MAT 2026 PBT exam will be held on May 31. Those who have registered for the PBT mode exam must be busy in giving the final touch to their preparation. Check below some last minute MAT preparation tips to optimise your performance. 
MAT aspirants must know that last minute preparation should be strategic and specific. Since the MAT exam is conducted in morning shift, there is no time to really do the revision. So, the best thing to do is revise important topics the night before. In the last few minutes before the exam, finalise a strategy which will give the maximum gains.
As part of last minute preparation for MAT exam 2026, go through the short notes. MAT exam is conducted from 10 am to 12 pm. Time to reach the test centre is 8:30 am. Read below to know what to do, as part of last minute MAT 2026 exam preparation.
MAT 2026 Marking Scheme and Time Limit
The MAT 2026 question paper comprises five sections – Language Comprehension, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Economic and Business Environment. Have a look at the MAT marking scheme and time-limit below:
- The paper carries 150 multiple-choices based questions and each question carries 1 mark
- Each section of the MAT question paper has 30 questions in MCQ format
- There is negative marking of 0.25 marks for wrong attempt
- The exam duration is two hours. There is no sectional time-limit
- Choose questions wisely.
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8 Last Minute Tips for MAT Exam 2026
Being a speed based exam, the MAT not only tests your aptitude but also your ability to perform under pressure. Here are a few last minute MAT 2026 exam tips to follow:
1. Do not study too hard: Take a break from full-fledged study routine of 8 hours on the day before exam. Keep your mind relaxed during the day. You can revise important theorems and formulae before going to bed at night.
2. Revise GK: In the last few minutes before the exam what should you do? Check important Quantitative Aptitude formulae and check short notes that you made on General Awareness (Economic and Business Environment).
3. Check MAT admit card and other documents: Check whether you have kept all the required documents before leaving for the MAT exam centre. Make sure you have kept two copies of MAT 2026 admit card and a photo ID. Do not forget to keep a blue or black ball-point pen for signing the attendance sheet. PwD category candidates must keep the relevant documents.
4. Time management: MAT doesn’t have sectional time-limit like CAT, so candidates need to be mindful of using 120 minutes judiciously. Allot time to each section as per your strength and weakness, and don't over step the limit. Keep Economic and Business Environment section as last priority as it is memory based and would require not more than 10 minutes.
5. Speed and accuracy: Time is critical so you will need to take fast decisions. If you get stuck on a question for more than a minute, leave it and move to next. You can always come back to it later if time permits. Solve GK questions at last as it is not considered for percentile creations so you need not worry about it. Try to solve 12-15 questions in each section accurately to achieve sectional cut off. You can attempt more if time permits.
6. Avoid negative marking: You don't have to solve all the questions in MAT exam. If you are not confident of solving a question accurately, then skip it. Remember, there is negative marking for wrong answers in MAT but not for unanswered questions. If you skip a question, you will be marked 0 for it.
7. Don’t gamble: Every MAT question has four answers, do not do random guess work. Try the method of elimination. Ignore 2 most unlikely options. Zero-in on two possibly correct options, take a few seconds to analyse and choose the preferred option. Better still, skip the question if you are not convinced. You can make another attempt in MAT.
8. Stay away from stress: Be calm and confident during your MAT 2026 exam. Don’t take undue stress of tough questions. If you will take stress, you will be vulnerable to making silly mistakes even in easy questions. So be positive and tell yourself- “I can crack it”.
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Student Forum
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VGIM Cutoff 2025 is not available yet. However, according to the VGIM MBA/PGDM cutoff 2024, the overall MAT percentile required for admission to PGDM course is 70 for the students belonging to the General AI category
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Symbiosis Skills and Professional University MBA applicants must track SNAP and MAT dates because these exams happen earlier. If you miss the registration for these national tests, you might lose a chance to apply here. Each exam has its own schedule for registration, hall tickets, and results. You
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
MAT is an easy exam compared to other MBA entrances, so you don't need much time for preparation. You can practice sample questions and mocks for mastering the topics. On the exam day, don't aim to solve all the questions. Attempt only those which are from your comfort area. There is negative markin
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 weeks ago
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham accepts the CAT, MAT or the XAT exam for admission to the MBA course. Students can attempt any one of the aforementioned exams. After taking part in the exam, students have to attain a valid percentile.
Based on previous year trends, a percentile of at least 40 would be nee
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Business schools with campus in Bangalore GIBS Bangalore accepts a wide range of entrance exams for its AICTE-approved PGDM programme (MBA equivalent), prioritizing accessibility for diverse candidates over elite CAT toppers alone. This flexible policy suits your MAT 522 score, enabling shortlisting
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
GIBS Business School situated in Bangalore acknowledges CAT, MAT, and XAT as authorized admission tests for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Approved Admission Exams
- CAT (Common Admission Test)
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- XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
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Beginner-Level 4
Answered a month ago
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida does provide scholarships to students based on their MAT scores. Aspirants with CAT, CMAT or XAT scores can also get the financial students. The institute offers scholarships to deserving students.
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Guide-Level 15
Answered a month ago
No, you cannot join Jindal Global Business School without an entrance exam if you want admission to the MBA course. For admission to the management courses, the institute accepts various national-level exams, like
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- GMAT
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Contributor-Level 10
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No, you cannot join UPES Dehradun for its MBA programme without appearing for the accepted entrance examination. To gain admission to this institute, students would need to take one of the following exams after they clear the basic eligibility rules.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
MAT is overall an easy exam, but if you compare the sections, usually the Quantitative Aptitude is considered tougher than rest of the four sections, due to calculation intensive questions.
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Contributor-Level 7

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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