XAT 2027: Registration (Ongoing), Exam Dates, Mock Test, Syllabus, Pattern, Question Papers

Xavier Aptitude Test  or XAT is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur for admission to its MBA Business Management and MBA Human Resource Management courses. The score is also accepted by 150+ participating colleges as well nearly 700 other B Schools. The exam is followed by Essay Writing and Personal Interview round, through which candidates are selected for MBA admission.

Admission through XAT score in XLRI is done on the basis of cut offs determined by the admission panel. Candidates are shortlisted for Essay Writing and Personal Interview round, only if they meet the XAT cut off.

XAT Exam Highlights

XAT is a pan India exam. Candidates planning to appear for XAT 2027, should check the exam highlights before exploring it further below on this page. 

What are XAMI Institutes and XAT Associate Members?

XAMI refers to institutes on whose behalf XLRI conducts the XAT exam. There are 12 XAMI members. These institutions are a part of the governing body Xavier Association of Management Institutes, such as XLRI, XIMB and XIME among others.

XAT Associate Member Institutions

XAT Associate Member Institutions are those which accept XAT score for admission to their MBA/PGDM programmes. They are not a part of XAMI. They are independant and private management institutions. XAT Associate Member Institutions are 134. Some of the popular institutes include, KIIT School of Management, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Birla Institute of Management Technology, Institute of Management Studies Ghaziabad, International Management Institute, Institute of Rural Management Anand, MICA among others.

XAT eligibility criteria is same as that of other MBA entrance exam, but has no minimum marks threshold. Check details below.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised university.
• There is no minimum marks requirement in graduation criteria for XAT exam. Candidate should have passing marks in their bachelor's degree programme.
• There is no age limit for XAT 2027. Fresh graduates as well as working professionals can appear for it.

XAT Eligibility for Final-Year Students

Final year Bachelor’s degree students are eligible to appear for the XAT exam, but they need to ensure that the score of first year and second year exams meet the minimum requirement (i.e. passing marks). Candidature of final year students will remain provisional until they submit the final year marksheet by a certain deadline.

XAT Eligibility for Working Professionals & CA/CS

Candidates who do not have graduation degree but have a professional one equivalent to Bachelor’s degree and recognized by the UGC, such as CA/CS, can also appear for XAT 2027. They should have passed their professional course with the minimum required score.

XAT Eligibility for NRI / Foreign / PIO / OCI Candidates

NRI / Foreign / PIO / OCI Candidates need to have a Bachelor’s degree of 3 years duration. Such candidates need not apply for XAT. They can take admission in XLRI through GMAT or GRE scores.

Also Read: Detailed XAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria

XAT Application Fees 2027

XAT fee is to be paid in online mode via debit/credit card and net banking. The fee amount is same for all categories of students. Check below the amount to pay:

Documents Required for XAT Registration 2027

Candidates will be required to upload 2 documents in the XAT 2027 registration cum application form: 

• Scanned digital photograph of less than 1 MB

• Scanned signature of less than 1 MB

Both document must be clear and be uploaded in the given dimension to avoid XAT form rejection.

How to Fill XAT 2027 Application Form

The XAT application form 2027 is available on the official website, xatonline.in. Candidates have to register at the official website and create an account to fill and submit the XAT form. Given below is the XAT 2027 registration and application process:

Step 1: Log on to XAT 2027 website xatonline.in

Step 2: Click on 'New Registration' and enter relevant details

Step 3: A unique XAT ID and registration link will be shared in the verified email ID

Step 4: Click on the link to verify XAT registration

Step 5: Go to XAT 2027 homepage and click on ‘login’

Step 6: Enter email ID and password to open the application form

Step 7: Fill all the mandatory fields of the XAT 2027 application form

Step 8: Cross check the information before clicking on submit button

Step 9: Pay XAT 2027 application fee 

XAT Test City Selection and Day 1 Advantage

Candidates can select up to six cities in the XAT application form 2027. The XAT centre will be allotted to the candidate in the city selected as first preference. If a seat is not available at the test centre in the first city of preference, candidates will be allotted a centre in the next city chosen. Candidates will get to know their tes city and centre from the XAT admit card.

XLRI had this year announced an offer for aspirants. Whoever registered for the exam on the first day of registration was alloted a test centre in the city of their preference much ahead of other applicants. 

Check the list of test cities for XAT 2027

XAT Application Correction Window 2027

After the XAT registration process 2027 ends, XLRI will open a 2-day window for candidates to make some changes in the already submitted XAT form. The fields that will be open for editing will be test city list, photo and signature. XAT application form correction process is free and candidates can edit the field multiple times until they sumbit it. Once the XAT application correction window is closed no changes will be allowed in the form.

XAT Syllabus 2027

Check key highlights of XAT exam syllabus 2027. Candidates can plan their preparation basis these insights.

Decision Making Syllabus

XAT Decision Making is similar to Logical Reasoning, but the questions are a different in nature. Check below key topics for XAT Decision Making.

• Analytical Reasoning
• Data Arrangement
• Situations
• Logical Reasoning
• Caselets
• Assumptions
• Complex Arrangement
• Conditions and Grouping

Sample question of Decision Making

Question: Ms Deelipa has asked you to conduct a non-teaching staff induction training. You are to call for a tender from various agencies with specifications that include the contents, duration, experience, budget and other relevant information. You then need to shortlist five agencies from the list of 20 and make a presentation within 2 days.

Review the following responses:

1.Rate all 20 agencies on a scale of 1 to 5 on information available and select the top 5.

2.Select the five lowest bids based on the price quoted.

