NMAT 2023 Exam Analysis (December 6, 2023)

NMAT 2023 Exam Analysis

December 6, 2023 - 2nd Shift

NMAT-2023 consists of three sections, each containing 36 questions. The option to skip to the next question without answering the current question has been disabled, making it mandatory for students to attempt all the questions. Since the exam is adaptive, students will be rewarded more for answering difficult questions correctly compared to easy questions. The topic-wise questions in each of the sections vary for each student.

Section	No. of questions	Time allotted (in minutes)
Language Skills	36	28
Logical Reasoning	36	40
Quantitative Skills	36	52
Total	108	120

Let's take a look at the individual section-wise analysis of NMAT-2023 based on the feedback given.

Language Skills (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

The Language Skills section was balanced with questions from Reading Comprehension (2 passages with 4 questions each), Para-jumbles, Grammar, and Vocabulary-based questions. There were 10 questions on Spot the error.

Complexity Level: Easy to Moderate

The section division is tabulated below:

Topic	No. of Questions
Reading Comprehension - Topics: 1. Multiculturalism; 2. Hypertension (4 questions each)	8
Para-jumbles	5
Analogy (synonyms/antonyms based)	5
Fill in the blanks (Vocabulary based -, 2 words in each option.)	5
Fill in the blanks (Prepositions based - 2 words)	3
Spot the error	10

Quantitative Skills (Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation)

The Quantitative Skills section of NMAT-2023 contained Arithmetic and Data Interpretation (2 DI sets of 4 questions each), as well as Data Sufficiency questions (4 questions) that were relatively moderate. The section had questions from modern math, arithmetic and number systems. There was one question on Logarithms and one on Geometric progression but no questions from Geometry.

Complexity Level: Moderate

The Section Division is tabulated below:

Topic	No. of Questions
Number system (LCM, HCF, Remainder, simplify)	5
Ratio proportion	1
Percentage (savings based)	1
Average (new employee salary based; distribution of remaining amount after picnic between boys and girls)	2
SI/CI (Mutual fund based; amount invested for 2 children of different ages maturing with equal funds at 18 years)	2
Profit, Loss and Discount (sale of 2 cars with equal profit and loss percentage; CP decreases, find new SP, no change in profit)	3
Time and work (2 workers different wages, different units of work, find total wages; two workers with different time taken, one starts alone then joined by the other, find time taken)	2
Log based	1
Geometric Progression (given d and sum of T1 to T4, find T8)	1
Permutation and Combination (6 seats to be filled with 3 different levels of employees; 7 paintings to be displayed out of 10 - 5wc)	3
Probability (conditional probability; find probability by writing equation based on union and intersection of sets; 10 balls of 3 different colors find probability of selecting 2 balls of different colors)	3
Data Interpretation (2 DI sets with 4 questions each. 1. Table - based on 4 departments / salary. 2. Bar graph + Line graph- based on total water bodies and those that dried up ; 1 sample each from non dry water body ; line graph on % of non feasible out of samples collected)	8
Data Sufficiency - PLD Numbers - odd/even Algebra - inequalities Ordering of integers	4

Logical Reasoning (Logical Reasoning and Critical Reasoning)

The Logical Reasoning section consisted of 16 Analytical Reasoning questions which were easy to moderate and 20 Verbal Reasoning questions which were lengthy but easy to crack.

Complexity Level: Easy to Moderate

The Section Division is tabulated below:

Topic	No. of Questions
Analytical Reasoning
Data Arrangement (based on 2 buses that stop at A, B, C, D and E; different number of passengers boarding and alighting)	4
Data Arrangement (based on 5 mothers, 5 children, different ages)	4
Input-Output - Numbers based	4
Circular mathematical puzzle - 1 missing numbers	1
Venn Diagram - 3 shapes based	1
Set/Venn diagram-based	1
Row arrangement - queue of 7 persons	1
Verbal Reasoning
Statement/Assumption	4
Statement/ Conclusion	3
Statement /Argument / weaken or strengthen	3
Statement /Inference	1
Statement /Implication	1
Statement /Conclusion	3
Statement /Course of Action	3
Decision Making	1
Passage - Main Fact	1

Overall, the difficulty level of NMAT 2023 was moderate and the paper was lengthy based on the time allotted for each section. Getting a good score on the NMAT exam depends on the candidate's ability to navigate through the “Computer Adaptive” exam.

NMAT 2022

Overall, the difficulty level of NMAT 2022 was moderate in terms of the questions asked. However, it also depended on the ability of the candidate as NMAT 2022 was a “Computer-Adaptive” exam. Given below is a general overview of the exam:

Section	No. of questions	Time allotted (minutes)	Level of Difficulty
Language Skills	36	28	Easy to Moderate
Logical Reasoning	36	40	Moderate
Quantitative Skills	36	52	Easy to Moderate
Total	108	120	Moderate

NMAT 2021

NMAT 2021 followed an exam pattern similar to NMAT 2020.

Section	No. of questions	Time allotted (minutes)
Language Skills	36	28
Logical Reasoning	36	40
Quantitative Skills	36	52
Total	108	120

NMAT 2020

NMAT 2020 comprised of 3 sections – each containing 36 questions. The option to skip to the next question without answering the current question was disabled, making it mandatory for the students to attempt all the questions. As the exam is Adaptive, students were rewarded more for answering tougher questions correctly as compared to easier questions. The topic–wise questions served to the students in each of the sections shows variation for each of the students.

