MAT 2026: Sept Registration (Started), Dates, Syllabus, Pattern

There is no age limit for MAT. Candidates who are fresh graduates or working professionals in any phase of their career are eligible for it. So, essentially they must be at least 20 years old.

MAT and CMAT have similar syllabus but the difficulty level is different. Both exams have Quantitative Aptitude Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation, English and General Knowledge. CMAT has an additional section - Innovation and Entrepreneurship which was introduced in 2021. While MAT is an easy exam, CMAT is moderately tough but to say which is better totally depends upon the college a candidate is targeting for MBA Admission. The participating colleges for both exams are different. If a candidate's dream college accepts MAT score, then they appear for MAT but if their dream college accepts CMAT then they should appear for CMAT. The CMAT exam is conducted by the NTA only once in a year but MAT is conducted multiple times in a year. AIMA conducts MAT in February, May, September and December. So, unlike CMAT MAT gives a candidate the choice to appear for the exam when they are well prepared and improve test score in the same academic session. The benefit of CMAT or MAT is that former is accepted by all government and state universities/institutes whereas latter is accepted by mostly private institutes.

There is no minimum marks requirement in graduation for MAT, but B Schools have minimum academic criteria of 50% in graduation (45% for Reserved categories) for full time MBA programmes.

Yes, you are eligible to apply for MAT. The main eligibility criteria is graduation from a recognised university. Education mode can be regular or correspondence.

MAT exam is conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA). The examination body conducts the exam to help over 250 plus B Schools shortlist best candidates for their full time MBA programmes.

No, candidates have to appear for MAT exam at the test centre mentioned in their admit card. They will not be allowed to enter any other test centre.

MAT scorecard is the main document which is the identity proof of a candidate qualifying the exam. Thus it is not only necessary to keep a copy of the scorecard but also necessary to have an error free scorecard. After downloading the MAT result cum scorecard the candidates must check it thoroughly for errors. Each candidate's MAT result cum scorecard will contain the following information: 1. Candidate's name 2. Candidate's roll number 3. Candidate's form number 4. Degree 5. Work experience 6. Candidate's gender 7. Candidate's category 8. Test date 9. Candidate's date of birth 10. MAT sectional scores 11. MAT overall score 12. MAT composite scores 13. MAT percentile In case there is any error in the MAT scorecard (specifically personal details of the candidate) then the test taker must reach out to the AIMA MAT admission cell to get it rectified as faulty scorecards may not be accepted by colleges.

MAT mock test practice is essential but not enough. You will need to go through the MAT syllabus and understand the fundamentals of all topics, only then you'll be able to crack questions in mock test.

No, there is no provision of changing the MAT IBT exam slot after the admit card has been released. Each session of the MAT IBT exam is conducted in two slots: 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Candidates get the option to select the MAT IBT session at the time of filling the application form. They can select their preference in the application form as per their convenience. Later on there will be no way to change the preference. Once the MAT admit card is released, candidates must check their slot and make preparation for taking the exam in remote proctored mode accordingly. They should arrange for high-speed internet connectivity, a laptop/desktop with functional webcam and download the tools/specifications as prescribed by the AIMA for MAT IBT. Candidates should also arrange for a room which is well lit and disturbance free for taking the MAT IBT exam.

Since, MAT exam is conducted only for admission to MBA and PGDM/PGP courses. It is a post graduate level business aptitude test comprising Quantitative Aptitude critical reasoning, data interpretation, data sufficiency, language comprehension and general awareness.

Given below are the topics included in the MAT syllabus:

• MAT Syllabus for Language: Comprehension Verb, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, Parts of Speech, Sentence Correction, Fill in the Blanks, Antonyms and Synonyms, One Word Substitution, Idioms/Phrases, Para Jumbles, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Verbal Ability, etc. 
• MAT Syllabus for Intelligence & Critical Reasoning: Family Tree, Course of Action, Arrangement, Pie Chart, Calendars, Statement Conclusions, Strong Arguments and Weak Arguments, Puzzles, Series, Blood Relations, Coding and Decoding, Column Graphs, Multi-Dimensional Arrangements, Visual Reasoning, Numeric Grid, Critical Reasoning, Syllogisms, Graphs Representing Areas MAT Syllabus for Data Analysis and Sufficiency: Tables, Charts, Pie Charts, Caselet-based Data, Graphs - Line X-Y Graphs, Venn Diagram, Bar Diagrams, Data Analysis and Data Comparison, Data Sufficiency 
• MAT Syllabus for Mathematical Skills: LCM and HCF, Commercial Maths Complex Numbers, Percentages, Permutation and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Profit and Loss, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Heights and Distance, Inequalities, Speed, Time and Distance, Triangles Set Theory, Number System Circles, Mixtures and Alligations, Elementary Mathematics, Geometry, Venn Diagrams, Trigonometry Equations, Linear Programming
• MAT Syllabus for Economic and Business Environment Section: Current Affairs World Records, Business and Economy, Companies and CEOs, Awards and Winners, Books and Authors, Company Punchlines, History, International Organisation, Quotes and Personalities, Social Issues, Geography, Sports, Arts, Entertainment, Technology.

MAT CBT and PBT admit cards are neither same nor can be used interchangeably for verification. Candidates have to carry MAT exam session and mode specific admit card to the test centre.

No, MAT eligibility is not different for PBT and CBT. Whether the candidate chooses PBT or CBT, they must have completed graduation or be in the final year of Bachelor's degree programme.

MAT has 2 sections which are completely Maths based – Mathematical Skills and Data Interpretation, so it is not possible to crack MAT without having a good control over this subject.

Difficulty level of MAT exam is lower than other MBA entrance exams. The question paper is usually of easy to moderate difficulty level. The exam is now held for 120 minutes. There are now 150 questions in the exam paper. There is no sectional time limit in MAT which allows the candidate to plan a strategy according to their strengths and weaknesses. The score of Indian and Global Environment section is not considered for percentile calculation thus candidates don't have the stress of fifth section. Also, solving 150 questions is not mandatory so candidates can choose to solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately. Sectional difficulty level of MAT is also lower than other MBA exams. Candidates can attempt the exam multiple times in the same academic year to improve their score. They also have the option to choose the mode of test - CBT, IBT, PBT - which makes it the most student friendly exam. Also, the MAT cut offs for admission are much lower as compared to other entrance exams. 

Yes, you can. There is no cap on the number of attempts in MAT. Infact, MAT aims to cater to MBA aspirants in such a way that they do not have to waste a year to improve their entrance exam score. MAT is conducted in multiple sessions in four phases – February, May, August and December. An aspirant can appear for the MAT any number of times in a year. They can use the best exam score for MBA admission.

Yes, you can attempt MAT exam as many times as you want. MAT is conducted multiple times in a year, in February, May, September and December. If a candidate is not satisfied with their score of first attempt, they can choose any upcoming session to appear for it again.