XAT 2026: Exam Dates, Answer Key, Pattern, Syllabus

XAT Exam 2026: The XLRI Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur will conduct the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) on January 4, 2026. XAT is a Computer-Based Test consisting of multiple-choice questions in four sections. Candidates who wish to take admission in MBA programmes across top B-schools in India appear for the XAT exam. The Xavier Institute released the XAT application form on July 10, 2025. Eligible candidates can apply for the XAT exam till December 5, 2025.

As per the provided details, the XAT 2026 is scheduled to be conducted across various cities in India. The test centers include Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, and many more. After the conclusion of XAT 2026, the conducting body will announce the result for the same, tentatively by the end of January 2026. 

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XAT 2026 Admit Card to be released on December 20, 2025, at xatonline.in

Last Updated 13th October 2025

XAT 2026 Exam Date is January 4, 2026

Last Updated 13th October 2025

XAT Exam 2026

The XAT exam duration is 3 hours or 180 minutes, which is from 2 PM to 5 PM. The XAT question paper is divided into four sections:

• Decision Making, Verbal and Logical Ability
• Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability 
• Decision Making
• General Knowledge 

There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks in the XAT exam. Every correct answer is awarded 1 mark. In case there are more than 8 unattempted questions, there will be a deduction of 0.10 marks for each unanswered question. 

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XAT Exam Analysis 2026

The section wise exam analysis for XAT 2026 exam is provided below. Candidates can check section wise and overall difficulty level of the exam below. 

XAT Exam 2026 Date

Candidates can have a look at the important dates related to the XAT 2026 exam in the table provided below -

XAT Registration 2026

Candidates need to make a payment of Rs 2,200 as an application fee. Those who are applying for XLRI programmes will have to pay Rs 200 as an additional fee. Candidates need to register using their mobile number and email address, fill out the application form, and pay the registration fee. Check the steps to apply for XAT 2026 given below : 

Step 1: Candidates need to visit the official website of XAT and register as a new user by filling in the following details : 

• Name
• Email Address
• Mobile Number

Step 2: Candidates will receive their XAT ID and password on their registered mobile number and email address

Step 3: Candidates need to fill in the online application form with academic and work experience details, programme and test city preferences, and upload their photograph, signature, and ID proof in the application form

Step 4: Pay the XAT registration fee after completing the application form

XAT 2026: Who can apply?

Candidates who hold a Bachelor’s Degree of 3 years duration in any discipline are eligible to take the XAT exam 2026. Applicants who will complete their final examination of graduation by June 10, 2024, are also eligible to appear for the exam. XAT aspirants are advised to check the XAT eligibility criteria before applying for the exam. 

Xavier Aptitude Test is a national-level entrance examination, whose scores are accepted by over 160 institutes for admission to postgraduate management programs. Students must know the detailed XAT syllabus to get an idea of the types of questions asked in the examination. The XAT exam consists of subjects such as verbal and logical ability, decision-making ability, data interpretation and quantitative ability, and general awareness. 

XAT Admit Card 2026

The XAT 2026 admit card is released on the official website. Once released, candidates can download the admit card by logging in with their User ID and password. Examinees can refer to the steps given below to access the XAT admit card : 

Step 1: Candidates are required to visit the official website of XAT

Step 2: Enter User ID and password

Step 3: Candidates are required to click on the tab that specifies - ‘Download Admit Card’ 

Step 4: The admit card can be downloaded in PDF format

The XAT admit card mentions the following details : 

• Name of Candidate
• XAT ID
• Exam Date
• Exam Timing
• Reporting Time and Gate Closure
• Date of Birth 
• Duration of Exam
• Exam centre address and test city
• Photograph and Signature of Candidate
• Exam Day Instructions

XAT Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates can check the XAT exam pattern from the table given below. 

XAT Result 2026

The examination authority will announce the XAT result 2026 on its official website. Candidates can download their XAT scorecard through the steps given below: 

Step 1: Candidates have to visit the official website of XAT

Step 2: Examinees are required to log in using their registered ID and password

Step 3: Click on the tab that mentions - ‘XAT scorecard’ 

Step 4: Candidates can download the XAT score card in PDF format

After the results are declared, the admission process takes place through the following 3 steps : 

• Shortlisting: Candidates who clear the XAT cutoff are shortlisted for further rounds. 

• Group Discussion(GD) and Interview: Shortlisted candidates are required to appear for the Group Discussion and Interview rounds. 
• Final Selection: Candidates qualify for admission based on their XAT scores, performance in GD and interview, work experience, academic background, and extracurricular achievements.