MAT Exam Analysis 2024

• Test contained 4 RC Passages of 400-500 words followed by 20 Questions in Language Comprehension section 
• 2 RC Passages were opinion based and were on Abstract ideas, while 2 were fact based
• Reasoning had a few tricky questions otherwise the section was moderate
• Reasoning had 18-20 questions based on Family Relations and Statements – Cause & Effect
• Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency as separate section had more questions on Graphs and Pie charts
• Data Sufficiency had a few difficult questions on Graphs and Pie charts
• Arithmetic had major share of questions of moderate difficulty level in Mathematical skills section 
• MAT contained some of the difficult questions in Language and Data Analysis also.
• Overall raw score of 110 is expected to fetch 95 percentile cut off in MAT exam

MAT 2024 February Exam: Question Paper Composition

 Section-1: Language comprehension
There were 40 questions in the section. Major topics and number of question are:

• Except a few questions the section had moderate difficulty level and could be answered in time
• A score of 26-27 marks could lead to 90 percentile in Language Comprehension section

Section-2: Mathematical Skills

• Out of the 40 questions in the section, more questions were based Arithmetic. As such Arithmetic commanded higher weightage in MAT Mathematical skills section
• Around 15 questions were based on Arithmetic like Interest, Percentages, Time and Work, Profit, Loss, Partnership. The questions were a little time consuming although were moderate.
• Other questions were based on topics like Equations, Ratio, Proportion & Variation, Geometry & Mensuration, Permutation and Combinations, Probability etc.
• The questions were of moderate difficulty level
• The section could prove to be a percentile booster for the candidates who did this section well
• A score of 28-29 marks could earn 90+ percentile in this section

Section-3: Data Analysis and Sufficiency

• This section had maximum questions on Data Interpretation
• More prominent in this section were Graphs, Pie charts, bar diagrams, charts, line graph, data comparison
• Time remained the major hurdle to solve these questions with speed and accuracy
• Questions on Data Interpretation (DI) occupied more than 50% space in the section, rest of the part covered questions on data sufficiency and data comparison
• A score of 21-22 marks is expected to get 90 and above percentile

Section-4: Intelligence and Critical reasoning

• This section had 40 Questions
• More questions were on Analytical and Logical reasoning and fewer questions were there on Critical reasoning
• 10 Questions were based on Family Relation, 10 on Statements-Cause & Effect, and others were Statement –Assumptions, Reasons, analogies, direction, series, Incorrect Terms.
• The questions were formed in sets as well as individual questions
• The section was a little lengthy with moderate level of difficulty
• A score of 25-26 marks may lead to a percentile above 90 in this section.

Section-5: Indian and Global environment
This section is not counted for percentile calculation in MAT exam. Many Candidates skipped or answered very few questions in this section to save time for other sections.

• Suggested time limit by AIMA to answer the 40 questions in this section was 15 minutes but 10 minutes were enough to attempt this section
• Questions were formed on G-20 Summit, Climate Change Summit, Central Vista, SCO Meet, Recent elections, JIO-Facebook deal, Awards, Government policies, rules, regulations, Budget, GST, CAA, Constitution of India, Appointments, Capitals, Current National and International Events, US Trade Policy, Russia-Ukraine War; Israel-Hamas conflict among others
• No re-thinking or recalling was required for what you do not know or are confused on it.
• Ideal time to attempt one question was less than 30 seconds

No Surprise Element
The MAT 2023 Dec exam had no surprise element and was on the same pattern as was in December 2023 exam. 

• The time limit to attempt 200 questions was 150 minutes. Less than 1 minute was available before the test takers to answer each of 200 questions.
• Candidates who could not manage time well, had to skip many questions and could not maximise their attempts across the sections.
• Those who adhered to the time limit to solve questions in each section helped them to do better in the exam as with this strategy more number of questions could be attempted with accuracy
• Many of MAT test takers could not attempt more questions despite knowing their answers in MAT as they struggled for time

Following table consists of the broad MAT guideline to achieve cut off above 90 percentile, ideal attempts according to the difficulty level of questions in each section and suggested time limit to solve each of the 5 sections to score high in MAT 2023: 

You can use your MAT 2023 exam score in accordance with your score range in the top MBA Colleges accepting MAT with their admission status open. These colleges can be divided into four broad categories:

• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 700 or the Colleges accepting MAT score above 90 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 600 or the Colleges accepting MAT score 80 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 500 or the Colleges accepting MAT score 60 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 400 or the Colleges accepting MAT score below 50 percentile

Top MBA Colleges Accepting MAT Colleges

Top MBA Colleges Accepting MAT: 80-90 Percentile
There are highly ranked and internationally accredited MBA/ PGDM colleges among the MBA colleges accepting MAT score. Some of the prominent MBA colleges accepting MAT percentile 80 & above are:  

