XAT 2026 Scheduled for January 4; Registration, Exam Pattern and Key Details Announced

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026, one of India’s leading national-level management entrance examinations, is scheduled to be conducted on January 4, 2026, in computer-based test (CBT) mode. The examination will be organized by XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI).

According to official information, the XAT 2026 registration process began in July 2025 and concluded in December 2025, with deadline extensions provided to candidates in select phases. Registered applicants were able to download their XAT 2026 admit cards from the official website in the last week of December.

The examination will be held in a single shift from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with a total duration of three hours. XAT 2026 will assess candidates across multiple aptitude areas, including Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge.

The Decision Making section, a unique feature of XAT, is designed to evaluate candidates’ analytical thinking, ethical reasoning, and practical judgment in business-like scenarios. The question paper is expected to consist of approximately 95 to 99 questions, based on previous exam trends.

As per eligibility norms, candidates must hold a recognized bachelor’s degree of at least three years’ duration, while final-year undergraduate students are also eligible to apply, provided they complete their degree requirements by June 2026. There is no age limit for appearing in the examination.

The XAT 2026 answer key and response sheet are expected to be released in the second week of January 2026, followed by the result announcement in the third week of January. The official scorecard will remain available for download for a limited period after the declaration of results.

Candidates are advised to regularly check the official XAT website for updates related to results, cut-offs, and further admission-related procedures.