3.Seek selection criteria from Deelipa and the HR Director and shortlist the bidders accordingly.

4. Follow the advice of a person who has completed a similar task.

Select the best of the following responses in the descending order effectiveness.

Options:

A. 4, 1, 3

B. 1, 2, 3

C. 3, 2, 4

D. 1, 3, 4

VALR Syllabus

Listed below are the main topics to cover in VALR section.

• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Reasoning
• Grammar
• Paragraph Management
• Vocabulary
• Parajumbles
• Odd Sentence
• Fill in the blanks

QA & DI Syllabus

Listed below are QA & DI topics included in XAT syllabus. Arithmetic should be the focus area in this section:

• Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Mensuration
• Modern Math
• Number System
• Bar Diagrams
• Pie Charts
• Tables
• Graphs and Charts

GK Syllabus

Candidates will need to over events and announcement related to the following:

• Awards and winners
• History and Geography
• Static GK
• Business and Politics
• Constitution of India
• Personalities
• Government  and Economy
• World Events
• Current Affairs

XAT Exam Pattern 2027

XAT exam pattern changed last year with removal of essay writing and reduction in number of GK questions. It is unlikely that the XAT 2027 exam pattern will change. However, changes if any will be known when the official XAT mock test releases. 

XAT Section-wise Questions & Weightage

There is not much difference in weightage of XAT sections. Check the below table for sectional break up of XAT question paper.

XAT Marking Scheme & Negative Marking

XAT has negative marking so candidates need to be careful with marking answers in the test form. Here's how you'll be marked in XAT 2027:

Example of XAT marks calculation: If a candidate gets 50 answers correct and 10 incorrect. Their XAT raw score will be 50-2.75 =47.25. And if they have not answered 8 consecutive questions, then their final score will be 47.25 - 0.10= 47.15.

Is GK Counted in Percentile?

XAT GK score is not calculated for percentile calculation. The XAT percentile is calculated from DM, VALR and QT-DI scores. Candidates performance in GK is evaluated during PI shortlisting.

On-screen Calculator & Section Switching

On-screen calculator is provided to all candidates in XAT exam. The on-screen calculator was introduced in XAT in 2025, before that candidates had to do calculation on rough sheets The rough sheets are still provided, giving the candidate 2 options. However, it is advisable to apply mental math for quick calculation in during the exam. 

XAT 2027 question paper will be divided into two parts and switching between sections will be allowed within it. 

• XAT Question Paper Part 1: DM, VALR and QT-DI (170 minutes)
• XAT Question Paper Part 2: GK (10 minutes)

XAT is a high difficulty level exam compared to other MBA entrance tests. Check below table for a comparison between XAT and other MBA entrance exams:

Also Read: 

Is XAT tougher than CAT?

XAT vs CAT syllabus

XAT preparation needs proper planning. Being one of the toughest MBA entrance exams, XAT requires dedicated time and effort. Consistency is the key in XAT preparation. The syllabus comprises four sections: Decision Making, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. Listed below are some key tips for making XAT 2027 exam preparation strategy:

• Get hold of XAT books and study material. These are available online and at coaching institutes.
• Join study groups online on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Telegram and WhatsApp.
• Develop a study plan which should include daily, weekly and monthly timetable.
• Start with topics you are already familiar with and on which you have good control.
• Keep two hours aside daily for reading, vocabulary building and revision of Maths formulae.
• After completing a topic or a concept, solve two-three problems based on it to know if you have completely understood it.
• Focus on completing XAT syllabus first and then move to solving XAT mock tests. Practice at least 25-30 mock tests for the best performance.
• Analyse every XAT mock test result to understand the gaps to fill.
• Focus on improving speed and accuracy with the help of mock tests and online practice sessions.
• Ensure mental and physical well-being in your XAT preparation journey to make the best out of it.

Check below table for suggested 4-month plan for XAT 2027 preparation:

How to Prepare for Decision Making

XAT Decision Making section is similar to Logical Reasoning in nature. There are passages based on business situations and candidates have to infer the best solution to the given situation. To prepare for this section, candidates need to do the following:

• Read case studies to develop the ability to make business decisions for larger group.
• Practice DM questions asked in the XAT exam previously.
• In the exam choose the right passage to attempt. If you find a passage too complicated leave it.
• To choose the best option, apply the method of elimination.

Also Read:

• XAT 2027 Preparation Tips
• XAT 2027 Essay Writing Topics

To perform well in the XAT 2027, read the articles listed below containing XAT exam strategy and tips suggested by experts. Click on the links below to read:

Best Books for XAT

Candidates must refer the following XAT books for preparation. These are recommended as the best books for XAT because they contain detailed topic wise explanation and extensive practice sets.

XAT Mock Test by Shiksha

Shiksha has prepared free XAT mock tests for candidates to practice and analyse their preparation level. Click on the links below to access the mock test:

Previous year XAT question papers are an important part of exam preparation. Candidates must practice at least question papers of atleast 5 years. We've provided below XAT question papers PDFs below:

XAT 2027 answer key will be released along with the question paper a few days after the exam in the form of candidate response sheet. Candidates will be able to download it via login. The XAT response sheet cum answer key helps candidates in analysing their perfomance and evaluate expected score. XLRI will provide candidates the option to raise objection against the official XAT 2027 answer key. If any of the objection are found to be valid, the answer key will be revised. 

XAT Paper Analysis (Last 3 Years)

XAT question paper usually doesn’t deviate from the fixed pattern. Difficulty level as well as sectional weightage remains the some over the years. Check below key highlights of XAT paper analysis of past three years.