NMAT exam pattern is released by GMAC on the official website and includes sections in NMAT, the number of questions, NMAT exam duration, and NMAT marking scheme. As per the NMAT exam pattern, there are 3 sections in the NMAT paper, including Quantitative Skills, Language Skills, and Logical Reasoning.
- Each section of NMAT exam pattern carries a weightage of 36 questions.
- Total number of questions asked in NMAT is 108.
- Students can score a maximum of 108 marks in each section, with NMAT total marks being 324.
- Time allotted to solve NMAT question paper is 2 hours (120 minutes) with sectional time of 28 minutes for Language Skills, 52 minutes for Quantitative Skills, and 40 minutes for Language Skills.
As per the NMAT exam pattern and marking scheme, each question of NMAT question paper will carry 3 marks, and there is no negative marking for incorrect answers and unanswered questions.
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Key Summary
- NMAT exam pattern includes 3 sections like Quantitative Skills, Language Skills, and Logical Reasoning.
- Each section of NMAT exam pattern carries 36 questions, with a total number of questions being 108.
- Students are allowed to solve NMAT exam paper in 2 hours (120 minutes) with 28 minutes for Language Skills, 52 minutes for Quantitative Skills, and 40 minutes for Logical Reasoning.
- Each section of NMAT exam pattern and syllabus carries 108 marks, with NMAT total marks being 324.
- For each correct answer 3 marks will be awarded as per the NMAT exam pattern released by GMAC.
- There is no NMAT negative marking applicable for incorrect answers and unanswered questions.
What is NMAT Exam Pattern
NMAT exam pattern includes 108 questions from 3 sections of NMAT syllabus, such as Quantitative Skills, Language Skills, and Logical Reasoning. Each section of NMAT exam pattern has a sectional weightage of 36 questions.
Total time allotted to solve NMAT question paper is 2 hours. For Language Skills, the time allotted is 28 minutes, for Quantitative Skills is 50 minutes, and for Logical Reasoning is 40 minutes.
For each correct answer, students will get 3 marks. As per the NMAT exam pattern, students can score a maximum of 324 marks in NMAT, with 108 marks in each section. There is no negative marking in NMAT applicable for incorrect answers and unanswered questions.
What’s Changed in NMAT Exam Pattern 2025?
As per the NMAT exam pattern 2025 and past years, there is no significant change in the NMAT exam structure. Like last year, 108 questions will be asked in the NMAT question paper across sections: Language Skills (36), Quantitative Skills (36), and Logical Reasoning (36). The time limit of the NMAT exam is 120 minutes, with sectional time limits of 28 minutes for language skills, 40 minutes for logical reasoning, and 52 minutes for quantitative skills.
NMAT Exam Pattern 2025
NMAT exam is a computer-based test conducted by GMAC and includes MCQ-type questions. Sections included in NMAT exam pattern are Quantitative Skills, Language Skills, and Logical Reasoning.
- Each section carries 36 questions, and the total questions in NMAT is 108.
- Each section carries 108 marks, and the total marks in NMAT are 324.
- 3 marks are awarded for each correct answer, and no negative marking applies to incorrect answers.
| Particulars | NMAT 2025 Details |
|---|---|
| Level of NMAT 2025 exam | National |
| NMAT 2025 Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test, MCQ Type |
| NMAT Exam Time Duration | Two hours |
| NMAT Marking Scheme | No Negative Marking |
| Sections in NMAT exam |
|
| NMAT total questions | 108 questions |
| NMAT maximum marks | 324 marks |
| Language of the NMAT exam | English |

NMAT Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Weightage
| Section | Time Allotted | Number of Questions | Type of Questions | Important Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language Skills | 28 minutes | 36 | MCQs | Fill in the blanks, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Sentence Completion, Para Completion, RC Passages |
| Quantitative Skills | 52 minutes | 36 | MCQs | Mensuration, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Algebra, Geometry, Data Interpretation (DI) |
| Logical Reasoning | 40 minutes | 36 | MCQs | Statements-Assumptions-Arguments, Critical Reasoning, Puzzles, Ranking, Seating Arrangement, Syllogisms, Blood Relations |

