MAT Coaching at T.I.M.E. Coimbatore
Prep for the Management Aptitude Test - accepted by 600+ Indian B-schools as an MBA entrance, with four exam cycles per year offering flexibility for working professionals and recent graduates.
Talk to a T.I.M.E. mentor
30+ years coaching CAT / IPMAT / CLAT / GATE / Bank / GRE / GMAT. Tell us your target exam and score - we'll map the right batch and prep plan.
MAT at a glance
- Conducting body
- All India Management Association (AIMA)
- Full form
- Management Aptitude Test
Key dates
- Cycle 1 (PBT/CBT/IBT)
- February
- Cycle 2
- May
- Cycle 3
- September
- Cycle 4
- December
- Registration
- ~4-6 weeks before each exam date
- Results
- ~2-3 weeks after each exam
What is the MAT exam format?
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes total (single sitting)
Scoring: +1 per correct; -0.25 negative marking. Composite score scaled to 800.
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Language Comprehension
30 min
40 questions - reading comprehension + verbal ability.
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Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
30 min
40 questions - logical reasoning + critical reasoning.
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Data Analysis and Sufficiency
35 min
40 questions - data interpretation + sufficiency.
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Mathematical Skills
40 min
40 questions - arithmetic, algebra, geometry.
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Indian and Global Environment
15 min
40 questions - general awareness; scored separately and may or may not be counted by individual B-schools.
What does my MAT score mean?
- 650+ composite (top 5 percentile)
- Strong score; opens calls from premium MAT-accepting B-schools and AIMA's institutional members.
- 550-650 (90-95 percentile)
- Competitive for established tier-2 MBA programs and good private B-schools.
- 450-550 (75-90 percentile)
- Acceptable for many tier-3 MBA programs; useful as a safety net alongside CAT / XAT scores.
- Below 450
- Limited B-school options at top tiers; reassess prep approach for next cycle.
How does T.I.M.E. Coimbatore teach MAT?
- Batch types
- Classroom • Online live • Test-series only
- Course duration
- 3-6 months for focused MAT-only prep; concurrent with CAT prep for many students
- Mock series
- MAT mock series (full-length + sectional) timed to each AIMA cycle
MAT shares ~70% syllabus overlap with CAT. Most T.I.M.E. CAT-track students take MAT in parallel as a safety net + practice run. Standalone MAT prep is suitable for students explicitly targeting MAT-accepting B-schools rather than aiming for CAT. Fee structure: please enquire below.
MAT or CAT - which should I target?
If aiming for IIMs, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, NMIMS, or other top-25 MBA programs: target CAT (with MAT as a parallel safety net). If your target list is tier-2 / tier-3 B-schools where MAT is accepted: MAT alone is sufficient. The four-cycles-per-year format gives MAT a flexibility advantage for working professionals who can't time leave around a single November exam.
How do MAT scores compare to CAT scores?
MAT is meaningfully easier than CAT in question difficulty - direct conversion isn't standard. A MAT 99 percentile is roughly comparable to a CAT 80-85 percentile in raw difficulty. B-schools applying both CAT and MAT scores typically weight CAT 80+ percentile equivalent to MAT 90+ percentile for entry purposes.
Does MAT have GD/PI rounds?
MAT itself is just the written exam. Individual B-schools that use MAT scores then conduct their own GD/PI/WAT rounds for shortlisted candidates. T.I.M.E.'s post-MAT GD/PI prep is included for students who clear shortlist cutoffs.
MAT - frequently asked questions
Yes - most students who target MAT take it 2-4 times per year across the cycles. Each attempt is independent; B-schools typically take your best score across cycles.
AIMA scores it separately. Many B-schools don't include it in their composite cutoff - verify per B-school. If your target B-school excludes it, you can deprioritise this section's prep.
Recruiters look at B-school placement track records, not the specific entrance test that admitted you. A strong MAT-accepting B-school placement (Rs 10-15 LPA average) is no different from the same outcome via CAT - the entrance test fades after admission.
PBT (paper-based) and CBT (computer-based) at AIMA test centres are similar; choose by centre availability. IBT (Internet-based, taken at home with remote proctor) was introduced during COVID and continues; less popular but useful for students in tier-2/3 cities far from AIMA centres.
Yes - post-MAT shortlisting + application advice for MAT-accepting B-schools is included for students enrolled in our MAT-track program. Many B-schools have specific application timelines tied to each MAT cycle.
Talk to T.I.M.E. about MAT coaching
We'll walk you through MAT batches, fees, and study plan.
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Visit our office
T.I.M.E. Coimbatore
A-102, Raheja Centre, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu - 641018, India