Section	No. of questions	Time allotted (minutes)
Language Skills	36	28
Logical Reasoning	36	40
Quantitative Skills	36	52
Total	108	120

NMAT 2019 vs NMAT 2020

Parameter	NMAT Exam Pattern 2019	NMAT Exam Pattern 2020
Number of Questions	120	108
Sectional Time Limit	Language Skills – 22 Quantitative Skills – 60 Logical Reasoning- 38	Language Skills – 28 Quantitative Skills – 52 Logical Reasoning - 40
Score Range	Language Skills –> 0-144 Quantitative Skills –> 0-96 Logical Reasoning - > 0-120	Language Skills – 12 -> 120 Quantitative Skills – 12 -> 120 Logical Reasoning- 12 -> 120
Exam Difficulty Level	Language Skills: Moderate Quantitative Skills: Moderate to tough Logical Reasoning: Easy to moderate	Language Skills: Easy to moderate Quantitative Skills: Easy to moderate Logical Reasoning: Moderate to tough
Sectional Time Limit	Time ranging from 22 minutes to 60 minutes	Time ranging from 28 minutes to 52 minutes
Scaled Score	Questions are selectively chosen from a pool, based on candidate’s performance	Questions are directly targeted and are specific to a candidate’s ability, same as GMAT
NMAT Scorecard	Result date and window not specified beforehand	Ready within 48 hours (in the first window)

NMAT 2017

For NMAT 2017, the difficulty level was on similar lines with NMAT 2016. Nonetheless, the overall NMAT cut-off increased by 2 marks.

Section	No. of questions	Marks/Q	Total Marks	Time Allotted	Cut-off Mumbai campus)	Cut-off (Bengaluru and Hyderabad Campus)
Quantitative Skills	48	3	144	60 minutes	65	65
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	60	60
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	60	50
Total	120		360	120 minutes	210	190

NMAT 2017

For NMAT 2017, the difficulty level was on similar lines with NMAT 2016. Nonetheless, the overall NMAT cut-off increased by 2 marks.

Section	No. of questions	Marks/Q	Total Marks	Time Allotted	Cut-off Mumbai campus)	Cut-off (Bengaluru and Hyderabad Campus)
Quantitative Skills	48	3	144	60 minutes	65	65
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	60	60
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	60	50
Total	120		360	120 minutes	210	190

NMAT 2016

For NMAT 2016, the difficulty level was a tad lower than earlier years'. The overall cut-off, however, remained static, as has been the trend with NMAT over the years.

Section	No. of questions	Marks/Q	Total Marks	Time Allotted	Cut-off Mumbai campus)	Cut-off (Bengaluru and Hyderabad Campus)
Quantitative Skills	48	3	144	60 minutes	74	70
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	61	55
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	55	55
Total	120		360	120 minutes	208	200

NMAT 2015

NMAT in 2015 was conducted by GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), the owner and the administrator of the GMAT exam. This was a deviation from the previous years when Pearson VUE created the NMAT exam on behalf of NMIMS. The over-all cut-off remained the same as last year's, though there were minor changes in sectional cut-offs. Sectional cut-offs fell by a small margin.

Section	No. of questions	Marks/Q	Total Marks	Time Allotted	Cut-off Mumbai campus)	Cut-off (Bengaluru and Hyderabad Campus)
Quantitative Skills	48	3	144	60 minutes	70	60
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	55	50
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	50	50
Total	120		360	120 minutes	208	196

NMAT 2014

MAT 2014 was quite predictable with respect to the pattern and the difficulty level. The exam was easy-to-moderate and the overall cut-off remained the same.

Section	No. of questions	Marks/Q	Total Marks	Time Allotted	Cut-off Mumbai campus)	Cut-off (Bengaluru and Hyderabad Campus)
Quantitative Skills	48	3	144	60 minutes	70	60
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	61	50
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	55	50
Total	120		360	120 minutes	209	196

NMAT 2020 is being conducted in an 88-day test window from 4th November 2020 to 30th January 2021 and like last year, it is being administrated by GMAC. NMAT has had a very standardized pattern in the last few years which has very low chances of changing drastically. With respect to the pattern and structure of the exam, candidates can heave a sigh of relief. The overall difficulty level too will be along similar lines. The overall cut-off is expected to be around 208-210, which is the range around which the last few years' cutoffs have hovered. We can expect a little ambiguity from the sectional difficulty levels and sectional cutoffs can fluctuate by small margins.

For NMAT 2016, Quantitative Skills sectional cut-off rose from 70 to 74, despite the presence of highly calculation-intensive Data Interpretation questions, as the standalone quant questions were easier than last year. This shows that there can be varying difficulty levels even within a single section. A candidate should try to attempt around 75-80 questions to make it to a safe score of between 210-230, after accounting for a few errors. Since sections are timed, understanding of fundamentals and the speed of attempting questions are the 'make or break' factors.

As there is no penalty for wrong answers, candidates should adopt a strategy wherein they attempt all the questions. About 80 questions out of 120 should be genuine attempts and the rest could be guesses/calculated risks based on elimination. If a candidate is purely guessing on the rest of the questions, then all the answer choices selected should be the same options as this maximizes the probability of getting a few of them correct!