MAT 2026: LATEST UPDATE

MAT exam is conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA) four times in a year – February, May, September and December. MAT 2026 Paper Based Test (PBT) exam for will be held on March 01, 2026 and MAT 2026 Computer Based Test (CBT) exam for will be held on March 08, 2026. The result of computer based examination is likely to be declared in the last week of March.

OVERVIEW

Management Aptitude Test or MAT is a national level MBA entrance exam for admission to over 800 B-schools across India. MAT exam is conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA) four times in a year – February, May, September and December. MAT is the only MBA entrance exam in India that offers the option to appear in Paper Based Test (PBT) and Computer Based Test (CBT) modes.

IMPORTANT DATES

The MAT February 2026 exam dates have been officially announced. The Paper-Based Test (PBT) is scheduled for March 1, 2026, while the Computer-Based Test (CBT) will be conducted on March 8, 2026. The registration process is now open, and eligible candidates can apply for the MAT February 2026 exam through the official AIMA MAT website.

PROGRAM OFFERED

The MAT exam is primarily a gateway for admission to management-related postgraduate courses at participating business schools and universities across India.

Main programs offered through MAT-based admissions include:

MBA (Master of Business Administration) – two-year full-time postgraduate management degree.

PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) – two-year diploma equivalent to an MBA, offered by many autonomous institutes.

Executive MBA / Executive PGDM – one-year programs aimed at working professionals (available at select institutions).

TOP COLLEGES & SEATS

The Management Aptitude Test (MAT), conducted by AIMA since 1988, is one of the largest MBA/PGDM entrance tests in India. Nationally recognized by the Government of India since 2003, MAT serves as a gateway to 600+ leading B-Schools across the country. With a legacy of over 35 years, MAT has been the preferred choice for over 30 lakh management aspirants. It offers the flexibility of Paper-Based and Computer-Based test modes, to suit candidate convenience. Conducted four times a year, MAT provides multiple opportunities for admission success.

Here are some of the top colleges in India that accept MAT 2026 scores for MBA/PGDM admissions:

Top MBA/PGDM Colleges Accepting MAT 2026 Score

1. Christ University – School of Business, Bengaluru
2. Amity Business School, Noida (Amity University)
3. Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bengaluru
4. Jaipuria Institute of Management (Lucknow / Noida / Jaipur)
5. BIMTECH (Birla Institute of Management Technology), Greater Noida
6. Jagan Institute of Management Studies (JIMS), Delhi
7. Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE), Hyderabad
8. New Delhi Institute of Management (NDIM), Delhi
9. VIT Business School (Vellore Institute of Technology)
10. AIMS Institutes / SRM School of Management

Seats

The MAT score is accepted by over 600 MBA and PGDM-offering B-Schools and management institutes across India for the academic session 2026-27.

Unlike an exam that has a fixed number of seats (like a central counselling exam), MAT does not have a single fixed seat count because it is used by hundreds of participating colleges individually. Each institution sets its own seat matrix based on its accreditation and MBA/PGDM intake capacity.

Major colleges accepting MAT scores typically offer several hundred seats each:

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida – 600 seats

XIME, Bangalore – 300 seats

IBA Bangalore  – 300 seats

LPU (Lovely Professional University) – 500 seats

NDIM, Delhi – 500 seats

Soil Institute of Management – 480 seats

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The minimum eligibility criteria for MAT 2026 have been prescribed in accordance with AICTE guidelines. Candidates can check the detailed MAT 2026 eligibility requirements below.

Nationality

1. Candidates who are the citizens of India are eligible to apply for MAT 
2. 2. NRIs and foreign nationals can also apply for MAT.

Age Limit & Relaxations

There is no age limit for the applicants to register for the MAT exam.

Number Of Attempts

The candidate can take the examination as many times as they want till they succeed.

Educational Qualifications

1. The candidates must pass a graduation degree from a recognized University in any stream or a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA).
2. The final year graduation students can also apply for MAT.

EXAM PATTERN

The MAT exam is an objective-type test consisting of 150 questions divided equally into five sections. While attempting all questions is not compulsory, candidates should aim to attempt at least two-thirds of the paper to secure a good score. There is no sectional time limit, making time management more flexible. The table below outlines the MAT 2026 exam pattern.

1. According to the MAT exam pattern, the AIMA will conduct the entrance exam in two modes – PBT (Paper Based Test) and CBT (Computer Based Test).
2. A total of 150 questions will be asked from 5 sections such as – Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, Economics & Business Environment.
3. The MAT Exam Duration is 2 hours.
4. Total Marks allotted for the MAT exam is 150.
5. The questions will be objective type for both online and offline modes.
6. For every correct answer, 1 mark will be rewarded.
7. However, for every wrong answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted.

SYLLABUS

The MAT syllabus is divided into five sections and includes graduation-level questions designed to assess a candidate’s overall aptitude. It covers all the key topics from which questions are asked in each section. Listed below are the sections and important topics included in the MAT exam syllabus.

