The NTA successfully conducted the CMAT 2026 exam on January 25th. Now all candidates are waiting for the NTA CMAT 2026 Answer Key release date so they can calculate their scores.
CMAT 2026 Exam Overview
The CMAT 2026 exam was conducted in a single shift from 9 AM to 12 PM in computer-based mode. This exam is for MBA and PGDM admissions in AICTE approved colleges.
The overall difficulty level of the paper was moderate. The Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning sections were easy to moderate while the General Awareness section was slightly tough.
You can get an idea of your performance from the unofficial memory based answer keys shared by coaching institutes.
When will the NTA CMAT 2026 answer key be released?
The official NTA CMAT 2026 Answer Key release date has not been announced yet but based on trends it is expected to be released within 5-7 days of the exam. The expected date is January 31, 2026 or early February.
NTA first releases a provisional answer key along with the response sheet. After this the objection window opens.
In past years the CMAT answer key was released about a week after the exam. For example in 2025 it was released 6 days after the exam.
What is the CMAT 2026 response sheet and why is it important?
The response sheet shows your answers question wise. You can match these with the official answer key to calculate your exact score.
Score calculation is not accurate without the response sheet. It is released along with the answer key.
Example: If you attempted 80 questions and 60 were correct, then the score = (60 x 4) – (20 x 1) = 220 marks.
How to raise objections to the answer key of CMAT 2026?
If you find any errors in the provisional answer key for 2026 you can raise an objection. The authorities usually provide a 3-4 day window for submitting objections.
Step by Step Objection Process:
- Log in to the official portal.
- Select the “Challenge Answer Key” option.
- Select the incorrect question and choose the correct option.
- Upload supporting documents such as reference books.
- Pay a fee of Rs 200 per question online (via debit/credit card/net banking).
- Submit. The fee is refunded for valid objections.
The objection fee is non refundable if the claim is proven incorrect. Changes may be made to the final answer key after the objections are reviewed.
When will the CMAT 2026 results be released?
The CMAT 2026 result is expected between February 13-15 2026. It is released after the final answer key objections are resolved.
The result scorecard includes percentile and section wise scores. It will be valid for one year for admissions.