IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern comprises information on topics to be prepared, exam mode, test language, type of questions, marks allotted to each question or section, etc. This year, IGNOU OPENMAT will be held in the CBT or Computer Based Test mode in more than 100 cities in India. The question paper shall contain 200 questions, which have to be attempted in 180 minutes.
IGNOU OPENMAT is a national-level entrance exam, which is held twice every year (in July and January) for the admission of eligible candidates to IGNOU’s MBA/PGDM programmes. This year IGNOU OPENMAT exam date 2022 will not be conducted.
Buddy4Study has compiled all the information on the updated IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern in this article.
IGNOU OPENMAT Status and Updates –
- GNOU has decided not to conduct the OPENMAT aptitude entrance examination for the year 2022. The OPENMAT entrance examination has been exempted for July 2022 and January 2022 sessions. Students interested can directly apply for the MBA courses through the online registration link before the due date.
- Fresh admission for IGNOU OPENMAT 2022 July session started on 30th May 2022 and is currently ongoing. The last date to apply for the IGNOU OPENMAT admission 2022 is 31st July 2022.
- The assignment submission deadline for IGNOU June TEE 2022 has been extended until 30th June 2022.
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Key Highlights
Candidates who have registered and applied for IGNOU OPENMAT should go through the exam pattern thoroughly before attempting the exam. Here are a few key points that they should keep in mind:
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam name | Indira Gandhi National Open University Open Management Aptitude Test (OPENMAT) |
| Exam Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Official Website | ignou.nta.nic.in |
| Duration of Exam | 3 Hours or 180 minutes |
| Examination Mode | CBT/ Computer Based Test (Online) |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Type of Questions | Objective/Multiple-Choice (MCQ) |
| Number of Questions | 200 |
| Allotment of Marks |
Total Marks – 200 |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for Every Correct AnswerNo Negative Marking for Incorrect Answers or Unattempted Answers |
| Exam Shift | 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Mock Test Preparation | https://www.nta.ac.in/Quiz |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Section-wise Distribution of Questions
As per NTA’s official announcement, there will be 4 sections in the IGNOU OPENMAT exam. Each section will carry a different number of questions to test the aptitude of the candidates. The reasoning section will contain the maximum number of questions followed by Quantitative Aptitude, General Knowledge and English language.
Candidates can get a know-how of the IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern, check the sectional distribution of questions and marks and prepare accordingly for the exam.
Distribution of Questions and Marks
| Test Sections | Subjects | Maximum Questions | Maximum Marks |
| Test I | General Awareness | 30 | 30 |
| Test II | English Language | 50 | 50 |
| Test III | Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 |
| Test IV | Reasoning Ability | 70 | 70 |
| Total | 200 | 200 |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Syllabus & Section-wise Weightage of Questions
Indira Gandhi National Open University has released the IGNOU OPENMAT syllabus along with the official instruction manual. Candidates can find both by visiting the official website or clicking here. The syllabus of IGNOU OPENMAT is divided into 4 sections. It comprises national-level questions on General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
Based on the previous years’ IGNOU OPENMAT question papers, candidates can check the weightage of questions as per topics to prepare better for the upcoming OPENMAT July session examination.
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern for General Knowledge Section – Topic-wise Weightage of Questions
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| General Science | 7 |
| General Knowledge | 6 |
| National Events | 4 |
| Person, Places, Awards | 3 |
| History of India | 3 |
| World Organizations | 2 |
| Sports | 1 |
| Sports Events | 1 |
| Countries | 1 |
| Democratic Polity | 1 |
| General Economic Study | 1 |
| TOTAL | 30 |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern for English Language Section – Topic-wise Weightage of Questions
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| English Comprehension | 15 |
| Sentence Improvement | 10 |
| Antonyms | 5 |
| Synonyms | 5 |
| Choose Analogous Pair | 5 |
| Idioms and Phrases | 5 |
| Pair of Words | 5 |
| TOTAL | 50 |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern for Quantitative Aptitude Section – Topic-wise Weightage of Questions
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| Number System | 7 |
| Simplification | 6 |
| Table | 5 |
| Algebraic Equations | 4 |
| Average | 2 |
| Clocks and Discount | 2 |
| Logarithms | 2 |
| Area and Parameter | 2 |
| Volume and Surface Area | 1 |
| Compound Interest | 2 |
| Ages | 2 |
| Square Root | 2 |
| Probability | 2 |
| LCM and HCF | 1 |
| Percentage | 1 |
| Calendar | 1 |
| Decimals and Fractions | 1 |
| Sets | 1 |
| Permutation and Combinations | 1 |
| Profit and Loss | 1 |
| Problems on Train | 1 |
| Time and Work | 1 |
| Mixture and Allegation | 1 |
| Pipes and Cisterns | 1 |
| TOTAL | 50 |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern for Reasoning Section – Topic-wise Weightage of Questions
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| Analytical Reasoning | 15 |
| Cubes And Dice Questions | 5 |
| Decision Making | 5 |
| Logical Diagrams | 5 |
| Logical Reasoning | 5 |
| Blood Relations | 5 |
| Number Analogy Test | 5 |
| Complete Word Analogy | 4 |
| Number Test | 4 |
| Mixed And Substitution Coding | 4 |
| Ranking Test | 4 |
| Direction And Distance | 3 |
| Number Series Test | 3 |
| Letter Series Test | 2 |
| Letter Test | 1 |
| TOTAL | 70 |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Marking Scheme
Candidates will get 4 options for every question. For every correct answer, they will be awarded 1 mark. Besides, IGNOU OPENMAT does not follow the negative marking system.
