Introduction to MAT
The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is a competitive exam conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA). This is an entrance test for admission in to Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) or equivalent Master of Business Administration (MBA) and other allied programs. Over 600 business schools or MBA institutes participate in MAT exam across India. Here we are conducting MAT exam analysis.
Read more about MAT, exam details, eligibility, etc, in our another article MAT (Management Aptitude Test).
Nature of MAT Test
Before going to exam analysis of MAT, we will see the nature of MAT below.
MAT is an Objective type test with multiple choice answers.
Total Number of Questions: 200
Total Time Allocated: 150 Minutes
All questions carry equal marks. There will be negative marking for wrong answers.
The sections, number of questions and time suggested for the test are given below.
| Section No. | Section | No. of Questions | Time Suggested (Minutes) |
| 1. | Language Comprehension | 40 | 30 – 35 |
| 2. | Mathematical Skills | 40 | 35 – 40 |
| 3. | Data Analysis and Sufficiency | 40 | 30 – 35 |
| 4. | Intelligence and Critical Reasoning | 40 | 25 – 30 |
| 5. | Indian and Global Environment | 40 | 5 – 10 |
| Total | 200 | 150 |
General Estimate
The score of MAT is evaluated based on marks obtained in four sections (1 to 4). The 5th section “Indian and Global Environment” is not considering for consolidated score. Hence, the scoring is done with 160 questions. All questions carry equal marks and one fourth of the mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. For simplicity each question carries 1 mark and for each wrong answer 0.25 marks will be deducted.
It is approximately estimated that a net score of 90 – 100 marks (excluding the score of section 5) will give you an overall percentile of more than 95. The score above 125 marks (excluding the score of section 5) can give you an overall percentile of more than 99. The score above 145 marks (excluding the score in section 5) can give you an overall percentile of more than 99.9.
MAT Exam Analysis – Types of Questions in Each Section
Section 1: Language Comprehension
Language comprehension section contains questions from reading comprehension, vocabulary and English usage and grammar. Mostly the paper contains 20 questions from reading comprehension and 20 questions from vocabulary and English usage and grammar combined. The difficulty level of this section is considered as moderate.
Reading comprehension questions are mostly direct in nature. One can obtain the answers by scanning through the passage. But the other part vocabulary and English usage and grammar require good knowledge about English usage and functional grammar. One has to spend 30 – 35 minutes on this section and score more than 25 to get 90 percentile or above in this section alone.
Vocabulary and English usage and grammar questions includes words in jumbled form, find the antonyms, find the odd one out, fill in the blanks, para-jumbles, best essence of the given paragraph etc.
Section 2: Mathematical Skills
The questions asking in the Mathematical Skills section are only the basics level and those who revise their basics and practice many questions of this quality can score well in this section. Most of the questions are asking from topics like time and work, time and distance, pipes and cisterns, averages, mixtures and alligations, equations, ratio, proportion and variation, percentages, profit and loss, partnership, geometry and mensuration, simple and compound interest, trigonometry, heights and distance, permutation and combination, probability.
One can increase score in this section by increasing one’s basic conceptual skills, and calculation skills. The level of questions varies from easy to moderate to difficult and one should spend 35 – 40 minutes for this section and score 25 or above from this section for getting 90 percentile from this section alone.
Section 3: Data Analysis and Sufficiency
Data analysis and Sufficiency section can be divided into three areas namely, Data Interpretation (DI), Data Sufficiency (DS) and Data Comparison (DC). Most of the questions asking in this section are from Data Interpretation. Normally 25 to 30 questions are from DI and 10 – 15 questions are from the areas DS and DC. Most questions from this section are of moderate level of difficulty.
Data Interpretation questions contains charts, graphs, sets, data etc. from which the candidate has to make interpretation. The question type includes calculation and comparison of fractions, average, percentage, mean, median etc. Use 35 – 40 minutes in this section and score more than 25 to get more than 90 percentile from this section alone.
Section 4: Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
The Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section contains areas such as Analytical Reasoning and Critical Reasoning. Mostly 25 – 30 questions are from analytical reasoning and 10 – 15 are from critical reasoning. The question difficulty level is considered as easy to moderate and a good prepared student can manage it well.
The analytical reasoning area contains questions like seating arrangements, distribution, completing the letter series, blood relation, verbal analogies, direction sense etc. The critical reasoning questions are from area assertion and reasons, statement and conclusions, cause and effect etc. One has to spend 25 – 30 minutes in this section and has to score more than 30 marks to get a sectional percentage above 90.
Section 5: Indian and Global Environment
The section Indian and Global Environment is to show the general awareness of the candidate. An update information and regular reading of newspaper will find this area comfortable. The difficulty level of questions from this section is considered as moderate to difficult.
The questions are mainly from business, current affairs, general knowledge etc. One has to spend around 5 – 10 minutes in this section and score more than 20 marks.
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Disclaimer: All information on cut-offs, analysis, scores, and marks given in the article are based on independent analysis. It aims only to give a general idea to candidates regarding the exam pattern. The information may vary from exam to exam and candidates to candidates. We do not take responsibility for any mistakes in this article or any other article in this website and any decision that might be taken, based on this information.