There is no single MAT cutoff that applies to every MBA or PGDM programme. AIMA’s current candidate information describes MAT as an assessment used by institutes, while its FAQ says participating institutes and their criteria vary. AIMA’s score guide explains the MAT score scales and percentiles, but it does not set a universal admission threshold. A candidate should compare a result only with the exact programme’s own published rule for the relevant admission cycle.
For the MAT December 2026 administration, AIMA has not published a universal qualifying cutoff or an admission cutoff in the official materials checked on 27 October 2026. Results are not yet available for this administration; AIMA expects the score by the first week of January 2027. That means a like-for-like 2026 cutoff trend cannot responsibly be calculated for the current cycle from the available AIMA sources. No percentile forecast or admission guarantee is presented here.
Qualifying score versus institute selection rule
A MAT score reports performance; an institute decides what score or percentile it uses for screening, if any. AIMA’s score interpretation guide says the test should be used as one source of information alongside other information when possible. AIMA’s FAQ further states that each institute’s admission criteria differ. An institute may publish a MAT threshold as one stage of selection, but that threshold can be attached to a specific programme, campus, category, year or admission round. It should not be generalised to every school that accepts MAT.
Use the word “cutoff” only after identifying what the figure represents. A minimum score used to determine whether an application proceeds is not necessarily the final selection threshold. A published category minimum, programme requirement, interview shortlisting score, or previous-year closing score may each answer a different question. If the school’s notice does not state whether a figure is a qualifying floor or an admission decision, ask the institution rather than treating it as an offer threshold.
AIMA’s candidate page warns that a participating institute’s acceptance of the MAT score may differ in practice and advises candidates to reconfirm with the institute or university. Its general FAQ says institute participation can change between tests and that criteria vary. Therefore, first confirm that the target programme accepts the December 2026 administration. Then ask whether it publishes a MAT score or percentile threshold and whether that value is only a shortlist condition.
How to read a MAT score against a published threshold
AIMA’s score interpretation guide reports five section scores, a composite score and a percentile-below figure for each. The five section scales run from 0 to 100; the composite is on a 200–800 scale. AIMA says the composite uses all five sections with equal weightage. The percentile-below figure represents the percentage of the MAT testing population scoring below the candidate for that test, and AIMA notes it may change marginally across administrations for the same scores.
Before comparing with a school’s threshold, check whether the school specifies a composite score, section score or percentile. Do not convert a percentile into a composite score or assume the two measures are interchangeable. A percentile refers to relative position in the relevant MAT population, while the composite is a scaled score. If the threshold is shown as “MAT 500” without a clear description, verify that it means the same score scale and programme as your scorecard.
AIMA’s score guide says that normalization and scaling compensate for small difficulty differences between MAT administrations. It also says MAT scores are not to be compared directly with scores on other tests. A CAT percentile, CMAT score or XAT percentile is not a valid substitute for a MAT threshold. Historical comparisons should use the same score type, institute, programme, campus, category and admission stage. If one of those qualifiers changes, describe the values separately rather than presenting them as a trend.
Finding the rule that applies to your application
Use the programme’s official admission page or current prospectus as the primary source. Confirm the institution and campus, programme name, admission year, application round and candidate category. Check whether the notice identifies a MAT test date or administration, and whether it states a score scale or percentile. If the threshold is not disclosed, do not infer it from a coaching estimate or another applicant’s result.
AIMA’s B-school notifications are organised by region and are tied to particular MAT administrations. These notices can help identify participating schools and their admission material, but the institution remains responsible for its programme’s current conditions. AIMA itself advises candidates to check approval or recognition status with the concerned authority, institute or university. A school’s presence in an AIMA list is not a guarantee of current score acceptance or admission.
When contacting a school, ask a precise question: “For this programme and campus in the 2026-28 intake, does the December 2026 MAT score qualify me for the next selection stage, and is there a published composite-score or percentile minimum?” Keep the written response and note any conditions such as graduation percentage, work experience, category, interview performance or an application deadline. Those conditions may operate alongside a MAT threshold.
What the current evidence can support
The table distinguishes what can be supported from what remains institution-specific. The absence of a universal threshold does not mean schools do not use score requirements. It means candidates need a source tied to the exact school and programme before quoting a number. The current official MAT pages do not provide a common historical cutoff series by category, college or round.
Compare historical thresholds responsibly
If a school provides thresholds for multiple years, compare values only when the underlying rule is stable. Keep the same programme, campus, category, score metric, round and purpose. Note whether the figures are announced minimums, interview shortlists or final closing values. A percentage change in a threshold can be calculated only when the values share those qualifiers; the result should still be described as a historical change, not a forecast.
For example, a composite score threshold from one programme cannot be compared with a percentile threshold from another. Nor can a previous-year interview shortlist be treated as the current final admission cutoff. If a school changes its selection formula or the accepted MAT administration, the series is no longer strictly like-for-like. State the break in comparability and avoid calculating a trend that suggests more certainty than the source provides.
As of 27 October 2026, AIMA’s December MAT result and programme-specific admission decisions for the upcoming intake are not published in the sources reviewed. No current threshold or trend is therefore available to compare. Once a target institution issues its 2026-27 admission notice, use that exact programme rule. If the institute does not publish a MAT threshold, compare your score with its full selection criteria and request guidance directly; do not use an unverified “safe percentile” as a substitute.