Yes, candidates can apply to GIBS Bangalore using MAT scores alone. GIBS accepts MAT scores as a valid entry for PGDM admissions. Along with your MAT score, you need to submit your application form, academic documents, and follow the selection process, which may include a short interview or discussi
The Indian and Global Environment section of MAT exam has been renamed as Economic and Business Environment. This section is same as General Awareness, so preparing for it is easy. Check out MAT 2025 preparation tips for Economic and Business Environment.
MAT Economic and Business Environment is the fifth section of the question paper. It consists of 30 MCQs and is of 30 marks. Most of the candidates tend to focus more on Reasoning, Maths and Comprehension sections in a belief that because Economic and Business Environment is similar to General Awareness, they can study it in the last few days of MAT preparation. But it is memory based so one needs to have a dedicated preparation strategy.
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This section covers a vast area. Questions can be asked from any field, so one needs to read a lot around business current affairs and related fields. It is thus, recommended to not wait for the last few days to prepare for MAT Economic and Business Environment. One must take out at least an hour everyday to go through GK books and current affairs during the entire period of MAT 2025 exam preparation.
MAT is one of the easier MBA entrance exam. The difficulty level of the exam much easier than CAT XAT or CMAT. Candidates usually prepare for CAT XAT and CMAT and use that experience to give the MAT exam. Even though the MAT has more questions than XAT CAT CMAT. It is easier because the questions of all the five sections include:
- Mathematical Skills
- Language Comprehension
- Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
- Data Analysis and Sufficiency
- Economic and Business Environment
These are easy and straightforward. There are less Reading Comprehension passages of shorter length and are easy to comprehend. Since, the Economy and Business Environment scores are not taken into consideration for MAT percentile calculation, candidates find it easier to crack MAT in 2 hours with high scores.
MAT 2024: Economic & Business Environment Section Highlights
- The questions of Economic and Business Environment section of MAT 2025 will be memory based.
- Answer selection will be either correct or incorrect. If one knows, the answer there is no need for guesswork.
- This section of MAT exam is often easy and to be taken up at the end. 10-15 minutes will be enough for it.
- The score of Economic and Business Environment will not be calculated for MAT percentile calculation, so candidates need not take pressure for it.
- Each question contains one mark. There is negative marking of 0.25 for incorrect answer.
Also read: MAT 2025 Pattern
MAT 2025 Preparation Tips for Economic and Business Environment
Here are some of the important tips for MAT preparation of Economic and Business Environment section.
- Develop the habit of reading newspapers, business magazines and online blogs. Reading two to three newspapers daily will boost your knowledge of current affairs. Some of the most recommended newspapers are - The Hindu, Economic Times and Financial Express. Magazines such as The Chronicles, Business Today, Forbes and India Today are also helpful. For Static GK you should refer to Manorama Year Book and Competition Success Review.
- Watch news to increase your knowledge of events in India and around the world in the field of business, politics, economy, science and technology. To increase knowledge on the world specific to the purpose of MAT exam preparation, pick a suitable time for yourself, make schedule of the best news channels and shows and watch them regularly.
- Jot down important honours, awards, books, announcements, discoveries, inventions, joint ventures, international trade, business events, etc. This habit will not only help you cover MAT 2025 syllabus for Economic and Business Environment section but ideas also help you increase your knowledge in general, which may help you in Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds of MBA admission. These notes will guide you in covering almost a sizeable portion of the latest topics of importance and correlate events chronologically.
- Test takers should make maximum use of the internet to prepare for Economic and Business Environment section of MAT 2025. Solve MAT question papers to know what type of questions are asked in the exam and what kind of information you should look for on the internet.
- Subscribe to recommended YouTube channels on science and technology, business and economy, politics and international events. Candidates can also subscribe to online apps and websites which offer free access and registration to monthly PDF for General Knowledge and current affairs preparation.
- Test takers can also follow social media groups for GK discussions and preparation material. These social media groups not only help in providing study material but they also guide candidates in their exam preparation.
- We recommend test takers to take MAT Mock test and practice online GK quizzes on educational websites. They act as parameters to evaluate the progress and test performance levels. Do not forget quizzes and one-liners on different topics can help boost both knowledge and confidence.
Follow these tips effectively as well as strategies to crack MAT 2025 successfully. All the best.
Free Shiksha Mock Test for Practice:
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CMAT_Mock_Test_2 | CMAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
The MAT syllabus is same as other MBA entrance exams, which is Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude English Comprehension and General Awareness, only their nomenclature is different. So, candidates preparing for MAT has to study the same subject, topics and sub-topics that they have to study in CAT or CMAT.
In fact, candidates can use the same books for studying for MAT as well as other MBA entrance exams. In terms of difficulty level of the exam, MAT is easier in comparison to other MBA entrance exams. The difficulty level of MAT question paper is usually easy and there is no sectional time limit.
