MAT Exam Pattern 2025 (Available): Check Total Marks, Sections & Marking Scheme

Q: What is the marking scheme of MAT exam?

Total marks of MAT exam is 150. Every question carries one mark for correct attempt and there is negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. No marks is deducted for skipping questions. The MAT question paper has 150 questions equally divided into five sections - Language Comprehension, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, Data Analysis & Data Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Economic and Business Environment. Language Comprehension: 30 questions 2. Intelligence & Critical Reasoning: 30 questions 3. Data Analysis & Data Sufficiency: 30 questions 4. Mathematical Skills: 30 questions 5. Economic and Business Environment: 30 questions Every section therefore has 30 questions which means every section carries 30 marks. The scores of GK section is not considered for MAT percentile calculation. So candidates can keep GK section as their last priority.

Q: What is MAT Syllabus?

Since, MAT exam is conducted only for admission to MBA and PGDM/PGP courses. It is a post graduate level business aptitude test comprising Quantitative Aptitude critical reasoning, data interpretation, data sufficiency, language comprehension and general awareness. Given below are the topics included in the MAT syllabus: MAT Syllabus for Language: Comprehension Verb, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, Parts of Speech, Sentence Correction, Fill in the Blanks, Antonyms and Synonyms, One Word Substitution, Idioms/Phrases, Para Jumbles, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Verbal Ability, etc. MAT Syllabus for Intelligence and Critical Reasoning: Family Tree, Course of Action, Arrangement, Pie Chart, Calendars, Statement Conclusions, Strong Arguments and Weak Arguments, Puzzles, Series, Blood Relations, Coding and Decoding, Column Graphs, Multi-Dimensional Arrangements, Visual Reasoning, Numeric Grid, Critical Reasoning, Syllogisms, Graphs Representing Areas MAT Syllabus for Data Analysis and Sufficiency: Tables, Charts, Pie Charts, Caselet-based Data, Graphs - Line X-Y Graphs, Venn Diagram, Bar Diagrams, Data Analysis and Data Comparison, Data Sufficiency MAT Syllabus for Mathematical Skills: LCM and HCF, Commercial Maths Complex Numbers, Percentages, Permutation and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Profit and Loss, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Heights and Distance, Inequalities, Speed, Time and Distance, Triangles Set Theory, Number System Circles, Mixtures and Alligations, Elementary Mathematics, Geometry, Venn Diagrams, Trigonometry Equations, Linear Programming MAT Syllabus for Economic and Business Environment Section: Current Affairs World Records, Business and Economy, Companies and CEOs, Awards and Winners, Books and Authors, Company Punchlines, History, International Organisation, Quotes and Personalities, Social Issues, Geography, Sports, Arts, Entertainment, Technology.

Q: Which section of MAT exam has maximum weightage?

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.

Q: Can I make another attempt at MAT exam, if I score low in first attempt?

Yes, you can attempt MAT exam as many times as you want. MAT is conducted multiple times in a year and three different modes. The MAT exam is held in February, May, September and December. In each phase there are 4-5 IBT sessions, 2 CBT sessions and 1 PBT session. If a candidate is not satisfied with their score of first attempt, they can choose any upcoming session to appear for it again. They can choose an exam phase and a session as per their preparation level, decision to pursue MBA or admission cycle of the target college. However, for each session, the candidate will have to fill a fresh application form and pay the fees. The score of the last attempted MAT exam will be considered for admission. Read More: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/mat-exam-preparation-tips-blogId-11997

Q: What are the important topics of MAT exam?

MAT exam has five important sections - Mathematical Skills, Language Comprehension, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills and Economic and Business Environment. Each section carries 40 questions each. Given below are the important topics from which questions are asked in MAT. Language Comprehension - Verb, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, Antonyms and Synonyms, Reading Comprehension, Parts of Speech, One Word Substitution, Vocabulary, Sentence Correction, Idioms/Phrases, Grammar, Fill the Blanks, Para Jumbles and Verbal Ability. Intelligence and Critical Reasoning - Family Tree, Strong Arguments and Weak Arguments, Multi-Dimensional Arrangements, Course of Action, Puzzles, Visual Reasoning, Arrangement, Series, Numeric Grid, Pie Chart, Blood Relations, Critical Reasoning, Calendars, Coding and Decoding, Syllogisms, Statement Conclusions, Column Graphs and Graphs Representing Area. Data Analysis and Sufficiency - Tables, Pie Charts, Caselet-based Data Charts, Graphs - Line X-Y Graphs, Venn Diagram, Bar Diagrams, Data Analysis and Data Comparison and Data Sufficiency Mathematical Skills- LCM and HCF, Commercial Maths Complex Numbers, Percentages, Permutation and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, and more.

Q: How many marks are deducted for skipping a question in MAT?

No marks are deducted for skipping a question in MAT exam. If you do not attempt a question, you will be marked 0 for it. There is negative marking in MAT for wrong attempts, so candidates must rather skip the question than make guess work. It is not mandatory to attempt all the questions in MAT, so there is no pressure.

Q: What is the difficulty level of MAT exam?

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.

Q: Is the MAT IBT mode exam pattern different from CBT and PBT exams?

No. The exam pattern of MAT IBT is not different from CBT or PBT. In fact, the MAT exam pattern of all test modes is the same. The duration of MAT exam (PBT, CBT and IBT modes) is 2 hours or 120 minutes. The marking scheme is - plus one for correct attempt and minus 0.25 for incorrect attempt. There is no sectional time limit in MAT so candidates can utilise the 2 hours as per their own strategy. They should ideally, spend 25 minutes each on the top four sections and 15 minutes on the GK section. However, there may be slight difference in difficulty level because the questions in each MAT session are unique. No question is repeated in any session across CBT, PBT or IBT. This is to prevent any candidate from getting advantage or facing disadvantage due to leaking of the questions or in case of a candidates re-attempting the exam.

