XAT 2026: Exam Date (Jan 4), Registration Start Date, Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation

Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is the mandatory exam for MBA admission in XLRI Jamshedpur. XAT exam scores are also accepted by 250+ MBA colleges accepting XAT scores. XAT is India’s second largest MBA entrance exam after CAT. Last year, 142,235 candidates had registered for the XAT 2025 exam. XAT exam is considered to be tougher than the CAT exam as it includes as unique “Decision Making” section, and have five options for each question (CAT has four options). Check XAT Exam Pattern 2026 below.

XAT Exam Date is January 4, 2026. Check more details about XAT 2026 exam are in the table below.  

XAT Exam 2026 Highlights

XAT exam will be held on January 4, 2026. Check XAT registration opening date, closing date and other important dates.  

XAT eligibility criteria 2026 are as below: 

• A candidate who has passed bachelor’s degree 
• A final year student in graduation is also eligible 
• There is no age limit to apply and appear in the exam

Read complete details on XAT Eligibility 2026

XAT Registration 2026 start date is July 15, 2025 (expected). XAT Notification 2026 will be released a few days before the start of registration date. XAT registration fee is Rs. 2,200. You can complete your XAT registration process by following these simple steps.

XAT is India’s second largest MBA entrance exam after CAT. Last year, 142,235 candidates had registered for the XAT 2025 exam. Check yearwise XAT registration trends in the table below.  

Read XAT Registration Numbers historical trends.

XAT 2026 will be conducted in 106 unique cities across 26 States and Union Territories in India. Check complete list below. 

Overall, XAT Paper Pattern is quite different from CAT exam. XAT exam pattern is designed to assess a candidate’s decision-making/ analytical-thinking, language skills, quantitative aptitude, and general knowledge. The XAT exam 2026 pattern comprises a total of 95 questions spread across four key sections. These include Decision Making (21 questions), Verbal and Logical Ability (26 questions), Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (28 questions), and General Knowledge (20 questions). Each question carries one mark, making the total to 95 marks. Note that XAT Essay Writing section was removed from XAT 2025 exam pattern. Check table below for a clear understanding. 

XAT Exam Syllabus 2026 can be divided into four sections: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge. MBAUniverse.com has compiled the syllabus for each section, based on official information from XLRI Jamshedpur and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams. Check highlights below. You can also download XAT Exam Syllabus PDF from link below. 

• VA&LR section: This section includes critical & analytical reasoning, reading comprehensions (including poems & passages), vocabulary, basic English grammar, and other related exercises such as para jumbles and cloze tests.
   
• Decision Making (DM) Section: This section presents scenarios drawn from both personal and professional lives of managers and leaders in organizations. Candidates will be required to apply critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and prioritization to make informed decisions.
   
• Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation: The questions in the QA section are primarily formulated around 10th standard Mathematics. Notably, the emphasis is on application-oriented problems. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization and insightful analysis of the data.
   
• General Knowledge Section: The General Knowledge section in XAT exam has 20 questions. Out of this, 12 questions are on current affairs and 8 questions are from static GK. This mix allows for a balanced evaluation of candidates' awareness of both ongoing events and foundational knowledge. It is important to note that scores from the General Knowledge section are not considered while calculating the XAT percentile. However, XLRI Jamshedpur uses GK scores during its final selection process. 

Read more details on XAT Syllabus 2026.

The XAT 2025 exam was conducted by XLRI on January 5, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. While the overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate, many test-takers found the Decision Making and Verbal sections to be relatively lengthy. Here is a brief analysis of XAT 2025 exam paper.

• Total Questions: 95 (including 20 in GK with no negative marking).
• Total Duration & Structure: 180 minutes exam divided into VA, DM, QA-DI and GK sections. 
• Section-wise Difficulty:
  • Decision Making: Moderate and lengthy.
  • Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning: Moderate to difficult, also lengthy.
  • Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation: Moderate.
  • General Knowledge: Easy to moderate.
• Key Takeaway: Time management and accuracy, especially in lengthy sections, were crucial for scoring well.

Read complete XAT 2025 exam analysis.

Cracking XAT requires focused preparation across three core sections: Verbal Ability, Decision-Making, Quantitative Ability. General Knowledge section is not used for calculating percentile but must not be ignored. These XAT preparation tips can help you maximize your performance.

• Understand the Exam Pattern and Syllabus: As detailed above, familiarize yourself with the XAT syllabus and sectional structure. Knowing the number of questions in each section will help you prioritize your preparation.  
• Focus on Decision-Making: Practice decision-making caselets daily, as this section is unique to XAT. Review past years' papers to identify common patterns and improve your problem-solving approach.  
• Enhance Verbal Reasoning: Develop critical reasoning and comprehension skills by reading diverse materials. Focus on tackling RC passages, grammar questions, and logical reasoning problems. 
• Strengthen Quantitative Ability:  Concentrate on key areas like arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. Regularly solve practice problems and take timed mock tests to boost speed and accuracy.  
• Brush Up your General Knowledge: Follow current affairs and static GK topics, covering both national and international news. Review business and economic developments relevant to economy and business.  
• Take Regular Mock Tests: Take full-length mock tests and analyze your performance after each. Focus on understanding errors and improving time management for each section. Take free XAT Mocks on MBAUniverse.com.
• Finally, Manage Stress: Don’t let the exam stress overpower you. Manage it with daily smart preparation and stress busters like music and exercise. 

Read complete details on XAT Preparation 2026.

Also download XAT Preparation PDF document from link below.

Top MBA colleges accepting XAT exam scores 2026  include XLRI Jamshedpur, XIMB, MICA, IMI, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, FORE among others. The required XAT cut off percentile is shared below.

XAT Admit Card 2026 download will start from the third week of December 2025. XLRI will upload the Admit card on official XAT exam website onlinexat.in. XAT admit card is a mandatory document for entering the XAT exam centre. Check these steps to download XAT 2026 admit card:

• Go to XAT website onlinexat.in
• At login page enter XAT ID and password to view and download the XAT Admit Card
• Save the Admit Card and take print on A4 size paper

Read complete details on XAT Admit Card 2026.

XAT Answer Key is released to maintain transparency in exam and to help candidates to check their responses with the correct answers. XAT answer key 2026 will be released 3-4 days after the exam date on official website. You can download your answer key from official website by login with your login ID and password.  The candidate response sheet will be released separately to enable the exam takers to raise & file objection to the answers which appear wrong to the test takers.

XAT 2026 Result will be released is the third week of January 2026. Immediately after the result declaration, XLRI and other top B-schools start announcing their shortlist on the basis of XAT scores and other parameters in their shortlisting criteria for final selection round. 

The admission process in XLRI depends upon your performance in three major areas – Your exam score; your academic record and performance in Personal Interview round. There are three stages through which XLRI Admission Process is completed, they are:

Stage 1: Performance in XAT Exam
Stage 2: Shortlisting by XLRI for PI round
Stage 3: XLRI Final Selection Process comprising PI Round

Your final admission offer depends upon your performance in all the above three stages of XLRI selection process. Other colleges accepting XAT scores have different admission process and criteria. 

In conclusion, Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is the mandatory exam for MBA admission in XLRI Jamshedpur. XAT exam scores are also accepted by 250+ MBA colleges accepting XAT scores. XAT is India’s second largest MBA entrance exam after CAT. Last year, 142,235 candidates had registered for the XAT 2025 exam. XAT exam is considered to be tougher than the CAT exam. XAT 2026 Exam will be held on January 4, 2026. Read XAT exam pattern, syllabus, registration, colleges accepting and more in above article.