Read More: Top MBA Colleges accepting MAT  

• Admission to good B schools out of the list of B schools available at the AIMA site can be explored with a percentile of 80 and above. 
• MAT score card will contain 6 scores. For each of the 6 scores, a percentile score is given. This shows the percentage of examinees who scored below the candidate based on the entire MAT testing population. The percentile figure can change with each administration for the same scores.
• MAT 2023 exam would award scores keeping the Indian and Global environment section out from percentile calculation.
• The scores are to be awarded out of 160 marks and accordingly the test takers will get their merit position where their scores are sent by AIMA.
• Raw score of 70+ is expected to award the percentile of 80+ and the raw score of 110 can award you the percentile of 90

Exam Difficulty Level
MAT exam had a moderate difficulty level. Besides, there was no change in the MAT exam pattern which had 200 questions in MCQ format divided in 5 sections. The MAT test takers found the exam easy to moderate difficulty level although parts of Verbal, Data sufficiency were rated as bit difficult. 

Dec 2023 IBT MAT Exam
Candidates appeared in the IBT-MAT from the convenience of their home instead of going to an exam centre. The morning slot was from 10.00 AM to 12.30 PM and evening slot was from 4.00 PM to 6.30 PM. AIMA had introduced MAT Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (MAT IBT) since 2020 due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic:

Opting for IBT MAT: Take from Comfort of Home

• Candidates can appear in IBT Dec MAT 2023 exam from the comfort of their homes with their computers or laptops having fast internet connections and webcams. 
• The exam time and duration is strictly adhered to.
• A constant watch on the conduct of the exam by the remote proctors is kept through the candidates’ webcam displaying their live test taking attempts, surroundings to ensure that there is no malpractice that could impact the sanctity of the exam. 

Candidates Appeared in IBT MAT after Taking Official Mock
Since most of the candidates who appeared in IBT MAT exam were not aware about the key requirements to appear in the exam, AIMA has offered MAT IBT mock test to enable the candidates to understand how they should attempt the exam. An IBT MAT Mock Test registration and Mock test taking window is enabled at AIMA MAT website for the candidates who have registered and applied for Dec IBT MAT

Taking IBT MAT 2023: Key Requirements
For taking the test in IBT mode, instead of going to a test centre candidates can take the exam from the safe confines and convenience of their homes subject to certain conditions. Following are the key requirements to get ready for MAT IBT Exam: 

• Network: A stable internet connection with proper speed. Minimum Upload Speed should be 512 kbps or above.
• Supported Browsers: Use only Browser Version Chrome version 63 and above; Firefox version 52 and above
• Operating System: WindowsOS Version7 and above
• Memory: 65MB permanent free space on the default hard drive  

Guidelines to Take the Test

• Once the test starts, MSB will not allow to move out of the application before the test is finished MSB will close all the applications running in background
• Please note that only the candidates with a computer together with webcam and internet facilities meeting specifications can appear in IBT exam.
• The sanctity and security of the test is effectively maintained through remote proctoring in dual mode i.e., by employing robust Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools as also human proctors.

The IBT MAT Exam was rated as easy to moderate with no surprises and was on the same pattern of PBT/CBT MAT. A few questions in English Language, Data Analysis and Quant were found a bit difficult. A score of 108-110 is expected to fetch 90+ percentile. The IBT MAT exam has longer testing window as shared above. Registrations for further exam dates of MAT IBT exam are also open.

Below is shared the previous MAT exams analysis with all the details, good attempts, scoring pattern and cut offs

February MAT 2023 Exam Analysis
Candidates appeared in the IBT-MAT from the convenience of their home instead of going to an exam centre. The morning slot was from 10.00 AM to 12.30 PM and evening slot was from 4.00 PM to 6.30 PM.

The MAT Exam Analysis for CBT, IBT and PBT MAT below covers the nature of test, difficulty level, exam pattern, expected cut offs, top MBA colleges accepting MAT among other details 

AIMA had introduced MAT Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (MAT IBT) since 2020 due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic: 

IBT MAT: Taken from Comfort of Home
Candidates appeared in IBT Feb MAT 2023 exam from the comfort of their homes with their computers or laptops having fast internet connections and webcams.  The exam time and duration was strictly adhered to. A constant watch on the conduct of the exam by the remote proctors was kept through the candidates’ webcam displaying their live test taking attempts, surroundings to ensure that there was no malpractice that could impact the sanctity of the exam. 

