Admit Card - 26 Feb '26
If you have only one month to prepare for MAT, practice, practice and practice more. Check tips on how to prepare for MAT 2026 in one month, here.
MAT preparation in 1-month: MAT exam is conducted four times a year, so candidates have the option to appear for the exam when they are fully prepared. However, if one decides late, they need to have a quick plan, which should be exhaustive and executable at the same time.
MAT 2026 exam is scheduled on March 1 and 8, so with one month left for the exam, start now. The topics of focus in MAT are Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Modern Math, Pie Charts, Tables, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Statement and Conclusion, Arrangements, Family Tree, etc. Cover these topics thoroughly by practicing previous years' papers and mock tests. Check below some expert tips for MAT one-month preparation:
- How to Prepare for MAT 2026 in One Month?
- 3. Study from recommended books and study material for MAT preparation
- 4. Practice MAT Mock Test
- Section wise 30-Day MAT Preparation Plan
- MAT 2026 Preparation in One Month: Bottomline
How to Prepare for MAT 2026 in One Month?
Preparing for MAT in one month requires selective study. Most of the topics included in the MAT syllabus are same as other MBA entrance exams which you would have appeared for at some point in time. So, all you need for the preparation of MAT exam 2026 is revision. Go through the topics and see which ones you are familiar with. Since one month is quite a less time, focus on only those topics that you already know.
Our advise: If you are appearing for the first time, then one month will not be enough for preparation. You can nonetheless appear for MAT for experience and to understand the pattern to use the knowledge in preparation of next session.
1. Apply Focused Strategy
With one month to go for the MAT, make a plan that is focussed on scoring high and not completing the syllabus. Look for past years' MAT question papers or check out online lectures to know which are the topics having high weightage. Study those topics through sample questions practice. MAT 2026 will have 150 questions but there is no need to solve all of them. In the time limit of 2 hours, one can solve maximum 100-110 questions, which is sufficient to score a high percentile if there is 80-100 per cent accuracy. Focus only on those topics which are recurrent in official question papers.
We recommend joining Facebook, Telegram study groups to seek help and guidance from other aspirants and mentors. A mentor’s guidance always helps in exam preparation.
2. Understand the MAT Exam Pattern
As per the latest MAT exam pattern, duration of the exam is of two hours. The question paper consists of 150 multiple-choice questions equally divided into five sections. There is negative marking so be careful in choosing questions. If you are not confident of the answer to any questions, skip it. There is no sectional time limit in MAT, so you will also be mindful of not spending too much time on one section. Find below suggested time limit for each section.
| MAT Sections |
No. of Questions |
Suggested time (in minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
30 |
30 |
| Mathematics Skills |
30 |
35 |
| Data Interpretation and Analysis |
30 |
25 |
| Critical Reasoning |
30 |
20 |
| Economic and Business Environment |
30 |
10 |
| Total |
150 |
120 |
Also read: MAT syllabus 2026
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.
3. Study from recommended books and study material for MAT preparation
Studying from books recommended for MAT exam preparation is the best option when you have less time. Check the table below for best books for MAT preparation. These books are most popular among MBA aspirants as they offer topic wise discussion as well as a range of sample questions of easy, medium and high difficulty levels.
| MAT Books |
Publications |
|---|---|
| MAT Entrance Exam Guide |
RPH editorial |
| MAT 20-Year Topic-Wise Solved Papers |
Disha Experts |
| Mission MBA: MAT Mock Test & Solved Papers |
BS Sijwalii and Tarun Goyal |
| Mission MBA MAT Guide |
Arihant Publications |
Also read: Best Books for MAT Exam Preparation
4. Practice MAT Mock Test
Like most of the entrance test, MAT exam too is a speed based test. Candidates will face the challenge of time limit. For this, practicing full-length MAT mock test daily is essential. With enough practice of MAT mock tests, students can get into the habit of taking time bound entrance exams and this will make the actual exam a cakewalk. Check below free MAT mock test by Shiksha.
| MAT_Mock_Test_1 | MAT_Mock_Test_Solutions |
| MAT_Mock_Test_2 | MAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
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.
