Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, is a reputed private university that is well-known for its courses in Humanities and Management. In the NIRF ranking for management in India, TISS ranks 49th. Instead of handling admissions through the CAT, this college conducts a separate admissions test. This year, TISS changed their entrance exam structure to include the TISSMAT along with the TISSNET. TISSMAT stands for the Tata Institute of Social Services Management Aptitude Test. While the TISSNET is for admissions to all PG courses at the college, TISSMAT focuses on the management-related
syllabus. That is, along with the TISSNET, the TISSMAT is a necessary step for all students applying for an MA in Human Resources, Labour Relations (HRM, LR) or Organization Development, Change, Leadership (ODCL).
Eligibility Criteria for the TISSMATThe eligibility criteria of the TISSMAT and the TISSNET are similar. However,
only candidates who have applied for HRM, LR, or ODCL courses at TISS,
Mumbai is eligible for the TISSMAT. The following is the eligibility criteria for the
TISSMAT
● Candidates must have completed at least 15 years of formal education or it's equivalent
● Candidates must have completed a graduation degree or post-graduation degree of at least three years, in any stream of study, from a recognized university.
● Candidates must have completed their qualifying course with a passing grade in all subjects.
TISSMAT Exam PatternThe main aim of the TISSMAT exam is to assess the candidate's business
knowledge, ability to understand business literature, and ability to interpret data
related to core management domains such as business, economics, marketing,
etc. Thus, the exam pattern of the TISSMAT is very different compared to that of
The TISSMAT has three sections, namely Comprehension, Management Data
Interpretation, and Business Awareness. Each one has 15 questions; each
question is worth one mark. There is a penalty of 0.25 marks for every incorrect
answer. It is an online exam, and candidates have 30 minutes to answer all 45
questions. There is no section-wise cut off for the TISSMAT. TISSMAT happens
right after the TISSNET, on the same day.
Here is a broad overview of the objective of each section, as described by TISS on their official admissions website:
● Comprehension - To assess the ability to read, process, and understand
management-related literature. It is like regular comprehension sections, in
which questions are asked based on the write-up; here, the subject of the
the passage is related to one of the core management domains.
● Management Data Interpretation - To gauge the candidate's ability to analyze and interpret data related to the market, economy, organization, or business. It is comparable to Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation in the CAT; it involves interpreting graphs, charts, and other forms of data or performing basic operations with data collected from various sources.
● Business Awareness - This section focuses on the general knowledge of the candidate in management related domains. It is vast compared to the others and it focuses on familiarity with subjects like contemporary events, human resources management, economy, business, labor studies, and the news related to these topics. The score of the TISSMAT holds a 30% weightage in the final score calculation; the Personal Interview Test holds 40%, and the Personal Interview is worth 30%. You can download the official sample TISSMAT paper from the TISS admissions page: https://admissions.tiss.edu/view/6/admissions/ma-admissions/tiss-mat/.
Selection Process
TISS releases the results of the TISSNET around a month after the exam date.
Within the next two months, various cities conduct the Pre-Interview Test and the
Personal Interview. In April, they announce the merit list along with the deadlines
for document submission and fee payment; this is the first round of admissions.
They release the waiting list after the deadline for merit students.
How to prepare for the TISSMAT
Candidates can prepare for the TISSNET while preparing for most other B-school
entrance exams. The question paper pattern for the TISSNET is also similar to
other exams, except that the TISSNET does not have negative marking. Skills
learned while preparing for the CAT will help immensely during the TISSNET.
However, preparing for the TISSMAT is different, as the paper focuses on topics
related to management instead of general aptitude. Time is of the essence in this
paper, as there are only 30 minutes for 45 questions. As there is negative
marking in the TISSMAT, candidates should work on improving their efficiency in
general. Here is a section-wise breakdown of how you can prepare for the
TISSMAT.
Comprehension
1. Practice reading comprehension for passages that relate to various domains in business and management.
2. Read business and economics related magazines and newspapers to familiarise yourself with the terminology.
3. Find and read recent articles discussing economic trends, monetization, and business policies.
4. Whenever you read an article on a new sub-topic, make a note of what you inferred from the passage. Then search for more information on the sub-topic. If your inferences were incorrect, learn how to avoid them in the future.
Data Interpretation
1. Any standard practice questions for LRDI will be sufficient for understanding the basic concepts of this section. 2. Many LRDI sample problems that are related to business and management is available online.
3. Familiarize yourself with graph-based and chart-based questions in sales, profit, loss, shares, manufacturing, distribution, debentures, etc.
Business Awareness
1. Ensure that you are up-to-date with all information regarding business and management, especially in India.
2. Read about topics like business veterans, corporate restructuring, prominent personalities, and large M&As in the world a
3. Learn about the CEOs, Founders, Directors, Inventors, Brand Ambassadors, and Investors of the world's largest MNCs, especially those that are Indian or of Indian origin. Also, read their biographies if available.
4. Stay up-to-date with information regarding business stalwarts like Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra, Laxmi Mittal, and Mukesh Ambani.
5. Follow articles and news related to the business economy, human resources, labor studies, and business summits.
6. Educate yourself about current marketplaces, advertising companies, and key stakeholders.
The TISSMAT is an enticing opportunity for candidates as the TISSNET is relatively easy to clear and eliminates a large portion of the competition. It also caters to individuals who are interested in and informed about the market in business and management. The TISSMAT, thus, is unlike any other entrance exam and should be a goal for every B-school aspirant.
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