Candidates Appeared in IBT MAT after Taking Official Mock
Since most of the candidates who appeared in IBT MAT exam were not aware about the key requirements to appear in the exam, AIMA has offered MAT IBT mock test to enable the candidates to understand how they should attempt the exam. An IBT MAT Mock Test registration and Mock test taking window is enabled at AIMA MAT website

Taking IBT MAT 2023: Key Requirements
For taking the test in IBT mode, instead of going to a test centre candidates can take the exam from the safe confines and convenience of their homes subject to certain conditions. Following are the key requirements to get ready for MAT IBT Exam: 

Please note that only the candidates with a computer together with webcam and internet facilities meeting specifications can appear in IBT exam. The sanctity and security of the test is effectively maintained through remote proctoring in dual mode i.e., by employing robust Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools as also human proctors.

• Network: A stable internet connection with proper speed. Minimum Upload Speed should be 512 kbps or above.
• Supported Browsers: Use only Browser Version Chrome version 63 and above; Firefox version 52 and above
• Operating System: WindowsOS Version7 and above
• Memory: 65MB permanent free space on the default hard drive  

Guidelines to Take the Test
Once the test starts, MSB will not allow to move out of the application before the test is finished MSB will close all the applications running in background

The IBT MAT Exam was rated as easy to moderate with no surprises and was on the same pattern of PBT/CBT MAT.

A few questions in English Language, Data Analysis and Quant were found a bit difficult. A score of 110-112 is expected to fetch 90 percentile cut off. The IBT MAT exam had seven days testing window and registrations for further exam dates of MAT IBT exam were also kept open.

The detailed MAT IBT exam analysis consists of MAT exam structure, difficulty level - overall and section wise, surprise elements, key topics and questions in the exam, sectional composition, important topics asked section wise and expected Cut offs in top MBA colleges accepting MAT score. 

MAT 2023 Exam Highlights: CBT, IBT, PBT Exams

• Test contained 4 RC Passages of 400-500 words followed by 20 Questions in Language Comprehension section 
• 2 RC Passages were opinion based and were on Abstract ideas, while 2 were fact based
• Reasoning had a few tricky questions otherwise the section was moderate
• Reasoning had 18-20 questions based on Family Relations and Statements – Cause & Effect
• Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency as separate section had more questions on Graphs and Pie charts
• Data Sufficiency had a few difficult questions on Graphs and Pie charts
• Arithmetic had major share of questions of moderate difficulty level in Mathematical skills section 
• IBT MAT contained some of the difficult questions in Language and Data Analysis also.
• Candidates have shared the feedback that the MAT Remote Proctored Internet Based Test was moderate although parts of Verbal, Data Analysis & Reasoning took some more time to solve.
• Candidates would need higher scores as there would be tough competition in getting admission to a good MBA college.   
• Overall raw score of 110 is expected to fetch 90+ percentile cut off in MAT exam

Overall Analysis

• There were 200 questions divided in 5 sections in MAT exam
• All the questions carry equal marks.
• Every right answer is awarded with a credit of 1 mark
• Every wrong answer attracts a penalty of ¼ negative marking (0.25 mark) which is deducted from the score awarded for right answers.
• All the questions are in MCQ format followed by 4 answer options.
• No Individual Sectional Time Limit. Candidates were allowed to switch to any section and any question

Quick View of IBT MAT Exam

MAT 2023: IBT/CBT/PBT Exam Pattern

MAT Sectional Analysis

Language comprehension
There were 40 questions in the section. Major topics and number of question are:

• Except a few questions the section had moderate difficulty level and could be answered in time
• A score of 27-28 marks could lead to 90 percentile in Language Comprehension section

Mathematical Skills

• Out of the 40 questions in the section, more weightage was awarded to Arithmetic based questions
• Around 15 questions were based on Arithmetic like Interest, Percentages, Time and Work, Profit, Loss, Partnership. The questions were a little time consuming although were moderate.
• Other questions were based on topics like Equations, Ratio, Proportion & Variation, Geometry & Mensuration, Permutation and Combinations, Probability etc.
• The questions were of moderate difficulty level
• The section could prove to be a percentile booster for the candidates who did this section well
• A score of 29-30 marks could earn 90+ percentile in this section

Data Analysis and Sufficiency

• This section had maximum questions on Data Interpretation
• More prominent in this section were Graphs, Pie charts, bar diagrams, charts, line graph, data comparison
• Time remained the major hurdle to solve these questions with speed and accuracy
• Questions on Data Interpretation (DI) occupied more than 50% space in the section, rest of the part covered questions on data sufficiency and data comparison
• A score of 22-23 marks is expected to get 90 and above percentile

Intelligence and Critical reasoning

• This section had 40 Questions
• More questions were on Analytical and Logical reasoning and fewer questions were there on Critical reasoning
• 10 Questions were based on Family Relation, 10 on Statements-Cause & Effect, and others were Statement –Assumptions, Reasons, analogies, direction, series, Incorrect Terms.
• The questions were formed in sets as well as individual questions
• The section was a little lengthy with moderate level of difficulty
• A score of 26-27 marks may lead to a percentile above 90 in this section.

