XAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Sectional Composition, Marking Scheme, Question Types, Duration
XAT Exam Pattern 2026 is designed to test your problem-solving, logical thinking, and decision-making skills and is divided into two parts. XAT exam Part 1 consists of 75 questions to be solved in 170 minutes. This part consists of the following sections: Decision Making (21 questions), Verbal and Logical Ability (26 questions), and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (28 questions). XAT exam Part 2 consists of 20 questions on General Knowledge (GK) to be solved in 10 minutes. Note that XAT GK section marks are not considered when calculating the XAT percentile, and are used only for the XLRI Jamshedpur admission process. XAT exam duration is 180 minutes (3 hours). XAT 2026 Exam will be held on January 4, 2026. XAT registration last date is December 11, 2025. Read completed details, including XAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus, sectional composition, marking scheme and other XAT pattern details.
What is the XAT Exam?
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 registered for the XAT 2025 exam. XAT 2026 Exam will be held on January 4, 2026. Check more details about the XAT exam in the table below.
XAT 2026 Exam Highlights
| XAT EXAM PARTICULARS | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| XAT Full Form | Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) |
| Who conducts the XAT Exam? | Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur |
| XAT Official Website | xatonline.in |
| XAT Exam Date | Sunday, January 4, 2026 |
| XAT Registration Last Date | December 11, 2025 (closed) |
| XAT Registration Last Date | December 5, 2025 |
| XAT Exam Fees | Rs. 2200 |
| Top MBA colleges accepting XAT scores | XLRI, XIMB, IMI, IMT, FORE, Great Lakes, GIM Goa |
| Total Questions | 95 MCQs |
| XAT Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Number of Sections | Four: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, General Knowledge |
| Number of Answer Options | 5 |
| XAT Marking Scheme | +1 Mark for Correct Answer; -0.25 for Wrong Answer; 0 for Un-attempted Question |
XAT Exam Pattern 2025: Overview
Overall, the XAT Paper Pattern is quite different from the CAT exam. XAT exam Part 1 consists of 75 questions to be solved in 170 minutes. This part consists of the following sections: Decision Making (21 questions), Verbal and Logical Ability (26 questions), and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (28 questions). XAT exam Part 2 consists of 20 questions on General Knowledge (GK) to be solved in 10 minutes. Note: GK section marks are not considered when calculating the XAT percentile, andare used only for the XLRI Jamshedpur admission process. XAT exam duration is 180 minutes (3 hours). Note that the XAT Essay Writing section was removed from the XAT 2025 exam pattern. Check the table below for a clear understanding.
XAT Exam Pattern 2026
Part | XAT Sections | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
I | Decision Making | 21 |
I | Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 |
I | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 |
II | General Knowledge | 20 |
Total | 95 |
XAT 2026 Marking Scheme
XAT marking Scheme 2026 is quite different from the CAT Exam. XAT exam follows a ‘structured marking scheme’ that is designed to reward correct answers, and penalise incorrect responses and excessive skipping of questions. By understanding the AT 2025 marking scheme, you can prepare your own strategy to maximise your score. Here are the details:
XAT 2026 Exam Marking Scheme:
- Part 1: +1 mark for correct answers, – 0.25 marks for wrong answers, – 0.10 marks per unattempted question beyond 8
- Part 2 (GK): +1 mark for correct answers, no negative marking for wrong answers
XAT marking scheme rewards accuracy and smart decision-making. By carefully planning your attempts and skips, you can reduce penalties and increase chances of a high score.
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) Section
Let us now understand the XAT Exam Pattern for each of the section starting with the verbal section. The XAT Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section can be further divided into three parts: Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning. Check the type of questions that appeared in XAT 2025 and XAT 2025 for understanding this section better.
XAT 2025 Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning Question Types
In the XAT 2025 exam, there were 17 Reading Comprehension questions and 9 Verbal Ability/Reasoning questions. The RC questions were distributed in five passages (300 – 450 words each) and one poem. The Verbal ability and Verbal Reasoning questions were from grammar, vocabulary, and reasoning-based questions. Many of the questions were inference and application. Check break up in the table below.
