XAT Exam: Exam Dates, Registration, Syllabus, Cut Offs

The  XAT(Xavier Aptitude Test) 2026 will be conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur on the first Sunday of January 2026. The XAT 2026 Registration is expected to begin with the release of XAT form in the second week of July 2025. Earlier this year XAT exam 2025 was conducted in January and the result of the same is out now. 

The XAT Exam will be conducted in 70+ cities online(computer based mode). The XAT exam is an national level examination which facilitates students with the options of securing an management seat in over 800 B-schools in India.

The XAT exam pattern for 2026 is similar to that of other Management exams like CAT, NMAT, etc. It consists of two parts: Part 1, an aptitude test with three sections (Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation), and Part 2, a General Knowledge section, with no negative marking for the latter. For an exact idea of the XAT Exam Syllabus students are advised to check XAT Exam Previous Year Papers and Mock Tests.

XAT Exam: Quick Highlights

The table below shows the quick overview of the XAT Exam 2026.

What is the XAT Exam?

The Xavier Aptitude Test is a national level computer based examination for MBA and PGDM programs. The exams make students eligible to secure their seat in over 800 management colleges across India.  The XAT Exam Syllabus 2026 consists of two parts: Part 1, an aptitude test with three sections (Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation), and Part 2, a General Knowledge section, from both the parts a total of 95 questions are asked, which has to answered in 180 minutes.

Approximately 80,000 to 1,00,000 students appear for XAT every year. In XAT 2025, a record-breaking 1,42,235 registrations were received.

XAT Admit Card

The XAT Admit Card will be released on the official website of the XAT exam. . The XAT admit card 2026 will have details filled during the XAT slot booking. Admit card is accessible via the XAT login dashboard. Candidates must carry a printed copy of the XAT admit card to the exam centre. The step by step process to download the XAT 2026 Admit Card is listed below.

• Go to the official website of XAT 2026
• Click on 'download admit card' tab 
• Enter XAT 2026 User ID and date of birth and click on login
• Next, click on admit card option in the dashboard
• Option to download XAT admit card will appear
• Click on download and save it as pdf

XAT 2026 Exam Pattern

XAT 2026 syllabus will include two parts: Part 1, an aptitude test with three sections (Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation), and Part 2, a General Knowledge section. The XAT Exam paper 2026 will include 95 questions for 95 marks for a total duration of 180 minutes (3 hours). The table below shows a detailed overview of the XAT Exam 2026.

XAT Exam Registration 2026

The XAT Registration Window 2026 will be open in July, 2025 on the official website. Candidates willing to appear for the XAT 2026 will have to fill the application form and submit all the required documents within the time frame. The step-by-step XAT Exam 2026 registration process is explained below:

1. Visit Official Website: Go to https://xatonline.in.

2. Click on "Register": Start by creating a new account using your email ID and phone number.

3. Fill Application Form: Log in and enter personal, academic, and work details.

4. Upload Documents: Upload your photo and signature as per the given format.

5. Select Programs: Choose XLRI programs or other institutes accepting XAT (optional).

6. Pay Fees: Pay the application fee online through net banking, card, or UPI.

7. Submit Form: Review all details and submit the form.

8. Save Confirmation: Download or take a screenshot of the confirmation page.

XAT 2026 Registration Fee

The table below shows the XAT registration fees for the year 2026.

XAT Exam Eligibility

The table below shows the XAT 2026 Exam Eligibility.

XAT Exam Syllabus

The XAT Entrance exam syllabus includes a total of 2 parts, the first part consists of Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, while the second part consists of General Knowledge. A brief understanding of the XAT syllabus helps students to get familiar with the exam pattern and difficulty. Here below is the XAT EXAM section wise syllabus and important topics.

XAT 2026 Verbal and Logical Ability Syllabus

The XAT Exam Verbal and Logical Ability important Topics is shown in the table below.

XAT 2026 Decision Making  Syllabus

The XAT Exam Decision Making important topics are listed below in the table.

XAT 2026 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Syllabus

The XAT Exam Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation important topics are listed below in table.

XAT 2026 General Knowledge Syllabus

The XAT Exam General Knowledge important topics are listed below in table.

XAT Previous Year Question Paper

XAT previous year papers are available to download. The questions asked in the XAT previous year paper are from logical reasoning, quantitative skills, and language skills. Students may download the XAT Exam Previous Year Question papers listed below.

