CMAT Vs MAT – Which Is Better for You?

Planning to take an MBA entrance in 2026 and stuck between CMAT vs MAT? You are not alone. Let’s break this down clearly so you can pick the exam that fits your strengths, timeline, and career goals. I’ll walk you through who conducts each exam, the pattern, scoring, difficulty, college acceptance, and practical tips so you can decide with confidence.

General Information

• CMAT is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It is a national level exam accepted by 1,000+ colleges and usually held once a year (January). CMAT is only computer based test.
• MAT is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA). It is also national level and accepted by 600+ colleges. MAT runs multiple times a year — typically March, May, September and December — and AIMA runs two test sessions per month, giving you many attempts across the year. You can submit the best score to the colleges. MAT is offered both paper based and computer based, so if you prefer paper, MAT gives that option.
  

  Features	CMAT	MAT
  Conducted by	NTA National Testing Agency	AIMA All India Management Association
  Acceptance	National Level	National Level
  Exam Frequency	Yearly once January	Multiple times March, May, September, December
  Exam Mode	CBT Computer Based Test	PBT and CBT Paper Based and Computer Based Test

Exam pattern and sections

Understanding the sections helps you see where your preparation overlaps and where it diverges.

• CMAT (100 questions, 3 hours)
  • Quantitative Techniques (this section includes data interpretation questions)
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Language Comprehension (heavy on grammar and vocabulary)
  • General Awareness and Current Affairs
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship (unique to CMAT)

• MAT (150 questions, 2 hours)
  • Language Comprehension (RCs and some grammar/vocabulary)
  • Mathematical Skills (topics similar to CMAT)
  • Data Analysis and Sufficiency
  • Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
  • Economic and Business Environment (current affairs focused on economics & business)

Both exams have no sectional time limits and calculators are not allowed.

What you can prepare once and reuse

Good news: a large portion of your prep is common for both exams. Here’s what you can study once and apply to both tests:

• Quantitative topics: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems — essentially the same fundamentals.
• Data interpretation and data analysis basics
• Logical reasoning and critical reasoning
• Language skills: vocabulary, reading comprehension strategies

The differences you still need to cover separately:

• CMAT-specific General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship plus Grammar for Language comprehension.
• MAT-specific Data Sufficiency and the Economic and Business Environment section.

Pacing, difficulty, and test-taking feel

Which exam will feel easier on test day?

• Pacing
  • CMAT: 100 questions in 180 minutes — roughly 1.8 minutes per question. Questions can be longer and more multi-step.
  • MAT: 150 questions in 120 minutes — roughly 0.8 minutes per question. MAT is fast paced and rewards quick decision-making.
• Difficulty
  • CMAT tends to be moderate and slightly tougher overall.
  • MAT is generally easy to moderate, but the speed requirement can make it challenging.

Which fits you? If you are accurate and prefer fewer but deeper questions, CMAT may suit you. If you are fast and can manage quick calculations and reading, MAT’s format might be advantageous.

Scoring and percentiles: how raw marks convert

• CMAT scoring:
  • +4 for each correct answer, -1 for each incorrect answer. Composite score maximum is 400 (100 questions x 4).
  • Approximate percentiles: around 280 marks may land you close to the 99th percentile, and 240+ is often around the 90th percentile. Roughly, 70 correct out of 100 (with minimal negatives) is a strong target for top percentiles.

• MAT scoring:
  • +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect. Raw score is converted into a scaled score from 200 to 800.
  • Approximate percentiles: a scaled score of 710+ is often around the 95th percentile, and 670+ near the 90th. That typically means you need around 100+ correct out of 150 for a top percentile.

Where each score gets you: college acceptance

Both exams open doors to many MBA and PGDM programs, but there are differences in reach.

• CMAT is accepted by over 1,000 colleges, including some top-tier schools that explicitly accept CMAT scores.
• MAT is accepted by 600+ colleges, mostly tier 2 and tier 3, though some higher-ranked institutes also take MAT scores.

If your target is specific tier one colleges, check their official acceptance lists — CMAT tends to have broader acceptance among top schools, but MAT is widely recognized and gives you more exam attempts in a year.

How to choose: practical checklist

Ask yourself these quick questions:

1. Do you prefer multiple attempts and the option of paper-based testing?

If yes, lean toward MAT.

1. Do you want broader acceptance among top colleges and don’t mind a slightly tougher test? Consider CMAT.
2. Are you fast at solving short problems and comfortable handling many questions quickly? MAT’s pace may suit you.
3. Do you prefer deeper, multi-step problems with extra sections like innovation and entrepreneurship? CMAT fits that style.

Preparation tips and next steps

Here’s a simple plan to decide and prepare:

• Take a short free demo test for both exams to experience pacing and question types. This helps you see which format feels more natural.
• Create a shared study plan focusing on common areas first: Quant, DI, LR, RC.
• Then add targeted prep: CMAT coaching modules for General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship; MAT coaching or a MAT online class for data sufficiency and economic/business environment topics.
• Practice full-length timed mocks under exam conditions. For MAT, practice speed; for CMAT, practice accuracy and time management on complex questions.

Both CMAT and MAT are valid routes to an MBA. If you want more attempts, flexibility in exam mode and a faster-paced test, MAT may be better. If you want wider acceptance across top colleges and can handle slightly higher difficulty per question, prefer CMAT. We recommend trying the free short tests for both, then pick the exam that matched your strengths — and if needed, invest in focused CMAT coaching or MAT coaching to polish your strategy.

Ready to choose? Take a couple of short tests, see how you score, and we can plan your next steps together. Good luck!

CMAT Free Short Sample Test

MAT Free Short Sample Test

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which exam allows more flexibility in exam modes, CMAT vs MAT?
   MAT offers multiple modes (Paper-Based Test, Computer-Based Test) while CMAT is predominantly online, computer-based test.
2. What is the number of questions for CMAT vs MAT?
   CMAT typically has 100 questions; MAT has 150 questions across sections.
3. What is the overall duration of CMAT and that of MAT?
   CMAT is 3 hours exam; MAT is 2 hours exam. Both do not have section-wise time.
4. Which exam’s difficulty level tends to be higher, CMAT vs MAT?
   CMAT is perceived a bit tougher in quantitative/data interpretation and general awareness; MAT is considered moderate but speed and time management are key.
5. Can the same preparation material be used for both CMAT and MAT?
   Yes—because the difficulty level is almost same and many sections overlap (quant, DI, LR) but one must tailor practice for the differences as mentioned in this post. Also, the mock exams have to be taken for the respective tests as the number of questions and duration is not the same.
6. Which exam is better if multiple attempts would enhance your score?
   MAT – because it gives you about 8 attempts in a year and you can submit your best score to the colleges.
7. If one prepares for MAT, what are the additional topics he/she has to be prepare for the CMAT?
   Language comprehension focus on grammar, General awareness section and Innovation and Entrepreneurship section.
8. If I’m still confused which test is better, CMAT or MAT?
   Take our short sample test for CMAT and MAT, test taking experience will help you to decide better.