MBA entrance exam
XAT: Exam Pattern, Dates, Eligibility and Fees
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is conducted by XLRI - Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur (on behalf of XAMI - Xavier Association of Management Institutes) and is used for xLRI's programmes and the other institutes that accept XAT scores. XAT 2027 exam (2:00 PM to 5:00 PM): 3 Jan 2027. It has 4 sections in 180 minutes. Every detail below links to the official notice it comes from.
By ProCounsel Editorial TeamReviewed by ProCounsel counselling teamLast updated 12 Nov 2026
Official sources only · last verified 12 Nov 2026
Official XAT websiteWhat are the important XAT dates?
| XAT & XLRI registration opens | 15 Jul 2026Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| XAT & XLRI registration closes (last date for online registration) | 6 Dec 2026Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Admit card download from | 20 Dec 2026TentativeSource: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| XAT 2027 exam (2:00 PM to 5:00 PM) | 3 Jan 2027Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| XAT result | Last week of January 2027TentativeSource: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Score card download window opens | 31 Jan 2027Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Score card download window closes | 30 Jun 2027Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
All MBA 2027 admission deadlines, with colleges’ own application dates
What is the XAT exam pattern?
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 - Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA & LR) | 26 | — |
| Part 1 - Decision Making (DM) | 21 | — |
| Part 1 - Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) | 28 | — |
| Part 2 - General Knowledge (GK) | 20 | 10 min |
| Total time | 180 min |
Marking: Part 1: +1 for each correct answer, -0.25 for each incorrect answer, and -0.10 for each un-attempted question after 12 un-attempted questions. Part 2 (GK): +1 for each correct answer, no negative marking for incorrect answers.
Question counts are given officially as 'About' 26/21/28/20 (XAT 2027 Quick Overview). Part 1 (three sections) shares 170 minutes with no sectional time limits; Part 2 (GK) has 10 minutes. GK scores are used exclusively by XLRI for its final selection process. PwD candidates get an additional 20 minutes for every hour. FAQ: candidates may begin with any section and switch between sections. The scrolling homepage notice showing 'January 5, 2027' is commented out in the page source and conflicts with the Bulletin/Prospectus/FAQ (January 03, 2027), so it is ignored.
Source: XAT 2027: A Quick Overview· last verified 11 Nov 2026
What does XAT test?
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning: critical and analytical reasoning, reading comprehension (including poems, cartoons and passages), vocabulary, English grammar, para jumbles, cloze tests
- Decision Making: scenarios from personal and professional lives requiring critical thinking, problem-solving and prioritization
- Quantitative Aptitude: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths
- Data Interpretation: interpretation, summarization and analysis of data
- General Knowledge: 8 questions on static GK and 12 on current affairs
Who can take XAT, and how is it run?
| Exam cycle | XAT 2027Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Conducted by | XLRI - Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur (on behalf of XAMI - Xavier Association of Management Institutes)Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Mode | Computer-based test ("conducted online" per XLRI Admission Prospectus 2027; exam in English, MCQs with five options as per XAT 2026 official instructions)Source: XLRI Admission Prospectus 2027· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| How often it is held | Once per cycle: a single test date (Sunday, January 03, 2027, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM) across 100+ test citiesSource: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Eligibility | A recognized Bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration or its equivalent in any discipline. Candidates appearing for their final exams by June 11, 2027 are also eligible to apply. All Indian candidates must appear for XAT 2027; NRI, Foreign, OCI and PIO candidates may apply (to XLRI) through GMAT.Source: XAT FAQs· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
What is the XAT application fee?
| XAT registration (Indian candidates) | ₹2,300Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Additional fee per XLRI programme applied to (through XAT) | ₹200Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Indian candidates applying to XLRI PGDM (GM) through GMAT/GRE | ₹2,600Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| NRI/Foreign/PIO/OCI candidates applying to one or more XLRI programmes through GMAT | ₹5,000Source: XAT 2027 Bulletin· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
Which colleges accept XAT?
