MAT September 2026 CBT analysis: difficulty, good attempts, expected cutoffs

The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) Computer Based Test (CBT) for the September 2026 session is being conducted today, September 20, 2026, by the All India Management Association (AIMA) across test centres in nearly 30 cities pan-India. This follows the September 2026 Paper Based Test (PBT) which was held on September 13, 2026.

The exam analysis aims to help MBA aspirants estimate their scores, understand their section-wise performance, and assess their chances of admission to various B-Schools before the official results are released. The overall difficulty level of MAT exams has generally been consistent with previous sessions.

MAT September 2026 Exam Structure and Scoring

For the September MAT 2026, a significant change has been introduced: the Economic & Business Environment (EBE) section is now included in the overall score calculation for the composite scaled score used for percentile calculation. This differs from the May 2026 CBT, where the EBE section was part of the exam but not counted in the composite score.

The MAT CBT 2026 (May session), conducted on June 14, 2026, featured 150 questions across five sections, with 30 questions per section. The total duration of this exam was 120 minutes (2 hours). The scoring pattern for the May 2026 CBT awarded +1 mark for a correct answer and deducted -0.25 marks for a wrong answer. The MAT Composite Score is reported on a scale of 200 to 800, and the September 2026 result is expected to be available by the last week of September 2026.

Difficulty Levels and Good Attempts

The overall difficulty level of the MAT CBT 2026 (May session) was assessed as easy to moderate. A good overall attempt in this session was considered to be 120–130 questions out of 150, provided accuracy was above 85%. This translates to approximately 22–26 questions correctly answered in each of the four sections that contributed to the percentile calculation.

The MAT September 2026 PBT, held on September 13, 2026, was also reported to be easy overall. For the February 2026 session, which saw over 20,000 candidates appear in each mode (PBT on March 1, 2026, and CBT on March 8, 2026), the overall difficulty level was moderate. A good attempt for the February 2026 MAT was estimated at 100–115 attempts with 80–85%+ accuracy.

Expected Cutoffs and Percentile Estimates

Based on previous trends and expert analysis, the expected MAT CBT 2026 cutoff for leading MBA colleges may range between 75–90 percentile. Reputed management institutes typically accept MAT CBT 2026 scores above 70 percentile. A composite score of 600+ is generally associated with a 99+ percentile in MAT CBT 2026.

For the February 2026 MAT, raw marks of 105–115 were estimated for a 90+ percentile, 95–105 for an 80+ percentile, and 85–95 for a 70+ percentile. The MAT Composite Score is reported on a scale of 200 to 800, with a 400+ composite score typically yielding a 70 percentile. The All India Management Association (AIMA) uses a percentile-based normalization method to compare candidate performance across different MAT sessions, including CBT, PBT, and IBT.

Further reading

• MAT September 2026 CBT exam on 20 September: check timings, documents, guidelines
• MAT 2026 CBT tomorrow: check timings, documents, and test centre guidelines
• 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
• Aspiring MBA students: Apply by September 19, 2026 Applications open
• MAT: complete exam guide

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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