The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur, for admission to MBA and PGDM programs. In addition to XLRI and 10 other XAMI member institutes, over 250 B-schools accept XAT scores for their postgraduate management courses such as MBA, PGDM, and Executive MBA. As per Shiksha, more than 800 MBA colleges across India consider XAT scores for admissions.

Key Highlights of the XAT Exam:

• The exam duration is 180 minutes with no sectional time limits; PwD candidates are given additional time.

• The test consists of 95 multiple-choice questions covering Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge.

• XAT is known for its high level of difficulty, requiring a preparation time of at least 6 to 9 months.

• For admission to XLRI’s PGDM-BM program, the XAT cutoff is typically around 95 percentile for male candidates and 92 percentile for female candidates.

XAT 2026 would be conducted across India in the following cities

Agra, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad City (Maharashtra), Allahabad, Ambala, Amravati, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Berhampur, Bhatinda, Bhilai Nagar, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh/Mohali, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi-NCR, Dhanbad, Dibrugarh, Durgapur/Asansol, Ernakulam, Gandhinagar, Goa, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Gwalior, Hooghly, Hubballi(Hubli), Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Jammu, Jamshedpur, Kannur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Kota, Kottayam, Kurnool, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Mysuru(Mysore), Nagpur, Nashik, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Rajahmundry, Ranchi, Roorkee, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Siliguri, Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupathi, Tiruvallur, Udaipur, Udupi Vadodara, Varanasi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Tejpur, Jorhat, Rajkot, Shillong, Naharlagun.

Top colleges accepting XAT score

Xavier’s institutions have successfully come a long way since its inception. From being an institution, which is only aspired by the HR candidates to an institution having powerful courses and full-time programs on business leadership and entrepreneurship. That is what makes XAT so aspirational.

Some of the top colleges are listed below.

• XLRI Jamshedpur
• XIM Bhubaneswar
• SP Jain Mumbai
• MICA Ahmedabad
• IMT Ghaziabad

It is an important exam for MBA aspirants due to the following reasons listed below.

• XAT score is accepted at more than 160 renowned colleges for admission into their MBA courses.
• It is conducted once a year in January. Thus, the aspirants also get two months of preparation time after the CAT and IIFT exams.
• This duration of time helps a candidate not to repeat the same mistakes which are done earlier. Thus, providing them one more chance to enter some of the premier management colleges of India.

Who conducts XAT?

XAT 2026 is conducted by XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur. XLRI is responsible for the exam’s registration process, syllabus, admit cards, exam conduction, answer key, and result declaration.

XLRI conducts XAT at the All-India scale to select the most eligible candidates for management education.

XAT 2026 Exam dates

The important dates for XAT 2026 including the registration start date, exam date, results are discussed here in this section. The experts at PaGaLGuY did a good research and analysis to make an educated guess to understand about the tentative dates in accordance to the previous years’ dates.

XAT 2026 Exam Dates – Important Schedule and Deadlines

XLRI has announced the official XAT 2026 exam dates. The XAT 2026 mock test was conducted on September 27–28, 2025. Check the complete timeline for XAT 2026 registration, admit card, exam, and result below:

Eligibility criteria for XAT 2026

Aspirants planning to appear for XAT 2026 must ensure they meet the prescribed eligibility criteria. The latest academic and eligibility requirements for XAT are as follows:

• Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree of at least three years’ duration or an equivalent qualification in any discipline from a recognised university.

• Final-year students or those awaiting their bachelor’s degree results are also eligible to apply.

• There is no minimum percentage requirement in graduation; candidates simply need to have passed their degree program.

• Working professionals and those with professional qualifications such as CA or CS are also eligible to take the exam.

• There is no upper age limit for XAT 2026, so both fresh graduates and experienced professionals can apply.

Registration for XAT 2026

XAT 2026 Application Form – Registration Process and Fees

The XAT 2026 application form submission window is open until December 5, 2025. Candidates must register on the official XAT website and create an account to fill and submit their application. Follow the step-by-step XAT 2026 registration process below:

How to Apply for XAT 2026

1. Visit the official XAT website: xatonline.in

2. Click on ‘New Registration’ and provide the required personal details.

3. Receive your unique XAT ID and registration link via the verified email ID.

4. Verify your registration by clicking on the link sent to your email.

5. Login to the XAT 2026 portal using your email ID and password.

6. Complete the application form by filling all mandatory fields accurately.

7. Review your details carefully before submitting the form.

8. Pay the application fee of INR 2,200 via credit/debit card, UPI, or net banking.

   • Candidates selecting XLRI as a preferred college must pay an additional INR 200.

