CMAT Feb 2014: Get ready for Feb 20-24; CMAT results to be out on March 14

The second AICTE Common Management Admission Test or CMAT for MBA admissions 2014 is now just a few weeks away! The test will be held all across India for five days starting Feb 20, 2014. The results are expected to be declared on 14th March 2013.

For all those who are unsatisfied with their CAT 2013 or XAT 2014 results, have a chance to score high marks in CMAT February 2014 and take admission in some of the leading B schools.

CMAT is the official gateway for admissions into the University MBA programs in thirteen states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Karnataka. The governments have officially notified CMAT as their official test. In addition, many B-schools offering PGDM programs will also be using the CMAT scores. This article goes to satisfy doubts and queries hovering in the minds of MBA aspirants, who are taking CMAT, but are not clear on many issues.

AICTE CMAT is conducted twice a year. For admissions to academic year 2014-15, the first CMAT exam was conducted from 26th September 2013 30th September 2013. The second CMAT exam for admissions to the academic year 2014-15 will be conducted from 20th Feb 2014 to 24th Feb 2014. AICTE has recommended that if a candidate takes both the tests, the better of two scores should be used for admission for 2014-15.
The states that have notified CMAT as the official examination for their state university MBA programs are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Haryana, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

How important is CMAT February 2014:
There are more than 10 prominent management entrance exams in India. CAT, XAT, CMAT, NMAT, SNAP, MAT, ATMA are prominent tests. Apart from these, the regulation allows each University to conduct its own entrance test. So apart from NMIMS which holds NMAT and Symbiosis which holds SNAP, many Universities like KIIT University hold their own entrance tests too. State Governments too hold their own entrance test like MH CET, GCET, HP-CMAT, Karnataka CAT, MET, OMAT, RMAT, UP SEE, held by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh Governments respectively.

In 2012, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the government appointed regulator for technical education in India, announced and started conducting its own entrance test Combined Management Admission Test or CMAT.

AICTE recommends all institutes offering MBA and PGDM courses to use CMAT for their admissions.
In a recent interview with MBAUniverse.com, Dr S S Mantha, chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) said that students suffer financial cost and hardships as they tend to take a number of entrance tests. Sometimes, dates of the exams overlap. There is the question of high exam fees as well. All these things have led to the launch of CMAT, Dr Mantha said.

More than 400 institutes will accept CMAT February 2014 scores:
There is some confusion here amongst the students, which needs to be clarified.

AICTE website says, CMAT is the only test for admission in MBA Programmes in AICTE approved institutions and University Departments of all the states, and one of the five tests for PGDM programmes for 2014-15.
CMAT, though is not a universal B-school entrance test yet 411 institutes across the country will accept CMAT scores for admission 2014.

IIMs use CAT exclusively for their admissions. They also accept GMAT scores for NRI/foreign candidates.

However, not all PGDM B-schools use CMAT. Some top B-schools like XLRI, MDI, IMI, BIMTECH do not use CMAT scores for their admissions. But many other PGDM schools do use it. So you have to check this information on a case to case basis.

The biggest beneficiaries of CMAT currently are those students who intend to take admissions into MBA programs falling under State Universities. So you dont need to take any other test to apply to MBA programs in these states.

CMAT FEB 2014: TEST DURATION & PATTERN
Like CAT, CMAT is on line computer based test (CBT). Talking about the computer based pattern of the test, AICTE mentions, Each candidate will be seated at a desk with a computer terminal and scratch paper for rough work. After the test, candidates must leave the scratch paper at the desk.
The test comprises multiple choice questions. According to AICTE, the test is divided in 4 sections. There will be 25 questions in each section. The total duration is 3 hours.

The sections are

Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation
Logical Reasoning
Language Comprehension
General Awareness

Students can move back and forth between the four sections. There will be negative marking of one mark for each wrong answer.
How to prepare for CMAT FEB 2014
In order to prepare for CMAT, lets take a look at the components of each of the above sections briefly.

Quantitative aptitude & data interpretation
Questions in this section are usually single and are not based on sets. The topics from which questions are selected are: arithmetic (ratios, mixtures, work, averages, profit & loss, basic statistics etc), number properties, probability and counting principles with an odd question in geometry and derivatives (i.e. maxima minima). Questions on data interpretation (table and pie-chart) will require basic calculation skills.

Logical Reasoning
The section is a mix of the topics from arrangements (linear, seating, sequencing & arranging with conditions) to coding. The other questions are based on statement-conclusion, logical puzzle, numerical puzzle, Venn Diagram, true/false statements, visual reasoning, etc.

Language comprehension
There are short parajumbles (comprising four- five sentences), Expression based- a statement/idiomatic expression is given and the right meaning of the same is to be selected from the followed options. Passage based questions in this question also make a prominent presence in English language. The reading comprehension passages are not very long. Other questions in this section are based on words or phrases. The vocabulary questions come from synonyms & antonyms, fill in the blanks, idioms, etc. Difficulty level is moderate.

General awareness
This section will be tough for those who are not updated on current affairs. Otherwise, most of the questions will be doable. Keep yourself updated on current affairs, science, biology, political history, political geography and arts & culture.

CMAT 2014: What do you need on exam date?
A typical testing day for CMAT will have 2 exam sessions. Session timings are as follows:
Session 1: Testing will begin at 9:30 AM. Candidates are required to arrive at the test centre not later than 8:00 AM for Security checks, Identity verification, and check-in.
Session 2: Testing will begin at 2:30 PM. Candidates are required to arrive at the test centre not later than 1:00 PM.
All those students who have registered for February CMAT 2014 can take the printout of their Admit Card from 5th Feb by visiting CMAT website The admit card will contain the name of the candidate, CMAT Roll number, test date, time, reporting time at the venue, venue name, venue address and instructions for the candidate. Admit Card is a mandatory requirement in order to take the test. You must bring a print out of your Admit Card to the test centre.

CMAT 2014: Documents needed on the test day
1. ATTESTED COPY of CMAT 2014-15 (Second Test) Admit Card with recent passport size photo pasted on it.
2. At least one original (not photocopied / scanned copy) and valid (not expired) photo identification.
3. SC/ST candidates are required to bring the valid caste certificate in original and an attested photocopy.
4. Physically Disabled candidates are required to bring the valid Disability certificate in original and an attested photocopy.

CMAT 2014 Results:
CMAT February 2014 results are expected to be declared on 14th March 2013.
According to AICTE, CMAT results have been designed to rank all the candidates who appear in the test based on their aptitude towards the management education in the order of their merit.
The CMAT February 2014 exam score along with CMAT Sep 2013 exam score will be valid for the admissions to academic year 2014-15. CMAT 2014 results will be declared on March 14, 2014.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more news on CMAT February 2014 and CMAT results 2014