MAT vs CMAT vs ATMA: Which Fallback Exam Opens the Most Colleges
In our directory, 131 colleges accept CMAT, 113 accept MAT and 58 accept ATMA. CMAT is a single national test run by NTA; MAT runs four sessions a year through AIMA, giving you more attempts; ATMA is accepted by a smaller, more specific set of institutes. None is “easier” in a fixed sense — each has a different candidate pool and cut-off per college.
Side by side
| CMAT | MAT | ATMA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducting body | NTA | AIMA | AIMS |
| Frequency | Once a year | Up to 4 sessions a year | Multiple sessions a year |
| Colleges in our directory | 131 | 113 | 58 |
| Best for | AICTE-wide reach in one sitting | More attempts if your first score is weak | A smaller, specific set of institutes |
Colleges by exam (cheapest first)
Cheapest colleges accepting CMAT
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a | XAT, CMAT, MAT |
| BK SchoolB. K. School of Professional and Management Studies | Ahmedabad | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 5.1 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| FMS MSU BarodaFaculty of Management Studies Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda | Vadodara | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 7.3 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| MLSU UdaipurFaculty of Management Studies Mohanlal Sukhadia University | Udaipur | 50–60 %ile | ₹1.2 L | n/a | CMAT, MAT, CUET-PG |
| KIMS DharwadKousali Institute of Management Studies Karnatak University | Hubli-Dharwad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.5 L | n/a | PGCET, KMAT, CMAT |
| DIEMSDeogiri Institute of Engineering and Management Studies | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.6 L | 4 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, ATMA |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SRLIMS. R. Luthra Institute of Management | Surat | 40–50 %ile | ₹2 L | 3.4 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| IMK TrivandrumInstitute of Management in Kerala University of Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.1 L | 3.5 LPA | KMAT, CMAT |
| SMS CUSATSchool of Management Studies CUSAT | Kochi | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA | CMAT, KMAT |
Cheapest first. Total two-year fee excluding hostel.
Cheapest colleges accepting MAT
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a | XAT, CMAT, MAT |
| MLSU UdaipurFaculty of Management Studies Mohanlal Sukhadia University | Udaipur | 50–60 %ile | ₹1.2 L | n/a | CMAT, MAT, CUET-PG |
| CCSU MeerutChaudhary Charan Singh University | Meerut | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.3 L | n/a | CUET-PG, UPTAC, MAT |
| DoMS Anna UniversityDepartment of Management Studies Anna University | Chennai | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.4 L | 6 LPA | TANCET, MAT |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SIOMSinhgad Institute of Management | Pune | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.5 L | 4.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| CSIBERChhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research | Kolhapur | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.6 L | 3 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| MGMUMGM University Institute of Management | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹2.7 L | n/a | MAT, CMAT |
| PUMBADepartment of Management Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | 60–80 %ile | ₹3 L | 9.4 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA |
| InvertisInvertis University | Bareilly | 40–55 %ile | ₹3 L | 7.3 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, CUET-PG |
Cheapest first. Total two-year fee excluding hostel.
Cheapest colleges accepting ATMA
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIEMSDeogiri Institute of Engineering and Management Studies | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.6 L | 4 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, ATMA |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SIOMSinhgad Institute of Management | Pune | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.5 L | 4.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| CSIBERChhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research | Kolhapur | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.6 L | 3 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| PUMBADepartment of Management Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | 60–80 %ile | ₹3 L | 9.4 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA |
| AIM GuwahatiAssam Institute of Management | Guwahati | 50–65 %ile | ₹3.6 L | 7.4 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, ATMA |
| LLIMLala Lajpatrai Institute of Management | Mumbai | 50–60 %ile | ₹3.8 L | 5.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, NMAT, GMAT |
| MET MumbaiMET Institute of Management | Mumbai | 55–70 %ile | ₹4.1 L | 7.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| PIMR IndorePrestige Institute of Management and Research Indore | Indore | 50–70 %ile | ₹5 L | 6 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA |
| SOA BhubaneswarSiksha O Anusandhan IBCS | Bhubaneswar | 50–70 %ile | ₹5.5 L | n/a | XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA |
Cheapest first. Total two-year fee excluding hostel.
MAT’s four sessions a year make it the most forgiving if your first attempt underperforms — you can retake without waiting a full year, unlike CAT or CMAT. See MAT 2026 exam dates, CMAT 2027 dates or the full deadline table for every exam still open.
Frequently asked questions
Which is easier: MAT, CMAT or ATMA?
None is inherently easier — each has its own candidate pool and the colleges accepting it set their own cut-offs. MAT’s four annual sessions give you the most retake flexibility.
Can I use MAT, CMAT or ATMA scores for the same college?
Many colleges in our directory accept more than one of these — check the exams column on each college’s listing.
Which test is accepted by the most colleges in this directory?
CMAT, with 131 colleges in our data, followed by MAT with 113.
Sources & methodology
Fees are total two-year programme fees excluding hostel, as listed in this site’s college directory (data verified 4 September 2026). Add hostel, mess and exam costs before comparing, and confirm the current fee in the institute’s admission brochure before you pay anything.