Practice after theory is a must. Accordingly take periodical CMAT 2023 Quiz, attempt CMAT previous years Mock test, CMAT previous years question papers
• Get the best CMAT preparation material with best books for CMAT preparation.
• Beginning your CMAT preparation early will give you time to periodically assess yourself and overcome your weaknesses.
• Remain confident right from the day one during your CMAT preparation journey.
• Self Preparation is the best preparation strategy for CMAT 2023 however time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It could be a small quant formula, LR logic, or Verbal usage clarity which might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.  

6.2 How to prepare for CMAT in 3 months?
CMAT preparation time of three months is not short. What you have done in last three months or whatever you have prepared can be revised now in three months with various CMAT preparation tools. The time is ripe to intensify a little your CMAT preparation strategy for three months:

• See that you have achieved good clarity on fundamentals and have strengthened your basics
• Alongwith going through the books for CMAT preparation, visit number of online CMAT preparation material
• It is time that you started taking CMAT Mock test, analyse your errors and rectify them
• Instead of reading the theory again and again, now you should attempt the question and when you are stuck, visit the basics and clarify your point to clear the confusion
• Solve CMAT previous year question papers
• Join a good Test series for CMAT preparation

6.3 How to prepare for CMAT 2023 in 2 months?
It may sound a little surprising but it is true. Many CMAT toppers are of the view that CMAT preparation time of two months is good enough to crack the exam. If you study effectively with right study material, even 2 months are sufficient to score 95 percentile provided you are sincere enough.

• Focus more on CMAT Exam Quiz, CMAT Mock tests, different types of questions as appeared in CMAT
• Don’t leave any CMAT Mock Test without analyzing it
• Go through the Books for CMAT preparation and the CMAT preparation material and ensure that you have gone through the sectional and overall quiz and practice tests in these CMAT preparation books.
• There are some strong areas within your weak areas and some weak areas within your strong areas. Try to focus on all the weak areas and see if you are able to improve them. However, you should not waste more time on them. Instead focus more on your strong areas and improve them further.

7. CMAT Preparation 2023 With Mock Tests 
CMAT 2023 Mock Tests and CMAT Previous Years Question Papers are the major CMAT preparation tools for CMAT 2023 exam. Alongwith the CMAT Mock tests, CMAT exam quiz, CMAT previous years Mock test, CMAT sectional quiz also play a major role in improving your speed and accuracy in CMAT preparation.

CMAT sample papers are also available as CMAT online tests. There are number of CMAT online mock tests comprising replica CMAT exam questions to help in your CMAT preparation...Attempt CMAT Test papers

8. CMAT Preparation Strategy to score 95+ percentile
It may be noted that even half of the total questions, if attempted right can fetch you a percentile of 96-98. So prepare accordingly. CMAT Preparation does not require you to study round the clock, instead you need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score.

Looking at the level of difficulty and surprise elements that appear in CMAT every year, a thorough preparation of 3 to 4 months is required to crack CMAT 2023.

According to the experts and toppers, the best way to prepare for CMAT 2023 exam is to know your strengths and weaknesses and start working on them now. Since there is time to get over with your weakness and further strengthen your strong areas, you must devote around 2-3 hours a day from now on to crack CMAT 2023 with a high score. 

CMAT Study material for CMAT preparation 2023, therefore, consists of the books for CMAT; online CMAT study material provided to you by your coaching institute or the offline CMAT practice test papers bought from Market; CMAT test series attended by you; the study and practice material for CMAT provided to you by your coaching centre in hard copy among others. The more you study the CMAT study material and the more you practice on CMAT Mock tests and CMAT sample papers, the more you will be able to score in CMAT exam.

CMAT is Common Admission Test and does not require a specialist or professor in English, Maths or Reasoning. CMAT exam is to assess how you approach the question and how intelligently solve it in the shortest time. CMAT test does not require you to attempt all the questions but the need is to maximise your correct attempts and minimize the wrong attempts.