The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) held four times every year by the All India Management Association (AIMA) might be discontinued in the next twelve months, sources at AIMA told PaGaLGuY today.

The possible shutdown of the test is a response to the Human Resources Development Ministry’s indication that there would eventually be a common entrance test for all MBA admissions in the country. Sources at AIMA told PaGaLGuY that the ministry had hinted to them that the MAT would have to close down.

It is common knowledge that the HRD Ministry wants to condense all entrance tests into one common MBA admission test. Since the Common Admission Test (CAT) already serves the top b-schools of the country, the chances of CAT being made the sole entrance exam in the near future are extremely high, said a top official at AIMA who did not wish to be named.

AIMA indicated that it had resigned to the ultimate fate of the exam. At the end of the day it is a decision of the Ministry. Even if we dont like the decision, we have to adhere to it, the official said.

Questioned about the introduction of the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) the official said, AICTE’s intentions behind introducing the new test are not clear. However, if the Ministry has allowed AICTE to go ahead with its test, then there should be specific reasons to justify it.

The official added that one of the major advantages of the MAT over the CMAT was that the MAT still allowed the option of a paper-pencil format apart from the computer-based option. Till date we have been geting maximum registrations for the paper-based version of the MAT. I think the disadvantage of being a completely computer-based test is going to affect the popularity of CMAT, the official said.

Talking about AIMAs future post-MAT, another source at AIMA said, AIMA is not limited to the MAT entrance exam. We also conduct high-end management summits and marketing events. Although the exact time period after which the MAT will be discontinued has not yet been officially frozen yet, we have already started working on alternate plans of functioning beyond MAT, which will include intensification of our management events. Management has great prospects in the country, which are yet untapped.”

Although multiple sources at AIMA confirmed talks about a possible shutdown of the test, AIMA’s official public relations department refused to toe the line.

The MAT, which is accepted by a multitude of second and third tier b-schools, is conducted four times a year in February, May, September, and December and is taken a total of 3 lakh times, including repeat test takers. Candidates are all set to appear for the next MAT on December 4.