Important Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| XAT Full Form | Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Conducting Institute | XLRI Jamshedpur (on behalf of XAMI - Xavier Association of Management Institutes) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test - CBT) |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Number of Accepting Institutes | XLRI and 250+ premier B-Schools in India |
| Courses Offered through XAT | MBA/PGDM |
| Score Validity | One year |
| Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor's degree of minimum three-year duration or equivalent in any discipline. Final year students are also eligible. No minimum aggregate for XAT, but institutes may require 50% (45% for reserved) in graduation. |
| XAT Exam Fees (Indicative) | INR 2,200 (plus taxes) (Additional fees for XLRI programs: INR 200 each) |
| Official Website | xatonline.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Tentative Date/Period |
|---|---|
| XAT 2026 Official Notification | Last week of July 2025 |
| XAT 2026 Registration Starts | Second week of July 2025 |
| XAT 2026 Registration Ends | First week of December 2025 |
| XAT 2026 Admit Card Release | Last week of December 2025 |
| XAT 2026 Exam Date | January 4, 2026 |
| XAT 2026 Response Sheet/Ans | After the exam (e.g., XAT 2025 response sheet was released on Jan 7, 2025, answer key on Jan 10) |
| XAT 2026 Result Date | Third week of January 2026 |
| XAT 2026 Exam Timings | Typically one slot (e.g., XAT 2025 was 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM, implying a 3.5-hour window including the GK section and essay, though recent patterns suggest 180 minutes for the main sections. XAT 2026 is expected to be 180 minutes: Part 1 - 170 mins, Part 2 (GK) - 10 mins) |
Exam Pattern and Section Wise Break Down
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test - CBT) |
| Total Duration | 180 minutes (Part 1: 170 minutes, Part 2: 10 minutes) |
| Total Number of Questions | Approximately 95 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) (Previous patterns mentioned around 100-105 questions, but recent information points to 95) (Essay writing has been removed) |
| Total Marks | 95 (1 mark per question; GK scores usually not counted for percentile) |
| Number of Sections | 4 sections in 2 Parts (Part 1: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation; Part 2: General Knowledge) |
| Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time limit within Part 1 (170 minutes). Part 2 (GK) has a separate time limit of 10 minutes. |
| Order of Sections | Candidates can attempt questions from any section within Part 1. GK is in Part 2. |
| Marking Scheme | 1 mark per correct answer; GK scores not counted towards percentile. |
| Question Types | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Allotted | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning | 26 | Shared 170 minutes for VALR, DM, and QA & DI | 26 |
| Decision Making (DM) | 21 | Shared 170 minutes for VALR, DM, and QA & DI | 21 |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | Shared 170 minutes for VALR, DM, and QA & DI | 28 |
| General Knowledge (GK) | 20 | 10 minutes | 20 |
| Total (excluding GK for percentile) | 75 | 170 minutes | 75 |
| Grand Total | 95 | 180 minutes | 95 |
Score Vs Percentile
| Percentile | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9 | 47 | 37 | 53 |
| 99.5 | 43 | 34 | 47 |
| 99 | 38.75 | 34 | 43 |
| 95 | 34.75 | 26 | 37.5 |
| 90 | 34.25 | 23 | 29 |
| 85 | 33.5 | 21 | 29 |
| 80 | 32 | 18 | 27 |
| Percentile | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALR | DM | QA & DI | VALR | DM | QA & DI | VALR | DM | QA & DI | |
| 99 | 14.8 | 12.5 | 17.0 | 14.8 | 12.5 | 17.0 | 18.5 | 14.5 | 20.5 |
| 95 | 12.0 | 10.5 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 11.5 | 15.0 | 12.4 | 16.0 | 12.3 |
| 90 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.0 | 12.5 | 11.0 | 14.0 | 10.3 |
| 85 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 10.5 | 12.5 |
| 80 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 11.0 | 9.6 | 11.0 |