CMAT 2021 Question Paper with Solutions: Download PDFs

Shubhangini Priyadarshi
Shubhangini Priyadarshi

Updated on - Dec 12, 2024

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. 

Candidates 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, candidates preparing for CMAT Exam, to be held on May 15, 2024, can click the links below for CMAT question paper 2021 PDF download to enhance their exam preparation. They can get a general idea about the CMAT exam pattern 2021 and the type of questions that can be asked in the exam.

CMAT 2021 Question Paper PDF

The direct links for CMAT 2021 question paper PDF download are provided below for shifts 1 and 2. Candidates 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 2021 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 2021 Question Paper

Candidates can click the links above for the CMAT question paper 2021 PDF download. Alternatively, candidates can follow the steps below to check and download the CMAT 2021 question paper PDF from the official website of NTA.

  • Step 1: Candidates must visit the official website of NTA at cmat.nta.nic.in.
  • Step 2: They must click the respective link for CMAT 2021 provided below the Candidate Activity section on the homepage.
  • Step 3: Candidates must enter their application number, date of birth, and security pin and click the 'Submit' button.
  • Step 4: They 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. Candidates can check and download the same for future use.

CMAT Question Paper 2021 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, candidates 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 2021

Based on the test taker's responses, the CMAT 2021 question 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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

The candidates can practice the CMAT Previous Question Papers to practice for the exam. This will serve as the best strategy for the candidates to get a good amount of practice and will help them to clear the CMAT entrance exam strategically.

The aspirants can download the previous year's paper's PDF files for free. CMAT 2018, 2019, and 2020 question papers can be downloaded from the links shared below.

CMAT Previous Year Papers
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

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