By the Online Coaching 4u team
Last updated: 15 August 2026.
The All India Management Association (AIMA) has opened registration for the September 2026 session of the Management Aptitude Test (MAT), confirmed directly on the official mat.aima.in portal, with a Paper-Based Test (PBT) on 13 September and a Computer-Based Test (CBT) on 20 September 2026.
What's actually confirmed
AIMA's official site lists separate timelines for the two test modes. For the PBT, registration closes 7 September, admit cards go live 10 September, and the test itself is held 13 September 2026. For the CBT, registration closes 14 September, admit cards go live 17 September, and the test is held 20 September 2026. The exam fee is Rs 2,300 for either mode alone, or Rs 4,000 for candidates who register for both PBT and CBT — a concession AIMA offers to encourage attempting both formats. MAT's pattern is unchanged this cycle: 150 questions across five sections (Language Comprehension, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, and Economic & Business Environment), 30 questions per section, to be attempted in 120 minutes, with 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer. AIMA runs MAT across 54 test cities this session.
What this means for aspirants
September is the third of MAT's four annual sessions (February, May, September, December), and a MAT score stays valid for one year, so candidates already holding a February or May 2026 score can weigh whether attempting September again is worth it purely to try for a higher percentile. Candidates who haven't attempted MAT yet this cycle, or want a second official score on record before the December session, should register early — PBT slots and centres are typically allocated on a first-come basis, and the concession for registering both PBT and CBT together works out cheaper than paying for both separately later if you're likely to attempt both anyway. AIMA states MAT scores are accepted by 600-plus B-schools nationally, so a September score can still be used for institutes admitting after this session's results are out.
Important pointers
- [15 Aug 2026] AIMA confirms MAT September 2026 registration is open in both Paper-Based (PBT) and Computer-Based (CBT) modes, per the official mat.aima.in portal.
- [7 Sept 2026] PBT registration closes; the PBT admit card is released 10 September and the test is held 13 September 2026.
- [14 Sept 2026] CBT registration closes; the CBT admit card is released 17 September and the test is held 20 September 2026.
- [Fee] Rs 2,300 for one test mode (PBT or CBT); Rs 4,000 for both, per AIMA's official fee table.
- Myth check: MAT is not a single once-a-year exam like CAT — AIMA conducts it four times annually (February, May, September, December), and a MAT score remains valid for one year across institutes that accept it.
Last updated: 15 August 2026. Source: mat.aima.in (official AIMA registration and schedule details).
