The GMAT exam is completed in less than 3 hours and 30 minutes, including two optional breaks. The following is the GMAT format:

During the exam, a candidate can take two “8-minute breaks.”

GMAT format is divided into four sections, as we described in the GMAT Paper Pattern section above. The GMAT exam structure is intended to assess specific skillsets in applicants. Read on to know more about each GMAT paper pattern 2021.

Analytical Writing Evaluation

This component evaluates the candidate’s critical thinking and communication skills. The candidate will be asked to analyse and criticize a particular argument. Typically, the issues are of general interest. This portion assesses the candidate’s ability to organize their thoughts and support their opinions with evidence.

Integrated Deductive Reasoning

Candidates must analyse and evaluate the information offered in various formats in this section. The questions in this part will put your numerical and linguistic abilities to the test.

• Multi-source reasoning: You must compare, interpret, or apply information offered in tables, graphs, diagrams, written passages, and other visual representations in these problems.

• Table analysis: A candidate must determine statistics, ratios, probabilities, or proportions from a spreadsheet-like table in these questions.

• Graphics interpretation: Fill-in-the-blanks questions will be asked based on bar graphs, bubble graphs, and line graphs provided.

• Two-part analysis: Candidates must analyse trade-offs, compute proportions, and select responses presented in a tabular style in these questions.

Quantitative Analysis

It assesses a candidate’s ability to analyse data and draw conclusions based on their reasoning abilities.

• Inequalities, equations, functions, exponents, and absolute value are all covered in algebra.

• Circles, lines, and angles, solids, coordinate geometry, and polygons are all examples of geometry.

• Arithmetic: fractions, decimals, percentages, discrete probability counting procedures, and sets

• Time and work, rate, simple and compound interest, discounts, profit and loss, data interpretation, measurement issues, and geometry questions are all examples of word problems.

Reasoning with words

This component decides candidates’ abilities to comprehend evaluate arguments, written material, and edit written material to meet Standard English requirements.

• Reading comprehension: You must refer to a passage of up to 350 words and respond to questions based on the primary idea, supporting ideas, context, style, and tone, among other things.

• Critical reasoning: These questions assess a candidate’s ability to evaluate arguments and formulate/evaluate action plans.

• Sentence correction: These questions are divided into the following categories: agreement, grammatical construction, logical predication, parallelism, idiom, verb form, and rhetorical structure.

Eligibility Criteria for the GMAT

Nationality

The GMAT is open to people from all over the world. As defined by GMAC, guidelines are applied equally to everyone, regardless of their nation of origin. Different GMAT test locations have other requirements for identity evidence that must be shown at the GMAT time. Assume that a test taker from India must present a passport as proof of identity when taking the GMAT. Aadhar Card is now widely accepted as a form of identification.

Qualifications in Education

It is recommended that test-takers for GMAT have graduated from a reputable university. Working professionals make up a large portion of GMAT exam takers.

Age Restriction

The GMAC has not specified an upper age limit for the candidate. It is generally preferable to be 18 years old. If a test taker is between 13 and 17, a permission letter from their parents is required.

Minimum Cut-off Point

There are no cut-off marks for taking the GMAT. A GMAT score is required for admission to the top business schools in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Experiential Learning

Every year, many test-takers with a minimum of 3-4 years of work experience sit for the GMAT. Top business schools prefer candidates with industrial experience. Following the start of the application process, the admissions committee assesses the applicant’s job experience and how it relates to the future business environment.

Attempting the GMAT limit

There are only a few prerequisites for taking the GMAT.

• Only 16 days after the planned date can one retake the GMAT.

• A candidate can take the GMAT only five times a year.

• A test taker can only take the exam eight times in their lives.

• If an applicant receives the highest possible GMAT score, they must wait five years to repeat the exam.

• The test taker must register for each GMAT attempt.

Instructional Media

A candidate from any country with a native language other than English can take the GMAT. For English language competency, the majority of these test takers must take IELTS or TOEFL. One can ace the exam brilliantly with sufficient preparation.

