XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)

XAT 2026 was conducted on January 5, 2026 by XLRI Jamshedpur — India's premier HR and general management institution. XAT score is accepted by 150+ B-schools including XLRI, XIMB Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI, GIM Goa, SPJIMR Mumbai, LIBA Chennai, and many others. XAT is one of the most analytically demanding MBA entrance exams — its unique Decision Making section tests business judgement, ethics, and analytical reasoning under ambiguity, not just quantitative speed.

For NE India students, Xavier University Bhubaneswar (XUB) accepts XAT scores and is accessible from NE. XLRI Jamshedpur's location in Jharkhand is geographically closest to the eastern/NE region among top B-schools. XAT 2027 registration typically opens October 2026.

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline with minimum 3 years from any recognised university
• Final-year undergraduate students can also apply
• No minimum marks requirement from XAT; individual institutes set cutoffs
• No age limit
• Foreign nationals and NRIs can also appear

Mode

• Computer-Based Test (CBT) — single day
• Total duration: approximately 3.5 hours
• Part 1 (Objective): 2 hours 55 minutes | Part 2 (Essay): 25 minutes

Part 1 — Objective Test

Verbal and Logical Ability: ~26 questions Reading Comprehension (3–4 passages) + Logical Reasoning (analogy, series, critical reasoning)

Decision Making: ~21 questions Unique to XAT — analytical and ethical business situations; no single correct answer by formula Tests structured thinking and judgement under pressure — practise previous years seriously

Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation: ~28 questions Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number Theory, Data Interpretation sets

General Knowledge: ~25 questions (separate section) Not counted in percentile for most institutes; scored separately

Part 2 — Essay Writing

• 1 essay on a given topic | 25 minutes
• Evaluated by shortlisted institutes individually during GD-PI

Marking Scheme

• Correct: +1 | Incorrect: −0.25
• Penalty for excessive unanswered questions in Part 1: −0.10 per question beyond first 8 unanswered