Admit Card - 20 Dec '25
The XAT exam has some unique aspects to it, like the Decision Making section, which checks your management aptitude. Read here some key XAT 2026 preparation tips by MBA expert Sidharth Balakrishna.
XAT preparation 2026
How to prepare for XAT exam 2026?- The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is the top MBA entrance exam after CAT. Conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, XAT scores are accepted by a number of MBA colleges including XIMB, GIM, XIME, SPJIMR, Mumbai, etc. It is conducted annually in online mode like the CAT and has the same difficulty level. One needs to follow an exhaustive plan for XAT preparation so that they meet the XLRI cut off of 95 percentile. In this article, our expert Sidharth Balakrishna has shared tips on how to prepare for XAT exam 2026.
The XAT exam has some unique aspects, such as a section on ‘Decision Making’, which is a test of your management aptitude. In XAT decision making, different situations and cases are present asking aspirants to identify the correct course of action in these situations. While this introduces an element of subjectivity, the paper setters perhaps believe that such questions help pick out a person with adequate management capabilities.
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Candidates should also note that the XAT 2026 exam pattern includes a section on General Knowledge. While the score for this section is not considered for calculating the XAT percentile (considered only in the second phase of the admission process by a few B-Schools accepting the XAT score), it is nevertheless important enough to warrant careful preparation. So, how to prepare for XAT 2026 exam? Let's take a look.
If you are planning to prepare for XAT exam by self study, you need to start early. At least six months before. XAT exam is conducted on the first Sunday of January every year. So, if you start preparing for the XAT in June or July, you will have good six months to prepare. Make a preparation plan that includes XAT syllabus coverage, problem solving sessions, mock tests and revision. Get hold of best books for XAT. Consult mentors or previous year toppers for selecting the best books for preparation. Join online study groups where you can get the help of mentors and peers for problem solving and clearing of doubts in topics. Work in tough topics first and then move to easier topics.
Solve a large number and variety of XAT mock tests to master the syllabus. You will need to do a rigorous work on XAT mock tests as for candidates who opt for self study, have to rely on practice.
Ideally, XAT preparation takes six to nine months, but if candidates have prepared for CAT too, XAT preparation can be done in lesser time as one will have to only work on Decision Making and General Knowledge topics. Those who are weak in English Comprehension must start reading practice early on. The ideal time to start XAT preparation is May, so you can cover the whole syllabus by October and dedicate two months to mock test practice.
If you start studying for XAT late, by July or so, make sure you complete the syllabus by October only. Remember that XAT syllabus is tough, so you’ll need to study at least 6-8 hours daily from start until the end. Give ample time to yourself to complete the XAT syllabus.
Just like other MBA entrance exams, there is negative marking for wrong answers in XAT too but another unique aspect is that 0.10 marks is conducted for 8 consecutive unanswered questions. This makes it a difficult exam to navigate on the day of the test.
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How to Prepare for XAT Exam 2026?
- If you are preparing for CAT 2025 exam then preparation for four subjects of XAT 2026-Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation and Verbal and Logical Ability should not be a problem, as not much extra preparation is required for these sections. Also Read: XAT exam syllabus
- Candidates should note that the XAT exam often has questions on ‘Higher Mathematics’ i.e. questions pertaining to Probability, Permutations & Combinations, Base System, etc. in addition to the usual questions from Geometry, Arithmetic and Algebra.
- Data Interpretation questions of the XAT exam are often calculation intensive and sometimes slightly tough. Make sure that you are good with Ratio-Proportion, Fraction-Percentage Conversions, Tables, etc.
- The Verbal and Logical Ability section of the XAT includes questions pertaining to Reading Comprehension, Fill in the Blanks, Para Jumbles, Paragraph Completions, Critical/Logical Reasoning, Sentence Correction, etc. There is one poem too, which may pose challenge. So, practice previous years' XAT question papers for handling poem.
- The Decision Making section requires careful preparation as it is a unique aspect of the XAT. The candidate is asked to choose the best course of action in the various given situations. In general, the situations include economic situation, business decision, dilemmas for the parties involved, and require an analysis of the possible benefits or negatives for each possible course of action.
- I would suggest referring XAT previous year question papers to understand the type of scenarios that may be given in XAT 2026.
- Finding the correct answer of a question includes the candidate developing an ability to understand the situation and analyse it carefully. Try and ensure that the choice you make is unbiased, ethical, balanced and takes into account the perspectives of all stakeholders involved.
Also Read:
General Knowledge: Most of the questions in this section of XAT pertain to economics and business. Make sure you are up-to-date with current events by reading a newspaper daily and a business magazine. For static GK, refer to popular year books recommended for competitive exams. But you need to do this for at least a few months before the exam, not just for a few days!
Read More:
- How to prepare for XAT exam in 3 months
- How to Prepare for XAT exam in 1 month
- XAT Preparation 2026: Tips to Crack QA and DI
- XAT Preparation 2026: Tips to Crack Decision Making
- XAT Preparation 2026: Tips to Crack Verbal Ability
About the Author
Sidharth Balakrishna is the author of several Pearson books, such as, ‘An Introduction to CAT-Tips from an IIM Alumnus', ‘Reading Comprehension for the CAT- A Winning Approach by an IIM Alumnus', ‘Case Studies in Marketing’-part of the Pearson Case Book series and ‘Vocabulary for the CAT: A Winning Approach by an IIM Alumnus’.
