Didn't do well in CAT? Apply to XAT, CMAT, MAT; Exam Dates, Test Pattern, B schools accepting exam score

Columnist & Author, MBAUniverse.com

Updated on December 6, 2016

Don't get disheartened if you did not do well in CAT 2016 exam held on December 4 as there are still better options open to improve your score and get the same desired B-schools

You should forget how you performed in CAT 2016 as there is still time to apply and improve your score with XAT 2017, CMAT 2017 and MAT 2016 (Computer based December exam)

Don’t get disheartened if you did not do well in CAT 2016 exam held on December 4 as there are still better options open to improve your score and get the same desired B-schools as the scores of XAT 2017, CMAT 2017, MAT 2016 & 2017 are also acceptable to these B-schools apart from your CAT 2016 percentile.

For a CAT 2016 1st or 2nd slot student to get to know where he stands and what possible percentile he can get, he should visit India’s most accurate CAT 2016 Percentile Predictor is live now. Check your CAT 2016 percentile now.

XAT 2017 has much more to offer as against CAT 2016 in terms of availability of more time to solve fewer questions, more aspirant friendly changes in the paper pen based XAT 2017, exam content to be brought to easier pattern and more number of B-schools accepting XAT 2017 scores than the number of B-schools accepting CAT 2016 scores in academic session commencing 2017.

Thousands of CAT 2016 test takers who are perturbed due to their not very good and uneven sectional performance in the exam and are not expecting a very high sectional percentile score are getting depressed as they think that their chances of getting shortlisted by top rated IIMs or other B schools may not be so bright as they had earlier expected. The candidates are in a jeopardy whether they will be shortlisted for admission by highly ranked B schools for admission 2017. To know how much you would score in CAT 2016 exam visit India’s most accurate CAT 2016 Percentile Predictor is live now. Check your CAT 2016 percentile now.

Now you should forget how you performed in CAT 2016 as there is still time to apply and improve your score with XAT 2017, CMAT 2017 and MAT 2016 (Computer based December exam).

There is also no need to think that IIMs are only the best B-schools as the top B-schools who accept XAT scores are no less important and some of them are rated even better than many IIMs. If you are focused, can prepare well for these exam as there is still time you should immediately apply without losing time.

XLRI-XAT 2017
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) 2017 on January 8, 2017 after CAT 2016 is the second largest national level MBA/PGDM entrance test offering admission opportunity in 2017 to XLRI, SPJIMR, IMT Ghaziabad, XIM Bhubaneshwar and more than other 140 highly ranked B-schools. XAT 2017 is only a month away from now. It is good that your preparation of CAT 2016 will come as a great help in preparing for XAT 2017 especially when there are more common topics to prepare in both the exams.

Last date to apply: December 11, 2016
Registration Application fee for exam: Rs.2000/- (Add Rs.300 if applying to XLRI also)
XAT 2017 exam date: January 8, 2017

XAT 2017: Exam pattern
The format of XAT 2017 is pen-paper based. This is to ensure that candidates of all backgrounds are at par, so that those who have pre-familiarity of operating computers, specially coming from privileged background or having worked in IT sector, do not get any advantage over others who do not have access to computers. The paper-pen mode also ensures that all candidates are tested on exactly the same set of questions, and not on different sets.

3 ½ hours exam in a single session
XAT 2017 is proposed to be of 3½ hours test. The test is proposed to be conducted in 47 cities on January 8, 2017 across India in a single session beginning from 10.00 AM to 1.30 PM with no break in between.

XAT 2017: Exam components
XAT 2017 will be divided between Objective MCQs and subjective Essay Writing tests. The Multiple choice questions (MCQs) part will be over in 170 minutes and next 35 minutes will be allotted for essay writing part and 5 minutes allotted for turnaround period.

XAT 2017 test takers will have to complete the first 3 sections of the first part of the MCQ exam namely Verbal and Logical Ability; Decision Making; Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation in 170 minutes while questions in General Knowledge section will have to be attempted in 10 minutes only. 25 minutes will separately be allotted for essay writing test.