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Section wise 30-Day MAT Preparation Plan
Here's a break down of section-wise plan to prepare for MAT exams in 30 days. This plan will also help you in ensuring that you are able to cover of the complete MAT syllabus.
| MAT Sections |
Area of Focus 1 |
Area of Focus 2 |
Area of Focus 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Language Comprehension |
Practice sample MAT RC passages |
Work on your English grammar, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning skills. |
Test your knowledge by solving MAT question papers. |
| Mathematical Skills |
Study Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration and Trigonometry and gain clarity on basic concepts. |
Keep solving previous year MAT question papers and sample papers to know what's in store for you in the exam. Develop the skill of mental calculation to save time during the exam. |
Check your performance after every mock test and and analyse your progress. |
|
Intelligence and Critical Reasoning |
Understand the concept and pattern of different types of reasoning questions - verbal, visual, critical, etc. |
Learn methods and tricks of solving reasoning question swiftly. |
Practice multiple MAT mock tests to know the types of reasoning questions asked in MAT. |
|
Data Analysis and Sufficiency |
Learn tricks of understanding graphs and tables in least amount of time. Learn shortcuts of interpreting data accurately. |
Learn to solve questions without a calculator or an app. |
Practice mock test and online data sufficiency series to get an idea of different kind of questions. |
|
Economic and Business Environment |
Follow business and current affairs news. Study static GK from recommended books. |
Make notes on current affairs, national and global issues. |
Take up general knowledge-based quizzes and online tests to improve your knowledge in this area. |
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MAT 2026 Preparation in One Month: Bottomline
To be able to crack MAT exam with only one month preparation, one needs to have the clarity of target score and college. Check the MAT cut offs for admission of the MBA colleges that you are targeting. Then prepare from the MAT syllabus accordingly. By the day before exam, you should be able to score the same as admission cut offs in the MAT mock tests.
On the exam day, focus only on those questions that are from topics which are your strength areas. Focus on maximizing your score and not getting penalized for wrong answers. The scores Economic and Business Environment section is not considered for MAT percentile calculation, so you can skip or deprioritize it during preparation. Focus on important topics that have potential to get you high score in these 30 days that you've got.
Read More:
- Last Minute tips to crack MAT
- Is MAT exam tougher than CMAT?
- MAT 2026 Preparation for Language Comprehension
- MAT 2026 Preparation for Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
- MAT 2026 Preparation for Data Analysis & Data Sufficiency
- MAT 2026 Preparation for Mathematical Skills
- MAT 2026 Preparation for Economic and Business Environment
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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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The last day to register for MAT 2026 is March 2. Candidates will be able to download the admit card for MAT 2026 exam on 5 March from the official website.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Standard books useful across these exams include Quantitative Aptitude by Arun Sharma or R.S. Aggarwal, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation by Nishit Sinha, and Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis for building a strong vocabulary.
L
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Candidates who have not appeared in any entrance test should have a Bachelor's Degree with at least 55% marks. They will have to give a written test: same as I-CET. Students have to qualify in Written Test, Group Discussion and Personal Interview for taking admission in MBA at Vignan's Foundation
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Students of GIBS Business School participate in internships and live projects which are cross-functional opportunities to gain practical experience in key functional areas (marketing, sales, finance, HR, business development, and operations). Students engage in internships to gain practical exposure
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
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.
P
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
It is not compulsory to attempt MAT GK section as the score in not considered for percentile calculation but it is not recommended to skip it all together as it may dent your chances in colleges that look at candidates' sectional scores too.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
MAT is conducted in February, May, September and December. You can appear for it whenever ready and confident of scoring high. However, it is seen that maximum applications are done for December and February sessions as that's the main season of all other national level MBA entrance exams and admiss
J
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
MAT and CMAT both are moderately difficulty exam, but have their own challenges. While, CMAT has one extra section Innovation and Entrepreneurship, MAT has a separate section for Data Interpretation having 30 questions. With focused preparation, you can crack either of the two that you choose.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
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
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
MAT scoring is done between 200 to 800, so a nearly 650 or 700 will get you 90 to 95 percentile. A score of 600 is also good as it converts into percentile between 80 to 85.
A
Contributor-Level 6
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