Scoring 700 plus on the MAT exam is a realistic target if you have a focused plan. When you hit 700+, top colleges start reaching out you with admission offers. Let us break down a practical, section-wise strategy and five clear steps you can follow so you walk into the exam confident and ready to score high.
Quick overview: MAT exam format and Scoring
- Total questions: 150 (five sections, 30 questions each)
- Duration: 2 hours (no sectional time limits)
- Marking: +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect
- Raw score: out of 150
- Composite score: 200 to 800 (this is the score colleges look at)
Important: Your goal should be the MAT composite score, not the percentile. For a 700+ composite you should aim to attempt around 110 to 120 questions with a high accuracy—ideally around 90 to 100+ correct answers.
MAT Section-wise Strategy and Target Attempts
We will plan the test around strengths and time consumption. Two sections out of 5, are high scoring and time-friendly. Two sections consume time. One depends heavily on current affairs.
- Language Comprehension (30 questions)
- Target attempts: 25 to 27 questions
- MAT exam RCs are easy to moderate; there are usually 8 RC questions which you can aim to get all correct. Parajumble (about 5 questions) and Paragraph summary (1 or 2) give a reliable chunk of marks. Other question types include error spotting, vocabulary and idioms. Vocabulary and Idioms can be around 5 to 6 questions.
- Tips: Focus on passage structure and inference. For vocab-type questions use context clues; don’t waste time trying to recall obscure meanings. Learn a curated MAT vocabulary list from prior papers rather than trying to memorize everything.
- Critical Reasoning (30 questions)
- Target attempts: 24 to 26 questions
- This is another high-scoring section and relatively quick. Question types you will see: seating arrangements, classification, statement-conclusion, assumptions, cause-effect, and short logical puzzles related to directions, blood relations, coding, analogy, patterns, etc.
- Tips: practice pattern recognition—arrangements and classification questions can be solved fast once you get used to them.
- Mathematical Skills (30 questions)
- Target attempts: 18 to 20 questions
- Calculators are not allowed in the MAT exam. This section is time consuming. Attempt only the questions you can do accurately and quickly. You can keep this section towards the end of the test.
- High-yield topics: percentages, averages, ratio and mixtures, rates (speed/distance, work), profit and loss. These five topics cover most solvable questions. You can also have questions from probability, geometry and trigonometry (about 2 to 3 questions each)
- Tips: Practice without a calculator. Learn shortcuts: approximation, using answer choices, time tested techniques and mental math strategies.
- Data Analysis and Sufficiency (30 questions)
- Target attempts: 18 to 20 questions
- This mixes data-sufficiency, comparing quantities and graphs. Data sufficiency and comparing quantities are quicker and easier—tackle these first. These two put together about 10 questions.
- Graph strategy: pick easy ones—tables and simple Bar charts. Skip long multi-line graphs or sets that take lots of interpretation time.
- Tips: You do not have to solve every item in a graph set. Choose single-line direct questions; leave lengthy sets.
- Economics and Business Environment (30 questions)
- Target attempts: 12 to 16 questions depending on your strength.
- This section leans heavily on current affairs and specific factual numbers. It is less calculation-based and more recall-based—some call it “luck-based.”
- Tips: Focus on recent policy changes, major economic indicators, RBI moves, and commonly tested statistics. Spend only 10 to 15 minutes here; don’t let it eat into your time for other sections.
- Follow our Instagram and youtube for updates on current affairs for MAT exam.
How many questions to attempt and accuracy target
A good rule of thumb: attempt 110 to 120 questions and aim to have about 90 to 100 correct. Given the negative marking of 0.25, attempting more is worthwhile—just keep accuracy high by choosing the right questions to attempt and using elimination/approximation methods when unsure.
Five steps to reach 700+ on the MAT
- Recap basics — Brush up on core formulas and concepts in math. Most MAT math is school-level; ensure fundamentals are solid.
- Learn time-saving techniques — Use answer choices, elimination, approximation, and smart reading for RCs. Learn how to arrive at answers without full calculations where possible.
- Practice MAT-level questions — Choose practice material that matches MAT difficulty. Avoid too easy or too tough (CAT-level) sets; you need moderate-level practice.
- Take at least five full MAT mock exams — Simulate the two-hour test environment exactly. Mocks tell you realistic attempt counts and expose weak spots. You can take our MAT test series where we conduct online mock exams before the actual exam.
- Review and improve — After each mock, analyze errors. Are you losing time on certain question types? Are careless mistakes costing marks? Fix the pattern.
Practical tips for test day
- Start with Language and Critical Reasoning to build confidence and bank easy marks early.
- Do math and data sections next with planned question choices. Avoid getting stuck on one long question.
- Spend only about 10 to 15 minutes for Economics section —pick questions you know.
- No calculator allowed. Practice mental math and short methods.
- Use mock exams to practice pacing, and always review your mocks with a focus on accuracy and time management.
If you follow the section-wise plan, use the five-step practice approach, and commit to smart mock practice, a 700+ MAT exam score becomes achievable. Focus on attempting the right number of questions, keeping accuracy high, and making educated choices on which items to skip. Ready to start? Pick your first mock and track your attempts—let’s build up to 700 together.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many raw correct answers on the MAT score, do I need to get a 700+ composite score?
There is no fixed conversion publicized, but a practical target is around 90 to 100 correct out of 150 with disciplined attempts (110 to 120). This does vary slightly by test difficulty and scaling, but aiming for 100 correct is a safe plan.
- How many MAT mock tests should I take before the exam?
Take at least five full-length MAT mocks under strict timed conditions. If you have time, more mocks will improve pacing and reduce surprises on test day.
- Is a calculator allowed for the MAT math or data analysis sections?
No. Calculators are not permitted on the MAT exam.
- How should I tackle Data analysis section on the MAT exam?
Start with data-sufficiency and comparing quantities questions which is about 10 questions. For graphs, choose easy tables or bar charts. Skip multi-line lengthy sets and pick one-line questions you can solve quickly.
- How many Data sufficiency questions are tested on the MAT exam?
You can expect about 5 data sufficiency questions on the MAT exam under the Data Analysis section.
- What is the best way to prepare vocabulary for Language Comprehension?
Use a focused MAT vocabulary list based on past papers. Learn words in context and practice usage rather than rote memorization. Prioritize understanding common words likely to appear on the test.
