MAT September 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Qualification, Work Experience and Attempt Limit

MAT September 2026 eligibility requires a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 50% aggregate marks; final year students may apply provisionally, and there is no age limit or cap on the number of attempts.

The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) September 2026 is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA) for admission to MBA and PGDM programmes at over 600 participating institutes across India. Knowing the eligibility conditions before you begin the registration form helps you avoid rejection at the document verification stage.

• Minimum qualification: graduation in any discipline from a UGC-recognised university or equivalent.
• Minimum marks: 50% aggregate in graduation; many institutes relax this to 45% for SC/ST/PwD students.
• Final year students appearing for their last semester exams are eligible to apply on a provisional basis.
• No age limit is set by AIMA for MAT September 2026.
• No limit on attempts — you may appear in all four annual MAT sessions.
• Work experience is not mandatory at the AIMA level; individual institutes may have their own requirements.

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MAT September 2026: Educational Qualification

AIMA requires you to hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university or institution. There is no restriction on stream — arts, science, commerce, engineering, and law graduates are all eligible.

Students who are currently in the final year of their undergraduate programme can register and appear for MAT September 2026 on a provisional basis. Admission to any participating institute, however, remains conditional on submission of their final degree certificate and marksheets within the timeline specified by that institute.

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Minimum Marks Requirement for MAT 2026

AIMA does not prescribe a minimum percentage at its level — but the vast majority of participating institutes set a threshold of 50% aggregate marks in graduation. A few programmes accept 45% for students from reserved categories.

Check the specific admission brochure of each institute you plan to apply to, since thresholds vary. Some reputed institutes accepting MAT scores may set their bar higher at 55% or 60%.

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MAT 2026 Age Limit and Number of Attempts

AIMA imposes no upper or lower age limit for appearing in MAT September 2026. Whether you are a fresh graduate or a working professional returning to studies after many years, you are eligible as long as you meet the educational qualification.

There is also no restriction on the number of times you can appear for MAT. AIMA conducts MAT four times a year — typically in February, May, September, and December. You may attempt all four sessions in a single year, and your score from any session remains valid for one year from the date of the test.

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Work Experience Requirement for MAT September 2026

AIMA does not mandate work experience for appearing in MAT 2026. Fresh graduates straight out of college are fully eligible to register and sit the exam.

However, work experience matters at the institute level. Several participating MBA and PGDM programmes — particularly executive or part-time management programmes — require a minimum of one to five years of professional experience. If you are targeting such programmes, confirm the requirement in the respective institute’s admission notice before registering.

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Category-wise Relaxation in MAT 2026 Eligibility

AIMA itself does not publish category-based relaxations in marks or age at the MAT registration stage. Relaxations are applied at the institute level based on the government-mandated reservation policy applicable to that institution. Common relaxations offered by participating institutes include:

• SC/ST students: 5% relaxation in graduation marks (45% instead of 50%).
• PwD students: Similar relaxation in marks; additional support during the test may also be available.
• EWS/OBC-NCL students: Some institutes follow government norms and accept 45% for these categories.

These relaxations are applied during admission shortlisting and document verification, not at the MAT registration stage on the AIMA portal.

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Participating Institute-specific Eligibility for MAT 2026

Because MAT scores are accepted by over 600 institutes, eligibility conditions beyond AIMA’s baseline vary widely. Before finalising which institutes to apply to, verify whether they require:

• A minimum MAT composite score — typically 400 to 500 or above for reputed institutes.
• A graduation percentage above the general 50% threshold.
• Work experience for executive or part-time programmes.
• Participation in additional selection rounds such as a group discussion, personal interview, or written ability test.

The official AIMA website lists all participating institutes along with their individual requirements for the September 2026 session.