IGNOU OPENMAT Marking Scheme
| Type of Answers | Marks Allotted |
| Correct Answer | +1 |
| Unattempted question | No marks awarded or deducted |
| Wrong Answer | 0 (No Negative Marking) |
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Previous Years’ Question Papers
Buddy4Study has compiled previous years’ question papers in the below table. The sample paper for IGNOU OPENMAT 2022 can also be downloaded. Candidates can download these to understand the IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern thoroughly and prepare for the upcoming examination accordingly.
IGNOU OPENMAT Previous Years’ Papers
| Question Papers | Links |
| IGNOU OPENMAT Sample Entrance Question Paper for 2020 | CLICK HERE |
| IGNOU-OPENMAT-2019-Question-Paper | CLICK HERE |
| OPENMAT XLII 2017 Question Paper | CLICK HERE |
| OPENMAT XLI 2017 Question Paper | CLICK HERE |
| OPENMAT XL 2016 Question Paper | CLICK HERE |
| OPENMAT XXXI 2012 Question Paper | CLICK HERE |
*Please Note – The question paper for 2020 is just a sample paper. Link to the actual question paper will be mentioned once it’s available.
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Online Test Instructions
Candidates must follow the online test instructions and guidelines set by the IGNOU OPENMAT authority. The test instructions will help the candidates to attempt the computer-based exam without any hassles. Given below is a list of online test instructions set by the IGNOU panel:
- The candidate/s must report at the examination centre at least an hour before the allotted exam time
- Candidates arriving at the examination centre even 1 minute late than the allotted exam time will not be allowed to sit for the examination
- The candidate/s must compulsorily bring the admit card (hard copy). The test centre officials will verify it and then allow the candidate to sit for the examination
- Admit cards must be in good condition. Dismantled, disfigured or mutilated admit cards that compromise the details of the candidate will not be accepted
- Candidates will only be allowed to carry a blue or black ballpoint pen, photo ID proof and hard copy of admit card inside the examination hall
- Candidates will not be allowed to carry mathematical/log tables, electronic watches, calculators, pager and cell phone inside the examination hall
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – Recommended Books
There is no specific syllabus on which the IGNOU OPENMAT test is based. Candidates need to prepare well for the topics highlighted as per the IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern to score well in the upcoming entrance test.
Buddy4Study advises candidates to prepare well for their upcoming exam with the help of the below-mentioned books that are recommended by candidates who cracked the exam successfully in the previous years and got admission in MBA/Management streams.
| Book Name | Publication/Author |
| NTA IGNOU OPENMAT Entrance Exam Guide Book | Neeraj Publications |
| GPH OPENMAT Management Entrance Guide | Gullybaba Publications |
| BOOK HIVE INDIA RESOURCE BOOK TO MBA IGNOU (OPENMAT) | BHI EDITORIALS |
| Manorama Yearbook 2020 | Mammen Mathew |
| STUDY MATERIALS FOR IGNOU OPENMAT | Saurav sir’s classes |
| Quantitative Aptitude for competitive examination | RS Agarwal |
| A Perfect Solution of Management Entrance Exam/OPENMAT | Suraj |
| Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi |
MBA Courses Offered At IGNOU
From a list of management programmes (available through IGNOU OPENMAT), candidates can opt for their preferred course before registering themselves for the OPENMAT entrance test. The different management programmes under IGNOU OPENMAT 2022 are listed below:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management (PGDMM)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Operations Management (PGDOM)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Markets Practice (PGDFMP)
The programmes mentioned above are offered via a countrywide network of study centres affiliated with IGNOU. The university enrols candidates for the above-mentioned Management Degrees or Diplomas through the IGNOU OPENMAT.
IGNOU OPENMAT Exam Pattern – FAQs
How many times is IGNOU OPENMAT conducted in a year?
IGNOU OPENMAT entrance test is conducted twice every year.
What is the duration of IGNOU OPENMAT exam?
The exam duration is 180 minutes (3 hours) without any break.
In which format are the questions asked in the IGNOU OPENMAT 2022 exam?
As per the IGNOU OPENMAT exam pattern, candidates will find questions asked in Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) format.
What is the age limit for IGNOU OPENMAT?
There is no age limit to apply for IGNOU OPENMAT.
Is there any negative marking in IGNOU OPENMAT exam?
No. IGNOU OPENMAT does not follow the negative marking system.
Is IGNOU MBA recognized by the government?
Yes. The MBA programme (for which the IGNOU OPENMAT entrance takes place twice every year) is recognized by Association of Indian Universities (AIU), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grant Commission (UGC-DEB).
Is IGNOU valid in the USA or other foreign countries?
The degree from IGNOU University is considered valid and acceptable in foreign countries. This is because IGNOU is a recognized university under UGC and is duly acknowledged by the Indian Government.