| Institute | City | NIRF 2025 | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMSOM (Ahmedabad University)P1 | Ahmedabad | Not in top 100 | ₹14,00,000source |
| CBS KolkataPGDM | Kolkata | Not in top 100 | ₹7,70,000source |
| EDIIPGDM-E | Gandhinagar | Not in top 100 | ₹13,95,000source |
| Globsyn (GBS) KolkataPGDM | Kolkata | Not in top 100 | ₹8,95,000source |
| Great Lakes ChennaiP1 | Chennai | #37 | ₹22,50,000source |
| IBS HyderabadMBA | Hyderabad | #46 | ₹17,01,000source |
| IIEST Shibpur SOMSP1 | Howrah | Not in top 100 | ₹4,77,700source |
| IMI New DelhiPGDM | New Delhi | #40 | ₹23,54,000source |
| IMT GhaziabadP1 | Ghaziabad | #30 | ₹23,00,000source |
| IMT HyderabadPGDM | Hyderabad | #72 | ₹16,00,000source |
| IPE HyderabadPGDM | Hyderabad | Not in top 100 | ₹9,00,000source |
| Jaipuria IndorePGDM | Indore | Not in top 100 | ₹13,50,000source |
| KJSIMMBA | Mumbai | #65 | ₹23,87,500source |
| MICAPGDM-C | Ahmedabad | #33 | ₹29,50,000source |
| PIMR IndoreMBA | Indore | Not in top 100 | ₹3,80,000source |
| Praxis KolkataPGDM | Kolkata | Not in top 100 | ₹11,00,000source |
| SoM-PDEUMBA | Gandhinagar | #89 | ₹14,20,000source |
| WeSchoolPGDM | Mumbai | #75 | ₹14,00,000source |
| XLRIPGDM-BM | Jamshedpur | #10 | ₹30,60,000source |
Institutes the exam body names:
- XLRI Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur
- Xavier Institute of Management, XIM University, Bhubaneswar
- Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai
- Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru
- Xavier Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai
- Xavier Business School (XBS), St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
- Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi
- St. Joseph's Institute of Management, Bengaluru
- St. Francis Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
- Xavier Institute of Development Action and Sciences (XIDAS), Jabalpur
- St. Aloysius Institute of Management and Information Technology, Mangalore
- Xavier Institute of Management and Informatics, Jaipur
- Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago
Frequently asked questions
When is XAT?
XAT 2027 exam (2:00 PM to 5:00 PM): 3 Jan 2027, per the official notice. Check https://xatonline.in/ for changes.
What is the XAT exam pattern?
XAT has 4 sections: Part 1 - Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA & LR); Part 1 - Decision Making (DM); Part 1 - Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI); Part 2 - General Knowledge (GK), 95 questions in all, in 180 minutes. Marking: Part 1: +1 for each correct answer, -0.25 for each incorrect answer, and -0.10 for each un-attempted question after 12 un-attempted questions. Part 2 (GK): +1 for each correct answer, no negative marking for incorrect answers.
Who can take XAT?
A recognized Bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration or its equivalent in any discipline. Candidates appearing for their final exams by June 11, 2027 are also eligible to apply. All Indian candidates must appear for XAT 2027; NRI, Foreign, OCI and PIO candidates may apply (to XLRI) through GMAT.
How are XAT results used for admission?
Results are announced on xatonline.in about three weeks after the exam (last week of January 2027); the score card must be downloaded from xatonline.in between January 31 and June 30, 2027 (no hard copy is sent). There is no centralised counselling. For XLRI, candidates select programmes in the same XAT application; shortlisting for interviews in PGDM (BM) and PGDM (HRM) is based only on XAT scores, and final selection considers XAT performance (including GK), academic background, relevant work experience, personal interview and/or group discussion, extracurricular activities and other criteria. Other institutes using XAT scores run their own application and selection processes and decide their own weightages; XLRI has no role in them.
Sources
Official documents used on this page, last checked on 12 Nov 2026.
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