Moreover, MAT is conducted multiple times a year so candidates can choose an exam date or session whenever they are fully prepared for the exam, unlike in other MBA entrances, where candidates have to cover the syllabus, etc. Before a particular exam date. In MAT candidates have the choice of multiple attempts to improve score. A lot of candidates opt for the MAT for the reason that it is easy and they can get a good MBA college through it.
For MAT preparation in six months candidates need to have a focused plan. They must gather the best books for MAT preparation and start with covering the syllabus. MAT syllabus should be completed in three months. You can make a monthly/weekly or daily plan to cover the syllabus which should include studying one topic each from the main four sections - Mathematical Skills, Data Interpretation, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning as well as Language Comprehension. Keep the Indian and Global Environment section for the last. In the next two months, practice MAT sample papers and MAT mock tests to gain control over the topics you studied in the first three months. For a speed based test like MAT mock test and sample paper practice is a must because only with the help of these you can gain speed and accuracy in solving questions. The MAT question paper can have tough, tricky or easy question so you should be prepared for all types. In the last one month, study for the Indian and Global Environment section and do daily revision of all other topics. Solve a few previous year MAT question paper or solve a couple of mock tests to stay in touch with your abilities. Read More: MAT 6 months preparation plan
Read More:
- Is MAT tougher than CMAT? Know key differences
- MAT Preparation for Language Comprehension & Verbal Ability
- MAT Preparation for Mathematical Skills
- MAT Preparation for Data Analysis & Sufficiency
- MAT Preparation for Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
- Last minute tips to crack MAT exam
- MAT score vs percentile
- Best Books for MAT 2025 exam preparation
- Key points for MAT 2025 preparation

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Student Forum
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
If you make an error in the educational qualifications section of the MAT form, you can typically make amends during the official correction period offered by AIMA. The correction period is open for a short time after the submission of the application. You can log in with your MAT account and edit t
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, MAT scores are not compulsory for admissions to the PGDM course at ICBM-SBE, because the college also considers several other entrance exam scores for admissions to the PGDM course. The names of the accepted entrance exams are- CAT/ XAT/ CMAT/ ATMA/ MAT/ GMAT/ State level entrance test. Thus, a
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, it is possible to get an MBA seat at AURO University with a valid MAT score. The university accepts various national and state-level entrance tests for admission to the MBA programme. These exams are GCET, GMAT, CAT, CMAT and XAT. Apart from entrance test scores, students are required to submi
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The admission deadline for candidates interested in GITAM MBA admissions through the MAT exam is 15 - 22 September 2025. These dates are the last registration dates for the MAT PBT/CBT entrance exams. These dates are very close at this point of time. Hence, candidates who wish to apply for MBA admis
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The admission process for both the MBA (General) and MBA (Dual-Specialisation) courses is the same. Admission to the MIT-WPU MBA course is entrance-based. Candidates need to appear in either CAT/XAT/NMAT/MAT/GMAT/MAH CET/PERA CET entrance exam and qualify for any one exam with a valid score. The fin
J
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
Yes, the MAT-PBT exam is still open for registrations for candidates looking to take admissions into the PGDM courses at DSGS. The MAT-PBT exam registrations started at the end of July and will end at the end of September. The MAT-PBT exam will be conducted near the end of September only. Candidates
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, the MAT entrance exam is still open in 2025 for the SOIM PGDM admissions. The MAT PBT and CBT registrations for the year 2025 are still open till 15 September and 22 September respectively. There are also other exams that canidates can clear to gain admissions into SOIM PGDM courses. Candidates
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, candidates who are unable to gain admissions through one of the accepted entrance exams at PBS can apply for admissions through the result of a different entrance exam. However, candidates are advised to track the timeline of each accepted entrance exam for PBS PGDM admissions as the timeline f
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The MAT 2025 exam has been concluded with registrations being closed on the 14th July 2025. However, the MAT CBT exam is still open for registrations and is acceptable for admissions in the PBS PGDM course. The MAT CBT exam was opened for registrations recently on 22nd August 2025 and will remain op
S
Contributor-Level 10
Each section of MAT exam has equal weightage. All the five sections - Language Comprehension, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Indian & Global Environment have 30 questions. Each question carries one mark thus the section wise weightage of marks is 30 per section. There is negative marking of 0.25 in MAT. Since, every section has equal weightage, you need to prepare well for each one of them for a good overall score. Even in the exam, spend a good amount of time on each section and solve a minimum number of questions to meet the sectional cut off. Since, there is no sectional time-limit in MAT exam. Candidates can decide themselves how much time they should spend on which section as one needs to score well in all sections because of equal weightage. Out of 2 hours or 120 minutes, candidates should allot maximum time to the section they find tough or are calculation intensive. It is advisable to attempt the easier sections first and then move to tougher sections.