MAT September 2026 PBT was easy, CBT difficulty moderate: AIMA releases analysis

The All India Management Association (AIMA) has released its analysis for the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) September 2026 session, providing insights into the difficulty levels and recommended good attempts for both the Paper-Based Test (PBT) and Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations. This analysis aims to assist MBA aspirants in evaluating their performance and understanding their admission prospects for the more than 600 B-Schools across India that accept MAT scores.

The MAT exam is a national-level standardized test conducted four times annually in February, May, September, and December. Each MAT exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 120 minutes, with no fixed sectional time limits. Candidates receive 1 mark for each correct answer, while 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect response.

MAT September 2026 PBT Difficulty and Good Attempts

The MAT September 2026 PBT exam, which took place on September 13, 2026, was generally considered easy. Specifically, the Language Comprehension and Intelligence & Critical Reasoning sections were rated as easy. The Economic & Business Environment section was also reported as easy.

Conversely, the Mathematical Skills and Data Analysis & Sufficiency sections were assessed as moderate in difficulty. The AIMA provides estimated good attempts for each section to guide candidates on expected performance benchmarks.

MAT September 2026 CBT Difficulty and Scoring Changes

The MAT September 2026 CBT exam was scheduled for September 20, 2026. While the overall difficulty level for the MAT CBT 2026 (from one source) was moderate, this aligns with the previous MAT CBT May 2026 session, which was conducted on June 14, 2026, and had an overall difficulty level rated as easy to moderate. For the MAT CBT May 2026, a good overall attempt was considered to be 120–130 questions out of 150, with an accuracy rate above 85%.

A significant change for MAT 2026 is the inclusion of the Economic & Business Environment section in the overall score calculation. Previously, this section was not counted in the composite scaled score for percentile calculation by AIMA. The MAT Composite Score is reported on a 200-800 scale, with a score of 600+ typically yielding a 99+ percentile and 400+ corresponding to approximately a 70 percentile.

Result Timeline and Score Validity

The MAT September 2026 result is expected to be released by the last week of September 2026. Candidates should note that the validity of the MAT score is one year from the date of the result. This timeframe is crucial for aspirants planning their MBA admissions for the upcoming academic year.

The MAT exam serves as a gateway to various management programs across India, with scores accepted by institutions such as the Institute of Finance & International Management, SOIL, Amity, and RCM Bhubaneswar. The consistent conduct of the exam multiple times a year provides flexibility for candidates to improve their scores.

Further reading

• Koshys Institute 2026: Apply for admission via CAT/XAT/MAT/KMAT/PGCET by Sep 17
• MAT December 2026 exam dates not announced yet, check AIMA official portal
• MAT exam pattern: sections, marking and duration 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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