Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT)
What is XAT ?
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is an MBA entrance exam at the national level, which is administered by the Xavier Labour Relation Institute (XLRI), based in Jamshedpur, India. With a legacy of excellence, XLRI has been conducting XAT for more than 70 years in order to select candidates into its management programs. It stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious management entrance examinations in the country.
Renowned for its rigor, XAT is one of the most difficult entrance exams, designed to evaluate a candidate’s analytical, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making abilities. Its unique “Decision Making” section sets it apart from all other tests. The XAT score is a mandatory prerequisite for admission to XLRI and is also accepted by 11 XAMI member institutes, 83 associate institutes, and over 600 B-schools in India, making it a vital test for serious MBA aspirants.
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XAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree of three years duration, or equivalent, in any discipline from a recognized university.
Students who are in their final year of bachelor’s degree, or awaiting results, are also eligible for XAT.
There are no minimum marks required in graduation criteria for XAT exam. Candidate should have minimum passing marks in the degree programme.
Working professionals and applicants with professional degrees (CA/CS) can also apply for it.
There are no age limits in XAT 2026. Fresh graduates, either working can apply for it.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree of three years duration, or equivalent, in any discipline from a recognized university.
Students who are in their final year of bachelor’s degree, or awaiting results, are also eligible for XAT.
There are no minimum marks required in graduation criteria for XAT exam. Candidate should have minimum passing marks in the degree programme.
Working professionals and applicants with professional degrees (CA/CS) can also apply for it.
There are no age limits in XAT 2026. Fresh graduates, either working can apply for it.
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XAT Exam Pattern 2025
The XAT exam is of moderate difficulty, like other competitive exams, and it was paper-based until 2017, though it switched to computer-based testing in 2018. The total time for the exam is 180 minutes which is divided up into four sections:
| Section | Duration | Question |
|---|---|---|
|
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning |
170 Minutes
|
26 |
|
Decision Making |
170 Minutes
|
21 |
|
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
170 Minutes |
28
|
|
General Knowledge
|
10 Minutes
|
20
|
|
Total
|
180 Minutes |
95 |
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Syllabus Overview XAT 2025
- Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation: Primarily focuses on Arithmetic, Geometry, and Algebra. It also includes topics like Functions, Logarithms, Number Systems, and Data Interpretation sets based on tables, graphs, and charts.
- Verbal and Logical Ability: Assesses candidates on Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehensions, Grammar, Para Jumbles, and other verbal ability topics like analogies and fill in the blanks.
- Decision Making: This unique section assesses candidates through ethical dilemmas, managerial issues, or situational questions. It tests your ability to make logical and ethical choices in complex business scenarios.
- General Knowledge (GK): This section reviews static GK and current affairs with a focus on economics, polity, business, science, and international news. The marks from this section are typically considered during the interview stage, not for the initial percentile calculation.
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Registration Process XAT 2025
- Log in to the XAT 2026 website xatonline.in.
- Click on “New Registration” and fill in the appropriate details. A unique XAT ID and registration link will be emailed to you for verification.
- Verify your XAT registration by clicking the link.
- Go back to XAT 2026 homepage and then click login.
- Enter email id and password to access the application form.
- Fill in all of the mandatory fields in the XAT 2026 application form.
- Double check all information you have completed before clicking the submit button.
- XAT 2026 registration fee is INR 2,200 and can be paid by credit card, debit card, UPI or net banking.
- If a candidate selects XLRI as a preferred choice of college, they will have to pay an additional fee of INR 200.
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Top Ranked Colleges for Accepting XAT
- XLRI Jamshedpur & Delhi NCR
- S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
- IMT Ghaziabad
- XIM University, Bhubaneswar (XIMB)
- IMI New Delhi
- MICA, Ahmedabad
- Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai/Gurgaon
- TAPMI, Manipal
- GIBS Business School, Bengaluru
- ICFAI Business School (IBS), Hyderabad
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Frequently Asked Questions for XAT 2025
Q1: What is the XAT score validity?
A: XAT scores will be valid in for one year only.
Q2: What is the application fee for the XAT?
A: The XAT registration fee is Rs. 2200 and an extra Rs. 200 for every XLRI program.
Q3: What is a good score in XAT?
A: For XLRI, 96 percentile is good and for other colleges, 90+ percentile is fine.
Is there negative marking for unattempted questions in XAT?
Yes, this is a unique feature of XAT. After 8 unattempted questions, a penalty of -0.10 marks is applied for each subsequent unattempted question. This encourages candidates to attempt a reasonable number of questions.
Are the GK and Essay scores used for calculating the XAT percentile?
No, the scores from the General Knowledge (GK) and Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) sections are not used to calculate the final XAT percentile. However, these scores are reviewed by XLRI and other top institutes during the interview shortlisting and final selection process to assess a candidate’s overall awareness and communication skills.
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