MAT Exam Analysis 2024: View the CBT, PBT, and IBT Analysis

The All India Management Association (AIMA) conducts the MAT exam every year in four phases - Februray, May, August, and December. The MAT exam analysis provides the candidates with an in-depth analysis and understanding of the MAT exam including important details like the difficulty level of the exam, marking scheme, kind of questions asked in the exam, their distribution, and also the estimated number of good attempts in each section.

MAT exam is held in multiple modes - Computer-Based Test (CBT), Paper-Based Test (PBT), and the Remote-Proctored Home exam (IBT), and the difficulty level is usually from easy to moderate which makes the MAT exam easier in comparison to other MBA exams like CAT or XAT. In this article we will aim to provide the candidates with the MAT exam analysis of past years so that the candidates can prepare for the upcoming sessions and prepare their exam and preparation strategy accordingly.

MAT 2024 - February & March Session Analysis

Candidates can check the MAT 2024 analysis for the previous sessions provided in detail in this section. Below mentioned are also a few key highlights of the MAT exam 2024 earlier sessions.

• 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

Also Review: MAT Exam Preparation Tips

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 tabulated below for reference.

• 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

Want to Check the MAT Score Vs Percentile Analysis? Click Here

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

MAT Exam Pattern and MAT Syllabus Available Here

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

Click to View the MAT Score Accepting Colleges 

Section-4: Intelligence and Critical reasoning

This section had 40 Questions. Check the other highlights of this session listed below.

• 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

MAT Previous Year Exam Analysis

In this section we have provided the MAT Exam Analysis for the previous year and sessions. This analysis will help the candidates to understand more about the MAT exam and devise a preparation plan accordingly.

People Also Read: MAT Cutoff

MAT 2023 Exam Analysis

Candidates can view the MAT 2023 exam analysis given in detail below. The analysis can help the candidates perform better in the exam.

• Language Comprehension: The Language Comprehension section featured two Reading Comprehension passages with a mix of questions covering Idioms/Phrases, Antonyms, Synonyms, Fill in the Blanks, Parajumbles, Sentence Correction, One Word Substitution, and Summary. Test takers found it easy to moderate.
• Intelligence & Critical Reasoning: This section, with a good mix of reasoning questions like Blood Relation, Alphanumeric Series, Letter Series, Coding-Decoding, Venn Diagram, Comparison, and Distribution, was deemed easy to moderate. Students reported it could be comfortably completed in 30-40 minutes.
• Mathematical Skills: MAT 2023 Mathematical Skills section encompassed topics like Arithmetic, Modern Math, Geometry, and Algebra. Primarily focused on Arithmetic, the questions were moderately difficult but generally straightforward, allowing completion in 30-40 minutes.
• Data Analysis and Sufficiency: In this section, Tables, Graphs, and Charts dominated, requiring the application of Arithmetic and Mensuration formulae for Data Sufficiency questions. The overall difficulty level was considered easy to moderate.
• Indian and Global Environment: No surprises here; the section featured straightforward questions mostly on static GK. Some touched on recent events, making it an easy and doable section, typically taking less than 15 minutes.

MAT 2022 Exam Analysis

AIMA conducted MAT for the 4 sessions in PBT, CBT, and IBT modes. The overall analysis of MAT 2022 exam is provided below for your reference:

• 40 questions were asked from each of the 5 sections
• Each question was objective type and had 4 options to choose from.
• MAT 2022 exams were of moderate difficulty with no surprise element in the question paper.
• Some questions in Verbal Ability, Data Analysis, and Reasoning sections were tricky and time taking.
• In the Mathematical Skills section, Arithmetic had a maximum weightage of around 15 questions.
• Around 20 questions of easy-moderate level were asked from RC passages in the Language Skills section.

MAT 2022 Exam Analysis: December and September Sessions

Candidates can view the MAT 2022 analysis for the December and September sessions tabulated below.

