What are the dos and don'ts for MAT CBT and PBT?

MAT exam is conducted in strict vigilance and a lot of care is taken to prevent impersonation, cheating, etc. Candidates are expected to follow guidelines set by the examination authorities for smooth and orderly conduct of the exam. Given below are certain dos and don'ts that candidates need to follow at the time of giving MAT. MAT exam dos 1. Reach the test centre as per the reporting time mentioned on the MAT admit card 2. Incase of IBT mode, log on to the test system as per the time mentioned on the admit card 3. Present all the relevant documents asked for identification 4. Cooperate in frisking and identification process 5. Divide your time in such way that you are able to solve a good enough number of questions in each session 6. MAT has negative marking so choose the questions carefully. Leave those whose answers you don't know. MAT exam don'ts 1. Don't be late to the test centre. The entry gates will be closed 15 minutes before the commencement of the exam and no entry will be allowed thereafter 2. In case of IBT mode, do not log in late 3. Do not carry prohibited items like notes, books, phone, calculator, watch, ipad, etc. 4. Do not wear metal items and accessories to the exam centre 5. Do not wear outfits with caps/headgears/hoodies, pockets etc. 6. Do not cheat or look into other candidate's system 7. Do not ask of exit before the announcement by exam invigilator.

Can I make another attempt at MAT exam, if I score low in first attempt?

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.

How to crack MAT in first attempt?

To crack MAT exam in first attempt, start preparation early; at least a month six months in advance. Cover each topic of the MAT syllabus thoroughly and attempt 40+ mock tests to have complete control on all possible types of questions asked. In the exam, avoid negative marking by skipping questions you are not sure of. Try to maintain average scoring by solving 17-20 questions in each section.

How to Prepare for MAT Exam 2026 in Three Months?

8K Students Q&A

Admit Card - 26 Feb '26

Vipra Shrivastava

Senior Manager - Content

Updated on Feb 8, 2026 17:12 IST

To prepare for MAT 2026 in only three months focus majorly on Language Comprehension, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Intelligence & Critical Reasoning. Economic and Business Environment section can be prepared in the last few days as it is memory based. Get the best preparation strategy to crack MAT in only three months.

MAT 2026 exam is conducted in four phases every year, so you can choose to appear for it when fully prepared. Since MAT is an easy test, 3 months may be enough for preparation if you study in a focussed manner. Get the best three month MAT 2026 preparation strategy.

MAT exam preparation in three months is possible but one needs to have a focused plan in which you can cover more in less time. Even though the exam is of low difficulty level, one needs to practice a lot as it is a speed based test in which 150 questions have to be addressed in 120 minutes. You don't have to attempt all 150 questions, but should aim for 70-100 questions to get a decent score. Solving these many questions accurately in 150 minutes can be challenging if don't have enough practice.

We say it is possible to prepare for MAT in three months because, MAT syllabus is same as that of other MBA entrance exams and most of the candidates appear for multiple entrance tests. MBA aspirants who have appeared fot CAT exam, XAT exam or any other national level MBA entrance exam need to only brush up the basics and practice MAT mock tests.

Also Read: MAT 2026 - Preparation Strategy and Tips

Table of contents

How to Crack MAT 2026 in Three Months?
MAT Syllabus 2026
MAT Mock Test Practice

How to Crack MAT 2026 in Three Months?

The key to MAT preparation 2026 in limited time period is the correct plan. MAT exam is easy. Also, the score of Economic and Business Environment (GK) section is not included in calculation of final MAT percentile. Thus, you needs to actually prepare for only four main sections. So focus majorly on Language Comprehension, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Intelligence & Critical Reasoning in these three months. You can prepare for Economic and Business Environment section in the last few days before exam, if time permits. MAT syllabus coverage and mock test practice will have to be done simultaneously.

Understand MAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2026

MAT exam pattern 2026 is prescribed by AIMA, the exam conducting body. The MAT syllabus includes five subjects –

Check below some key highlights of MAT exam 2026:

MAT is an an MCQ based exam. Candidates can choose to appear for it in CBT, PBT or IBT mode. Check the table below for highlights of MAT exam pattern 2026.

MAT Exam Pattern 2026
Exam modes	CBT, PBT, IBT
Exam duration	2 hours
Total sections	5
Type of questions	Objective type questions
Total questions	150 questions
Total marks	150 marks
Sectional weightage	30 questions per section
Marking scheme	1 mark per correct attempt -0.25 marks per incorrect attempt GK scores not taken into consideration for percentile calculation

Q: Can I prepare for MAT in 3 months?

Yes, you can prepare for MAT exam in three months, but you will have to work on it in a very focused manner and dedicate quality time. You should follow a three-month MAT preparation plan that should include syllabus coverage and practice sessions. Since you have less time, you can’t wait to finish the MAT syllabus first and then start practicing sample questions and mock tests. You will need to do both side by side. So, make a list of topics from which maximum questions are asked in the MAT exam. Focus on them first. Study the topics and solve some sample questions the same day to ensure that you have understood theory and application both. This way, you will have enough practice as well. In the last one month focus on MAT mock tests, to gain speed and accuracy in solving the paper. Read more: MAT 3-month preparation plan

Q: What is the exam pattern for MAT and how can I prepare for it?

