All About ATMA Exam 2026: Pattern, Flexibility, Cutoffs & Top MBA Colleges

The AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA) is a national-level entrance examination recognized by the Ministry of Education (Government of India) and the AICTE. Highly similar to MAT, ATMA offers an excellent backup option for students who wish to secure admissions in hundreds of Tier-2 and PGDM colleges across India without facing the extreme brutal competition of CAT or XAT.

Here is the ultimate breakdown of the ATMA exam for 2026 admissions:

Exam Overview & Conducting Body

• Exam Name: AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA)
• Conducting Body: Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS)
• Frequency: Multiple times a year (Usually held 3 to 4 times between February and July)
• Mode of Exam: Computer Based Test (CBT) and occasionally Internet Based Test (IBT)

Exam Pattern & Total Marks

ATMA heavily emphasizes analytical and logical thinking over pure mathematics.

• Total Duration: 180 Minutes (3 Hours)
  • Note: There is a sectional time limit of 30 minutes for each of the 6 sections.
• Total Questions: 180 Questions
• Total Marks: Scaled Percentage/Percentile Score (Evaluated out of a raw score of 180 marks)
• Question Types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
• Marking Scheme:
  • +1 mark for every correct answer
  • -0.25 marks for every incorrect answer

Sectional Breakdown

The 180 questions are uniquely broken down into 6 focused sections (30 questions each):

1. Analytical Reasoning Skills (Part 1): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)
2. Analytical Reasoning Skills (Part 2): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)
3. Verbal Skills (Part 1): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)
4. Verbal Skills (Part 2): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)
5. Quantitative Skills (Part 1): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)
6. Quantitative Skills (Part 2): 30 Questions (Time Limit: 30 Mins)

Expected Cut-offs (Percentile)

Because ATMA has multiple attempts, reaching a 90+ percentile is generally considered a strong score.

• PUMBA (Department of Management Sciences, Pune): 95.0+ to 99.0+ Percentile (Very high demand through DTE CAP rounds)
• Welingkar Institute (Mumbai), Christ University: 85.0+ to 90.0+ Percentile
• S.I.E.S. Navi Mumbai, Chetana's (Mumbai): 80.0+ to 85.0+ Percentile
• NDIM Delhi, IBS Institutes (ICFAI): 75.0+ to 80.0+ Percentile

Top Colleges Accepting ATMA Scores

Over 600+ AICTE-approved management institutes and university departments accept ATMA. Some notable mentions include:

• PUMBA (Pune University Department of Management Sciences)
• Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (MMS & PGDM)
• SIES College of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai
• Christ University, Bangalore
• NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management), Delhi
• IBS (ICFAI Business Schools) across major cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore
• N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai
• IPE (Institute of Public Enterprise), Hyderabad
• Jaipuria Institute of Management (Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Indore)

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