MAT is a national-level management entrance test for MBA/PGDM courses at several institutes. Over 600 institutes in India accept MAT scores. However, the exact number varies by session. It is conducted by the All India Management Association and has been conducted since 1988 and recognized nationally in 2003. This gives test takers enough opportunity to score well and gain admission to a good B-School without losing a year.
The MAT application is fully online. Candidates can fill in their application form on the official website at https://mat.aima.in/. It offers the flexibility to take the test in paper-pencil-based or computer-based test modes. They can choose either or both modes, based on their convenience. For CBT or PBT mode, the application fee is Rs. 2,300, while for Paper-Based Test and Computer-Based Test in dual modes, it is Rs. 4,000. MAT is conducted four times a year, in February, May, September, and December.
MAT has five sections, each with 30 questions. A total of 150 questions are to be attempted over 120 minutes. Each question carries 1 mark, with 0.25 marks deducted for a wrong answer. There is no negative marking for unattempted questions.
Top 5 MBA Colleges Under MAT by Region
Best MAT MBA colleges are given below according to their NIRF Ranking 2025, region-wise.
The NIRF 2025 Management rankings reveal that Jaipuria Institute of Management and BIMTECH are among the best institutes in North India that accept MAT and are also well-ranked at the national level. Similarly, out of the overall list considered, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) and KIIT are ranked third and fourth, respectively, among the top MAT-accepting institutes in East India.
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Rank
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East India
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West India
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North India
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South India
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1
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Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), Bhubaneswar
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MIT World Peace University, Pune
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Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida
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Christ University, Bengaluru
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2
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Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar
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Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur
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BIMTECH, Greater Noida
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Alliance University, Bengaluru
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3
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Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP)
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Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Gandhinagar
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Lovely Professional University (LPU), Phagwara
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Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore
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4
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KIIT School of Rural Management, Bhubaneswar
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NICMAR University, Pune
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Chitkara University, Rajpura
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XIME, Bengaluru
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5
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IISWBM, Kolkata
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IIHMR University, Jaipur
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JIMS, New Delhi
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St. Joseph’s Institute of Management, Bengaluru
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Note: AIMA clearly states that the number of participating institutes varies from test to test and admission criteria vary from institute to institute. AIMA also advises candidates to cross-check with the relevant institute before applying, as a participating institute may not accept the MAT score for a specific program/admission.
Top MBA Colleges Under MAT in East India
MAT-accepting B-schools in East India, apart from the institutes listed in the top five, include Adamas University, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Institute of Management Science, Bhawanipur Global Campus, Calcutta Business School, Development Management Institute, Heritage Business School, Institute of Management & Information Sciences, International School of Management Patna, and Regional College of Management.
Top MBA Colleges Under MAT in West India
Students can consider other MAT-accepting B-schools in West India, including ATLAS SkillTech University, Hari Shankar Singhania School of Business at JK Lakshmipat University, IIEBM – Indus Business School, IILM Academy of Higher Learning, International Institute of Management Studies, Institute of Rural Management, International School of Business & Media, ITM Vocational University, ITM Skill University, and Poddar Business Schools. These institutes are spread across Mumbai, Jaipur, Pune and Vadodara and have great placement and ROI returns.
Top MBA Colleges Under MAT in North India
These are some other MAT-accepting B-schools in North India, including Accman Institute of Management, AIMA – Centre for Management Education, Apeejay School of Management, Asian Business School, Christ University – School of Business and Management, Delhi School of Business, Fortune Institute of International Business, FOSTIIMA Business School, GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, and GNIOT Institute of Management Studies.
Top MBA Colleges Under MAT in South India
ABBS School of Management, Acharya Bangalore B-School, AIMS Institutes, Badruka School of Management, CMR University School of Management, Crescent School of Business, Dhruva College of Management, Firebird Institute of Research in Management, Global Institute of Business Studies, and PES University are additional MAT-accepting B-schools in South India.
MAT FAQs 2026
Q. What are the best colleges for an MBA in Greater Noida through the MAT entrance exam in Delhi?
A. The MAT participating B-schools of AIMA include several institutes in Greater Noida, such as BIMTECH, GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, GNIOT Institute of Management Studies, IILM University Greater Noida, Lloyd Business School, ACCMAN Institute of Management, and NIET Business School. However, AIMA does not officially rank these institutes as “the best.” Candidates should compare them based on the programme, fees, placements, and the institute's current admission criteria before applying.
Q. I have got 529 marks in the MAT entrance exam in December 2025. Which B-schools can I expect to get admission to?
A. Your MAT score of 529 alone will not be enough to tell you which B-School you can expect, as institutes have their own admission criteria and selection process. Check the MAT percentile, academic background, program eligibility, and the institute's cut-off/selection criteria. Birla Global University says that for admission to its MBA program, it considers the scores in CAT/XAT/GMAT/CMAT/MAT or its entrance test, along with academic performance, PI, and WAT.
Q. What are the best colleges that accept MAT scores?
A. MAT is taken by 800+ B-schools, not IIMs or XLRI. Stronger names are BIMTECH, XIME, JAGSoM, Jaipuria, Christ, SIES, IPE, IBA, JIMS Rohini and FIIB. Flagship BIMTECH/JAGSoM often need 85–90%ile. At 80–85%ile, target XIME, IPE, JIMS and FIIB. GD–PI still decides admission.
Q. Which 10 colleges are best for an MBA through MAT?
A. Some of the prominent B-schools accepting MAT scores include Jaipuria Institute of Management (Noida), Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), KIIT, Alliance University, Chitkara University, Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jaipuria Institute of Management (Lucknow), Jaipuria Institute of Management (Jaipur), and Amrita School of Business. AIMA lists these institutes among MAT participating B-schools, and several also feature in the NIRF 2025 Management rankings.
Q. What are the best MBA colleges with an average fee accepting MAT scores?
A. For Rs 6–11 lakh fees, IPE Hyderabad, Rajagiri Kochi, CIMP, IBA, JIMS, SIES and PSGIM offer better value. Apeejay Dwarka is a mid-fee option in Delhi. BULMIM is cheaper, with nearly Rs 6 lakh in fees, but placements are weaker. Check median CTC and hostel cost, not fee alone.
Q. I’m an MBA aspirant and scored 641.2 in the MAT Composite Score, with an 82.19 percentile. Are FIIB and BULMIM good options for pursuing an MBA through MAT?
A. Sure. This score lands on both shortlists. Delhi’s stronger pick is FIIB, with a nearly Rs. 12.85L fee and a nearly Rs. 8.5-9.5 LPA average package. BULMIM has a moderate average package, with a low fee backup of Rs 6 lakh. If budget allows, prefer FIIB. Also apply to IPE, JIMS and IBA. GD–PI is still the basis for the admission offer.
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