XAT 2025 Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
Area/Questions | No. of Qs. | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
Grammatically correct sentence | 2 | Medium |
Fill in the blanks (4 blanks) | 1 | Medium |
Jumbled Paragraphs (5 statements) | 2 | Medium |
Critical Reasoning | 3 | Medium |
Main idea/message of the given image | 1 | Medium |
RC Passages – 5 (300-450 words) | 15 | Difficult |
Poem-based passage | 2 | Difficult |
To score 95% marks in this section, the candidate should attempt 13-14 questions in about 55-60 minutes, with about 75-80% accuracy.
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern for Decision Making (DM) Section
Decision Making (DM) is a unique section in the XAT exam. It tests your ability to holistically understand a complex problem in a given context and propose a solution. The AT DM section also tests your ethical stance and asks you to decide in a conflicting situation. Questions are asked on Data-Based Problems, Situation-Based Problems and a Mixture of both. Check the type of questions that have appeared in the XAT Decision Making section.
XAT 2025 Decision Making Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
This section consisted of 21 questions. The section consisted of 7 sets of 3 questions each. Some questions were ambiguous with no clear “correct answer”. Overall, the questions were of medium difficulty. For 95% marks in this section, candidates should attempt 11-12 questions in 50-55 minutes with 75-80% accuracy. XAT 2024 DM Section breakup is also given below.
XAT 2024 Decision Making Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caselet-1 | Problem Based on Human Resources | Experience Credentials of Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-2 | Problem Based on ABC Business School | Disciplined School with High Placements but less learning | 3 |
| Caselet-3 | Problem Based on Taxis | Competition among Taxi Drivers | 3 |
| Caselet-4 | Problem Based on Sales & Marketing | SUV Sales Target Met, but recovery of loss is a concern due to the extended warranty | 3 |
| Caselet-5 | Problem Based on Household help | Wrongful Termination of Domestic Help | 3 |
| Caselet-6 | Problem Based on Human Resources at IT Firm Symbolis | Distribution of Performance Bonus to the Best Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-7 | Problem Based on Gas Extraction Company Deep Sea c | Releasing the Natural Gas Pressure and Safety Arrangements | 3 |
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) Section
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) section has a high (28%) weight in the XAT exam. QADI questions in XAT are designed to assess the quantitative aptitude of candidates. To do well in this section, you should have a foundational understanding of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, and modern maths. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarisation, and insightful analysis of the data. Check break up of type of questions in this section in previous year papers.
XAT 2025 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
In the XAT 2025 exam, out of the 28 questions in the section, 16 questions were on Quantitative Ability, and 12 questions were on Data Interpretation. In the Quantitative Ability section, there were questions from Arithmetic, Geometry, Modern Mathematics, Algebra and Numbers. Check break up below. There were four sets of Data Interpretation with 3 questions in each set.
XAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Section Type of Questions
| Type of Questions | No of Questions |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 3 |
| Geometry | 5 |
| Modern Math | 3 |
| Algebra | 3 |
| Numbers | 2 |
| Total | 16 |
XAT 2025 Data Interpretation Section: Types of Questions
| Type of Questions | No of Questions |
|---|---|
| Scatter Plot / Line Graph (observation) based set | 3Arithmetic-based |
| d set | 3 |
| Average-based set | 3 |
| Number-matrix-based set | 3 |
| Total | 12 |
To score 95% in this section, you should attempt about 18-19 questions with about 80 per cent accuracy in about 55-60 minutes.
Checkthe type of questions in the XAT 2024 paper on the Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Section in the table below.
XAT 2024 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Section: Types of Questions
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Time Speed Distance | Pilot increasingthe speed of the aircraft to reach the destination | 1 |
| Arithmetic | Profit & Loss | Cost of Running Movie Theatre and required capacity to earn profit; Selling Price at Food Stall | 2 |
| Arithmetic | Arithmetic Progression | Number of students in a class | 1 |
| Number System | Increasing, Decreasing | Real Numbers, Value | 3 |
| Permutation & Combination; Set Theory | Combination of Items in Restaurant; Vegetable Market | Making a combination of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian items from the menu, Aman is buying vegetables | 3 |
| Geometry | Triangles and Rectangles | Farmer’s Tringalular land; Rectangle Football ground; Right Angle | 3 |
| Algebra- Polynomials | Roots of a Polynomial | Ratio of area from largest to smallest | 1 |
| Linear Equation, Log, Quadratic Equation | Real Numbers, Logs | Coinciding Lines represented by the two equations: Equation Log | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-1 | T-20 Match | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-2 | Statistics – Hinge number | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-3 | Discount Coupon | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-4 | Shortlisting for Interview | 2 |
| Total Questions | — | — | 28 |
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern for General Knowledge (GK) Section
The General Knowledge section in the XAT exam has 20 questions. Out of these, 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. The type of questions in the GK Section in previous exams is given below.