XAT is the second largest MBA/PGDM entrance exam after CAT. XLRI has been conducting XAT on behalf of XAMI for the last 60 years at All India level in the paper pen mode to provide level playing field for the XAT aspirants coming from all backgrounds.

Top B-schools accepting XAT 2017 scores
Some of the top B-schools out of more than 140 management colleges and universities who will accept scores of XAT 2017 exam are - XLRI Jamshedpur, S P Jain Mumbai, K J Somaiya, Mumbai; IMT Ghaziabad; XIM Bhubaneshwar; XIME Bangalore; GIM Goa; Great Lakes Chennai; IFMR; IRMA Anand.

CMAT 2017
CMAT 2017 to be held on January 28, 2017 will a computer based test. During the past few years CMAT has become one of the most favourite MBA/PGDM entrance exams. The popularity of CMAT can be understood by the fact that it is one of the largest MBA/PGDM entrance test and is taken by around 1 lakh candidates every year.

All the colleges under CMAT 2017 are those who run AICTE approved MBA/PGDM programmes. No College under CMAT 2017 has been included who does not have AICTE approval or does not run AICTE approved management programme. Accordingly all the candidates registering and appearing for CMAT 2017 will get admission only in AICTE approved management programmes as per the eligibility criteria and score requirement of the individual B-school.

Last date to apply: December 15 (Extended from Dec 10), 2016
Registration Application fee for exam: Rs.1400/-
XAT 2017 exam date: January 28, 2017

CMAT 2017: Exam pattern
CMAT 2017 exam date is January 28, 2017. The exam duration of CMAT 2017 will be of 3 hours from 9.30AM to 12.30PM. CMAT 2017 will consist of 100 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) divided in 4 sections as follows-

Section	Number of questions	Total marks
Language Comprehension	25	100
Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation	25	100
Logical Reasoning	25	100
General Awareness	25	100

CMAT 2017: Scoring pattern
CMAT 2017 will award 4 marks for each correct answer and will impose penalty of -1 mark for every wrong answer. Marks will be awarded out of maximum score of 400. AICTE proposes to declare CMAT 2017 result on February 6, 2017. The result is displayed on AICTE website in order of merit with highest scorer at the top followed by low scorers. The result displays raw scores along with percentile scores.

Top B-schools under CMAT 2017
CMAT 2017 scores are accepted across the country and by many highly ranked management institutes. Even the institutes who accept their specific state test scores also accept CMAT scores. A few of the top rated colleges under CMAT 2017 are

JBIMS Mumbai;
K J Somaiya, Mumbai;
BIMTECH Greater Noida (specialized programmes);
GIM Goa;
Great Lakes institute of Management, Chennai;
IFIM, Bangalore

440+ Maharashtra Colleges under CMAT 2017
Admission opportunity can be explored with CMAT 2017 scores in almost all the 440 Maharashtra B-schools participating in Centralized Admission Process round 2017 to be conducted by DTE Maharashtra in the month of May-June 2017.

The list of Maharashtra state colleges accepting CMAT 2017 scores includes JBIMS, SIMSREE, DSIMS, N L Dalmiya, PUMBA, Dr D.Y. Patil, FLAME University, ASM among other 440 management institutes. Read the list of colleges under CMAT 2017

Yearly exam: No second chance
AICTE earlier provided the candidates 2 opportunities to appear in CMAT for MBA/PGDM admission. The first CMAT was held in September and the second CMAT in February. Now with CMAT changed to be a yearly exercise the opportunity to use better of two scores in CMAT exams will not exist anymore.

With effect from last year, AICTE now conducts only 1 CMAT exam instead of 2 CMAT which were used to be held in the months of September and February every year till 2015. If you miss the bus on CMAT 2017, you will have to wait till CMAT 2018.

CMAT 2017 is the online computer based exam conducted on the lines of CAT 2016. Inlike MAT which is held 4 times a year, CMAT offers once a year opportunity to get admission into good management programmes.

