dMAT Exam Pattern: Core Module, General Academic Module & Timing
Last updated 2026-07-16
The dMAT runs for roughly three and a half hours in total, split into two modules with a break in between. Every question across both modules is single-choice — you're shown a set of options and select the one correct answer.
Core Module (~90 minutes)
The Core Module is made up of three subtests, each running 25 minutes and containing 20 items, for about 90 minutes total once instructions are included. It's the same core-module design g.a.s.t. uses in its established TestAS Core Test, and it's meant to measure general cognitive skills rather than anything from your specific degree syllabus:
- Figure Sequences — a sequence of visual matrices where shapes shift position, rotate, or change according to a rule; you work out the pattern and pick what comes next. This measures abstract pattern recognition and spatial reasoning.
- Mathematical Equations — small systems of equations using letter variables (A, B, C, D, E) rather than numbers, solved with basic arithmetic. This measures working memory and numeric/logical deduction rather than advanced math.
- Latin Squares — a grid where each of five letters must appear exactly once in every row and column; you fill in missing cells. This measures deductive, constraint-based reasoning.
All answers are entered digitally — by clicking the correct option, or via an on-screen number keypad for Mathematical Equations.
A 30-minute break
Between the two modules there's a 30-minute break outside the exam room.
General Academic Module (~90 minutes)
For APS purposes in India, every affected applicant sits the General Academic Module, regardless of their undergraduate field — this is different from the full dMAT/TestAS ecosystem, where some universities instead offer subject-specific modules (for example, in Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science or Data Science, for specific programmes). The General Academic Module presents academic material — passages, data, or charts — followed by single-choice questions that test whether you can read, interpret and draw a supported conclusion from unfamiliar academic content, rather than recall facts from your own coursework.
Once you know the structure, how scoring works explains what your results actually mean, and preparation covers the official resources available before test day.