Take Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
Shiksha has created an online XAT mock test for aspirants to attempt and assess their preparation level. The mock test has been created on the basis of questions asked in previous years’ XAT exams. Click on the link below to take the free XAT mock test by Shiksha.
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Ideally, candidates should start preparing for XAT from March onwards so that they have ample time to cover the syllabus and practicea good number of mock tests. However, starting preparation in June-July is also fine. About a minimum of six are required to prepare well for the XAT exam as it is one of the tougher MBA entrance tests. Candidates can also opt for coaching classes for XAT as per their convenience. Candidates must study for about six to eight hours daily to be able to cover the syllabus and have enough time for practicing mock tests. Yes, they will need to strike a balance between exam coverage and mock test practice.
However, the capacity of every student is different so, they must decide upon hours of study according to their own capacity and their control over the main topics of XAT. Making a workable plan is very important for XAT preparation, no matter when they start it.
XAT 2025 exam was of moderate difficulty level. The students who had appeared for the exam last year, said the XAT 2025 question paper was not much different. Section wise, Quantitative Aptitude questions were on the tougher side, Verbal Ability and Decision Making were easy to moderate and GK was easy.
There was one poem for RC as always. Quantitative Aptitude section was dominated by Arithmetic and GK had questions on very recent events.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The IMI Kolkata XAT Cutoff 2024 was released for admission to the MBA/PGDM course for all categories under the All India quota. The XAT Cutoff 2024 was overall 70 percentile for the General category candidates from the All India quota. This cutoff was for students to avail a seat at the Post Graduat
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Hi.
For PGDM and MBA admissions at GIBS Business School, Bangalore, the following entrance exams are accepted:
Accepted Entrance Exams
| Exam | Type / Level |
|---|---|
| CAT – Common Admission Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| XAT – Xavier Aptitude Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| MAT – Management Aptitude Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| CMAT – Common Management Admission Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test | International / National-level MBA entrance exam |
| ATMA – AIMS Test for Management Admissions | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| State CET (e.g., Karnataka PGCET) | State-level MBA entrance exam for Karnataka candidates |
h
Scholar-Level 17
Answered Yesterday
Hi.
GIBS considers any one valid score from these exams for shortlisting candidates.
Some exams (like CAT, XAT, CMAT) are preferred for national-level merit-based selection, but State CET scores are also accepted for Karnataka domicile candidates.
Along with the entrance score, academics, work experien
h
Scholar-Level 17
Answered Yesterday
IMI Bhubaneswar XAT Cutoff 2024 was released for students aiming for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses. The XAT Cutoff 2024 for admission at IMI Bhubaneswar was overall 70 percentile for students belonging to the General category under the All India quota. The institute accepts the XAT Cutoff percen
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Dwarka XAT cutoff 2024 for PGDM admission was 50 percentile in the General category. The institute accepts the XAT entrance exam, followed by a GD and PI round for admission to its PGDM in Mass Communication course.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
In 2024, the IILM Lucknow XAT cutoff 2024 was 50 for the students belonging to the General AI quota.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
The UPES School of Business accepts various exams, like XAT, MAT, NMAT, etc., for admission to its MBA/PGDM programme. The UPES School of Business XAT Cutoff 2024 was released for various MBA specialisation for Gender-Neutral candidates. The XAT Cutoff 2024 was 50 for admission to MBA in Internation
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
The CMS Bangalore MBA cutoff 2024 was released for various different exams, like CAT, XAT, NMAT, etc.
The CAT Cutoff 2024 was 50, whereas, in 2024, it was 70 as was the case in 2023. This trend over the past 3 years says that the CAT Cutoff has been decreasing overtime. Students can click here to kno
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
International Management Institute, Kolkata accepts the XAT entrance exam for admission to the MBA/PGDM programme. In 2024, the required XAT cutoff percentile was 70 for the students belonging to the General AI quota.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The Naya Loan Score App connects customers with representatives from the support team. The support team can answer questions about loans and credit scores, as well as provide troubleshooting assistance. The support team can also clarify eligibility and provide repayment assistance. A dedicated helpl
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Contributor-Level 10
Yes, XAT is slightly tougher for candidates with non-Engineering background as the Quantitative Aptitude section is of higher difficulty level. However, they can crack it if they work on the fundamentals of Math and practice questions of all difficulty levels. It will take time but they will be able to crack XAT's quant section if they dedicate extra hours to it. Aspirants can find XAT study material online in various online study groups. Students’ groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. share study material with each other. One can also download MBA exam preparation apps to get relevant and useful study material.
The good part about XAT is that, it has different cut offs for candidates belonging to different academic backgrounds. As part of its commitment to academic diversity, the institute has lower cut offs for candidates from non-engineering background than candidates from engineering background.