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ACTIVE 2026National Level

XAT 2026

Complete exam preparation resource — syllabus, exam pattern, important dates, admit card & free mock tests all in one place.

Lakhs of Aspirants
Verified Information
Updated Daily

Participating Institutions

X

XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur

Courses: PGDM – Business Management (BM), PGDM – Human Resource Management (HRM), PGDM – General Management (GM) – via GMAT/GRE, XLRI-RBS Double Master's Programme.

X

XAMI Member Institutes

Courses: XIME – Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, XIDAS – Xavier Institute of Development Action and Studies, XIM University, Bhubaneswar, LIBA – Loyola Institute of Business Administration, XISS – Xavier Institute of Social Service.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration in any discipline from a recognised university. Final year students awaiting results are also eligible to apply. There is no minimum percentage requirement and no age limit. Both Indian nationals (including NRIs) and foreign candidates (OCI/PIO/Foreign Nationals) can apply. Indian candidates may also apply through GMAT/GRE for the PGDM (GM) programme and the XLRI-RBS Double Master's Programme. NRI/Foreign/PIO/OCI candidates can apply through GMAT for all XLRI programmes.

Category

XAT Registration Fee (Indian Candidates)

DetailsINR 2,200/- (Non-refundable)
Category

Additional XLRI Programme Fee

DetailsINR 200/- per XLRI programme selected
Category

GMAT/GRE Route – Indian Candidates (PGDM-GM)

DetailsINR 2,500/-
Category

GMAT Route – NRI/Foreign/PIO/OCI Candidates

DetailsINR 5,000/- (one or more programmes)
Category

Payment Modes

DetailsDebit Cards (RuPay/Visa/MasterCard/Maestro), Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards, Mobile Wallets

Mock Tests & Structure

Sample Papers

XAT Question Paper 2019
XAT Question Paper 2020
XAT Question Paper 2021
XAT Question Paper 2022

Test Pattern Details

Exam Mode
Computer Based Test (CBT)
Exam Date
January 04, 2026 (Sunday) – Conducted
Exam Timing
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Single Slot)
Total Duration
180 minutes (Part A: 170 mins + Part B GK: 10 mins)
Marking Scheme (Part A)
+1 for correct answer; -0.25 for incorrect answer
Penalty for Unattempted (Part A)
First 8 skipped questions: No penalty; Beyond 8: -0.10 per question
Marking Scheme (Part B – GK)
No negative marking; GK does NOT count toward XAT percentile
No Sectional Time Limit
Candidates can freely switch between sections in Part A
Total Test Cities
100+ cities across India
Test City Preference
Up to 6 preferred cities can be selected; final allotment by XLRI
Past Year Papers Available
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 – Download at xatonline.in

Exam Schedule

Activity
XAT 2026 Registration Opens
Timeline
July 10, 2025
Activity
Application Edit Window
Timeline
December 8, 2025 (9 AM) to December 10, 2025 (9 AM)
Activity
Mock Test Window
Timeline
December 10, 2025 (12 PM) to December 11, 2025 (12 PM)
Activity
XAT 2026 Registration Closes (Extended)
Timeline
December 11, 2025
Activity
Admit Card Released
Timeline
December 25, 2025
Activity
XAT 2026 Exam
Timeline
January 04, 2026 (Sunday), 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Activity
XAT 2026 Result Declaration
Timeline
January 16, 2026
Activity
XAT 2026 Scorecard Available
Timeline
Live now at xatonline.in
Activity
XLRI XAT 2026 Cut-off Released
Timeline
January 30, 2026
Activity
XLRI WAT & Personal Interview (PI)
Timeline
February – March 2026 (Ongoing)
Activity
XLRI Final Merit List & Admission
Timeline
April 2026 (Tentative)
Activity
XAT 2027 Registration
Timeline
July 2026
Activity
XAT 2027 Last Date for Registration
Timeline
November 2026
Activity
XAT 2027 Admit Card
Timeline
December 2026
Activity
XAT 2027 Exam (Expected)
Timeline
First Sunday of January 2027