Mathematical Skills

1. Percentage
2. Simple-Compound Interest
3. Time & Work
4. Number System
5. Trigonometry

Language Comprehension

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Sentence Rearrangment
3. One word substitution
4. Para Jumbles

Data Analysis & Sufficiency

1. Data Sufficiency
2. Data Caselet
3. Line Graph
4. Pie Chart
5. Data Comparison

Intelligence & Critical Reasoning

1. Analogies
2. Analytical Reasoning
3. Blood Relation
4. Direction sense

Economics & Business Environment

1. Current Affairs
2. World Records
3. Business
4. CEOs
5. Awards and Winners
6. Books and Authors
7. Company Punch.
8. History
9. International Organisation
10. Statements & Quotations
11. Social issues
12. Geography
13. Sports
14. Finance
15. Corporate News
16. Science
17. Entertainment
18. Politics

SELECTION PROCESS

After the MAT 2026 exam results are declared, candidates’ scores are sent to the management institutes they selected during registration. Participating colleges then shortlist candidates based on their MAT score, academic record, and institute-specific cutoff criteria. Shortlisted applicants are invited to attend Group Discussion (GD), Personal Interview (PI), and/or Written Ability Test (WAT) rounds as part of the selection. Final admission offers are made by each college based on the combined performance in MAT, GD/PI/WAT, academics, and other criteria.

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates who meet the basic eligibility criteria can apply for MAT only through online mode on the official AIMA website, as no other application method is available. The MAT 2026 application process will be conducted four times during the year. Once the application forms are released, aspirants must complete the registration and proceed with the application process.

Applicants are advised to carefully read the form and enter accurate, complete details to avoid any issues.

Step 1: Visit the official website

Step 2: Enter your basic details, including your name, phone number, email ID, and DOB, and set a password for the further login process

Step 3: Click on the “Submit” button.

Step 4: An OTP will be sent to the registered mobile numberVerify the phone number using the OTP

Step 5: New login credentials will be sent to your registered email ID.

Step 6: Log in to the portal again with your login credentials

Step 7: Select the MAT test modes that are PBT, and CBT as per your convenience.

Step 8: Select Test Cities in MAT Registration form

Step 9: Upload scanned passport-size photograph and signature

Step 10: Pay MAT exam fees by online modes through internet banking, credit card, debit card, and mobile wallet.

Step 11: Fill in personal details, academic record, work experience and five preferred management institutes for admission

Step 12: Review the form to make changes if required

Step 13: Click on submit to make final submissio

EXAM CENTERS

The MAT 2026 exam will be held in multiple test cities across India for both Paper-Based Test (PBT) and Computer-Based Test (CBT) modes. Candidates can choose their preferred test cities when filling out the application form, and the centre is allotted based on availability. Major centres include cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Bhubaneswar among others. AIMA conducts the test in over 50+ cities nationwide to accommodate candidates from different regions. Details of assigned exam centres will be mentioned on the admit card.

Computer Based Test (CBT)

Paper Based Test (PBT)

ADMIT CARD

All provisionally registered candidates for PBT/CBT have to download their Admit Card from official website https://mat.aima.in/ as per the schedule given above. Admit Card contains Candidate’s Name, Form No, Roll No, Test Date, Test Time and Test Venue Address. Candidate has to strictly follow the date and time allotted to him/her in the admit card.

Candidates can follow the steps mentioned below to download their admit card for MAT exam:

Step 1: Visit the official website

Step 2: Click on the download tab on the homepage when it becomes active. 

Step 3: Select “MAT admit card” from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Login with your password, DOB, and the registered email ID

Step 5: Click on the “Login” tab.

Step 6: Check all the details mentioned on the admit card.

Step 7: Download and take a printout of it for future reference. 

RESULT

Availability of MAT February’ 26 Score on MAT Website: By end of 2^nd week of March 2026. Candidates have to download the MAT Score from website https://mat.aima.in/

Candidates can check their MAT result by following the below-mentioned steps:

Step 1: Visit the official website

Step 2: Click on ‘MAT result’ 

Step 3: Select Exam Month 

Step 4: Enter Roll Number and Registration Number

Step 5: Click on the ‘Submit’ tab

Step 6: MAT scorecard will appear on the screen

Step 7: Download the result and take the printout of the scorecard.

COUNSELLING PROCESS

AIMA facilitates the MAT 2026 counselling process for candidates seeking MBA admission to participating institutes; however, each management college conducts its counselling independently. After the declaration of MAT results, shortlisted candidates are called for counselling, document verification, and further selection rounds as per the institute’s criteria.

Documents required for MAT counselling generally include the counselling

Call letter

MAT admit card and scorecard,

Academic certificates and documents,

Demand draft (if applicable),

Caste certificate for reserved categories,

and other validity proofs.

Cutoff

The MAT cut-off may be expressed in marks or percentile and typically ranges between 250 and 700, varying from college to college. The cut-off depends on factors such as the number of test-takers, exam difficulty level, seat availability, and total applications received by the institute.

???????IMPORTANT LINK

For Official Website: Click here

For MAT Northern Region Prospectus: Click Here

For MAT Western Region Prospectus: Click Here

For MAT Eastern Region Prospectus: Click Here

For MAT Southern Region Prospectus: Click Here