NMAT Score vs Percentile

It is important to know the correlation between the NMAT score and the percentile for the MBA aspirants who are aiming to get admission to the best business schools in India. The GMAC NMAT (NMIMS Management Aptitude Test) has a complex scoring mechanism of converting the raw scores to scaled scores between 36 and 360, with each section scored between 12 and 120. 

The calculation of a percentile is an indicator of how the candidate has performed in comparison with other people who have taken the test, thus giving the necessary information for college choice and admission strategy.

NMAT Scoring System: Overview

The scoring system in the NMAT is based on the use of a scaled score to be fair to all the test sessions and levels of difficulty. Each correct response will be rated at 3 marks with no negative marking applied to incorrect responses. 

The exam is divided into three parts: 

• Language Skills (36 questions, 28 minutes)

• Quantitative Skills (36 questions, 52 minutes), 
• Logical Reasoning (36 questions, 40 minutes), 

and has 108 questions (120 minutes). Advanced test theory is used to translate raw scores into scaled scores and corrects for he variables of question difficulty and individual performance. This makes the scores of the various sessions of the test comparable and, therefore, a score of 240 in one of them is comparable to 240 in the other. The adaptive format also provides the high performers with more complicated questions.

How To Calculate NMAT Percentile?

NMAT percentile is the percentage of those who got a low score compared to one test taker, and gives an indicator of the relative performance. 

The calculation of the percentile uses the standard formula: 

Percentile = [1 – (Your Rank/Total Test Takers)] × 100. 

For instance, if 30,000 students appear for NMAT and a candidate achieves rank 200, their percentile would be calculated as [1 – (200/30,000)] × 100 = 99.33 percentile.

Percentiles are determined only after the full testing window has ended, but GMAC releases scaled scores as soon as the exam is finished, usually within 48 hours. Because the percentile calculation needs the entire dataset of test-takers’ performances, there is a delay. Each candidate’s position within the entire NMAT test-taking cohort for that specific year is reflected in their final percentile scores.

NMAT Score vs Percentile

Since the percentile system shows competitive positioning rather than absolute performance, it offers useful information for admission planning. A score in the 90th percentile indicates that the applicant outperformed 90% of other test takers, which entitles them to admission to some esteemed universities. 

Though percentiles are still computed internally for institutional use, it’s crucial to remember that GMAC has stopped publishing official percentiles on scorecards and is now primarily focused on scaled scores.

NMAT Score vs Percentile Analysis for Different Range Categories

The correlation between NMAT scores and percentiles becomes very different among the various levels of performance, and this forms unique groupings of admission opportunities. 

Candidates with a score of 254-263 will be able to attain a 99+ percentile, thus be very competitive in NMIMS Mumbai, which is the most competitive institution with NMAT scores accepted. This is an extraordinary performance score and can be almost guaranteed to receive calls across all the participating colleges.

The range of 240-253 equates to the 95th-98th percentile and puts the candidates in an advantageous position to join NMIMS Bangalore, Navi Mumbai, and other top-ranked organizations. Such a performance level depicts immense preparation and in-depth knowledge of all three parts. Members of this range have some admissions to top business schools.

The 225-240 point range generally produces 85th- 94th percentile and makes candidates applied to such schools as XIMB Bhubaneswar, KJ Somaiya Mumbai, and TAPMI Manipal eligible. This is an indication of good performance with high chances of gaining entry into good business schools. The 200-225 range will produce an approximate 70-85 percentile, which will give access to the second-tier institutions and regionally based business schools.

The lesser scores, especially below 200, are associated with a lower percentile, which is less than 70, restricting the avenues of admission to newer colleges or those with lower cutoff scores. Nevertheless, even these scores may obtain the MBA admission in new business schools or in specialized programs with particular admission requirements.

Top MBA Colleges Accepting NMAT Scores

In addition to NMIMS, many other reputable institutions use NMAT scores to take admission, with particular cut-off marks and admission criteria. 

Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB) has a range of scores between 200-220 (90+ percentile) that puts the school in the pack of the best business schools in India. XIMB is very competitive due to its academic excellence and good association with the industry.

KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai wants candidates with 220+ (90+ percentile) scores and specialization programmes with strong industry connections in Mumbai. T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal, has a minimum score of 195-210 (85-90 percentile) and has a good academic curriculum and good placements.

Great Lakes Institute of Management demands around 200+ marks (80-85 percentile), and has innovative course programs that are highly integrated with the industry. The Indian campus of the well-known Italian business school, the SDA Bocconi Asia Center Mumbai, allows a score of about 175+ (75-80 percentile), which offers global exposure and a global curriculum.

The accessible points of admission are provided in regional universities such as VIT University (180+ score, 85+ percentile), SRM Institute (180+ score, 80+ percentile), and Amity University (160 + score, 70 + percentile), where quality education is also provided. These colleges are good alternatives to applicants who are not able to reach the highest cutoffs.

Factors Influencing NMAT Percentile Variations

Several reasons cause differences in NMAT per centile calculations every year, and hence, score percentile relationships are dynamic and not fixed. 

The overall number of test-takers also has a strong effect on the distributions of percentiles, as the larger the number of people taking the test, the greater the competitive percentile requirements that are required by equivalent scaled scores. Competition tends to rise with an increase in the cutoffs and tougher requirements during the admissions process.

The level of difficulty of exams will differ among testing windows and sessions, but GMAC scaling methodology reduces the effects of these differences on the end-score. Nevertheless, even difficult or easy sets of questions may affect the overall distributions of scores and further percentile calculations. The adaptive testing format is conducive in terms of consistency, although there is still some variation in the system.

The scoring patterns also depend on the geographic and demographic factors since the levels of candidate preparation, the level of education, and access to coaches differ among regions. Urban candidates generally perform well based on the available preparatory materials, and rural candidates might not perform despite having the same levels of aptitude. Such discrepancies have an impact on the overall score distributions and percentile calculations.

The institutional policies and admission trends may conditionally affect the NMAT trends in performance because the applicants vary their preparation according to the evolving cutoff requirements and competition. Popular institutions that have been experiencing a greater volume of applications tend to have increments in candidate preparation intensity, resulting in a higher level of overall performance and higher percentile requirements.