MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec: Which Is Better?
Wondering, "MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec: Which Is Better?" Go through the article below to know which are the ideal candidates for each session, the impact of each session on admission cycle, difficulty-levels, and the preparation context to determine which session you should opt for!
If you are pondering on the question, "MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec: Which Is Better?", the answer lies in the fact that it cannot be determined which single MAT session - February, May, September, or December is universally preferable! All the sessions range from easy to moderate in terms of difficulty level with distinctive sets of questions with the scores being valid for one year. You level of preparation, admission timelines set by your target colleges, ability to appear for theMAT 2026 exammultiple times, and minor variations in the difficulty levels across all sections must be taken into consideration while determining which session is superior.
Comparison of MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec Sessions
Go through the following table to determine which session can be labelled as "better" considering your specific set of circumstances:
| Session | Ideal Candidates | Impact on Admission Cycle | Advantage |
| February |
|
| If you have appeared for CAT in Nov 2025 or XAT in Jan 2026 and looking for a backup, you must appear for the February session. |
| May |
|
| If you are a final-year student and your university exams are over, this is the perfect session for you! |
| September |
| The scores obtained by you in this session will serve as the basis for the following year's admissions (e.g., Sep 2026 for 2027 batch). |
|
| December | You should opt for this session if you have a strategic or methodical approach. |
| Since there will be a February rush, this session can help you secure a seat early at your desired institute. |
Expected Difficulty Levels of MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec
Based on the previous year MAT papers, the overall difficulty levels for all the four sessions: Feb, May, Sep & Dec can be expected to be moderate, with Data Analysis & Sufficiency and Mathematical Skills being the toughest sections. While there will be early trials in February, you may encounter trickier reasoning in the September session. You can also attempt for the MAT exam multiple times a year to improve your scores.
| Session | Overall Difficulty | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| February | Easy-Moderate |
|
| May | Moderate |
|
| September | Moderate | ICR can emerge as the trickiest section with complex questions on syllogisms or puzzles. |
| December | Easy-Moderate |
|
MAT 2026 Section-Wise Topics & Difficulty Levels
The core high-weightage topics can be RC or Vocab from Language, Arithmetic or Ratios from Math, DI graphs or Data Sufficiency, Puzzles or Syllogisms from ICR, and GK or business news from Environment.
Section-Wise Expected High Weightage Topics & Difficulty Levels
| Section | Expected High Weightage Topics | Difficulty Level Across Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Language Comprehension |
|
|
| Mathematical Skills |
|
|
| Data Analysis & Sufficiency |
|
|
| Intelligence & Critical Reasoning |
|
|
| Indian & Global Environment |
|
|
Session-wise Expected Difficulty Levels for MAT Feb vs May vs Sep vs Dec
In Mathematical Skills, the emphasis will be on Arithmetic, like ratios, TSD, at a moderate difficulty level. Puzzles/ Syllogisms will be asked from Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, which will be moderate-tricky in the Sep session. Language Comprehension will contain direct RC questions of easy-moderate level.
| Section | February | May | September | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language Comprehension | Easy-moderate (direct questions on RC) | Moderate (vocab will be tricky) | Easy-moderate | Easy |
| Mathematical Skills | Moderate (heavy on arithmetic) | Moderate-Difficult | Moderate | Moderate |
| Data Analysis & Sufficiency | Moderate (DI sets lengthy) | Moderate | Difficult (graphs/ sufficiency) | Moderate |
| Intelligence & Critical Reasoning | Moderate (puzzles/ syllogisms) | Easy-moderate | Moderate-tricky | Moderate |
| Indian & Global Environment | Easy (GK/ current affairs) | Easy | Easy | Easy |
The last date to fill out the MAT application form for February session is February 23, 2026. You can connect with us through ourCommon Application Formor call us on our toll free number 1800-572-9877 if you want to speak to our experts.