GMAT Palm Vein Identification

GMAC takes this precaution to prevent forgery during tests. Candidates must produce a palm vein impression as identification at the time of check-in. The palm vein reader biometric makes it impossible for someone to take the GMAT on someone else’s behalf. This step is being done to ensure that the exam is fair.

Reservation Criteria for the GMAT

For students with disabilities, particular reservation criteria are in place. To be eligible under this provision, a candidate must meet the following requirements:

As a GMAT test taker, you must include all of the following information in your application:

• The presence of a disability that significantly limits the main life activity compared to most persons.

• The present result of your disability and how it affects your ability to take the exam under normal circumstances.

• A justification for why the accommodation(s) is/are required and reasonable in light of your disability

The following categories are taken into account while determining disability:

•Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• Learning and cognition problems

• Physical and mental impairments

• Disabilities of the Mind

• Sensory Impairment (Hearing or Vision)

Enhanced Home GMAT Scoring Scheme: 

The GMAT home variant’s evaluation technique is the same as the test centre-based variants. It uses the same score scaling method, increments, and total score as the test-based GMAT exam.

It also assures that the student’s compatibility and comfortability with the online GMAT exam are equivalent to the test-based GMAT exam.

Candidates now can take the GMAT online exams twice and upload their scores to as many business schools as they like. You can also choose the better of the two scores and send it to business schools. You may always switch back to the GMAT offline option if you decide to take an online exam and it doesn’t work for you.

It should be noted that the online exam scores will not appear on the official score report for the GMAT taken in a test centre. You can do the following:

• Use both physical and virtual whiteboards.

• Schedule an exam a day ahead of time to take advantage of the available testing opportunities.

• You can schedule an exam at any time of day.

• To take the GMAT, you can use any operating system. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are supported.

• GMAT is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Linux, UNIX, Mac OS, and other operating systems at home. You can even use your phone to access it.

• You can complete all of your b-school requirements from the comfort of your own home.

The GMAT is a computer-adaptive test

The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative parts of the GMAT format are computer-adaptive out of the four sections. It means that the test’s difficulty level changes depending on the test taker’s skill.

This feature enables the test to assess a candidate’s abilities with pinpoint accuracy. This is why business schools rely on GMAT exam scores when deciding whether or not to admit applicants.

The first question, whether in the Quantitative or Verbal sections, is of moderate difficulty. As the test taker moves through the questions, the computer scores them and utilizes them, along with your responses, to answer the following question. If your first question is wrong, the next question will be more straightforward.

If you correctly answer the second question, the next question will be more difficult. This process continues until the candidate’s ability in that particular subject is appropriately assessed.

What does it imply to say that the GMAT is a computer adaptive?

The GMAT’s delivery is primarily computer adaptive. The GMAT’s quantitative and verbal reasoning components are entire “computer adaptable.” Computer adaptive tests are personalised testing that adapts the level of difficulty based on the candidate’s ability.

It automatically normalizes a candidate’s score depending on their response choices. The first question in each of these sections is always a medium-difficulty question.

If a candidate correctly answers this question, he will be asked a somewhat more challenging question. If a candidate fails to answer it correctly, the next question will be slightly more complicated. These exams, which were billed as “state of the art,” were designed to scale each candidate’s ability individually, rather than the “one size fits all” approach used by most test organizers.

Candidates benefit from this type of evaluation since it allows them to answer specific questions in a short amount of time. This is because it only asks questions that are related to the candidate’s studies.

Furthermore, the test has been built to respond to the candidates’ cognitive ability. Online scoring is a new feature of GMAT computer-adaptive assessment.

GMAT administrators believe it is more practical to obtain a computed score, and candidates receive test results (unofficial scorecard) immediately after the examination is completed.

The benefits of taking the GMAT

There are number of benefits of taking GMAT. Many opportunities are available to MBA grades mainly. According to a GMAC (GMAT test administrator) survey of corporate recruiters, 9 out of 10 organizations select applicants with an MBA over those with only a bachelor’s degree.

Seventy-five percent of organizations in the Asia Pacific region are primarily looking for overseas MBA candidates. Nearly 92 percent of well-known corporations prefer to hire MBAs as management trainees.