XAT 2026
Xavier Aptitude Test
Xavier Aptitude Test for admission to XLRI Jamshedpur and 250+ other management institutes across India.
- Registration fee
- ₹2,200
- Test duration
- 3 hours 30 minutes (3 hours for test + 30 min for GK)
- Score valid for
- 1 Year
- Held
- Once/year (typically first Sunday of January)
Fee and schedule last checked against the official source in August 2026. Verify on the official site
XAT exam pattern
Scored on Percentile, with General Knowledge excluded from the main score.
Decision Making
Ethical and managerial dilemmas with no single arithmetic answer.
Verbal & Logical Ability
Reading comprehension, vocabulary and critical reasoning.
Quantitative Aptitude
Includes a data interpretation component.
General Knowledge
Scored separately, used at the interview stage.
What score should you aim for?
90+ percentile for XLRI, XIMB, SPJIMR
This is the band competitive programmes typically look for — not a cut-off, and not a guarantee of admission. Individual departments publish their own requirements, and those are the only figures that bind. Always check the programme page before setting a target.
Who accepts the XAT?
XLRI Jamshedpur, XIMB, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI, GIM and around 250 other Indian management institutes.
Worth knowing before you book
Decision Making is unique to XAT and carries real weight — it is a reasoning-under-ambiguity section that CAT preparation does not cover.
How your score affects an education loan
Lenders assess an education loan mainly on the institution and programme you are admitted to, the co-applicant's income, and any collateral offered. A competitive test score matters because it determines which institutions admit you — and an admission letter from a well-regarded university is what strengthens the application.
Some lenders publish concessions tied to specific institution lists. Those terms vary by lender and change often, so we do not quote a rate here — compare the current offers directly.