XAT Exam Details 2026: Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT is a common management entrance exam and is the most popular exam in India after CAT. Students considering taking the XAT 2026 exam must know the eligibility criteria, age limit and other important XAT exam details. Registration process for XAT 2026 began in the mid year by July 10th, 2025. The last date to register for XAT 2026 is December 5th, 2025. Students must begin the last phase of their exam preparation comprising revision and practice as the XAT exam date of January 4th, 2025 nears
XAT Exam Details 2026
A good XAT exam preparation begins with understanding the rudimentary aspects of the exam. XAT is a unique smart exam having practical sections such as Decision Making, General Knowledge etc. Students must be thorough with basic mathematical topics taught in classes 10th to 12th. Tabulated below are crucial XAT exam details for aspiring students.
Particulars | XAT Exam Details |
Conducting Authority | XLRI Jamshedpur conducts XAT on behalf of XAMI (main authority conducting XAT) |
XAT Sections & Stand-out Section | 3 (Decision Making is a unique section) |
Member Institutions | 126 (XAT members) & 12 (XAMI members) |
XAT Registration Fee | ₹2,200 |
XAT Section-wise Marks |
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XAT Total Marks | 95 (XAT has 95 questions having 1 mark each) |
XAT Exam Recent Changes | Essay writing re-introduced and time limit increased by 10 minutes. |
XAT Difficulty Level | Easy to Moderate |
XAT Exam Date
The registration process for XAT comprises registration on the website, verification of registered email ID, filling up the online XAT application form, document uploading, payment of application fee and submission of the XAT form online. With these steps, students must not miss the exam dates mentioned below for XAT 2026 successful attempt.
Events | Dates |
Examination Date | January 4th, 2026 |
XAT Exam Time | 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm |
Registration Timeline | July 10th, 2025 to December 5th, 2025 |
Admit Card Download | December 20th, 2025 |
XAT 2026 Result | To be Announced |
XAT Eligibility Criteria
The XAT exam eligibility criteria is straightforward. There are no age restrictions, 1 condition which must be met at all times is a 3 year bachelor’s degree requirement. Students, working professionals, non-engineering graduates and others must have a bachelor’s degree with a 3 year duration. Check the XAT eligibility criteria as follows.
- Bachelor’s degree of minimum 3-years duration or equivalent is mandatory to be eligible.
- Candidates having final exams in June 2026 are qualified to apply.
- The nationality of the candidate must be Indian.
- NRI, Foreign, OCI, and PIO candidates may apply to management programmes through GMAT scores.
XAT Age Limit
An important question that arises in the context of XAT is: "Does XAT have an age limit?" The answer is simple. XAT exam age limit criteria allows students from all age categories to apply. In other words, there is no age limit for the XAT exam. As a result, students may attempt the XAT exam as many times as they can to reach their desired score.
Clarifying points on XAT age limit are as under.
- XAT 2026 does not have an age limit.
- There is no limit on the number of total XAT attempts.
XAT Educational Qualification
Check XAT educational qualification requirements as mentioned in the quick points given below.
- Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years.
- An equivalent degree may also be considered.
- Final year students are also eligible for the exam.
XAT Reservation Policy
XAT does not have a reservation policy or rules regarding reservations. Points mentioned below shall clarify all doubts on what is the XAT reservation policy?
- There is no reservation in XLRI. As it is a private institution and like most of the other private institutions, it doesn’t entertain reservation of any sort.
- Currently, all candidates are considered equal irrespective of their caste or category.
- Scores are not adjusted subject to student category.
- Institutes accepting XAT scores may have specific reservation norms applicable to selected candidates.
XAT Exam Syllabus
The table below outlines the core syllabus of XAT exam 2026 as per the official sources. Focus areas are highlighted based on news reports for students seeking a clear understanding of which topics are important from a study point of view. The DM section under the XAT syllabus does not have a fixed set of topics. It’s more practical and checks problem solving qualities of a candidate.
Section | Number of Questions / Weight | Key Topics / Sub‐areas |
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning | 26 questions | Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks, contextual meaning), Jumbled paragraphs, Sentence correction, Cloze test, Critical reasoning, Grammar, Completion of sentences/paragraphs, Reading Comprehension (main idea, inference, author’s view, explanation of words/phrases, strengthening/weakening arguments) |
Decision Making (DM) | 21 questions | Analytical reasoning / Decision sets, HR-related DM, Ethical decision making sets, Situational decision making (business issues, social dilemmas), Conclusions, premises, assumptions |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) | 28 questions | Quantitative Aptitude: Percentages, Algebra, Number systems, Geometry, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound interest, Speed/Time/Distance, Averages, Time & Work, Ratio & Proportion, Mensuration, Linear equations, Logarithms, Venn diagrams, Progressions, Inequalities, Trigonometry, Probability, Functions, Permutation & Combination, Surds & Indices Data Interpretation: Bar charts, Pie charts, Graphs, Data tables, Data analysis & comparisons |
General Knowledge (GK) | 20 | Static GK: Business, Finance & Economics; Indian constitution & laws; History & Geography; Famous personalities, Awards & Winners; Books & Authors; Science & Technology; Important dates & events; Art & Culture. Current Affairs: National & International current affairs, Political developments, Business & economic news, Environmental issues, Government schemes, Awards & achievements, Science & tech updates, Sports news |
XAT Exam Pattern
The XAT exam pattern 2026 is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 comprises 3 sections testing the aptitude of the candidate while part 2 covers only the general knowledge questions to test a candidate’s comprehensive understanding of the world affairs as well as static knowledge retention power. Below is a detailed XAT exam pattern table which covers sections, exam time, marking scheme, etc.
XAT Exam Design | Details |
Parts of the Paper | Part 1 |
Part 1 Sections |
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Part 2 Segment | General Knowledge |
Exam Time (All Candidates) | 3 hours (fixed) |
Exam Time (PwD Candidates) | 3 hours + extra 20 minutes per hour |
Part 1 Marking Scheme |
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Part 2 Marking Scheme (GK) |
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Static GK Questions | 8 |
Current Affairs Questions | 12 |
XAT Exam Duration
The total time allotted for solving questions in the part 1 of the XAT exam is 170 minutes with no extra time for candidates. PwD candidates are allotted 20 minutes additionally after completion of each 1 hour of the total duration. GK section time limit is only around 5% of the total XAT exam duration allocated to registered students.
XAT Exam Sections | Time Allotted |
VALR, DM, QA & DI | 170 minutes (Approximately 2.84 hours) |
General Knowledge | 10 minutes |
Total | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
XAT Exam Fees
Check the table below for details on XAT exam fees.
Category | Fee Amount |
Registration Fee | ₹2,200 |
Additional Fee for XLRI Programmes | ₹200 each |
Indian Candidates Registering for PGDM(GM) via GMAT/GRE | ₹2,500 |
NRI/Foreign/PIO/OCI Candidates applying for programmes via GMAT | ₹5000 |
XAT Exam Details 2026: Conclusion
XAT is a management aptitude test with unique features. It offers equal participation opportunity to all candidates irrespective of their age, and academic background. XAT is over 75 years old. XLRI Jamshedpur conducts XAT on behalf of XAMI, the primary conducting body. A stand-out feature of the XAT exam is its ‘Decision Making’ section which assesses the practical problem solving skills of the candidates.