XAT Mock Tests

A XAT 2026 Mock Test/Sample Paper is an stimulated XAT 2026 Exam, with questions that are comparable in terms of time constraints and difficulty. Students have access to a variety of offline and online resources for practice.  Additionally, there are numerous publications available on the market that include XAT Exam practice exams.

XAT 2026 Preparation Tips

To get a decent score in the XAT 2026 exam, preparing with a personalized plan is very important. From understanding the syllabus to solving mock tests, preparation for the XAT exam requires a special, focused strategy. Some of the key expert curated tips for the XAT 2026 exam preparation are:

1. Understand the Exam Pattern: Know all sections—Decision Making, Verbal Ability, Quant, GK, and Essay (for XLRI).

2. Focus on Decision Making: Practice ethical and logical scenarios—unique to XAT. No formulas, just reasoning.

3. Read Daily: Improve comprehension and vocabulary by reading editorials, articles, and opinion pieces.

4. Focus on Math Basics: Revise arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data interpretation. Focus on accuracy.

5. Practice GK Regularly: Stay updated with current affairs and static GK—especially business and economy.

6. Attempt XAT Exam Mock Tests Weekly: Take full-length mock tests and analyze your weak areas.

7. Manage Time Wisely: Learn to switch between sections smartly; don’t waste time on one question.

XAT Exam Best Books

XAT Answer Key 

After the XAT 2026 exam, XLRI will release the official response sheet and answer key. Candidates can review their correct and incorrect attempts in the same. The XAT answer key will be available for download through the official website.

To access it, candidates need to visit the XAT 2026 website, click on the ‘XAT Keys and Objection Form’ tab, and log in using their XAT user ID and password. Once logged in, the answer key will be displayed on the screen and can be downloaded as a PDF file for future reference. Additionally, XLRI will provide an option to challenge the official answer key.

If a candidate found that any of the provided answers is incorrect, they can raise an objection by filling out an online form. All objections will be reviewed, and if found valid, the official answer key will be revised accordingly.

XAT 2026 Exam Result

The XAT 2026 results will be declared after the commencement of the XAT 2026 Exam and is expected to be declared in February 2026. The scores in XAT results will be considered for the XAT colleges for admission purposes. To access and download the XAT scorecard 2026, the candidates will have to log in using their application ID and password on the XAT 2026 Official Website. Candidates are advised to keep a check on the official website for latest updates regarding XAT 2026 Exam. The detailed process to download the XAT result is shown below.

• Go to the official website of XAT 2026
• Click on 'Download XAT 2026 scorecard'
• Enter XAT ID and password
• Enter the security text
• Click on candidate scorecard and download it

XAT Exam Centres

All applicants have to select their preferred XAT Exam Centres in the XAT 2026 Form. The exam will be conducted in 110 cities. The XAT Exam centres are shown in the table below.

XAT Counselling Process

After the XAT Results are announced, the participating B-schools initiate the XAT counselling process, by shortlisting candidates based on their XAT Scores. Furthermore, the XAT counselling process includes Group Discussions, and Personal Interviews. A detailed step-by-step guide to the counselling process is shown below.

1. Result Declaration: XLRI announces XAT results and releases scorecards online.

2. Shortlisting by Institutes: Participating institutes shortlist candidates based on XAT scores and their individual cut-offs.

3. Interview Call: Shortlisted candidates are invited for GD-PI-WAT rounds (Group Discussion, Personal Interview, and Written Ability Test).

4. Final Selection: Institutes evaluate overall performance – XAT score, academic record, work experience, and interview performance.

5. Admission Offer: Selected candidates receive admission offers via email or official portals.

6. Document Verification: Candidates must verify documents and pay fees to confirm admission. 

Top Colleges accpeting XAT Exam 2026

The table below shows the list of colleges participating in the XAT Exam.

The XAT Exam 2026 will be held on the first Sunday January 2026, as per the schedule. The XAT 2026 Registration is expected to begin in July 2026 this year. Students are advised to keep a regular check on the official website for latest updates regarding XAT 2026 Exam Notification. The table below shows some of the key dates concerning the XAT Exam 2026.

The XAT Exam cutoff 2026 will be the minimum score required for admission to XLRI and various other B-Schools. The table below shows XAT previous year Cutoff.