NMAT 2021 Exam Analysis and Expected Cutoff

Overview of NMAT 2021

Let’s take a look at the individual section-wise analysis of NMAT 2021 based on the feedback given by our students

Language Skills (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

Overview: The Language Skills section was balanced with questions from Reading Comprehension (3 passages), Parajumbles, Grammar and Vocabulary based questions, each of the topics being equally stressed upon.

Complexity Level –Easy to Moderate
No of questions – 36

The Section Division is tabulated below:

Topic	No. of Questions
Reading Comprehension	12
Parajumbles	4
Analogy	6
Fill in the blanks (Grammar and Vocabulary)	4
Fill in the blanks (Prepositions)	4
Spot the error/ Identify the correct usage	6

Quantitative Skills (Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation)

Overview: The Quantitative Skills section of NMAT 2021 contained 3 sets of Data Interpretation amounting to 33 per cent of the section. The rest of the section was Arithmetic, Algebra and Modern Math (PNC and Probability) heavy. The number of questions from the Number System was abysmal. As expected, there was no question of Geometry

Complexity Level –Easy to moderate
No of questions – 36

The Section Division is tabulated below:

Topic	No. of Questions
Percentage	2
Ratio and Proportion/ Average	2
Time Speed and Distance	1
Time and Work	1
Profit Loss	2
Number System	3
Data Interpretation	12
Data Sufficiency	4
Algebra	5
Mensuration	0
Permutation and Combination / Probablility	4

Logical Reasoning (Logical Reasoning and Critical Reasoning)

Overview: The logical reasoning section took students by surprise as Verbal reasoning came all guns blazing. Like NMAT 2020, Verbal reasoning comprised more than 50 per cent of the Logical Reasoning section in NMAT 2021. However, the overall level of difficulty of the questions was easy to moderate.

Complexity Level - Moderate
No of questions - 36

Topic	No. of Questions
Analytical Reasoning
Input - Output	4
Arrangement	4
Grouping	4
Venn Diagram based	3
Figure based Numerical reasoning	1
Permutation and Combination	1
Verbal Reasoning
Statement – Assumption - Conclusion	3
Course of Action – Decision Making	2
Decision Making	2
Strong Argument / Weak Argument	5
Verbal Reasoning/ Verbal Logic	4
Syllogisms	3

Overall, the difficulty level of NMAT 2021 is moderate in terms of the questions asked. However, it also depends on the ability of the candidate as NMAT 2021 is a “Computer-Adaptive” exam. All these sections have been modified in many aspects.

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

Read Detailed NMAT 2020 Analysis

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 2018

The difficulty level of the exam in 2018 was parallel to the difficulty level in NMAT 2017. However, for NMAT 2018 the NMAT cut off reduced by 1 mark.

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	60
Logical Reasoning	40	3	120	38 minutes	60	50
Language Skills	32	3	96	22 minutes	57	55
Total	120		360	120 minutes	209	200

Read complete NMAT 2018 Analysis.

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

Read complete NMAT 2017 Analysis.

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

Read complete NMAT 2016 Analysis.

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

Read complete NMAT 2015 Analysis.

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

Read complete NMAT 2014 Analysis.

NMAT 2020 is being conducted in an 88-day test window from 4^th November 2020 to 30^th 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!