XAT 2026 Test Centre Selection

• Candidates can choose up to six cities while filling the XAT application form.

• The exam centre will be allotted based on your first preference. If a seat is unavailable in the first city, the next preferred city will be allocated.

• Test centre details will be mentioned on the XAT 2026 admit card.

XAT 2026 Registrations Open – Apply Now

Exam pattern: XAT 2026

The XAT exam pattern was updated last year. The Essay Writing section was removed, and the number of questions in the General Knowledge section was reduced to 20. The latest section-wise breakdown of the XAT exam is as follows:

Syllabus of XAT 2026

The XAT 2026 syllabus covers key topics from Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge. The Decision Making section, however, does not have a defined syllabus. Candidates are advised to refer to past year question papers and sample tests to prepare effectively. Here are some important highlights of the XAT 2026 syllabus:

• Decision Making: This section features situational questions based on real-life personal and professional scenarios. Candidates must demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and prioritisation to arrive at logical decisions.

• Verbal & Logical Ability: This section includes questions on Critical and Analytical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, English Grammar, Vocabulary, Para-jumbles, Cloze Tests, and more.

• Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation: Key topics include Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Mathematics, and related areas.

• General Knowledge: This section tests awareness across a broad range of subjects including politics, society, culture, business, personalities, art and entertainment, sports, science and technology, world events, inventions, economy, books, and more.

XAT Preparation Tips & Strategy for 2026

Effective preparation for XAT typically requires a dedicated span of six to nine months. Being regarded as one of the most challenging MBA entrance exams, XAT demands substantial time and commitment. Its structure encompasses four sections: Decision Making, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge.

In XAT, maintaining an equitable focus across all sections is crucial, as sectional cutoffs significantly influence selection to XLRI, Jamshedpur. Therefore, it’s advisable to allocate study hours equally among these segments. Commence by establishing a solid foundation of understanding in each subject. Initially, assess your familiarity with various topics and categorise them as strengths or weaknesses. Begin with reinforcing your proficiency in areas of strength to build confidence in tackling tougher subjects. Below are some essential tips to shape your preparation strategy for XAT 2026:

1. Engage in online study groups on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
2. Acquire XAT books and study materials, which are readily accessible online or at coaching institutes.
3. Start your preparation by revisiting topics you already grasp well and feel confident about.
4. Upon completing a topic or concept, solve a few related problems to gauge your comprehension.
5. Prioritise completing the XAT syllabus before delving into solving XAT mock tests. Aim to practice a minimum of 25-30 mock tests to optimise your performance.

Admit Card for XAT 2026

Documents Required on Exam Day

• XAT admit card
• Aadhar card
• Voter ID
• Passport, College/University ID
• Driver’s license

The XAT 2026 result will be announced online, and candidates will need to download their scorecards from the official XAT and XLRI websites. Here is a brief overview of the XAT 2026 result download process:

1. Visit the official website: xatonline.in

2. Click on the ‘Scorecard’ tab

3. Enter your XAT User ID and Date of Birth, then click on ‘Login’

4. Download your XAT result-cum-scorecard and save it as a PDF for future reference

Please note, the XAT 2026 scorecard will typically be valid for admission for one academic year at most participating institutes. If a candidate plans to take a gap year, they will need to reappear for the exam in the following session. Since the scorecard will be available for download only for a limited time, candidates are advised to download and securely store their copy promptly once released.

XAT Cut Offs for XLRI

The XAT 2026 cut-offs will be released by XLRI Jamshedpur approximately one week after the announcement of the results. These cut-offs will be published separately for each course and category. Candidates who meet the specified cut-offs will be shortlisted for the Personal Interview (PI) round for admission to the MBA in Business Management (BM) and MBA in Human Resource Management (HRM) programs for the 2026 batch.

XAT 2025 Cut-Offs: MBA Business Management (BM)

XAT 2025 Cut-Offs: MBA Human Resource Management (HRM)

XAT Cut-Offs: Leading MBA Colleges

Top B-schools accepting XAT scores release their own cut-offs to shortlist candidates for the GD/PI rounds. Below are the estimated cut-off scores and percentiles for some prominent institutes: