Why MAT is Good MBA Entrance Exam?

Know four key reasons why you should appear for Management Aptitude Test or MAT for admission into popular MBA colleges in India.

By Akila Narayanan

Benefits of MAT exam

For most management aspirants who are targeting MBA seats at top B-Schools, the list of entrance exams to apply for typically revolve around CAT, XAT, CMAT, IIFT, SNAP and NMAT. In comparison to these exams, few aspirants target MAT for MBA admission. However, the value and popularity of the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) administered by the All India Management Association (AIMA) is on the rise in recent years, which is clearly visible from the growing number of MAT test takers.

We have mentioned a few key reasons why MAT is a great opportunity to target top MBA colleges in India. The value of AIMA MAT exam for MBA aspirants has been explained below:

1. Top B-Schools accept MAT scores

Almost universal recognition of MAT scores by top B-Schools in India must be the most important advantage of appearing for MAT exam. More than 600 MBA colleges in India accept the MAT scores, making it one of the country's largest MBA entrance exams. In addition to this, mos t of the MBA colleges that accept MAT score for admission offer various popular, emerging as well as niched specialisations. As they say, it's always safer to have choices, and the MAT exam provides it very effectively.

2. Easier than other MBA entrance exams

The difficulty level of the MAT examination is relatively low compared to other big MBA entrance tests such as CAT, XAT, IIFT, SNAP, CMAT and NMAT. The MAT question paper has five parts:

• Language Comprehension
• Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
• Mathematical Skills
• Data Analysis and Sufficiency
• Indian & Global Environment

Most of these subjects are already included in the syllabus of other MBA entrance tests and therefore no specific preparation is required for the MAT exam. The simply designed question paper and well-defined MAT syllabus makes it comparatively easier to crack the exam for aspirants. On average, due to the simple nature of the exam, an MBA aspirant who has scored about 70 percentile in CAT can easily expect to do much better in MAT. Many MBA aspirants often end up scoring 800/800 in the exam every year, which further support the claim that it is relatively easier to crack MAT compared to CAT, IIFT and XAT.

Also Read:

• MAT exam pattern
• MAT exam syllabus
• MAT question papers
• MAT preparation tips and strategy
• MAT mock test
• MAT books and study material

3. MAT exam is conducted four times in a year

Many MBA entrance exams conducted annually, i.e. only once a year, such as CAT, IIFT, SNAP and XAT, among others. This means that in order to appear in the examination again to improve score, one has to wait for one year.

MAT is one of the few MBA entrance exams that is conducted multiple times in a year — February, May, September and December. This offers candidates multiple opportunities during the same calendar year to boost their score and re-try for MBA admission without wasting an entire year.

For example, a candidate who has not done well in the MAT December exam can try their luck in the MAT February exam to better their score and still not lose the chance of admission in the same calendar year to one of the top MBA colleges in India.

Also Read:

• MAT 2020 exam dates
• MAT 2020 application process

4. Conducted in online, offline and internet based modes

Almost all of the MBA entrance exams have eventually shifted from paper-based to computer-based or online test formats with everything else around to digital platforms. Despite popularity and wide participation of students, MAT exam is still conducted in both paper-based and online/computer-based test mode. In addition, candidates have the option of appearing in both online and offline modes for the exam.

Having the option of taking the MAT exam in both modes provides students, who are not comfortable with the computers, an equal opportunity to appear for the test and crack it according to their knowledge of the test subjects, rather than their technical acumen. In short, instead of their ability to work on computers/online terminals, the test focuses on the intelligence, aptitude and talent of the applicant.

From May 2020 onwards, AIMA is conducting MAT in internet based test mode too. Under the internet based test mode, the candidates can take the exam from home on a day and time slot of their choice.

We hope that these points will suffice to indicate the massive benefits of applying for MAT 2020. It offers a big advantage to aspirants who are not confident about their preparation for comparatively tougher exams such as CAT, XAT and IIFT entrance exam.

Akila Narayanan

About the Author

Akila Narayanan is a PGDM student from Thiagarajar School of Management, with a keen interest in Marketing and Finance. She is currently based in Madurai. She has done her graduation from Velammal College of Engineering and Technology, Madurai. She has been also awarded first prize by DM of Madurai for a social welfare project titled, “The Life Saving Block Detector”.