CMAT Answer Key 2026 (PDF OUT): Download, Response Sheet & Objections

CMAT Answer Key is a provisional document released shortly after the CMAT exam. It provides the official correct answers for all 100 questions. Candidates must download their individual CMAT response sheet alongside the key. This enables self-evaluation and calculation of the probable raw score before the CMAT result 2026. The key keeps everything transparent and gives a window for candidates to contest any faults they may perceive. After this review, the NTA is releasing the final CMAT answer key 2026 for proper scoring. This answer key will contain all five sections: QT & DI, LR, LC, GA, and I&E.

CMAT Answer Key 2026 PDF has been released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 31 January 2026 on the official website cmat.nta.nic.in. Candidates can download the provisional CMAT 2026 answer key, along with the question paper and recorded response sheet, by logging in using their application number and password/date of birth. The answer key helps candidates calculate their probable score and assess their performance in the examination. NTA has also opened the answer key challenge window from 31 January to 2 February 2026. The final answer key and CMAT 2026 result will be released after reviewing all objections raised by candidates.

CMAT Response Sheet 2026 has been released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 31 January 2026 on the official website. The CMAT 2026 was held on January 25, 2026 in a single shift. Candidates can download the response sheet for CMAT 2026 to know about the response marked in the exam. Additionally, one must use the response sheet to calculate marks scored in the CMAT 2026 exam.

CMAT exam dates are decided in a very fixed and predictable manner by the NTA. Check the below table for CMAT 2026 Exam Dates:

The procedure for downloading the CMAT answer key is short and simple but detailed. Access is allowed only through the candidate login very securely on the official NTA website. Follow the steps in the right order for the download of both the answer key and the CMAT response sheet.

1. Visit the official site of NTA: The first of all steps starts by going to the NTA CMAT dedicated portal: exams.nta.ac.in/CMAT  This is the only and authentic source for NTA CMAT 2026 .

2. Find the link: click on the active link "Display of Question Paper and CMAT Answer Key Challenge" on the homepage. This link is brightly under the candidate activity section.

3. Login to Portal: Two Options for logging in are rendered. A candidate can use either CMAT 2026 Application Number and Password OR Application Number and Date of Birth.

4. Enter Security Pin: A unique security pin/captcha, which is displayed on screen, must be entered accurately for verification.

5. Access Dashboard: A successful login leads to a personalized candidate dashboard. 

6. Download-View Question Paper/Response Sheet: Click on "View Question Paper" to open the PDF document. This document is the CMAT response sheet 2026, which contains Question ID, the four Option IDs, and Option ID chosen by the candidate. 

7. Download Provisional Key: Click on the link for "View/Challenge Answer Key." This document displays the Question ID and the Correct Option ID selected by NTA. The CMAT exam answer key.

The challenge to the CMAT answer key is a very important mechanism. For this, a candidate should put forward a formal objection against a question or an answer provided by the NTA, which should be backed by a strong academic justification. Challenges are allowed through an online portal, and strictly within the time frame.

Detailed Steps to Challenge the Answer Key:

1. Challenge Link Access: Login in the CMAT portal as described above. Then Click on, "Challenge Answer Key". 

2. Identify the Question: The page will show Question IDs and the correct answer marked by NTA. Candidates have to match these with their CMAT response sheet 2026. 

3. Select Objection: If any answer is considered not valid, choose the right alternative Option ID from the given choices. 

4. Upload Justification: Strong reasons should be there in support. This will include standard textbooks, research papers, or excerpts of solutions. All documents would need to be compiled into a single PDF for upload. 

5. Save and Claim: After selecting the disputed questions, click on "Save your Claims." This moves the claims to the payment window.

6. Pay Challenge Fee: For every question, an amount of ₹200/- (Rupees Two Hundred Only) needs to be paid online. Payment can be through whichever method such as Debit/Credit Card or Net Banking. 

7. Final Submission: The challenge will be formally registered only after successful payment. The fee is non-refundable unless a candidate's challenge is accepted and the key is revised for the same.

Important Considerations for Challenges:

• The expert review of challenges is done only for those submitted with the requisite fees. 

• The NTA never informs candidates directly regarding the outcome of their respective challenges. 

• The final decision of the subject matter experts regarding the final key shall be binding. 

• Challenges for the answer key of CMAT 2023 were also addressed in the same fashion. The students ought to learn from those experiences and substantiate themselves with valid evidence.

Calculating the raw score is vital for percentile prediction and B-school shortlisting. The calculation is done using the provisional CMAT answer key and the strict NTA marking scheme.

CMAT 2026 Marking Scheme Recap:

• Each question carries 4 marks.

• There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer.

• Unattempted questions receive 0 marks.

Step-by-Step Raw Score Calculation:

1. Correct Attempts (C): Count the number of correct responses by matching your CMAT response sheet with the CMAT answer key 2026. 

2. Incorrect Attempts (W): Count the number of incorrect responses.

3. Calculation: The following formula will be applied: 

4. Raw Score=(C x 4)-(W x 1)

Example Calculation:

A candidate attempts 85 questions. 68 are correct, and 17 are incorrect.

• Correct Marks: 68 X 4 = 272

• Negative Marks: 17 X 1 = 17

• Total Raw Score: 272 - 17 = 255

CMAT Marks vs Percentile Analysis 2026 (Expected):

This prediction is based on trends from the CMAT answer key 2025 analysis and score scaling.

Candidates scoring above 280 should immediately focus on the GD/PI process.

CMAT answer key 2026 offers a reference for CMAT 2026. The CMAT 2025 exam was conducted successfully on January 25, 2026. 

