MAT
AIMA's four-times-a-year national test accepted by 600+ B-schools — the widest and most flexible entry route to mid-tier MBA/PGDM programmes.
Eligibility
Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university; final-year students may also apply. There is no minimum-marks requirement, no age limit and no cap on attempts — candidates may appear in any or all of the four annual sessions. Scores remain valid for the admission season (up to one year for most accepting institutes).
Age limit: No age limit
Exam pattern
Offered in up to three modes per session — Paper-Based Test (PBT), Computer-Based Test (CBT) and a remote Internet-Based Test (IBT) in sessions where AIMA schedules it; candidates may take more than one mode (e.g. PBT+CBT for ₹4,000), with the better score counting. The test has 150 Multiple-Choice Questions in 120 minutes across five sections of 30 each: Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, and Indian & Global Environment. Marking is +1 for correct and −0.25 for wrong answers with no sectional time limits. Results are reported as a composite score scaled between 199 and 801, computed from the first four sections only.
Syllabus at a glance
Language Comprehension covers reading passages, grammar and vocabulary. Mathematical Skills spans arithmetic, algebra, geometry and commercial maths. Data Analysis & Sufficiency tests tables, graphs, caselets and data-sufficiency items, while Intelligence & Critical Reasoning covers series, analogies, arrangements and logical puzzles. Indian & Global Environment is a current-affairs and business-GK section that does not count towards the composite score.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Registration closes — PBT (September 2026 session) | 7 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| Paper-Based Test (PBT) | 13 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| Registration closes — CBT | 14 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| Computer-Based Test (CBT) | 20 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| Result (September session) | Late Sep / early Oct 2026 (expected) | expected |
| Next session (December 2026) | PBT/CBT expected mid–late Dec 2026 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Mission MBA MAT — B.S. Sijwali & Tarun Goyal (Arihant)
- Face to Face MAT with Solved Papers — B.S. Sijwali (Arihant)
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations — R.S. Aggarwal
- A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal
- Manorama Yearbook — Malayala Manorama (for Indian & Global Environment)
How toppers play it
- The Indian & Global Environment section is excluded from the composite score (199-801) — put your prep hours into the other four sections and treat it as a quick 10-minute sweep on test day.
- You can sit both the PBT and CBT of the same session for ₹4,000, and the better score counts — that is effectively two attempts a week apart.
- A composite score around 650-700+ opens most good MAT-accepting colleges; with +1/−0.25 marking and moderate difficulty, accuracy beats raw attempts.
- 150 questions in 120 minutes leaves under a minute per question — build speed in Mathematical Skills and Data Analysis, the two sections that anchor the composite score.
- MAT runs four times a year (Feb, May, Sep, Dec) — if a session goes badly you can simply reappear in the next one, so schedule your first attempt early in your admission timeline.