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CMAT 2021 Question Paper was released by NTA on Apr 3, 2021, after the exam was conducted. The conducting body released CMAT question paper 2021 PDF files for shifts 1 and 2, along with the provisional answer key and response sheets. According to candidates' feedback, the overall difficulty level of the CMAT question paper 2021 was moderate. It consisted of 5 sections with 25 questions per section.
The test takers mentioned that the General Awareness section in the CMAT question paper 2021 was comparatively more difficult, with the Language Comprehension section questions being the easiest. The difficulty level of the Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation section in the question paper of CMAT 2021 was moderate, and the Logical Reasoning section was easy to moderate.
Furthermore, the ones preparing for CMAT Exam, to be held in Jan 2026, can click the links below for CMAT 2021 question paper PDF download to enhance their exam preparation. They can get a general idea about the CMAT exam pattern and the type of questions that can be asked in the exam.
Download CMAT Question Paper PDF
The direct links for CMAT 2021 question paper PDF download are provided below for shifts 1 and 2. The ones planning to appear for the upcoming CMAT 2021 exam are advised to check and download the CMAT previous year question papers PDF files to understand the exam pattern.
In addition to that, they can note down topics with more weightage for more focused learning.
| Exam Shift | CMAT Question Paper 2021 PDF |
|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2021 - Shift 1 | Download Here |
| Mar 31, 2021 - Shift 2 | Download Here |
CMAT Question Paper Highlights
NTA conducted CMAT 2021 online on Mar 31, 2021, as a computer-based test at multiple exam centres nationwide. The exam was conducted in two shifts, with separate CMAT 2021 question papers for each shift. After the exam, the conducting body released CMAT question paper 2021 PDF files for both shifts, along with the release of the provisional answer key and recorded response sheets.
The highlights of the CMAT question paper 2021 are listed below.
- The CMAT 2021 question paper comprised four sections: Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, and General Awareness.
- NTA introduced an optional section for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for CMAT 2021.
- Candidates were provided 3 hours to solve the CMAT question paper 2021 and an additional 30 minutes for those who opted to answer the optional section.
- The question paper for CMAT 2021 included 100 questions for a total of 400 marks. The new optional section consisted of 25 questions, making the maximum mark of 500 for those who opted.
Steps to Download CMAT Question Paper
You can click the links above for the CMAT question paper PDF 2021 download. Alternatively, you can follow the steps below to check and download the CMAT 2021 question paper PDF from the official website of NTA.
- Step 1: You must visit the official website of NTA at cmat.nta.nic.in.
- Step 2: You must click the respective link for CMAT 2021 provided below the Candidate Activity section on the homepage.
- Step 3: You must enter your application number, date of birth, and security pin and click the 'Submit' button.
- Step 4: You must then click the 'View Question Paper' for the shift of their choice.
- Step 5: The CMAT 2021 question paper PDF will be opened in a new tab. You can check and download the same for future use.
CMAT Question Paper Pattern
The section-wise CMAT 2021 question paper pattern is tabulated below. The conducting body has revised the CMAT exam pattern 2021 for the upcoming exam. Nonetheless, you can get a general idea about the CMAT question paper 2021 PDF pattern below.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks Allotted |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | 25 | 100 |
| Logical Reasoning | 25 | 100 |
| Language Comprehension | 25 | 100 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 100 |
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Optional) | 25 | 100 |
| Total | 125 | 500 |
CMAT Question Paper Analysis
Based on the test taker's responses, the CMAT 2021 paper was generally moderate for both shifts. The General Awareness section was said to be more difficult than the other sections. The shift-wise analysis of the CMAT question paper 2021 is below.
