Is ATMA tougher than MAT?
Although there is not much difference between the two exams, the question- Is ATMA tougher than MAT, still remains a hot topic of discussion. In the article below you will find the differences and similarities between the two exams along with their exam pattern, syllabus, etc.
Every year lakhs of students give various MBA entrance exams to get admission to the best MBA colleges in India. MBA entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, SNAP, ATMA, XAT, CMAT, etc. are gateways to the top management colleges in India and abroad. ATMA and MAT are popular among many aspirants as they both provide them with multiple opportunities to take the exam and improve their scores. Often students go through a phase as to which MBA entrance exam to take. ATMA and MAT are two of the easiest exams that students can appear for to get into some of the top management institutes. But the question remains- Is ATMA tougher than MAT? In this article, you will find the difference between the two exams in terms of exam pattern, syllabus, difficulty level, etc. to help you with the above question.
- ATMA vs MAT
- ATMA vs MAT: Differences and Similarities
- ATMA vs MAT: Exam Pattern
- ATMA v/s MAT Syllabus
- Our Advice
ATMA vs MAT
Both ATMA and MAT are management entrance exams conducted for admissions into various post-graduation courses. But, both the exams have unique features. For instance, ATMA has sectional timing which is not in the case of the MAT exam. Also, the ATMA exam has six sections in the ATMA question paper, whereas the MAT exam has only five. To determine which exam is the tougher, one needs to know the difference between the two exams.
Explore colleges based on ATMA
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
ATMA vs MAT: Differences and Similarities
Check out the table below to know the similarities and differences between ATMA and MAT:
| Details |
ATMA |
MAT |
|---|---|---|
| Full form |
AIMS Test for Management Admissions |
Management Aptitude Test |
| Conducting body |
Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) |
|
| Exam Frequency |
4-5 times in a year |
Multiple times a year |
| Eligibility |
Graduate with 50 percent aggregate from a recognised university |
Candidates who have completed a professional degree such as CA, CS or ICWA are also eligible to apply for the MAT exam |
| Exam mode |
CBT or IBT |
PBT, CBT or IBT |
| Exam fee |
INR 1500 |
INR 1650 (single exam) INR 2750 (both PBT and CBT mode exam) |
| Courses offered |
MBA/PGDM |
|
| Exam purpose |
Admission into over 700 colleges |
Admissions to 1206 MBA Colleges |
| Registration process |
Online |
Online |
ATMA vs MAT: Exam Pattern
To understand if the ATMA exam is tougher than the MAT exam, one needs to understand the exam pattern of both exams.
| Details |
ATMA |
MAT |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions |
180 |
200 |
| Total marks |
180 |
200 |
| Exam duration |
180 minutes |
150 minutes |
| Negative marking |
Yes. +1 marks for correct answer -0.25 mark for an incorrect answer |
Yes. +1 mark for correct answer – 0.25 marks for an incorrect answer |
| Number of choices in MCQs |
4 |
4 |
| Sectional time limit |
Yes |
No |
There are 180 questions in the ATMA exam which are to be solved in 180 minutes whereas there are 200 questions in the MAT exam question paper which the candidates have to solve in 150 minutes. Hence in the ATMA exam, candidates will get one minute on average to solve each question but since the number of questions in MAT is more and the time allotted is less, MAT exam becomes a speed-based exam.
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
14 Oct '25 - 16 Oct '25
NMAT
1 Aug '25 - 19 Oct '25
4 Nov '25
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25
30 Sep '25 - 20 Nov '25
5 Nov '25 - 30 Nov '25
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25
21 Dec '25
31 Dec '25
Also, since ATMA has a sectional time limit, it can be considered tougher than MAT by the way of execution. However, if the candidates prepare for ATMA keeping the sectional time-limit in mind, they can easily score well.
Also Read:
ATMA v/s MAT Syllabus
The syllabus of both these exams is not very different from each other, they are categorised differently, though. ATMA question paper has six sections based on three subjects, whereas the MAT question paper will have five sections. MAT has two extra subjects - Data Analysis & Efficiency and Indian and Global Environment. Look at the table below to know the syllabus of the two exams.
| S.No |
ATMA |
MAT |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Verbal Skills-I |
Language Comprehension |
| 2 |
Analytical Skills-I |
Data Analysis and Sufficiency |
| 3 |
Quantitative Skills-I |
Mathematics |
| 4 |
Verbal Skills-II |
Intelligence and Critical Reasoning |
| 5 |
Analytical Skills-II |
Indian and Global Environment |
| 6 |
Quantitative Skills-II |
- |
Also Read:
Our Advice
There are many MBA entrance exams and students stress themselves to crack the toughest ones such as CAT, XAT, SNAP, etc. ATMA and MAT are comparatively easier ones. Both the exams happen multiple times in a year, hence, students need not worry about not scoring well in the first attempt.
Talking about the question, Is ATMA tougher than MAT? There cannot be a definite answer to this question as this will vary from individual to individual and their preparation strategy. There are many differences and many similarities between the two exams, however, candidates planning to appear for any of these two exams must solve ample of sample papers and take mock tests which will give them an insight into the type of questions and exam pattern of these two exams. Also, candidates while solving the sample papers will come across questions both easy and difficult which will help them make a strategy for attempting both the exams.
Read More:
Comments
(1)