Language Comprehension

This section of the MAT 2022 consisted of 40 questions as usual. Except for a few tricky and lengthy questions, the level of difficulty was moderate. There were 2 RC passages accounting for 10 questions. As per most of the test-takers, this section also included questions from idioms & phrases, antonyms & synonyms, parajumbles, sentence completion & correction, and summary-based questions.

Mathematical Skills

The Mathematical Skills section also contained 40 questions. In MAT 2022 IBT, PBT, and CBT mode exams most of the questions were of moderate difficulty level with only a few tough ones. A score of 29-30 marks is adequate to fetch the 90+ percentile in this section.

Arithmetic questions dominated this section. There were around 15 questions on Arithmetic topics like Interest, Percentages, Time and Work, Profit, Loss, Partnership. All the questions were of moderate difficulty level and candidates found them a little time-consuming. Besides the Arithmetic questions, the rest of the questions were from Geometry and Mensuration, Ratio, Probability, Permutation and Combinations, Equations, etc.

Data Analysis and Sufficiency

MAT Data Analysis & Sufficiency section had 40 MCQs of moderate difficulty level with 1-2 tricky sets. About 50 percent of this section of MAT exam was dominated by Data Interpretation that included questions from Graphs, Pie Charts, Bar Diagrams, Charts, Line Graph, Data Comparison. Rest 50 percent of the section comprised questions from Data Sufficiency and Data Comparison. A score of 20-23 marks will help candidates fetch 90 percentile and above.

Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

This section of the MAT 2022 question paper had more Analytical and Logical Reasoning questions while Critical Reasoning questions were fewer. There were more questions on Family Relations and Statement Cause & Effect. Other topics from where questions were asked included Statement-Assumptions, Reasons, Analogies and Direction, Series and Incorrect terms. This section was considered a bit lengthy but doable in 30-40 minutes. A score of 26-27 marks will help candidates fetch the 90+ percentile.

Indian and Global Environment

There were 40 questions in this section with maximum questions from static GK. The questions from current affairs were also straightforward with no surprise elements. Attempting 25-30 questions is considered a good attempt in MAT Indian and Global Environment.

MAT 2022 Exam Analysis: February and May Sessions

Candidates can view the MAT 2022 analysis for the February and May sessions tabulated below.

In the Indian and Global Environment section, the questions of static GK are asked from topics like

• Government Policies
• COVID-19 and its global implications, Rules, Regulations
• Constitution of India
• Major Appointments
• Capitals and Currency
• Trade Policy
• Important National and International Organizations
• National and International Events.

MAT 2021 Exam Analysis: September and December Sessions

AIMA conducted MAT 2021 for the September and December session in PBT, CBT, and the Remote Proctored Internet-Based Test (IBT) modes. For the September session, MAT CBT was conducted on August 21 & September 12, 2021, and MAT IBT 2021 was held from August 28 to September 12.

• In the Mathematical Skills section, Arithmetic had the highest weightage followed by algebra, geometry, and number system.
• The Language Comprehension section had 20 RC passage-based questions.
• Questions asked in the Data Analysis & Sufficiency section were a bit tricky but manageable.

MAT 2021 Exam Analysis: May and June Sessions

AIMA conducted MAT 2021 for the May/ June session in PBT, CBT, and the Remote Proctored Internet-Based Test (IBT) modes. MAT CBT & PBT was conducted on June 26, 2021, and MAT IBT 2021 was held from May 30 to June 20, 2021.

• In the Mathematical Skills section, Arithmetic had the highest weightage of 15 questions.
• 50% weightage in the Language Comprehension section was of the RC passage-based questions.
• Questions asked in the Data Analysis & Sufficiency section were tricky but doable.

MAT 2021 February Exam Analysis

MAT 2021 February session exam was conducted successfully on February 20 for CBT mode, March 6 for PBT mode, and on multiple days in February 2021 for IBT mode. The exam was conducted without any glitches and strict safety protocols were followed to ensure the safety of MAT aspirants amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The February session was also conducted in IBT mode or Remote Proctored Internet-Based Test (IBT) which only means that the candidate will be able to take up the examination from the comfort of their homes on their personal laptops/desktops with the exam pattern been same as that of PBT/CBT in 2021. Check below the key highlights of this session.