MAT or Management Aptitude Test is a national level entrance exam conducted four times a year by the All India Management Association (AIMA) for admission to MBA/PGDM and other management programs. The MAT exam pattern is as follows: Mode: The exam is conducted in both paper-based and computer-based modes. Duration: The total duration of the exam is 150 minutes or 2.5 hours. Sections: The exam consists of five sections: Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, and Indian and Global Environment. Number of Questions: There are a total of 200 questions, with 40 questions in each section. Marking Scheme: Each question carries 1 mark and there is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. To prepare for the MAT 2023 exam, you can follow the below tips: Understand the Exam Pattern: Before you start your preparation, make sure you have a clear understanding of the exam pattern, marking scheme, and syllabus. Create a Study Plan: Create a study plan that suits your schedule and stick to it. Allocate time to each section and prioritize the topics that you find difficult. Practice Mock Tests: Practice mock tests regularly to get an idea of the exam pattern and to improve your time management skills. Improve Your Language Skills: To do well in the Language Comprehension section, improve your reading and vocabulary skills. Read newspapers, magazines, and novels to enhance your language skills. Focus on Mathematics and Data Analysis: To do well in the Mathematical Skills and Data Analysis and Sufficiency sections, practice regularly and improve your calculation speed. Work on Your Critical Reasoning Skills: To do well in the Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section, practice puzzles, riddles, and logical reasoning questions. Stay Updated with Current Affairs To do well in the Indian and Global Environment section, stay updated with the latest news and events. Revise Regularly: Revise the topics regularly to retain what you have learned. Stay Confident and Positive: Lastly, stay confident and positive. Believe in yourself and your abilities to crack the exam. Good luck with your preparation!

Q: Is one-month preparation enough to crack MAT?

Yes, it is possible to crack MAT with 1-month preparation, but only if you have studied the topics included in the MAT syllabus before or have prepared for MAT or any other MBA entrance exam. If you are a fresher and have no prior knowledge of MAT do not attempt in with one-month preparation. Give yourself at least 6 months for MAT preparation. Those who have an experience of MAT or any other MBA entrance exam, need to focus on mock tests and sample papers in the given one month. Since they are well acquainted with the topics, sums, theorems, formulae, concepts, types, etc. All they need to do is practice them more. To prepare for MAT in one month get hold of a series of MAT mock tests and solve them every alternate day. Analyse your performance, the hits and the misses, and work on them. Keep at least last seven-eight days for revision of all the important topics. The best way to prepare for MAT in a short time is focus on only the important topics from which maximum questions are asked.

MAT Syllabus 2026

To score well in MAT 2026 exam, candidates need to be thorough with all the below mentioned topics. Check the table below for section-wise topics included in MAT syllabus 2026:

MAT Syllabus 2026	MAT Topics
Language Comprehension	Grammar, vocabulary, clauses, idioms & phrases, active & passive voice, verbs, tenses, pronoun, sentences, punctuation, parajumble, prepositions, articles
Data Analysis and Sufficiency	Tables & graphs, data sufficiency, venn diagram, charts (column, bar, pie)
Intelligence and Critical Reasoning	Statements & conclusion, judgment, argument, pie chart, blood relations, family tree, analogies, statements
Mathematical Skills	Profit & loss, mean & median, number system, mensuration, time, distance & speed, percentage, vectors, differential equation, trigonometry, algebra, geometry, modern math
Economic and Business Environment	Current affairs, political news & events, world records, books and authors, corporate affairs, personalities, history, business & economy, science & technology

Make a Section-wise Three-Month Preparation Strategy for MAT 2026

Many B-schools consider sectional scores of MAT while selecting a candidate for admission, thus it is important to prepare well for all the sections even if time is less. Check section-wise tips for MAT preparation in three months below:

MAT Language Comprehension Preparation

Download English grammar and vocabulary apps to riddle based practice questions in leisure time. Refer to Wren and Martin to understand the basic rules of grammar. Practice and learn word meanings, spelling, antonym-synonyms from recommended books. Practice sample questions and previous years’ MAT RC passages for the exam.

MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Preparation

Refer to MAT previous year’s question papers to understand the basic patterns and types of reasoning questions in MAT. Learn the basic concepts to solve any type of reasoning question. Learn tricks to solve questions quickly and accurately. Practice MAT mock tests and Reasoning question sets in time bound manner to be on top of it.

MAT Data Analysis and Sufficiency Preparation

MAT Data Analysis is all about charts and tables. Understand what type of charts, tables and graphs are used to prepare questions in MAT. Practice sample questions, learn shortcuts and tricks to solve questions without using a calculator. Mental maths will be helpful in both Data Analysis and Mathematical Skills.

MAT Mathematical Skills Preparation

Revise the fundamentals of Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry. Understand the concepts clearly and memorise theories and formulas. Practice questions of various types and difficulty levels. Learn tricks and shortcuts of solving questions quickly and accurately, as you will not have enough time in the exam to do elaborate calculation.

MAT Economic and Business Environment Preparation

Once you've completed the syllabus of the four main MAT sections, move to Economic and Business Environment. This section is all about General Knowledge and Current Affairs. Thus, you can prepare this section in the last few days before the MAT exam. Dedicate about two hours daily to revise static GK and current affairs from Manorama Year Book. You can also refer to other current affairs publications.

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MAT Mock Test Practice

Practice a good number of MAT mock tests. Since you have only three months to prepare, do not wait to complete the syllabus, start practicing MAT mock test side by side. Mock test practice is essential for improving accuracy and time management so that you make the best of 120 minutes of the MAT exam.

Free Shiksha Mock Test for Practice:

MAT_Mock_Test_1	MAT_Mock_Test_Solutions
MAT_Mock_Test_2	MAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions

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About the Author

Vipra Shrivastava

Senior Manager - Content

Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8

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