MAT Cutoff 2021: Check Section-Wise & College-Wise Cutoff Marks

Paras Attri

Updated on - Jul 11, 2025

If you're planning to pursue an MBA and are considering the MAT (Management Aptitude Test) as your pathway, it’s important to understand how the cutoff scores work across different colleges. The cutoff scores for the MAT 2021 varied significantly depending on the institution's reputation and ranking.

Top-tier MBA colleges such as BIMTECH (Birla Institute of Management Technology) and Alliance University usually have higher standards for admission. These institutes typically set their cutoff scores between the 70th and 85th percentiles. This means you'll need to be among the top 15-30% of test-takers to meet their eligibility criteria.

MAT 2021 Cutoff Scores 

In 2021, various top institutions set MAT cutoffs based on composite scores (out of 801) and percentiles. Here’s a summarized table:

Steps to Check MAT Cut Off Marks 

After appearing for the MAT and receiving your scorecard, you would want to know how to use the cut off marks released by various participating colleges. The cut off of MAT is not available on the AIMA website. Instead, various institutes accepting the MAT scores release their own cut off lists. These cutoffs tell you whether you are eligible for the selection process such as group discussions, written tests or interviews. 

Step 1: Visit the official MAT website – https://mat.aima.in
Step 2: Log in using your registered email ID and password.
Step 3: Go to the “Scorecard” or “Result” section.
Step 4: Check the cut-off marks for participating colleges/institutes.
Step 5: Compare your score with the cut-off to know your eligibility.

Important Facts About MAT Cutoff 2021 Marks 

It is essential to understand the MAT cutoff procedure for every probable candidate to take admission in the top B-schools. Cutoff is not a figure; it is an indicator of the competition level, quality of admissions and the institute's admission targets. The following are some critical facts about the MAT cut off marks which will enable you to plan your applications and choice process more effectively:

1. Cut Offs Vary with Institute and Session

Each MAT offering college has its own cut off depending on its admission policy, number of applicants and available vacancies. Whereas some of these colleges accept the applicants with as low as a percentile of 60, others such as XIME, IPE Hyderabad or BIMTECH Noida accept only those with a 85 percentile or more as a condition. Further, since MAT is conducted in several sessions- February, May, September and December- the colleges might accept the scores of one or more of these sessions based on their intake cycle.

2. Both Percentile and Composite Score Matter

Composite score as well as percentile are usually considered by most of the colleges for shortlisting the candidates. The composite score in MAT ranges from 199 to 801. The composite score is earned on the basis of performance in four of the five sections: Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency and Intelligence and Critical Reasoning. Composite score is not considered when the General Awareness section is calculated but may be considered in later rounds of selection by any of the colleges.

3. Top Colleges Can Use Sectional Cutoffs

While all the colleges search for the composite score or percentile only, some of the highly competitive colleges may also have sectional cut offs. In other words, you must perform reasonably well in all four sections for which the scores are given. Even if you pass the overall score but perform badly in one of the sections, you may not be shortlisted to the next round. Make sure you see the cut off rules in particular on the official admission portal of the college.

4. Relatively Higher Cutoffs in General Category

General category candidates' cut off marks are typically the maximum. If you belong to the reserved categories like SC, ST, OBC or EWS, you might be eligible for cut off marks which are lower. But the reservation of such category seats would be subject to the policy of the respective colleges. Ensure always whether the college provides for seat reservation and category-wise cut off figures.

5. Final Shortlisting May Be Based on Work Experience and Profile

Even if you get your MAT cut off cleared, your selection is not guaranteed. Most institutes consider other factors such as academic record, work experience and interview or group discussion performance. Even those colleges with low MAT cut offs may have high standards based on profile-based shortlisting. You should have a good profile and aim for post-cut off evaluation rounds.

Also Read: How to Score 99 Percentile in MAT? Topper's Tips and Strategies

MAT Cutoff 2021 Popular Colleges Percentile-Wise

If you scored around 80 percentile or more in MAT 2021, several leading MBA and PGDM programs were within reach. Below are tables by percentile band:

Colleges Accepting MAT 80–85+ Percentile

The List of Colleges Accepting 80-90 Percentile in MAT 2025 has been detailed below for your reference.

MAT Colleges Accepting MAT 75–80 Percentile

Listed below are the MAT colleges accepting 75-80 percentile.

Colleges Accepting MAT 60–70 Percentile

Listed below are the colleges for the 60-70 percentile.

MAT Composite Score Evaluation

Your MAT composite score is critical in determining how you have performed and how you want to approach your admissions. The composite score is based on your overall performance in the major areas of management aptitude, and it is one of the most significant scores that the MBA colleges use. Raw scores of all sections are normalized and scaled and then averaged to guarantee fair comparison between various forms and sessions of the test.

The composite score is only based on the first four sections. Once every section is scored on a scale of 0 to 100, the sum is multiplied by 2 to give the final composite score, based on 800 points. Scores below 200 are reported as 199, while scores above 800 are capped at 801.

This combined score provides a comparison of your performance on the test. Section-wise percentiles and overall percentiles based on composite score are also provided in the MAT scorecard. High composite scores (usually above 600) place you in a favorable position amongst competitors seeking MBAs. Scores in the middle (approximately 500-600) indicate good proficiency, and low scores (below 500) still have the chance to lead to many regional and Tier-2 colleges.

Section-Wise MAT Composite Scores

MAT composite score is determined based on four important parts of the examination. All these sections have a maximum of 40 marks, and each is scaled to a normalized mark of 0-100. This method makes it consistent and fair in various examination sessions. Notably, the Indian and Global Environment score is not factored in the computation of the composite score. This is broken down in the table below:

This breakdown helps you understand how each section contributes to the total composite score out of 800.

Conclusion

The MAT cutoff  2021 is a very important factor that determines your admission process to the best business schools in India. Knowledge of the cutoffs of the current and the past years enables you to make realistic goals and select the right colleges. As there is no fixed cutoff to be followed by all the participating institutes, the updates by individual colleges need to be monitored. Once you have cleared the cut off, you should start preparing for the GD, WAT and PI rounds. The correct approach and preparation can get you admission to a good MBA program with MAT and that too, in the context of what you want to do.