Q: Which section of MAT exam has maximum weightage?

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.

Q: How many marks are deducted for incorrect answer in MAT?

For every incorrect attempt, 0.25 marks are deducted in MAT. The negative marking is applicable to all exam modes – CBT/PBT/IBT and all five sections. Candidates while appearing for the MAT, must keep in mind the negative marking and not attempt questions that they are not sure of. It is better to not answer a question than lose 0.25 marks. Negative marking impacts sectional as well as overall scores.

8.4K Students Q&A

Updated on Sep 14, 2025 12:44 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

MAT pattern 2025 has been prescribed by the All India Management Association (AIMA). As per the latest pattern of MAT, the exam is of 2 hours and the number of questions are 150. These 150 questions are equally divided into 5 sections. MAT is conducted in PBT and CBT modes. MAT IBT is not conducted anymore. The difficulty level of MAT exam is easy to moderate. But since there is no sectional time limit, candidates may find it tough to balance time between five sectiosn. Get here all the details of MAT 2025 exam pattern.

Table of content

MAT Pattern 2025: Key Highlights
MAT Pattern 2025: Section-wise Weightage
MAT Marking Scheme 2025
FAQs on MAT Pattern 2025

MAT Pattern 2025: Key Highlights

MAT is one of the most student friendly MBA entrance exams in India. All questions are objective type having 4 options to choose the right answer from. Overall, difficulty level is easy. Check below the key highlights of MAT pattern and test structure. The question papers of MAT 2025 has five sections.

MAT Features	MAT Exam Details
Exam modes	Paper Based Test (PBT) Computer Based Test (CBT) Internet Based Test (IBT)
MAT sections	Language Comprehension Data Analysis & Sufficiency Mathematical Skills Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Economic and Business Environment
Total number of questions	150
Number of questions per session	30
Exam duration	120 minutes
Total marks	150
Marking scheme	+1 for each correct entry -0.25 for each incorrect entry 0 for not attempting a question

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is MAT exam easier than other MBA entrance exams?

Q: How can I prepare for MAT in six months?

Q: Can I score better in MAT IBT than in MAT CBT and PBT?

MAT Pattern 2025: Section-wise Weightage

MAT question paper has all questions in MCQ format. All the sections of MAT exam carry equal weightage so one section cannot be ignored for another. However, candidates can keep Economic and Business Environment section as their last priority because its score is not taken into consideration for MAT percentile calculation. Check the table below for sectional weightage of MAT 2025 exam pattern:

MAT Sections	Number of Questions
Language Comprehension	30
Intelligence and Critical Reasoning	30
Data Analysis and Sufficiency	30
Mathematical Skills	30
Economic and Business Environment	30
Total	150

MAT Exam Pattern 2025: Sectional Details

MAT has five sections. In other MBA entrance exams, Data Interpretation is clubbed with either Quantitative Ability or Logical Reasoning. In MAT, Data Interpretation is a separate section. Take a look at key topics of the five sections of MAT question paper below:

Language Comprehension: This section has two parts – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. Topics in this section include Verb, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, Antonyms & Synonyms, One Word Substitution, Idioms/Phrases, Vocabulary, Fill in the blanks, Sentence Correction, Para Jumble and Reading Comprehension.

Also Read: MAT 2025 Preparation for Language Comprehension

Intelligence & Critical Reasoning: This section of MAT carries questions from Analytical and Logical Reasoning topics such as Family Tree, Course of Action, Arrangement, Pie Chart, Calendars, Statement Conclusions, Strong Arguments and Weak Arguments, Puzzles, Series, Blood Relations, Coding & Decoding, Visual Reasoning, Syllogisms and Graphs.

Also Read: MAT 2025 Preparation for Intelligence & Critical Reasoning

Data Analysis & Data Sufficiency: This section is divided into two parts – Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency. Questions are asked from Line Graph, Bar Graph, Caselet, Pie Chart, Data Comparison, Quantitative Comparison and Data Sufficiency.

Also Read: MAT 2025 Preparation for Data Analysis & Data Sufficiency

Mathematical Skills: The Mathematical Skills section of MAT is what is known as Quantitative Aptitude in other MBA entrance exams. In this section, questions are asked from various topics of Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration and Modern Maths.

Also Read: MAT 2025 Preparation for Mathematical Skills

Economic and Business Environment: The Indian & Global Environment has been renamed as Economi and Business Environment. It is essentially a General Awareness section and includes questions from Current Affairs and Static GK. It carries 30 marks and should not take more than 10 mintues to solve as all questions are memory based.

Also Read: MAT 2025 Preparation for Economic and Business Environment

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is the MAT IBT mode exam pattern different from CBT and PBT exams?

Q: Which section of MAT exam has maximum weightage?

Q: How many marks are deducted for incorrect answer in MAT?

MAT Marking Scheme 2025

Given below are the key highlights of MAT marking scheme as per the latest MAT paper pattern:

The marking scheme is same for all three exam modes
Every section carries equal weightage of 30 marks
For each correct answer, 1 mark is awarded
For each wrong attempt, 0.25 marks are deducted
No marks are deducted for unanswered questions
Economic and Business Environment score is not considered for calculating MAT percentile
It is not mandatory to solve all 150 questions.