CMAT Question Paper Analysis for Shift 1
CMAT 2021 shift 1 exam was conducted on Mar 31, 2021, from 9 AM to 12 PM. The exam analysis for the shift 1 CMAT 2021 question paper is below.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | Moderate | 18 - 20 |
| Logical Reasoning | Easy to Moderate | 21 - 23 |
| Language Comprehension | Easy | 17 - 19 |
| General Awareness | Difficult | 9 - 11 |
| Overall | Moderate | 65 - 70 |
CMAT Question Paper Analysis for Shift 2
The shift 2 exam for CMAT 2021 was conducted from 3 PM to 6 PM on Mar 31, 2021. The analysis for the question paper of CMAT 2021 shift 2 is tabulated below.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation | Moderate | 18 - 20 |
| Logical Reasoning | Easy to Moderate | 21 - 23 |
| Language Comprehension | Easy | 17 - 19 |
| General Awareness | Difficult | 9 - 11 |
| Overall | Moderate | 65 - 70 |
CMAT Exam Topic-Wise Weightage
While all the sections in the CMAT 2021 question paper have equal weightage, certain topics with each section had more questions than the others. The topic-wise weightage for each section of the CMAT question paper 2021 is explained in detail below.
CMAT Weightage for Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation Section
The Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation section in the CMAT 2021 question paper was moderate. This section was said to be more difficult compared to the previous year's exam. According to the number of questions, the maximum questions were asked from topics under Arithmetics.
The topic-wise weightage of questions included in the Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation section of CMAT question paper 2021 is below.
| Area | No. of Questions | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 10 | Time and Work Time, Speed and Distance Mixtures and Allegations Work Pipes and Cisterns Percentages Ratio and Proportion |
| Numbers | 5 | Properties of Numbers Surds and Indices HCF and LCM |
| Modern Mathematics | 4 | Permutation and Combination Function Probability Venn Diagram |
| Algebra | 3 | Quadratic Equations Linear Equations |
| Data Interpretation | 2 | Table Pie-Chart |
| Geometry | 1 | Triangles |
CMAT Question Paper Weightage for Logical Reasoning Section
The question paper for CMAT 2021 consisted of 3 Verbal Reasoning and 22 Non-Verbal Reasoning questions. Candidates mentioned that this section of the question paper was easy to solve with direct questions and answers. The following are the topics from which questions were asked in the Logical Reasoning section.
| Area | No. of Questions | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Non Verbal Reasoning |
22 |
Visual Reasoning Coding and Decoding Series Relations Blood Relations Arrangements (Circular and Matrix) Directions Counting Figures |
| Verbal Reasoning | 3 | Critical Reasoning |
CMAT Question Paper Weightage for Language Comprehension
A total of 14 questions were based on Reading Comprehension in the CMAT question paper 2021 Language Comprehension section. The other questions were based on Grammar and Vocabulary. This section was said to be the easiest in the CMAT 2021 question paper. The topic-wise weightage for the Language Comprehension section is as follows.
| Area | No. of Questions | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 14 | 4 Passages of 100 to 500 Words |
| Grammar | 8 | Sentence Correction Sentence Improvement |
| Vocabulary | 3 | Synonyms Fill in the Blanks |
CMAT Question Paper Weightage for General Awareness Section
The General Awareness section of the CMAT 2021 question paper had the most difficult questions. The maximum number of questions from this section were based on Indian news and affairs. It also had questions based on international events. Following is the topic-wise weightage of the General Awareness section.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Static General Knowledge | 17 |
| Current Affairs | 8 |
CMAT Previous Year Question Papers Download PDFs
You can practice the CMAT Previous Question Papers for the exam. This will serve as the best strategy for you to get a good amount of practice and will help you to clear the CMAT entrance exam strategically.
You can download the previous year's paper's PDF files for free. CMAT 2018, 2019, and 2020 question papers from the links shared below.
| CMAT Previous Years' Question Paper | PDF Links |
|---|---|
| CMAT 2024 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT 2023 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT 2022 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT Jan 2020 Shift 1 Set 3 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT 2019 Set 2 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT 2019 Set 3 Question Paper | Download |
| CMAT 2018 Slot 1 Question Paper PDF | Download |
| CMAT 2018 Slot 2 Question Paper PDF | Download |
The previous papers are one of the best ways to prepare for the exam.
