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XAT 2026 Exam:

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is one of the most prestigious MBA entrance exams in India, conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur, on behalf of Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). This exam opens doors to some of the top B-schools in India, making it a crucial step for MBA aspirants.


XAT 2026 Exam Highlights
Exam Name XAT 2026 - Xavier Aptitude Test
Conducting Body XLRI, Jamshedpur
XAT 2026 Official Website Xatonline.in
Mode of Exam Online (Computer-Based Test)
Duration 3 hours
Part 1: Aptitude Test (170 minutes)
Part 2: General Knowledge (10 minutes)
Sections Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge
Total Questions 95
Negative Marking +1 mark for a correct answer
- 0.25 marks for incorrect answer
- 0.10 marks for more than 8 un-attempted consecutive questions
No XAT negative marking scheme in the GK section
Eligibility A three-year Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university
Final-year students are also eligible to apply

XAT 2026 Exam Dates:


Exam Events Exam Dates
Application Start Date 10th July 2025
Last Date to Apply November 2026 (without late fee)
Admit Card Release December 2025
Exam Date January 2026
Result Announcement January 2026 (tentative)

XAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

  • Educational Qualification: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree of at least three years from a recognized university.

  • Final-year graduation students are also eligible to apply, provided they meet the eligibility criteria at the time of admission.

  • Age Limit: There is no upper age limit for XAT.

  • Work Experience: Not mandatory but preferred by some participating institutes.

XAT 2026 Exam Pattern:

Section Number of Questions Time (minutes)
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) 26 170
Decision Making (DM) 21
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI)/td> 28
General Knowledge (GK) 20 10
Total 95 180

XAT Exam 2026 Marking System:


Marks per Question: Each question is worth 1 mark, with a total of 95 questions anticipated.


Negative Marking for Incorrect Answers: 0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.


Skipping Questions:


  • You can skip up to 8 questions without incurring any penalty.

  • A penalty of 0.10 marks will be applied for every question skipped beyond the 8th.

General Knowledge (GK) Section:


  • The GK section does not have negative marking.

  • While it does not affect your overall percentile or cutoff score, it will be considered during the selection process.

XAT 2026 Selection Process:


The XAT 2026 cutoff serves as the minimum score required for candidates to qualify for the selection process. Shortlisted candidates will need to participate in the XLRI selection stages, which include:

  • Group Discussion (GD)

  • Personal Interview (PI)

The final merit list will be created based on the candidate's overall performance across all stages of the XAT 2026 selection process

XAT 2026 Registration


The XAT 2026 registration process is online. Candidates need to:


  • Visit the official XAT website.

  • Register with a valid email ID and mobile number.

  • Fill out the application form with personal, academic, and professional details.

  • Upload scanned copies of the required documents.

  • Pay the application fee online.

XAT 2026 Application Form


  • Application Fee: Rs. 2200/-

  • Candidates interested in XLRI programs need to pay an additional fee of Rs.200/- for each program.


How to Fill the XAT 2026 Application Form


  • Visit the official XAT 2026 website.

  • Click on the ‘Registered Candidate Login’ option.

  • Enter your login credentials.

  • Input the security code and select the ‘Submit’ button.

  • Begin filling in the required details on the subsequent page.

  • Upload all necessary documents.

  • Provide work experience information (if applicable).

  • Select your preferred program from the available options.

  • Pay the XAT 2026 application fee.

  • Download and save the payment receipt and application form for future reference.


XAT 2026 Documents Required To Fill Application Form:


  • Passport-sized photograph and signature (as per specifications).

  • Academic certificates.

  • Work experience proof (if applicable).

  • Caste/Category certificate (if applicable).

XAT 2026 Cut Offs:


Cut-off scores vary across institutes. XLRI typically has the highest cut-offs:


  • Business Management (BM): 95+ percentile

  • Human Resource Management (HRM): 95+ percentile

  • General Management Program (GMP): 90+ percentile (for experienced candidates)

XAT Exam Analysis 2026


Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning Section (26 questions) No. of Qs. Level of Difficulty
Grammatically correct sentence 2 Medium
Fill in the blanks (4 blanks) 1 Medium
Jumbled Paragraphs (5 statements) 2 Medium
Critical Reasoning 3 Medium
Main idea/message of the given image 1 Medium
RC Passages – 5 (300-450 words) 15 Difficult
Poem-based passage 2 Difficult

Quantitative Aptitude (16 questions)
Topics Easy Medium Difficult Total
Arithmetic 1 2 2 5
Modern Math 0 1 2 3
Algebra 2 1 0 3
Numbers 0 1 1 2
Arithmetic 2 1 0 3
Total QA 5 6 5 16

Data Interpretation (12 questions)
Scatter Plot / Line Graph (observation) based set 0 3 0 3
Arithmetic based set 0 3 0 3
Average based set 0 3 0 3
Number-matrix based set 0 3 0 3
Total DI 0 12 0 12
Total QA-DI 5 18 5 28


XAT 2026 Syllabus:


Section Important Topics
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Parajumble, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Fill in the Blanks, etc.
Decision Making Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc
General Knowledge Current Affairs and Static GK (Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.)

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