Syllabus

Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR)

  • Critical Reasoning
  • Analytical Reasoning
  • Reading Comprehension (passages
  • poems
  • cartoons)
  • Vocabulary
  • English Grammar
  • Para Jumbles
  • Cloze Tests
  • Fill in the Blanks

Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI)

  • Arithmetic (Percentages
  • Profit & Loss
  • Time-Speed-Distance)
  • Algebra
  • Geometry & Mensuration
  • Modern Mathematics (Permutations
  • Combinations
  • Probability)
  • Number Systems
  • Data Interpretation (Tables

General Knowledge (GK)

  • Static GK – 8 questions (History
  • Geography
  • Polity
  • Science)
  • Current Affairs – 12 questions (National & International Events)
  • Business and Economy
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Sports
  • Important Personalities
  • Government Schemes and Policies.

Notifications & Past Events

Date:
10 Jul '25
XAT 2026 Registration Opened
Date:
08–10 Dec '25
Application Edit Window
Date:
10–11 Dec '25
Mock Test Window
Date:
11 Dec '25
XAT 2026 Registration Closed
Date:
25 Dec '25
Admit Card Released
Date:
04 Jan '26
XAT 2026 Exam Conducted (2 PM – 5 PM, Single Slot)
Date:
16 Jan '26
XAT 2026 Result Declared
Date:
30 Jan '26
XLRI XAT 2026 Cut-off Released

Exam Pattern

Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR)
Questions26
DurationPart A – 170 mins (No sectional time limit; switch freely between sections)
Decision Making (DM)
Questions21
DurationPart A – 170 mins (No sectional time limit)
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI)
Questions28
DurationPart A – 170 mins (No sectional time limit)
General Knowledge (GK)
Questions20
DurationPart B – 10 mins (Separate window; No negative marking)
TOTAL
Questions95
Duration180 minutes (3 hours)

Frequently Asked Questions

XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national-level MBA/PGDM entrance exam conducted annually by XLRI Jamshedpur on behalf of XAMI members. It has a legacy of 75+ years and is accepted by 250+ premier B-Schools across India.
XAT 2026 was held on January 4, 2026 (Sunday) from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across 100+ test cities in India.
XAT 2026 had 95 questions across 4 sections: VALR (26 Qs), Decision Making (21 Qs), QA & DI (28 Qs), and GK (20 Qs). Total duration is 180 minutes split into Part A (170 mins, no sectional time limit) and Part B GK (10 mins).
Each correct answer: +1 mark. Each wrong answer: -0.25 marks. Up to 8 unattempted questions: no penalty; beyond 8 unattempted: -0.10 per question. GK section has zero negative marking.
XAT registration fee is INR 2,200. Additional INR 200 per XLRI programme. Indian candidates applying via GMAT/GRE for PGDM(GM): INR 2,500. NRI/Foreign/OCI/PIO via GMAT: INR 5,000.
XAT 2026 result was declared on January 16, 2026. The Scorecard is currently LIVE at xatonline.in. Login using XAT ID (XAT26XXXXXX) and admit card password.
XLRI released XAT 2026 cut-offs on January 30, 2026. PGDM-Business Management (BM): 94 percentile. PGDM-Human Resource Management (HRM): 92 percentile.
Stage 1: XAT Exam. Stage 2: Shortlisting for WAT (Written Ability Test) + PI (Personal Interview) at XLRI. Stage 3: Final merit based on XAT score + WAT/PI + academic record. WAT-PI is ongoing February–March 2026 for XAT 2026 candidates.
No. The GK section does NOT contribute to the overall XAT percentile. It is evaluated separately only by XLRI Jamshedpur as part of their shortlisting process.
XAT 2027 registration is expected to open around July 2026, based on the historical pattern. The XAT 2027 exam is expected on the first Sunday of January 2027. Check xatonline.in for official announcement.
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