MAT December 2026 exam dates not announced yet, check AIMA official portal

The All India Management Association (AIMA) has not yet announced the official dates for the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) December 2026 session. As of 21 September 2026, prospective candidates are advised to refer to the official AIMA MAT website for updates, as any dates currently circulating are not official, according to the Apeejay School of Management.

The MAT exam, a national-level MBA entrance examination approved by the Government of India, Ministry of Education since 2003, is conducted four times a year in February, May, September, and December. It serves as an admission criterion for over 600 business schools across India, including institutions like KV Institute of Management and Information Studies and Birla Institute of Management Technology.

Overview of Recent MAT Sessions and Expected Announcements

The most recent MAT sessions include the September 2026 exams, with the Paper-Based Test (PBT) held on 13 September 2026, and the Computer-Based Test (CBT) on 20 September 2026. Registration for the September PBT closed on 7 September 2026, and for the CBT on 14 September 2026. Admit cards for the September PBT were available from 10 September 2026, and for the CBT from 17 September 2026. Results for the September 2026 session are anticipated in early October 2026.

For the February 2026 session, the PBT exam took place on 1 March 2026, and the CBT exam on 8 March 2026. Historically, the announcement for the December session typically occurs around October, with the paper mode usually scheduled for the second week of December. Candidates are encouraged to regularly check mat.aima.in for official notifications.

Eligibility, Application Fees, and Exam Structure

To be eligible for the MAT exam, candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Final year students of Graduate Courses are also permitted to apply. There is no upper age limit for taking the MAT exam. MAT scores are valid for one year from the date of result declaration.

The application fee for MAT was revised upwards from the May 2026 session. The fee for a single mode (either PBT or CBT) is ₹2,300. Candidates opting for both PBT and CBT in the same session must pay ₹4,000. An additional mode of test (PBT+CBT) can be selected by paying an extra fee of ₹1,700 in addition to the ₹2,300 for a single mode. Candidates opting for an additional test can select two additional Management Institutes for sending their scores, bringing the total to seven institutes.

MAT Exam Pattern and Scoring

The MAT exam pattern was revised to comprise 150 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in a total duration of 120 minutes. The exam is divided into five sections, each containing 30 questions. A negative marking scheme is in place, with 0.25 marks deducted for every incorrect answer.

The five sections of the MAT exam include the Economic and Business Environment section. While the score for this section is reported, it is not included in the percentile calculation for the overall MAT score. The MAT exam has been administered since 1988 and its scores are acceptable to certain other Institutes for admission to Post Graduate Degree/Diploma programmes, subject to specific cut-off marks and other admission parameters.

Further reading

• MAT 2026 CBT: Download admit card and report by 8:30 AM for Sept 20 exam
• MAT 2026 September CBT Admit Card Live at mat.aima.in: Direct Link and Step-by-Step Guide
• MAT admit card: release date and how to download Next step
• MBA Entrance Exams 2026-27: CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP Registration and Dates Announced Today
• SNAP 2026 mock test scheduled for September 24; apply by September 22
• Apply for MHA/MBA Hospital Admin 2026 admissions in Gujarat via entrance exams Applications open

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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