What is XAT Exam?
XAT is the Xavier aptitude test conducted in India. It is a national level exam conducted by Xavier labour relations institute. It is conducted for the students who want to get admission in PG courses. This exam is conducted across 79 cities in India.
The exam is split into 5 sections:
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Decision Making
- General Knowledge
- Essay Writing
The students should prepare accordingly.
XAT is the computer based exam that will be conducted in January 2027 and the exam duration is 3 hours. It is suggested to applicants that they must follow the XAT 2027 details, latest exam pattern and marking scheme for better XAT preparation.
XAT 2027 Exam Pattern
XAT 2027 Exam will conducts in two parts, Part 1 And Part 2.
According to the exam pattern, Part 1 consists the 3 sections, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation and Decision Making. The candidates can get the 2 hours and 45 minutes to solve this part of exam.
There is no sectional time limit posses to this exam. There are the MCQ questions asked in this Part 1 and every questions consists 5 options.
In Part 2, the questions are asked from the General Knowledge and Analytical Essay Writing. Candidates will get 25 minutes to solve this part of the exam.
Part 1 Exam Pattern
| Exam Sections | Number of Questions | Overall Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Part-1 | 75 Total MCQs | 175 Minutes |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Decision Making | 21 | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | No Sectional Time Limit |
Part 2 Exam Pattern
| Exam Sections | Number of Questions | Overall Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Part-2 | 25 Total MCQs + Essay Writing Test | 30 Minutes |
| General Knowledge | 25 | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Essay | 1 Descriptive Topic | No Sectional Time Limit |
Total Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Questions | 101 |
| Total Duration | 210 Minutes |
XAT Marking Scheme
- Every correct answer carries 1 mark.
- Every incorrect answer attracts a penalty of 0.25 marks.
- If the candidates leave more than 8 questions unattempted, then 0.1 marks will be deducted for every unattempted question.
- There is no negative marking in Part 2.
- Part 2 will further be considered for the selection process conducted by XLRI, and weights will disclosed later.
Also Read : Best MBA Specializations
XAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria
Here are the XAT exam eligibility candidates should meet:
- The candidate must have a bachelor degree in any stream from UGC recognized college or university.
- Students in the final year of graduation are also eligible for the XAT exam.
- The candidates of the general category must obtain 50% marks in their graduation, and candidates in the reserved category must obtain 45% marks to become eligible for this exam.
XAT 2027 Exam Dates
Candidates who are starting their XAT preparation should know about the exam dates.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| XAT 2027 Application Start Date | 10 July 2026 |
| XAT 2027 Application Last Date | 05 December 2026 |
| XAT Admit Card Release Date | 20 December 2026 (Tentative) |
| XAT Exam Date | 03 January 2027 |
| XAT 2027 Answer Key Release Date | Second Week of January 2027 |
| XAT Result 2027 | Third Week of January 2027 |
Top XAT Colleges Accepting XAT 2027 Scores
There are various top XAT Colleges and B schools in India that accept XAT scores. The seats in management programs by these institutes give the opportunity to candidates to enrol in this program.
Top Colleges and Expected Cut-Off Percentile
| College Name | Expected XAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur | 94 – 95 |
| XIM University | 91 – 92 |
| MICA Ahmedabad | 90 – 91 |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 90 – 91 |
| IMI New Delhi | 90 – 91 |
| FORE New Delhi | 85 – 87 |
| TAPMI | 85 – 87 |
| Great Lakes Chennai | 85 – 86 |
| GIM Goa | 85 – 86 |
| KJ Somaiya Mumbai | 80 – 82 |
| LBSIM New Delhi | 80 – 82 |
| Welingkar Mumbai | 75 |
| Great Lakes Gurgaon | 75 |
| XIME Bangalore | 75 |
| BIMTECH Greater Noida | 75 |
| KIIT Bhubaneswar | 75 |
| BIM Trichy | 74 |
| WE School Bangalore | 72 |
| IMI Bhubaneswar | 74 |
| IMI Kolkata | 75 |
| IMT Nagpur | 75 |
| Woxsen University | 72 |
| Sri Balaji University Pune | 72 |
| BIIB Pune | 74 |
| VIT Business School Vellore | 75 |
| Alliance School of Business Bangalore | 72 |
| IBA Bangalore | 72 |
| Amrita School of Business Coimbatore | 72 |
| SIES Navi Mumbai | 75 |
| Rajagiri Business School | 72 |
| Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida | 74 |
| SJIM Bangalore | 70 – 80 |
| NDIM New Delhi | 68 – 70 |
| JIMS Rohini Delhi | 68 – 70 |
| IMT Hyderabad | 68 – 70 |
| FIIB New Delhi | 68 – 70 |
| SOIL Institute of Management | 60 – 65 |
| Jaipuria Institute of Management Indore | 60 – 64 |
| AIMS School of Business Bangalore | 60 – 64 |
| Jaypee Business School | 55 – 60 |
| IPE Hyderabad | 60 – 70 |
| GITAM | 60 – 70 |
| MRIIRS Faridabad | 60 – 64 |
| RV University Bangalore | 60 – 64 |
| Delhi School of Business | 55 – 60 |
| Jaipuria School of Business Ghaziabad | 55 – 60 |
| Siva Sivani Institute of Management Hyderabad | 50 – 60 |
| Apeejay School of Management New Delhi | 50 – 60 |
| Rajalakshmi School of Business | 50 – 60 |
XAT 2027 Application Fee
The entrance exam authorities have set the XAT fees before the XAT 2027 exam date.
- XAT Registration Fees: Rs 2200 (approximately)
- Candidates who want to enrol in XLRI Programmes should pay additional fees of Rs 200 (approximately)
- Indian candidates can apply through GMAT/GRE for Ex-PGDM programmes
- Candidates applying through GMAT/GRE should pay Rs 2500
- NRI candidates must pay approximately Rs 5000 as XAT Exam Fee
XAT 2027 Syllabus
It is suggested that candidates follow the latest XAT exam syllabus to prepare for their exam and clear it.
The XAT syllabus consists of important topics from:
- General Knowledge
- Verbal & Logical Ability
- Decision Making
- Data Interpretation
- Quantitative Ability
Important Sections Covered in XAT Syllabus
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- Decision Making
- General Knowledge
- Analytical Essay Writing
Candidates should cover all the important topics from these sections for effective XAT preparation and to secure a good percentile in the XAT 2027 Exam.
Conclusion
XAT 2027 is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. Candidates planning to pursue MBA or PGDM courses should understand the XAT 2027 exam pattern, eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam dates, application fees, and top XAT colleges accepting XAT scores. A well-planned preparation strategy can help candidates secure a high percentile and admission to leading management institutes across India.
