By the Online Coaching 4u team

Last updated: 21 August 2026.

NMAT 2026 registration and exam-slot booking went live as scheduled on 20 August 2026 at mba.com, confirming the testing-cycle dates GMAC had previously announced. With the application window now actually open, the details that matter most are the fee structure and how the slot-booking process works — both of which GMAC has published in full.

What's actually confirmed

Registration is open now and closes 10 October 2026; exam-slot booking runs slightly longer, staying open until 22 October 2026. The test-registration fee is Rs 2,800 plus applicable taxes, and a retake costs the same, Rs 2,800 plus taxes. Rescheduling an already-booked slot costs Rs 1,200 plus taxes, and each additional official score report beyond the first five sent automatically costs Rs 300. Candidates get up to three attempts total during the testing window — one initial attempt plus two retakes — and a no-show still counts as a used attempt, so a booked slot that isn't taken still consumes one of the three. The exam delivery window itself runs 2 November to 20 December 2026 across 70-plus Indian test cities, and NMAT remains a computer-adaptive test with no negative marking and candidate-chosen section order on exam day.

What this means for aspirants

Registering and booking a slot are two separate steps on mba.com — creating an account and completing the application form comes first, followed by choosing a preferred test date, time and centre once payment clears. GMAC's own guidance is to book a slot as early as possible after registering rather than waiting, since popular cities and preferred time slots fill on a first-come, first-served basis as the window progresses toward its 22 October close. Because a no-show still burns an attempt, it's worth booking a slot only once a test date is realistic, rather than reserving a placeholder far in advance. Anyone also sitting CAT 2026 should note the overlap: CAT registration closes 15 September, well before NMAT's own 10 October cutoff, so there's no scheduling conflict in registering for both, and NMAT's much longer 45-day test window gives more flexibility on picking an exact date than CAT's single exam day.

Important pointers

Last updated: 21 August 2026. Source: mba.com/exams/nmat (official GMAC registration, fee and scheduling details).