Madhuri, a final year student in undergraduate program in Science, is aspiring for a good career. Her friends’ suggestion was to pursue management education at post-graduation level. They said that a good B-School would provide lucrative placement and a challenging and rewarding career. Her search for admission into good B-School was a nightmare. She discovered that there are a plethora of entrance tests. Common Admission Test (CAT), Xavier Admission Test (XAT), Management Aptitude Test (MAT), AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA), Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP), IBS Admission Test (IBSAT), Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET) and many other tests by various institutes confused her. She is clear that she would not be able to crack CAT or XAT. But she would like to get into a good B-School anywhere in India. The question upper most in Madhuri’s mind is which examination she should undergo so that she will have a wider choice of B-schools to choose from for her admission. The answer is MAT.
Four times in a year:
Management Aptitude Test or MAT as it is popularly known is one of the main entrance exams conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA) for admission into participating B-Schools. MAT is approved by the Ministry of HRD, GOI as a National Entrance Test. The unique features of MAT include multiple tests in a year and broad spectrum of B-Schools who accept the scores of MAT for admission into the post graduate program in management. MAT is for students who have an all India aspiration for getting admitted into B-school. MAT is conducted four times in a year, making it the only examination of its kind. Graduate or graduating students belong to various streams such as science, arts, commerce, medicine, engineering and architecture can pursue a career in management based on MAT entrance examination score and eligibility conditions of the B-School/University. It is conducted both in paper based and computed based patterns. MAT scores are valid for a period of one year. A student has the option to choose five institutes from the list of participating B-Schools/Universities while registering for MAT examination.
Syllabus and Pattern of Question Paper:
Clearing MAT is not an easy task; one has to burn midnight oil. It is important for a student to be aware of the syllabus and the pattern of question paper of MAT. In fact, the basic structure of MAT examination is the same as the Common Admission Test (CAT). With proper planning and organization, one can come out with flying colors in MAT. How to prepare for MAT Examination is the question on top of aspiring students at this time of the year.
MAT is usually conducted 4 times in a year on the first Sunday in the months of February, May, September and December. The duration of the test is 2 hrs and 30 minutes. It is usually conducted from 1000 hrs to 1230 hrs. The minimum qualification for appearing in MAT is graduation in any discipline from any recognized University or equivalent recognized degree. A final year student in any undergraduate program such as B.B.A, B.A, B.Sc., B.Com., B. Phram., B.Tech., etc. can also appear provisionally. Apart from the score in MAT, students should also fulfill the minimum percentage of marks in their graduation as prescribed in the prospectus of the B-School/University.
MAT test can be given either through a Paper Based Test or Computer Based Test. The Computer Based Test is usually conducted from Saturday i.e. six days after the paper based test in different time slots.
Validity of MAT Scores:
The number of B-Schools or the Universities accepting the MAT score as a criteria for admission in to post graduate program in management varies from test to test. Admission criteria for each of the participating B-Schools/Universities is different. All participating B-Schools/ Universities in MAT are either AICTE, DEC approved. The AICTE approved institutes usually offer Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) certification, while the Universities award MBA degree. Aspiring students should understand the implications of receiving a PGDM vis-à-vis MBA certification. AIMA publishes the list of various participating B-Schools/Universities in MAT bulletin along with the admission notification. It is the responsibility of the students to check the recognition status of various programs offered by the participating B-Schools/ Universities directly from the concerned Authorities/ Institutes/ Universities. AIMA does not take responsibility for the recognition status of the programs offered by participating Institutes.