IMAT (IIM Mumbai): what is confirmed, what is not, and how to prepare
IMAT for IIM Mumbai executive MBAs: confirmed dates, fee, route and interview, what is unpublished, and a prep route from CAT, GMAT and GRE basics.
7 min read · updated 2026-11
What IIM Mumbai has confirmed
IMAT is the IIM Mumbai Admission Test. It is IIM Mumbai's own test, used only for its own programmes: the Executive MBA in Wealth Management, the MBA-BPGP (online/blended) and the PGPEx-EIM. It is not a national exam, and other institutes do not use it. This note carries only what IIM Mumbai's own pages state.
| Item | What IIM Mumbai states |
|---|---|
| What it is | An online exam based on the CAT exam pattern |
| Mode | Home-proctored |
| Size | 100 marks and 90 to 120 minutes (MBA-BPGP FAQ) |
| Alternative route | For the Executive MBA, IMAT is not compulsory. You can take the home-proctored IMAT, or submit a valid CAT, GRE or GMAT score. Either route is followed by a personal interview |
| Fee | Rs 3,000, non-refundable, stated for the Executive MBA in Wealth Management |
| Executive MBA eligibility | Graduates from any discipline with at least two years of post-qualification experience |
What IIM Mumbai has not published
- Not published: section names, number of questions, marking scheme, negative marking, and rules for non-MCQ items.
- Not stated: how long an IMAT score is valid and how many times you may attempt IMAT.
- Not stated: a fee for programmes other than the Executive MBA in Wealth Management. The MBA-BPGP and PGPEx-EIM pages we opened show none.
- Not shown: closing dates for the Executive MBA. Its page shows the application window as open without dates.
Treat any coaching-site claim about IMAT sections or negative marking as unconfirmed unless it cites an IIM Mumbai page. Prepare in a way that works whatever the paper contains.
Dates differ by programme
| Programme | IMAT date | Other dates | Experience and eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive MBA in Wealth Management | 8 November 2026 | Interviews 25 to 27 November. Tentative result 1 December 2026 | Graduate in any discipline with at least 2 years of post-qualification experience |
| MBA-BPGP (online/blended), Batch 3 | 22 November 2026 | Applications 1 August to 15 November 2026 | Bachelor's with 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD), 3 years of relevant experience by 31 October 2026, and a CAT, GMAT or GRE taken since June 2021, or a cleared IMAT |
| PGPEx-EIM | 11 October and 29 November 2026 | Applications opened 1 September 2026 | Not in the pages we opened |
As of 6 November 2026, the 8 November sitting is 2 days away, 22 November is 16 days away and 29 November is 23 days away. MBA-BPGP applications close in 9 days. The 11 October PGPEx-EIM sitting has passed.
Do you need IMAT at all?
- Executive MBA: a valid CAT, GRE or GMAT score is an accepted alternative to IMAT. IMAT is optional.
- MBA-BPGP: you need a CAT, GMAT or GRE taken since June 2021, or a cleared IMAT.
- CAT 2026 will not help for the November sittings. CAT is on 29 November 2026 and results are likely in the first week of January 2027.
- Three years before 31 October 2026 is 31 October 2023, so you must have started on or before that date.
- 15 September 2023 is before 31 October 2023. By 31 October 2026 you have 3 years and 46 days.
- 15 December 2023 is after 31 October 2023. Your friend reaches 3 years on 15 December 2026, which is 45 days too late.
Answer: You meet the rule. Your friend does not, by 45 days. This is the MBA-BPGP rule; the Executive MBA states 2 years of post-qualification experience with no cut-off date on its page.
- The cut-off is 1 June 2021.
- 18 March 2021 is before the cut-off, so it does not qualify.
- 27 November 2022 and 2 February 2023 are after it, so both qualify.
Answer: The CAT and the GRE qualify. The March 2021 GMAT does not. Check the exact wording on your programme's page before you decide.
A preparation route built on CAT, GMAT and GRE fundamentals
IIM Mumbai says only that IMAT follows the CAT pattern. We cannot tell you what is in it, so build the fundamentals that CAT, GMAT and GRE share. The three blocks below are skill areas, not IMAT sections.
| Skill block | What to practise | Practice material |
|---|---|---|
| Quant fundamentals | Arithmetic, percentages, ratios, averages, algebra, number basics, geometry basics | CAT QA sets; GMAT and GRE quant for word problems |
| Reading and verbal | Passages, summarising an argument, vocabulary in context, sentence correction | CAT VARC; GMAT Verbal; GRE verbal |
| Data and logic | Tables, charts, caselets, arrangements, puzzles | CAT DILR; GMAT Data Insights |
- Fastest case: 90 x 60 = 5,400 seconds; 5,400 / 100 = 54 seconds a mark.
- Slowest case: 120 x 60 = 7,200 seconds; 7,200 / 100 = 72 seconds a mark.
Answer: 54 to 72 seconds a mark, or 0.9 to 1.2 minutes. Do not turn this into a question count. IIM Mumbai has published neither a question count nor the marks per question.
- Total time = 16 x 2.5 = 40 hours.
- Quant = 0.40 x 40 = 16 hours.
- Reading and verbal = 0.30 x 40 = 12 hours. Data and logic = 0.30 x 40 = 12 hours.
- Check: 16 + 12 + 12 = 40.
Answer: 16, 12 and 12 hours. Shift the weights toward your weakest block after a first timed set. The 40-30-30 split is only a starting point.
Run timed practice sets of CAT, GMAT or GRE-style questions at 90 minutes first, then at 120. IIM Mumbai gives a range, so you should be ready for either end of it. After each set, log every miss as a concept gap, a slip or a time problem.
The interview and the home-proctored sitting
- The Executive MBA route ends in a personal interview whether you use IMAT or a CAT, GRE or GMAT score. Interviews are listed for 25 to 27 November 2026.
- Prepare a 90-second answer to 'Why this programme, and why now?' that uses your own work history.
- Be ready to explain every role and gap on your CV in one sentence each.
- Home-proctored tests usually need a working webcam, a stable connection, a quiet room and a valid ID. Confirm the exact requirements in IIM Mumbai's booking instructions.
- ☐ Decide your route: IMAT, or a valid CAT, GRE or GMAT score.
- ☐ Confirm the IMAT date for your own programme, not another programme's.
- ☐ Check the application fee on your programme's page. Rs 3,000 is stated only for the Executive MBA in Wealth Management.
- ☐ Check your work experience against your programme's rule.
- ☐ Book the home-proctored slot and test your setup a day earlier.
Common questions
What is the IMAT exam pattern?
IIM Mumbai says only that IMAT is an online exam based on the CAT pattern, for 100 marks and 90 to 120 minutes. It has not published the sections, the number of questions or the marking scheme.
Is IMAT compulsory for the IIM Mumbai executive MBA?
No. For the Executive MBA you can take the home-proctored IMAT or submit a valid CAT, GRE or GMAT score, followed by a personal interview.
What is the IMAT date?
It differs by programme: 8 November 2026 for the Executive MBA in Wealth Management, 22 November 2026 for the MBA-BPGP, and 11 October and 29 November 2026 for the PGPEx-EIM.
How much is the IMAT fee?
IIM Mumbai states Rs 3,000, non-refundable, for the Executive MBA in Wealth Management. The MBA-BPGP and PGPEx-EIM pages we checked state no fee, so confirm on your programme's page.