XAT 2024 General Knowledge Section Type of Questions
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static GK | History | Historical capital cities of India, Famous battles, Doctrine of lapse | 3 |
| Static GK & Changes | Geography | National capitals of countries; Flow of the River Ganges | 2 |
| Static & Current | Economics & Business | Brics | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Personality & Awards | Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy, Matthew Perry | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Science & Technology | Aditya L-1; X 37B | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Sports | Women’s Premier League, Asian Games | 2 |
| Static & Current | Books & Authors | Match the authors of the books | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Latest National & International | Country pulling out of Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe; Air India’s AI; Ghol as the state fish; City illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps; Earthquake in Japan | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | Companies, people, work, action | Leap Year calculation; Dedicated air cargo service in India; ChatGPT, Google Bard, Chatsonic | 3 |
| Current Affairs | Nobel Prize | Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in Economics | 2 |
| Static & Current | Culture & Entertainment | Movie Oppenheimer, Nabanno harvest festival of Bengal and Bangladesh | 2 |
| Total | 25 |
XAT Exam Pattern Vs CAT Exam Pattern: A Comparative Analysis
Is the XAT exam tougher than the CAT? To answer this question, check this comparison between the XAT 2026 and the CAT 2025 exams.
XAT 2025 Vs CAT 2024
CAT and XAT have many similarities, which allow the candidates to synchronise their A comparative analysis between both the exams is shared below:
XAT 2025 Vs CAT 2024
| Component | XLRI – XAT 2025 | IIM CAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 95 | 66 |
| Overall Time Limit to Attempt the Exam | 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Type of Questions | MCQs | MCQs, and Non-MCQs |
| Answer Options for Each MCQ | 5 | 4 |
| Marks Awarded for Each Correct Answer | 1 | 3 |
| Negative Marking | 75 MCQs with 1/4 negative marking; No negative marking for 20 MCQs on GK | MCQs with 1/3 negative marking; No negative marking for Non-MCQs |
| Exam Difficulty Level | High | High |
| Number of Sections | 4 Sections (3 main + GK section) | 3 Sections (Main sections, GK score not counted) |
| Section-1 Name and No. of Questions | English Language & Logical Reasoning – 26 | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension – 24 |
| Section-2 Name and No. of Questions | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation – 28 | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning – 20 |
| Section-3 Name and No. of Questions | Decision Making – 21 | Quantitative Ability – 22 |
| Facility to Choose Order of Sections | Any question from any section within the overall time limit | No, has to follow predefined sectional order |
| Individual Sectional Time Limit | No | Each section with 40-minute time limit |
| Top MBA Colleges Accepting Exam Scores | XLRI, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, XIMB | 21 IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IMI, IITs, XIMB |
Changes in XAT Exam Pattern
What are the changes in the XAT exam pattern in recent years? Last year, there were many changes in the XAT exam pattern 2025. These changes were part of XLRI’s efforts to “streamline the examination process and enhance the evaluative components that align more closely with the core competencies required for management education and leadership.” Key changes in the XAT 2025 exam pattern are listed below.
- Integration of XAT Analytical Essay Writing with XLRI GD & PI Process: The Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) component was administered during the Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD/PI) stages of the selection process, rather than as part of the XAT 2025.
- Fewer questions inthe General Knowledge Section, from 25 to 20 questions.
- Adjustment of Examination Timings: XAT 2025 examination was divided into two distinct parts. Part One of the exam (main paper) was allocated 170 minutes, and Part Two (General Knowledge section) was given 10 minutes.
In conclusion, the XAT 2026 paper pattern is different from the CAT exam. XAT Paper Pattern 2026 is divided into two parts. XAT exam Part 1 consists of 75 questions to be solved in 170 minutes. This part consists of the following sections: Decision Making (21 questions), Verbal and Logical Ability (26 questions), and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (28 questions). XAT exam Part 2 consists of 20 questions on General Knowledge (GK) to be solved in 10 minutes. Note: GK section marks are not considered when calculating the XAT percentile, andare used only for the XLRI Jamshedpur admission process. XAT exam duration is 180 minutes (3 hours). XAT 2026 Exam will be held on January 4, 2026.
Request call back
