The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026 is one of India’s most prestigious MBA entrance exams, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. Known for its unique Decision Making (DM) section and emphasis on analytical thinking, XAT tests aspirants on more than just speed — it evaluates judgment, comprehension, and accuracy.
This blog provides a complete and detailed XAT 2026 exam analysis, covering:
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Overall & section-wise difficulty level
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Good attempts for high percentile
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Expected sectional & overall cutoffs
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XAT score vs percentile trends (including 2025)
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Previous year exam analysis
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Top MBA colleges accepting XAT 2026 scores
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview
| Section | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR) | 26 |
| Decision Making (DM) | 21 |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA-DI) | 28 |
| General Knowledge (GK) | 20 |
| Total | 95 Questions |
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Exam Mode: Computer-Based Test
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Duration: 3 Hours
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Negative Marking:
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Part-1: –0.25 per wrong answer
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Extra penalty for excessive unattempted questions
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GK Section: No negative marking & not counted for percentile
Overall Difficulty Level of XAT 2026
The overall difficulty level of XAT 2026 was moderate to slightly difficult.
Difficulty Snapshot:
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VALR: Moderate to difficult
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Decision Making: Difficult and time-consuming
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QA & DI: Moderate to difficult
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GK: Moderate
Compared to CAT, XAT 2026 demanded more logical reasoning, comprehension depth, and decision-making clarity rather than speed alone.
Section-Wise XAT 2026 Exam Analysis
1. Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR)
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Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
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Topics Covered:
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Reading Comprehension (including abstract passages)
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Para-jumbles
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Critical Reasoning
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Grammar & Vocabulary
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Good Attempts: 14–18 questions
Key Insight: RC passages were inference-based, making accuracy more important than speed.
2. Decision Making (DM)
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Difficulty: Difficult
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Nature: Real-life caselets involving ethical, managerial, and social situations
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Challenge: Multiple close options requiring balanced judgment
Good Attempts: 10–14 questions
Key Insight: DM remains the most scoring yet tricky section for XLRI shortlisting.
3. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA-DI)
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Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
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Major Topics:
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Arithmetic
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Geometry
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Algebra
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Data Interpretation sets
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Good Attempts: 14–18 questions
Key Insight: Lengthy calculations made question selection critical.
4. General Knowledge (GK)
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Difficulty: Moderate
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Coverage: Static GK + Current Affairs
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Negative Marking: None
Good Attempts: 8–12 questions
Although GK does not affect percentile, it plays a role in final admissions at many colleges.
XAT 2026 Good Attempts Summary
| Section | Good Attempts |
|---|---|
| VALR | 14–18 |
| Decision Making | 10–14 |
| QA-DI | 14–18 |
| Part-A Total | 38–48+ |
| GK | 8–12 |
XAT Score vs Percentile (Expected for 2026)
| Raw Score | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|
| 37–38+ | 99+ %ile |
| 32–34 | 95–97 %ile |
| 28–30 | ~90 %ile |
| 25–26 | ~85 %ile |
| 20–22 | ~80 %ile |
(Actual percentiles depend on difficulty and normalization.)
XAT Score vs Percentile – Previous Year Trend (2025)
| Percentile | Approx Score (2025) |
|---|---|
| 99 %ile | 38–40 |
| 95 %ile | 32–35 |
| 90 %ile | 28–30 |
| 85 %ile | 25–26 |
XAT 2025 Difficulty: Moderate
Key Trend: Higher accuracy led to sharper percentile jumps.
Previous Year XAT Exam Analysis (2023–2025 Overview)
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XAT 2023: Easier paper, higher scores needed for top percentiles
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XAT 2024: Moderate to difficult, especially QA-DI
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XAT 2025: Balanced but DM and RC passages were tricky
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XAT 2026: Continued the trend of analytical depth and judgment-based questions
Expected XAT 2026 Sectional Cutoffs (Top Colleges)
XLRI Jamshedpur (Expected)
| Section | Expected Cutoff |
|---|---|
| VALR | 75–80 %ile |
| Decision Making | 78–80 %ile |
| QA-DI | 80–85 %ile |
| Overall | 95–96 %ile |
Clearing sectional cutoffs is mandatory for XLRI shortlisting.
Top MBA Colleges Accepting XAT 2026 Scores
| College | Expected Cutoff |
|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur (BM) | 95–96 %ile |
| XLRI Jamshedpur (HRM) | 92–94 %ile |
| XIM Bhubaneswar | 90–92 %ile |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 90–91 %ile |
| IMI New Delhi | 88–90 %ile |
| GIM Goa | 85–88 %ile |
| TAPMI Manipal | 85–88 %ile |
| MICA Ahmedabad | 80–85 %ile |
| LIBA Chennai | 75–80 %ile |
| Welingkar / XIME | 70–80 %ile |
Key Takeaways from XAT 2026 Analysis
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Accuracy matters more than the number of attempts
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Decision Making is the biggest differentiator
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Sectional cutoffs can make or break XLRI chances
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GK can influence final selection even if it doesn’t affect percentile
Conclusion
The XAT 2026 exam successfully upheld its reputation as a conceptual, judgment-oriented, and analytical MBA entrance test. Candidates who managed balanced attempts across sections with high accuracy stand a strong chance of securing calls from XLRI and other top MBA colleges.
Understanding score vs percentile trends, sectional cutoffs, and previous year patterns is essential to realistically assess your performance and plan the next steps in your MBA journey.