Quantitative Aptitude (Memory-Based Questions) with Answer Key

Q1. Sudhir purchased a chair after receiving three successive discounts of 20%, 12.5%, and 5%. What is the equivalent single discount?
Answer: 33.5%

Q2. Consider the following statements:
A. There exists a smallest natural number.
B. There exists a largest natural number.
C. Every rational number is a real number.
D. Between two consecutive natural numbers, there is always a natural number.
Answer: A and C

Q3. Four electronic devices beep at intervals of 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, and 1 hour 45 minutes, respectively. If they all beep together at 12 noon, at what time will they next beep together?
Answer: 9:00 AM

Q4. The height and radius of a right circular cylinder are equal. If its volume is 176/7 cm³, find the diameter of the cylinder.
Answer: 4 cm

Q5. A person buys two watches for a total of ₹1000. One is sold at a 5% loss and the other at a 20% gain. If the overall gain is ₹50, find the cost price of each watch.
Answer: ₹600 and ₹400

Q6. The sum of three consecutive odd numbers is always divisible by:
A. 2
B. 3
C. 5
D. 6
Answer: B only

Q7. Even after reducing the marked price by ₹32, a shopkeeper earns a profit of 15%. If the cost price is ₹320, what will be the percentage profit if the item is sold at the marked price?
Answer: 25%

Q8. Four coins are tossed simultaneously. What is the probability that two heads never occur together?
Answer: 1/2

Q9. In KV Ujjain, 20% of students are athletes, while in NV Ujjain, 25% are athletes. If NV has 60% more students than KV, the number of athletes in NV is what percent of athletes in KV?
Answer: 200%

Q10. An 85-litre mixture of milk and water is in the ratio 27:7. How much water must be added so that the ratio becomes 3:1?
Answer: 5 litres

Q11. What is the unit digit of $(234)^{100} + (234)^{101}$?
Answer: 0

General Awareness (Memory-Based Questions) with Answer Key

Q1. Arrange the following battles in chronological order:

• Battle of Haldighati

• Battle of Chausa

• First Battle of Mysore

• First Battle of Tarain

• Battle of Plassey
  Answer: d, b, a, e, c

Q2. In which of the following situations is a concave mirror not used?
Answer: As a rear-view mirror in vehicles

Q3. Which of the following are components of the Capital Account?
A. External Commercial Borrowing
B. Government Aid
C. Equity Capital
D. Gifts, Remittances, Grants
Answer: A, B, and C

Q4. Which country won the ICC World Cup 2023?
Answer: Australia

Q5. Who is the first Indian aboard the International Space Station (ISS)?
Answer: Shubhanshu Shukla

Q6. Who among the following are not recipients of the Padma Vibhushan Award 2025?

• Shri M. T. Vasudev Nair

• M. Venkaiah Naidu

• Shin Osamu Suzuki

• Bindeshwar Pathak

• Padma Subrahmanyam
  Answer: B, D, and E only

Q7. Which of the following countries is not a member of SAFTA?
Answer: Myanmar

Q8. Which European country has started accepting Indian UPI payments?
Answer: France

Q9. Who holds the record for the highest number of Olympic medals?
Answer: Michael Phelps

Q10. On which date did EPFO remove Aadhaar as proof of date of birth?
Answer: 16 January 2024

Analyzing the CMAT answer key 2023 and CMAT 2022 answer key provides valuable historical context.

CMAT answer key 2023 release date in May was slower than the recent January cycles. The current trend suggests a 6-day gap will be maintained for the CMAT 2026 answer key. The CMAT 2022 answer key pdf was released 10 days post-exam. This demonstrates NTA's increasing speed in conducting the CMAT process. The result of CMAT 2023 was declared about 19 days after the key release.

CMAT response sheet is a personalized exam record. It is essential for verification purposes.

The final CMAT answer key 2026 is the non-negotiable basis for the result. This key is published only after the NTA's subject matter experts thoroughly review all submitted challenges. No further objections are permitted after its release.

• Revised Answers: If a challenge is valid, the final key reflects the corrected answer. All candidates benefit from this revision.

• Basis For Declaration Of Result: NTA score and percentile are the outcome of assessment strictly according to the final key.

• Result Declaration: CMAT 2026 result declaration is based on the normalized scores from the final key. 

Historical Perspective: In CMAT 2025, for the final key, multiple answer options were correct for 8 questions. Consequently, full marks were awarded to all candidates for those questions. This indicates the significance of the challenge process.

The post-release period after the CMAT answer key gains importance following its release for admission planning.

1. Score Calculation and Prediction: With the use of the CMAT answer key 2026, candidates may calculate their raw score; thus, the tools available may help predict the percentile estimate. 

2. College Shortlisting: Based on the predicted percentile, candidates must shortlist B-schools upon priority as it saves precious time post-CMAT result declaration in 2026.

3. Application Deadlines: Many colleges accepting CMAT scores have application deadlines around the result date. So, early prediction helps in applying on time. 

4. GD/PI Preparation: Candidates with a high predicted percentile (90+) should start preparing for Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds, both of which are the next stages in the MBA admission process. 

5. Further Exams: For those who do not have a high predicted score, such candidates should shift gears right away for the upcoming exams like MAH CET, which generally accepts the CMAT percentile.

In conclusion, the CMAT Answer Key 2026 is more than just a list of answers. It is an immediate performance report and a critical forecasting tool for an MBA future. All aspirants must master the download and calculation process. Timely action based on the CMAT exam answer key is key to securing admission to a top B-school.