Indian and Global environment

• Suggested time limit by AIMA to answer the 40 questions in this section was 15 minutes but 10 minutes were enough to attempt this section
• Questions were formed on Covid 19 & its Global implications, JIO-Facebook deal,  Awards, Government policies, rules, regulations, Budget, GST, CAA,  Constitution of India, Appointments, Capitals, Current National and International Events, US Trade Policy.
• No re-thinking or recalling was required for what you do not know or are confused on it.
• Ideal time to attempt one question was less than 30 seconds
• This section is not counted for percentile calculation in MAT exam
• Many Candidates skipped or answered very few questions in this section to save time for other sections

Surprise Element
The MAT 2023 exam had no surprise element and was on the same pattern as was in December 2022  

Time Management: Key Issue

• The time limit to attempt 200 questions was 150 minutes. Less than 1 minute was available before the test takers to answer each of 200 questions.
• Candidates who could not manage time well, had to skip many questions and could not maximise their attempts across the sections.
• Those who adhered to the time limit to solve questions in each section helped them to do better in the exam as with this strategy more number of questions could be attempted with accuracy
• Many of MAT test takers could not attempt more questions despite knowing their answers in MAT as they struggled for time

How to Manage Time in MAT Exam: Tips by Test Takers
The MAT Test takers suggest following tips to manage time in the exam:

Skip or Scantly Attempt GK Section
A unique way to manage time with an aim to attempt more questions, was found by the test takers. Since the GK section in MAT exam is not counted for score calculation, many candidates skipped or attempted very few questions in Indian and Global Environment section and utilized this time to attempt the questions in other sections. The strategy helped them to maximise the attempts in all the 4 core sections. 

Didn’t Devote More than 30 Seconds
Most of the MAT test takers revealed that they maximized the attempts by not wasting the time in case they found even a slightly difficult question in their initial attempts. Besides, none of them devoted more than 30 seconds on one question as during this time they could know whether the question was doable or difficult.

Avoided Negative Marking
Apart from maximising the attempts, these candidates ensured that they should attempt only the questions which they could solve accurately. The strategy boosted their confidence level further and they expect higher score due to no or very little loss on negative marking. 

Ideal attempts and Cut offs
The MAT 2023 test takers who maximised the attempts in the exam need to score high keeping in mind the negative marking. Giving time to each of the sections and not getting down by any one section remained an important factor to help the candidates to get high score.

Following table consists of the broad MAT guideline to achieve cut off above 90 percentile, ideal attempts according to the difficulty level of questions in each section and suggested time limit to solve each of the 5 sections to score high in MAT 2023: 

Categorization of MBA Colleges accepting MAT 2023
There are 600 MBA Colleges in India accepting MAT 2023 Feb exam score. These MBA Colleges accepting MAT score include the University and University affiliated MBA Colleges accepting MAT; Autonomous and Private top MBA Colleges accepting MAT and Government regulated top MBA Colleges Accepting MAT Score in 2023.

You can use your MAT 2023 exam score in accordance with your score range in the top MBA Colleges accepting MAT with their admission status open. These colleges can be divided into four broad categories:

• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 700 or the Colleges accepting MAT score above 90 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 600 or the Colleges accepting MAT score 80 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 500 or the Colleges accepting MAT score 60 percentile
• Colleges Accepting MAT score above 400 or the Colleges accepting MAT score below 50 percentile

Scoring in MAT & MBA Admission with MAT

• Admission to good B schools out of the list of B schools available at the AIMA site can be explored with a percentile of 80 and above. 
• MAT score card will contain 6 scores. For each of the 6 scores, a percentile score is given. This shows the percentage of examinees who scored below the candidate based on the entire MAT testing population. The percentile figure can change with each administration for the same scores.
• MAT 2023 exam would award scores keeping the Indian and Global environment section out from percentile calculation.
• The scores are to be awarded out of 160 marks and accordingly the test takers will get their merit position where their scores are sent by AIMA.
• Raw score of 70+ is expected to award the percentile of 80+ and the raw score of 110 can award you the percentile of 90

MAT 2023 Exam Difficulty Level
MAT exam had a moderate difficulty level. Besides, there was no change in the MAT exam pattern which had 200 questions in MCQ format divided in 5 sections. The MAT test takers found the exam easy to moderate difficulty level although parts of Verbal, Data sufficiency were rated as bit difficult. 

Important Note: To help you prepare for the MAT exam, MBAUniverse.com has published MAT Mock Tests which are based on previous MAT Exam Papers. Take Free Online MAT Mock now by clicking on the links below.