Preparing for MAT 2020? These preparation tips will come handy

By: Amit Sharma

Like other prominent Master in Business Administration (MBA) entrance assessments, Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is also one of the benchmark assessments to evaluate potential candidates.

This exam includes an assessment with respect to English language comprehension, mathematical rationality, content or data analysis and data sufficiency, reasoning and worldwide business environment. The exam has two hundred questions that the aspirants have to attempt in 150 minutes MAT consists of 200 questions that are to be attempted in 150 minutes.

To attain a good rank, aspirants should score at least 85 marks with the same level of precision. Maintaining a balance between all the sections of the exam is one of the essential conditions to be considered. Regularity, determination, discipline and proper planning with a focused mind would definitely help you to score reasonably good scores. 

The key points an aspirant must consider while preparing for MAT or start preparing for the same are as follows:

• Time plan and methods to adopt for MAT.
• Best study material to be followed.
• Miscellaneous content to be studied apart from regular routine syllabus/content.
• Suggestions or recommendations by the toppers.
• To decide whether you need coaching or you will do it yourself.
• To consider different online platforms helps in preparing for the exam.

The whole assessment can be divided into three broad categories as follows:

1. Fundamental clarity
2. Practice-based fundamentals
3. Miscellaneous

Fundamental clarity: Subjects such as Math and English need sound conceptual clarity. One should be clear with the basics of these two subjects certain questions of Mathematical skills and language comprehension are conceptually driven.

Practice-based fundamentals: Sections such as logics and reasoning, content or data analysis, language expertise needs practice.

Miscellaneous: Knowledge of different issues at the national-international level with respect to the business environment in specific is needed.  

Preparation framework for MAT

MAT exam has five parts with 40 questions in each part which aspirants have to attempt in 150 minutes. Therefore, aspirants can give different time slots to different parts based on their convenience. The total number of questions is two hundred against two hundred marks. The five parts I have mentioned above include English Comprehension, Reasoning, Content or Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency, Numerical Skills, Indian and International Business Environment. All the questions are objective in nature. The marking pattern of MAT exam has 0.25 marks deduction for each wrong answer and 1 mark increment for each correct answer. The overall difficulty level of all five parts is medium.

No one can define the best way to prepare for the exam; every candidate for their own strategy as per their strengths and weak points. Candidate should focus on mock tests and sample papers for the purpose of practice. Candidates finding themselves weak in any of the areas are usually suggested to go for coaching. Guidance given by effective coaching centers saves your time and efforts, improves your performance and therefore enhances your efficiency in the exam hall. These coaching institutes help you by providing effective and quality study material. They also help the candidate by conducting number of mock tests, to give the candidate a real feel of assessment on the scheduled day of the exam. If the candidate is in the final semester/year of undergraduate regular course, in that case, the candidate can join weekend coaching classes.

As discussed in the above paragraph, I have emphasized so much on the importance of coaching classes. This does not necessarily mean that the suggestion is applicable to all the candidates. If you have a medium level of preparation then self-study would also work to get a good rank in MAT assessment.

Words from the experienced

After speaking to a number of students, who have done exceptionally well in MAT exam, I have realised the significance of clarity of basic concepts and enhancing the speed through practice. Significance of mock tests and sample papers has also been discussed by many students. This is something from the candidates, now from my side the last but not the least suggestion is not made wild guesswork while attempting the questions in your MAT exam. At times, even a single wild guess takes number of ranks down and decreases your chances of getting good institutions of A+ or A category.

I hope the present article would help you a lot while preparing for your upcoming MAT exam and would definitely lead you to your dream destination of the corporate world.

About the Author:

Amit Sharma is serving as an Assistant Professor at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, since 2013. With an experience of seven years in academics, Sharma conducts faculty development programmes at school level and management development programmes at organisational level across the industry.