NMAT Exam Pattern- Sectional Time Limit
NMAT by GMAC has a sectional time limit. Candidates must complete per section within the given period. The time duration for NMAT 2025 is mentioned below.
| NMAT Sections | NMAT 2025 |
|---|---|
| Language Skills | 28 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Skills | 52 minutes |
| Total Duration | 120 minutes |

NMAT Exam Time Duration: Changes Over the Years
NMAT exam time duration changed in 2020. After that, there are no specific changes made to the duration of the exam. However, students can have a look at the changes made in the exam duration.
| NMAT sections | NMAT 2022 | NMAT 2021/2020 | NMAT 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Skills | 28 minutes | 28 minutes | 22 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 40 minutes | 40 minutes | 38 minutes |
| Quantitative Skills | 52 minutes | 52 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Total Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
NMAT Marking Scheme
As per NMAT exam pattern released by GMAC, the following points are considered as NMAT marking scheme
- Aspirants will be awarded 3 marks for each correct answer.
- There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.
- No marks will be awarded for unanswered questions.
| Section | No. of Questions | NMAT Marks per Question | Scaled Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logical Reasoning | 36 | 3 | 12-120 |
| Language Skills | 36 | 3 | 12-120 |
| Quantitative Skills | 36 | 3 | 12-120 |
| Total | 108 | - | 36-360 |

NMAT Exam Pattern Negative Marking
As per the NMAT official website, there is no negative marking applicable for incorrect responses made by candidates in NMAT 2025.

Source: mba.com/exams/nmat
NMAT Exam Pattern- Total Marks
NMAT exam is conducted for 324 marks. Each section, Quantitative Skills, Language Skills, and Logical Reasoning, consists of 36 questions, each for 108 marks. Students must qualify both the sectional and overall cut-offs to be eligible for the WAT/PI round.
| NMAT Section | NMAT Marks |
|---|---|
| Logical Reasoning | 108 |
| Language Skills | 108 |
| Quantitative Skills | 108 |
| Total | 324 |
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How to attempt NMAT exam 2025?
While attempting NMAT exam 2025, aspirants must not leave questions blank. Leaving blank questions will make candidates lose marks, not because of negative marking, but because of not attempting the question. As there is no negative marking in the NMAT exam, students must go through each question and try to attempt the question in the least possible time.
Students can use the section-wise strategy to attempt questions in each section as mentioned in the table below. The strategy is most truncated and tested by candidates who appeared for NMAT exam.
| Section | Time Per Question |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | 30 seconds |
| Logical Reasoning | 45 seconds |
| Quantitative Ability | 60 seconds |
In case of puzzle, RC set, or input-output set, for all those questions, around 4-5, students have 5 minutes to complete. In case you did not finish all 4 or 5 questions in 5 minutes, mark those for review and move on to the next questions, and go through all 108 questions.

NMAT Syllabus 2025
NMAT exam syllabus is divided into 3 sections, including Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. NMAT syllabus for each section is discussed in the table below.
| Section | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Language Skills | Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion, Idioms & Phrases, Antonyms & Synonyms, Reading Comprehension, Error Identification, Preposition use in sentences |
| Quantitative Skills | Arithmetic, Data Interpretation, Caselets, Tabular DI, Number Properties, Probability, Algebra, Data Sufficiency, Data Interpretation based on Charts and Graphs, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Geometry |
| Logical Reasoning | Analytical Puzzles, Critical Reasoning, Logical Deductions, Syllogisms, Blood Relations, Statement & Assumption, Inference, Arrangement, Ranking, Direction Sense |