MAT 2016- December CBT: Apply till Dec 9

MAT 2016 December exam is a national level entrance test for admission to PGDM institutes where thousands of the aspirants test their skills. The test is conducted by AIMA (All India Management Association). Usually there are 4 MAT tests in a year viz February, May, September and December. MAT scores are considered for admission by number of management institutes offering PGDM programmes which are equivalent to MBA.

A good number of B-schools in Delhi NCR and other parts of India have decided to accept MAT 2016 December exam scores for admission to their PGDM/MBA 2017-19 programmes.

Candidates exploring admission in MBA/PGDM can encash the opportunity to do MBA by registering and applying for MAT 2016 December exam in computer based format till December 9 as the registration for paper based test has already closed. http://www.mbauniverse.com/mat.php

Last date to apply: December 9 for Computer based test (Need to apply online only)
Exam dates: Paper based- Dec 11; Computer based-Dec 17
Registration Application fee for exam: Rs.1200/-

Exam Pattern: 200 MCQs
MAT 2016 December exam will be an objective type test with multiple-choice answers. The total time duration for the test will be 2 hrs and 30 minutes. The test will comprise 5 main subjects on which questions will be formed. AIMA has also prescribed suggested time limit to solve questions in each of the 5 sections in MAT 2016 December computer based test. The test is designed to measure the test taker’s general aptitude in following areas. http://www.mbauniverse.com/mat.php

Section no.	Section Subject	Number of questions	Suggested time to solve
1	Language comprehension	40	30
2	Mathematical skills	40	40
3	Data Analysis and Sufficiency	40	35
4	Intelligence and Critical Reasoning	40	30
5	Indian and Global Environment	40	15
	Total	200	150

MAT 2016: LoD of MCQs
Although MAT is a national level management entrance test, if we measure the past trend in view of expected level of difficulty in MAT 2016, the exam would appear less difficult than CAT and XAT. A candidate, if prepares well can crack MAT 2016 December exam with high score and without much difficulty. Language comprehension in MAT 2016 is expected to be moderately difficult and questions on Mathematical skills are expected to be of matriculation standard. http://www.mbauniverse.com/mat.php

Top B-schools accepting MAT 2016 Dec scores
MAT 2016 December exam scores are accepted by the B-schools all over India. Besides, all the Maharashtra B-schools who participate in the Govt. of Maharashtra Centralized Admission Process (CAP) accept MAT exam scores for admission to MBA/MMS/PGDM programmes.

Some of the top B-schools accepting MAT scores through CAP round are JBIMS Mumbai; SIMSREE Mumbai; K J Somaiya Mumbai: N L Dalmiya Mumbai; PUMBA Pune and other 400 B-schools of Maharashtra.

Apart from the high number of Maharashtra B-schools MAT scores will also be accepted by other B-schools across the country, a few of them are Accurate Institute of Management & Technology, Greater Noida; Acharya Bangalore Business School (ABBS) Bangalore; AIMS Institutes, Bangalore; BIMTECH, Greater Noida (Specialized Programme) & Bhubaneshwar; FLAME School of Business, FLAME University, Pune; IFIM Business School, Bangalore; NDIM, New Delhi; ISB&M, PUNE; IPE Hyderabad; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore; Jaypee Business School (JBS), Noida; Jagan Institute of Management Studies (JIMS) Rohini, New Delhi; Jagannath International Management School (JIMS) Kalkaji, New Delhi; MIT School of Business (MITSOB), PUNE

Accordingly there is no need to panic as number of MBA options are open through the other exams apart from CAT 2016. You must however take quick action as the registration last date is to close shortly for all these exams.

Summary of last date to apply for forthcoming exams

Exam	Last date to apply	Exam date	Exam pattern
MAT Dec 2016	Dec 9, 2016	Dec 17, 2016	Computer based
XAT 2017	December 11, 2016	Jan 8, 2017	Paper based
CMAT 2017	December 15, 2016	Jan 28, 2017	Computer based