MAT Exam Pattern – “Two hours, five sections, 150 shots at glory—crack this, and the MBA doors swing open.”
Quick-look summary (for the skimmers)
| What changed in 2025? | Old format | New MAT exam pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Total questions | 200 | 150 |
| Total duration | 150 min | 120 min |
| Questions/section | 40 | 30 |
| Sections | LC, IQ & CR, QA, DA & DS, GK | Language Comprehension, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Economic & Business Environment |
| Negative marking | –0.25 | Unchanged (–0.25) |
(Source: AIMA official schedule) aima.in
1. Why this shift matters
The MAT exam pattern overhaul trims 30 crucial minutes and 50 questions. On the surface that looks merciful—until you realise your thinking time per question drops from 45 sec to just 48 sec. Speed meets accuracy, and only a play-by-play strategy can stop you from blinking at the timer. Shiksha
2. The anatomy of the 150-question paper
| Section | No. of Qs | Difficulty (avg.) | Ideal time (min) | Target raw score* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language Comprehension | 30 | Easy-Moderate | 22 | 20–22 |
| Intelligence & Critical Reasoning | 30 | Moderate | 24 | 18–20 |
| Mathematical Skills | 30 | Moderate–Tough | 26 | 16–18 |
| Data Analysis & Sufficiency | 30 | Moderate | 22 | 17–19 |
| Economic & Business Environment | 30 | Easy | 26 | 18–20 |
| Total / 120 min | 150 | — | 120 | 89–99 |
*Raw score needed for a 95+ percentile based on the last three exam cycles.
3. The 30-30-30 Rule—your core time-save framework
- 30 seconds scan: Start each section with a quick bird’s-eye skim. Tag sitters (☑️), probables (❓), and traps (🚫).
- 30 questions sequence: Attack the ☑️ across all sections first; they usually fetch 40–45 sure marks in 35 minutes.
- 30 minutes reserve: Ring-fence the last half-hour for your mathematically heavy zones (Math & DA/DS). By then you’ve already pocketed safe marks, so the pressure eases.
Why it works: The MAT exam pattern has no sectional time limit, giving you total freedom to cherry-pick. MBAUniverse
4. Detailed time-allocation plan
| Clock | Task | Actionables |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 min | Orientation | Fill details, mark the timer checkpoints (30, 60, 90 min) |
| 5–40 min | Round-1 (Easy-pickup) | Finish LC & GK (Economic & BE) + all sitters everywhere |
| 40–70 min | Round-2 (Moderate) | Work through CR and light DA sets |
| 70–110 min | Round-3 (Heavy-lift) | Math toughies, remaining DA puzzles |
| 110–120 min | Buffer & Review | Flag guesses, re-check OMR/answers |
Stick this sheet on your study desk; drill it during mocks until it feels like muscle memory.
5. Section-wise hacks
5.1 Language Comprehension (LC)
- Skim first lines & last lines of RCs; questions mostly stem from them.
- Para-jumbles: Lock connectors (“however”, “therefore”) quickly; they’re road signs.
- Target 22 mins → 20+ correct = ~15 scaled marks.
5.2 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
- Split time: 10 mins for verbal logic (assumptions/arguments) + 14 mins for analytical sets.
- Diagram-draw instantly; visuals beat paragraphs.
5.3 Mathematical Skills
- Build a cheat-sheet of 30 tables (13× to 32×) and prime squares/cubes; it slashes mental maths lag.
- Prioritise Profit-Loss & Time-Speed-Distance—they appear every slot.
5.4 Data Analysis & Sufficiency
- Knuckle-rule: If the graph needs more than two hops of calculation, bookmark for later.
- Memorise percentage-to-fraction equivalences; 37.5 % ≈ 3⁄8 comes up more than you’d expect.
5.5 Economic & Business Environment
- Read a 3-bullet daily affair on Mint app for 10 mins; compile it weekly.
- MAT asks macro-trends, not obscure data. Focus on GDP, inflation pivot points and flagship schemes.
6. Build your personalised mock rhythm
| Week | Mock frequency | Focus metric | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 1 full-length / week | Accuracy ≥ 75 % | Consolidate concepts |
| 3–6 | 2 full-length / week | Attempt ≥ 110 Qs | Speed drills |
| 7–8 | 3 full-length / week | Sectional balance (±5 Qs) | Fine-tune weak areas |
| 9 (D-week) | 4 mocks + revisits | Error rate < 8 % | Last-mile polish |
And remember: always in real 120-min blocks, no pausing. The MAT exam pattern rewards stamina as much as intellect.
7. Upcoming MAT 2025 schedule snapshot
| Mode | Last-date reg. | Admit card | Test date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PBT | 15 Sep 2025 | 18 Sep 2025 | 21 Sep 2025 |
| CBT | 22 Sep 2025 | 25 Sep 2025 | 28 Sep 2025 |
Apply on the official portal ➜ AIMA MAT Registration. aima.in
(Need coaching? Check our MAT Coaching Program for adaptive mocks & one-to-one mentorship.)
8. Last-week checklist
- Micro-revision notebooks (30 pages max).
- Four sectional timers—yes, carry physical stopwatches if CBT centre clocks glitch.
- Sleep discipline: 11 PM–6 AM routine keeps your REM cycle aligned with test hour.
- Exam-day kit: two pens, one pencil, eraser, transparent water bottle, admit card, ID.
- Positive primer: listen to a 3-min track that gets your adrenaline right where you want it.
9. FAQs you were too shy to ask
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there sectional cut-off? | No. Overall score rules the shortlist. |
| Does guessing work? | Only if you can eliminate 2 options—otherwise –0.25 hurts. |
| Hindi or English test? | Choice is yours, but mocks should mirror language selected. |
| PBT vs CBT? | Same MAT exam pattern, same scoring. Pick based on comfort with on-screen reading. |
10. Your 7-day crash-plan template
| Day | Morning (2 hrs) | Evening (2 hrs) | Night (1 hr wind-down) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Full mock | Review LC+CR errors | 30 min vocab flash-cards |
| Tue | Sectional Math set-2 | DA/DS drills | Revision of formula ledger |
| Wed | Full mock | Past paper (LC & GK) | Watch economy explainer (YouTube RBI series) |
| Thu | Sectional CR set-2 | Math speed test | Mind-map tricky concepts |
| Fri | Full mock | Error log deep-dive | Relax—walk, music |
| Sat | 2 mini-mocks (45 min each) | GK quiz + revision | Early bed |
| Sun | Simulated test hour (10 AM–12 PM) | Quick review | Movie night—unplug! |
11. Final pep-talk
You don’t need CAT-level math wizardry to ace MAT. You need sniper-level prioritisation, ruthless time policing, and a calm cortex. Nail the MAT exam pattern inside out, drill the 30-30-30 rule until it’s reflex, and the percentile curve bends in your favour.
“Speed is useful only if you’re running in the right direction.” Run smart—see you on the B-school campus!
Sources
- AIMA Official Test Structure (September 2025) aima.in
- Shiksha.com MAT Pattern Update Shiksha
- MBAUniverse MAT Pattern Analysis 2025
