Know your MBA exam: MAT

• In the past two years (2017-2019), there is not much increase or decrease in the number of test takers, that’s probably because the exam is split across the year and students get ample opportunity to take the exam and even go for retakes.
• February is when most of the students prefer to take MAT, September sees the least number of test takers. The difference between the number of test takers in both months is massive 180 per cent
• MAT is most popular with candidates from Tier 3 towns followed by candidates from Tier 2 towns and those from Tier 1 towns and cities

Is MAT more popular with males or females?

• Percentage of males taking MAT is marginally higher (12 per cent) than that of females
• In no month has the percentage of female test takers exceeded that of male test takers.That's probably because number of female students in India opting for MBA is still less than number of male students. Also read: Number of female applicants in CAT 2019 still below 40%
• Percentage of male test takers tends to be highest in September whereas percentage of female test takers tends to be highest in February

Which category students tend to take MAT more?

• MAT is more popular with OBC students as compared to students coming from the SC or ST categories
• Number of General category test takers is roughly three times that of OBC test takers

Students from which stream tend to take MAT more?

• Half of MAT test takers are from the Commerce stream
• Engineering students followed by Science students are second and third biggest groups taking MAT respectively
• The number of MAT aspirants pursuing Arts in their senior secondary level or at the UG level is lower than other streams

What is the average work experience of MAT test takers?

• Candidates who appear in MAT are likely to have a work experience between 1.5 years to 2.5 years on an average
• Male candidates are likely to have 120 per cent more work experience on an average as compared to their female counterparts
• May and September seem to be preferred exam months for candidates having higher work experience. This is consistent for both male as well as female candidates writing the exam

How do MAT scores compare between test takers hailing from Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns?

• Candidates from Tier 1 towns have a clear advantage over those belonging to Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns
• The gap between average scores of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns is however, reducing over a period of three years
• There is a difference of roughly 5 per cent between scores of Tier 1 and Tier 2 candidates whereas the difference increases to almost 8 per cent between the scores of Tier 1 and Tier 2 town

Overall, MAT, as an MBA entrance exam, is a preferred choice for all kinds of aspirants, males, females, engineers, non-engineers, freshers, working professionals and students belonging to all cities and towns. Since the exam is couducted four times in a year and in both online and offline modes and the score is accepted by over 600 B-schools (private and government), its popularity is high among all.