• There was no change in the MAT 2021 exam pattern
• Verbal Reasoning, Data Analysis & Reasoning sections were tough and time-consuming
• As compared to previous MAT exams, questions in the Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section were slightly tricky this time.
• The Language Comprehension section had four RC passages of 500 words. Out of this, two RC passages were opinion based and two were fact-based
• The Reasoning section was moderate with just a few tricky questions. It had 18-20 questions on Family Relations and Statements-Cause and Effect
• Both the Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency section had a lot of questions on Graphs and Pie Charts.
• Few questions on Graphs and Pie Charts from the Data Sufficiency section were on the difficult side
• The Mathematical skills section had maximum arithmetic questions of moderate difficulty level.
• Experts review, a score of 110-112 is considered good to help students fetch a 90-percentile cutoff.

Check the detailed MAT exam analysis of February 2021 CBT, PBT, and IBT exam modes below.

Language Comprehension: 40 questions

Check the key highlights of this section listed below.

• This section ensured four passages of 5 items each. The part included 20 other questions from these topics: Synonyms, Antonyms, Sentence Completion (double blank), Idioms/Phrases, Summary of a short passage, One-word substitution, and Para-jumbles.
• The RC passages remained easy to read and comprehend. The readings were on Demonetization, Fibroscan (equipment to analyze liver cirrhosis), Management of Hazardous Material, etc.
• Some RC questions had three statements in them and students had to choose the correct comments (as per the passage); these remained, almost certainly, the only moderately difficult questions in RC.
• Some words which the predictable test students knew were: Pivotal, Exodus, etc.
• It was not hard to attempt around 30 questions here by giving the section 30-35 minutes.

Intelligence and Critical Reasoning: 40 questions

Check the key highlights of this section listed below.

• This section ensured four sets- of 5 questions each- of Logical Reasoning questions. The other 20 questions remained from the topics: Strong/Weak arguments, Course of Action, Coding-Decoding, Syllogism, etc.
• The maximum of these questions remained easy. Some sets of Logical Reasoning had become hard on account of some mistake in the question itself!
• It was conceivable to go for 25-30 questions by giving 35 minutes to this segment.

Mathematical Skills: 40 questions

Check the key highlights of this section listed below.

• This section had a significant number of Arithmetic questions in it. Just about all subjects (Mixture & Solutions, Simple & Compound Interest, Time-Speed-Distance, Percentages, Profit-Loss-Discount, etc.) of Arithmetic were present.
• It also included questions from Probability, Combinatorics, Mensuration, Linear Equations, etc.
• It did not have many calculation-intensive questions. The well-equipped student should have been able to have a go for about 30 questions by a45 minutes to this section.
• Some questions in this section had very near choices. This was perhaps the only segment in the test which had one or two complicated questions.

Data Analysis and Sufficiency: 40 questions

Check the key highlights of this section listed below.

• This piece included questions on Graphs, Pie-charts, Bar-Diagrams, etc. Maximum questions remained easy to do.
• It was not hard to go for 20-25 questions by giving 25-30 minutes to this section.

Indian & Global Environment: 40 questions

Check the key highlights of this section listed below.

• Most of the students are conscious that this section is not calculated to generate the total scaled score in MAT and later they do not try it.
• There are some B-Schools that look at the score (given distinctly) of this section. Going into the exact nature of the chapter, it is not hard to fulfill it in 10 minutes.
• This segment remained a blend of questions on Static General Knowledge and Current Affairs. A score of 15 may be considered right here.

MAT 2020 Exam Analysis 

There was no change in the MAT 2020 exam pattern. Each section contained 40 questions carrying four marks for the correct attempt and - 0.25 marks for the wrong attempt. The section-wise difficulty level can be termed as moderate to difficult. Since the Indian and Global Environment section is not included in the calculation of MAT percentile candidates need not worry much. 

MAT 2020 Paper Breakdown

View the complete difficulty level analysis of the MAT 2020 exam tabulated below for the reference of the candidates.