About NMAT by GMAC
NMAT by GMAC is a computer-delivered management entrance examination administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Participating business schools use NMAT scores in their own admissions processes. The exam assesses Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning, and offers flexible scheduling and retake opportunities subject to the current cycle's rules.
2026/2027 cycle notice: On 9 October 2026, automated access to GMAC's official NMAT pages was blocked. The dates, registration charges and retake rules below are therefore not presented as confirmed. Check the live GMAC NMAT page and registration portal for the 2026 testing calendar and each school's 2027 admission deadlines. Do not rely on older-cycle estimates.
| Exam detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | NMAT by GMAC |
| Conducting body | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Exam category | Management entrance examination |
| Official exam information | mba.com/exams/nmat |
| Registration | Official NMAT registration portal; current availability and deadlines must be checked there |
| Test delivery | Computer-based; available test modes, appointment availability and locations are set for each cycle by GMAC |
| Sections | Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning |
| Eligibility to take the test | Check the current GMAC candidate guide; individual schools set their own degree, marks, work-experience and programme requirements |
| Application and retake fees | Cycle-specific charges and applicable taxes are displayed in the official registration portal; no unverified fee is quoted here |
| 2026 registration, test and score dates | Confirm current dates in the official portal; exact 2026 milestones were not verifiable from the accessible official pages on 9 October 2026 |
Eligibility and participating-school requirements
NMAT registration eligibility and admission eligibility are not the same. Candidates should read the current GMAC candidate guide for test-registration requirements. Every participating business school determines its own programme-specific admission criteria, which can include a recognised bachelor's degree, minimum marks, final-year completion deadlines, subject prerequisites, work experience, sectional score thresholds and additional selection rounds. NMAT participation or a qualifying score does not guarantee admission.
Registration, retake and score-reporting fees
Registration, rescheduling, retake and additional score-report charges can change by cycle and may be subject to taxes. The exact payable amount is shown in the official GMAC registration flow before payment. Review the selected test mode, appointment, retake eligibility and score-report recipients carefully, then save the payment receipt and confirmation. Figures in older NMAT articles may refer to a previous cycle and are not current fee guidance.
Exam pattern and marking
The standard NMAT structure assesses three equally important skill areas. The migrated IndCareer NMAT 2026 material describes a 108-question, 120-minute format with 36 questions per section and no negative marking. Treat that as historical cycle context, not a substitute for the current GMAC guide: verify question counts, section timing, navigation rules, scoring and retake limits against the live instructions for your appointment.
| Section | Areas assessed | Historical 2026 guide in migrated content |
|---|---|---|
| Language Skills | Reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and verbal reasoning | 36 questions; section timing must be checked in the current candidate guide |
| Quantitative Skills | Arithmetic, algebra, number properties, geometry, data interpretation and quantitative reasoning | 36 questions; section timing must be checked in the current candidate guide |
| Logical Reasoning | Critical reasoning, arrangements, analytical reasoning and other logic-based problems | 36 questions; section timing must be checked in the current candidate guide |
| Total | Three sections | 108 questions and 120 minutes in migrated 2026 material; confirm current-cycle pattern and scoring officially |
Important 2026/2027 milestones
As of 9 October 2026, the exact current-cycle dates could not be confirmed from GMAC's automated-accessible official pages. Registration opening/closing, appointment scheduling, test delivery, retakes and score release are cycle-specific; use the live GMAC portal for official dates. Participating schools publish their own 2027 admission and application deadlines.