If you are a management aspirant and planning to appear for entrance tests, MAT should definitely be in your list. About 3 lakh candidates take Management Aptitude Test every year, making it one of the most popular entrance tests for candidates wishing to pursue MBA in India. All India Management Association (AIMA), established as an apex body of management professionals in India with support from GoI and the Industry, is responsible for conducting the test 4-times a year, nationally.

MAT 2020 Updates

The upcoming MAT session is an early-bird opportunity for candidates who plan to enroll for MBA in 2020. Here are some important updates:

• Registration Process for May session of MAT started from March 6 and candidates can apply till May 10 (PBT) and April 26, 2020 (CBT).
• MAT May session will be conducted in CBT mode on May 3 and PBT mode on May 16, 2020. 
• Candidates can download their MAT Admit Cards from April 28, 2020. 

In addition to its time-tested structure, the test has several aspects that act advantageously to the majority of MBA-aspirants. Let us take a look at them one by one.

MAT Practice PapersMAT Rank Predictor MAT SyllabusMAT Participating Colleges

Flexible Schedule: Conducted Multiple times a year

MAT is held 4 times a year, usually on the first Sundays of February, May, September, and December, and without any limit, to the number of times a candidate can appear for the test, MAT offers aspirants a genuine chance to better their scores each time they appear. Most other entrance tests like CAT, XAT, etc. are conducted only once a year and candidates need to wait for one whole year to take another shot at the test.

Validity of Scores

Since the scores are valid for a year, a candidate can seek admission with his/her score at any intake of their choice within the validity period. For example, if a candidate who would be graduating in 2020 takes the September 2020 MAT, he/she can apply for admission at the institution of his/her choice for the 2021 intake and can even choose to appear for subsequent December 2020, and February/May 2021 MAT to better the chances of admission. Check MAT Cutoff

MAT Score Acceptance

MAT score is accepted in over 600+ management institutes in India including 150+ participating institutes. This provides an excellent opportunity for candidates to secure admission in one of the better institutes by virtue of a good score.

Selection of Management Institutes

 Candidates appearing for MAT can choose up to 5 institutes where they wish to apply for admission. AIMA, on behalf of the candidates, shares their MAT score with the chosen institutes, free of cost. Thereafter, if the candidates’ scores match the institutes’ cut-off score, they are invited for the further selection procedure. All these get done without the candidates directly applying to the institute because of the initiative of AIMA.

Payment of Fees

 A lot of candidates are not comfortable with making online payments, whereas, most entrance tests require them to pay the application fees online, through the integrated payment gateway. MAT offers convenience to candidates through three payment modes: online (debit/credit cards and net banking), offline (demand draft in favor of AIMA-CMS, payable at New Delhi), cash payment for the physical collection of Application Form from AIMA office.

Mode of Exam

While most other management entrance tests have to be taken as online tests, MAT is conducted in the computer-based as well as paper-based modes. This appears as a relief for a lot of candidates who are still jittery about taking an online, computer-based test. Candidates can also choose to take the test in both the formats. Check Detailed MAT 2020 Exam Pattern

Similarity in Syllabus

MBA aspirants usually choose to appear for multiple entrance tests in their effort to secure admission in the best possible course/college. MAT Syllabus and examination pattern is quite similar to the other popular entrance tests like CAT, XAT, SNAP etc. As such, candidates do not need to put in additional effort in preparation for the test.

Level of Difficulty

The difficulty level of MAT questions is comparatively lower than that of CAT or XAT. Trends indicate that a 70 percentile scorer in CAT can easily secure top marks in MAT. This doesn’t imply that MAT is a lesser standard test; instead, MAT helps students realize their dream of management education beyond the IIMs.

Participating Business Schools

A few colleges that accept MAT score are Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida; Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow; ISBM Pune; Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad; KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar; Christ University, Bengaluru; XIME Bangalore; and Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad. These institutes have a standing amongst the top B-schools of India.  Check MAT 2020 Participating Colleges

Exams Similar to MAT 2020