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NMAT by GMAC Official Guide
GMAC has made the NMAT by GMAC official guide available on the official website. Students can consider the NMAT by GMAC official guide to prepare for the examination.
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NMAT Books for Language Skills

| Book Name | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis |
| High School English Grammar & Composition | Wren & Martin |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay |
| Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi |
| 30 Days to More Powerful Vocabulary | Norman Lewis |
NMAT Books for Quantitative Skills

| Book Name | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R. S. Aggarwal |
| How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT | Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for CAT | Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for CAT | Nishit K. Sinha |
| Hitbullseye’s MBA Math- 1 & 2 | Hitbullseye |
NMAT Books for Logical Reasoning

| Book Name | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R. S. Aggarwal |
| Analytical Reasoning | M.K. Pandey |
| Non-Verbal Reasoning | Arihant Publication |
| How to Crack Test of Reasoning | Arihant Experts |
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NMAT Question Paper
| Subject | Question Paper | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative | Download | Download |
| Language | Download | Download |
| Logical Reasoning | Download | Download |
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NMAT Exam Pattern FAQs
Ques. What is the exam pattern of NMAT?
Ans. As per the NMAT exam pattern, questions will be based on three sections- Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. NMAT 2025 test-takers will be given 2 hours or 120 minutes to complete a total of 108 questions. NMAT total marks will be 324 with no negative marking. Each section will have 36 questions, each carrying 1 mark.
Ques. Is there any negative marking in NMAT?
Ans. No, according to the NMAT exam pattern by GMAC, candidates will be given 1 mark for each right response. No marks will be deducted for wrong answers.
Ques. How Many attempts are there in NMAT?
Ans. GMAC permits students to take NMAT exam thrice, with one attempt and two retakes. Candidates can schedule a retake with a 15-day interval from their last attempt. A retake fee must also be paid for each retake attempt.
Ques. What is the passing marks for NMAT?
Ans. The passing marks depend on the NMAT cut off. Basically, candidates need to qualify the cut off score to be eligible for the WAT/PI round. The expected NMAT cut off ranges between 210-250.
Ques. Does NMAT have a sectional time limit?
Ans. Yes, there is a sectional time limit for NMAT 2025 exam. According to NMAT exam pattern 2025, the language Skills section has been allotted 28 minutes, for Quantitative Skills 52 minutes and Logical Reasoning has been allotted 40 minutes. No extra time would be given to complete the test.
Ques. What is the total marks for NMAT 2025?
Ans. Total marks for NMAT 2025 is 324. The total number of questions to be answered is 108 within 120 minutes or 3 hours. Each section, Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning, will have 36 questions, each for 108 marks.
Ques. What is NMAT marks per question?
Ans. As per NMAT exam pattern 2025, per question has 3 marks. NMAT question paper will have a total of 108 questions for 324 marks.
Ques. What is the difficulty level of NMAT?
Ans. Difficulty level of NMAT exam is not fixed by the conducting authority; however, can be approximated based on the NMAT paper analysis from previous years. Previous years’ NMAT question papers reveal that NMAT exam difficulty level is easy to moderate when compared to similar entrance exams like CAT, XAT, etc.
Ques. Can we skip questions in NMAT?
Ans. Yes, students can skip questions in NMAT exam without any penalty. However, candidates are advised to not skip questions in NMAT as there is no negative marking in the examination. Students must go through all 108 questions asked in NMAT question paper.
Ques. What is the pattern of NMAT exam 2025?
Ans. NMAT paper structure is released by GMAC on the official website at mba.com. As per the NMAT exam pattern, there will be 108 questions in NMAT question paper to be attempted in 120 minutes. Each section will carry 36 questions with a sectional time of 28 minutes for language skills, 52 minutes for quantitative skills, and 40 minutes for logical reasoning. Total marks in NMAT exam are 324.
Ques. How many questions to attempt in NMAT for 240 score?
Ans. As per the NMAT exam pattern 2025, each question of NMAT exam carries 3 marks. To score 240 marks in NMAT, students must attempt 80 questions in NMAT question paper 2025.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.




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