MAT September 2026 PBT rated easy, CBT difficulty to be assessed today

In short

The MAT September 2026 PBT, held on September 13, 2026, was rated easy overall.
The MAT September 2026 CBT is scheduled for today, September 20, 2026.
The Economic & Business Environment section is now included in the overall score calculation for MAT 2026.
The MAT September 2026 result is expected by the last week of September 2026.
MAT scores are accepted by over 600 B-Schools across India for MBA admissions.

The All India Management Association (AIMA) is currently conducting the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) September 2026 session. The Paper-Based Test (PBT) for this session was held on September 13, 2026, and was generally rated as easy. The Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the September session is scheduled for today, September 20, 2026, with its difficulty level and candidate reactions yet to be confirmed.

mat.aima.in homepage — Official website: mat.aima.in

The MAT exam is a widely taken entrance examination for MBA admissions in India, accepted by over 600 B-Schools nationwide. The September 2026 session, like previous sessions in February and May 2026, is being conducted in both PBT and CBT formats. A notable change for MAT 2026 is the inclusion of the Economic & Business Environment section in the overall score calculation, a departure from earlier MAT structures where this section was often excluded from the composite score by most B-schools.

MAT September 2026 PBT Difficulty Analysis

The MAT September 2026 PBT, conducted on September 13, 2026, was rated easy overall. Per exam analysis, the questions were largely based on familiar MAT topics. Time management was cited as a significant factor due to candidates needing to attempt 150 questions within 120 minutes without a fixed sectional time limit.

Section-wise, Language Comprehension and Intelligence & Critical Reasoning were rated easy. Mathematical Skills and Data Analysis & Sufficiency sections were rated moderate. The Economic & Business Environment section was also reported as easy. This section’s inclusion in the overall score calculation marks a change for MAT 2026.

Section	Difficulty Level
Language Comprehension	Easy
Intelligence & Critical Reasoning	Easy
Mathematical Skills	Moderate
Data Analysis & Sufficiency	Moderate
Economic & Business Environment	Easy

Exam Structure and Scoring

The MAT 2026 exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions, divided equally across five sections. Each section carries 30 questions. Candidates are allotted 120 minutes to complete the paper, with no fixed sectional time limit. Each correct answer is awarded 1 mark, while 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer.

The MAT Composite Score is reported on a 200-800 scale. MAT scores are normalized across test administrations to account for differences in difficulty levels between various exam sessions. The inclusion of the Economic & Business Environment section in the overall score calculation for MAT 2026 is a key structural update.

Comparison with Previous MAT Sessions and Expected Outcomes

The overall difficulty level of the MAT CBT May 2026 session was rated as easy to moderate, according to student feedback. For this session, a good overall attempt was considered to be 120–130 questions out of 150, with an accuracy rate above 85%. The MAT February 2026 session, which included a PBT on March 1, 2026, and a CBT on March 8, 2026, had an overall moderate difficulty level. Over 20,000 candidates participated in each mode for the February 2026 session.

Candidates preparing for the MAT September 2026 CBT, scheduled for September 20, 2026, can use the analysis of the September PBT, held on September 13, 2026, as an indicator of the current question patterns and difficulty levels. The results for the MAT September 2026 session are anticipated to be released by the last week of September 2026. Upon release, candidates will be able to access their MAT scores via their applicant dashboard on the official MAT website, mat.aima.in.

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.

View all posts →