XAT Section Wise Marking Scheme & Negative Marks for 2027
Xavier Aptitude Test 2027 ( XAT )
XAT 2027 Registration
15 Jul '26 - 6 Dec '26
XAT marking scheme is defined by XLRI Jamshedpur. Candidates find the XAT exam composition with section wise marking scheme with the notification. Check details on XAT marking scheme and section wise exam overview below.
XAT Marking Scheme and Section Wise Composition
XAT Section Wise Marking Scheme: XLRI Jamshedpur conducts XAT exam for PGDM/MBA admissions. XAT 2027 exam pattern highlights the marking scheme and section wise composition. XAT is a computer based test conducted at 100+ test centres. Candidates have to answer questions from four different sections within 180 minutes. Understanding XAT 2027 marking scheme and pattern is important to get a good score in the exam. The XAT 2027 exam has negative marking, which can affect the overall performance of the candidate. XAT marking scheme involves negative marking for both unattempted questions and incorrect responses. Scroll down for more details on XAT marking scheme section wise.
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- XAT 2027 Exam Composition
- XAT 2027 Sectional Overview
- XAT 2027 Marking Scheme
- XAT Marking Scheme 2027: Penalty for Unattempted Questions
XAT 2027 Exam Composition
The total duration of the XAT exam is 180 minutes. The exam contains a total of 95 MCQ type questions with five different answer options. XLRI divides the exam into two parts: Part 1 and Part 2. Candidates have 170 minutes to complete Part 1 of the exam. Part 2 is to be completed within 10 minutes. Between Part 1 and Part 2 on the XAT exam day, there is a 5-minute keyboard check. Candidates can move freely between the sections inside Part 1, but they are not allowed to navigate between Part 1 and Part 2. Check the table below for XAT exam pattern, including the section name, number of questions and timelimit.
| Exam Part |
Section Name |
Number of Questions |
Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 |
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) |
26 |
170 Minutes |
| Part 1 |
Decision Making (DM) |
21 |
|
| Part 1 |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) |
28 |
|
| Part 2 |
General Knowledge (GK) |
20 |
10 Minutes |
| Total |
Entire Exam |
95 |
180 Minutes |
XAT 2027 Sectional Overview
As per the XAT 2027 exam pattern, there are 95 questions across four sections. The scores from the three sections in Part 1 are considered for calculation of final XAT percentile, while the GK section is evaluated separately. The space below mentions a section wise overview of XAT exam syllabus and number of questions.
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR): This section contains 26 questions. It tests a candidate's basic English language skills and logical thinking. The questions focus on reading comprehension, vocabulary, analogy, jumbled paragraphs, and critical reasoning. The reading comprehension passages can also include poems and cartoons.
- Decision Making (DM): This section contains 21 questions. This is a unique section that tests how candidates resolve problems in professional or business environments. The questions present real-world scenarios, and the candidate must use ethical judgment, fairness, and prioritisation to make the correct decision.
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QADI): This section contains 28 questions. It assesses strong mathematical and analytical skills. The quantitative questions cover arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, and modern math. The data interpretation questions require candidates to read and extract information from graphs, pie charts, and tables.
- General Knowledge (GK): This section is in Part 2 and contains 20 questions. Generally, 8 questions are based on static knowledge and 12 questions are based on current affairs. The questions cover topics like the economy, politics, science, sports, awards, and the Constitution of India.
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XAT 2027 Marking Scheme
XLRI considers XAT marking scheme to assign marks for score calculation. Candidates are awarded marks for correct answer options. Whereas, candidates find a penalty for unattempted questions and incorrectly marked responses. Find the XAT marking scheme below:
- Correct Answers: For every question answered correctly in Part 1 and Part 2, candidates receive +1 mark.
- Incorrect Answers (Part 1): For every question answered incorrectly in Part 1, there is a penalty of -0.25 marks.
- Unattempted Questions (Part 1): There is a penalty for skipping question in XAT exam. The exam allows a candidate to leave up to 8 questions unattempted without any penalty. However, if a candidate leaves more than 8 questions unattempted, there is a deduction of -0.10 marks for every extra unattempted question.
- General Knowledge Section: There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. The marks obtained in the GK section are not used to calculate the overall XAT percentile. Instead, XLRI uses the GK score during the final selection process, specifically at the interview stage.
Commonly asked questions
Some of the important topics for XAT preparation include:
- Decision Making: Managerial/ethical dilemmas
- Quantitative Ability: Arithmetic, geometry, and algebra
- Verbal Ability: Reading comprehension, often with poetic passages.
Yes, the XAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking but if there are 8 consecutive unanswered questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted.
Thus, the candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the XAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately. The XAT exam has sectional time limit too, so you may not want to waste time on a question that you cannot solve accurately.
You stand to lose both time and marks. So be careful in selecting questions in the XAT exam. The sectional cut off for XAT is usually 80 percent accuracy. Practice a lot of mock tests to develop this skill.
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.
Major topics under XAT and CAT syllabus are similar. Common sections include Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Verbal Ability. While the sections are same the syllabus is not identical. XAT also includes unique sections, namely Decision Making and General Knowledge.
XAT Marking Scheme 2027: Penalty for Unattempted Questions
XAT exam has a penalty for skipping questions. Candidates are allowed to skip up to 8 questions in Part 1 with no penalty. If a candidate skips 9 questions, they lose 0.10 marks for that 9th question. If a candidate skips 18 questions, the first 8 questions have no penalty. The remaining 10 skipped questions each receive a 0.10 penalty. Therefore, a candidate who skips 18 questions will lose 1 mark from their total score.
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Commonly asked questions
The XAT Decision Making section consists of approximately 21-22 case-based questions designed to evaluate the ability to analyse complex, real-life, and professional scenarios.
As per the latest XAT exam pattern, there will be 95 questions in XAT 2025 in MCQ format.
- Verbal Ability section of XAT will have 26 questions
- Decision Making section of XAT will have 21 questions
- Quantitative Ability section will have 28 questions
- GK section will have 20 questions
There will be no essay writing this year. It will be conducted during the selection process.
It is not mandatory to solve all the questions. Candidates should solve only those questions which they can solve correctly as there is negative marking in XAT. During the exam preparation, focus on the chapters from which majority of the questions are added. This will help them in achieving the sectional and overall cut offs are required.
A candidate should practice at least 35 to 40 XAT mock tests during preparation. They should attempt mocks of various varieties and difficulty levels.
In the last two weeks before XAT exam, they must practice at least five mock tests and analyse performance. It is most likely that by the end of exam preparation, candidates will be scoring 98 plus percentile in mocks. If that happens, they will score well in exam too.
Aspirants should start practicing XAT mock tests after completing the syllabus. Ideal time duration to solve XAT mock tests is October to December. Official mock test is released a week before the exam, so candidates must attempt it at least once before the exam.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days ago
XAT syllabus is considered extensive and challenging. It is often viewed as more comprehensive than other management exams. Sections like Decision Making and an Essay is also included in the XAT exam syllabus.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Candidates can apply by selecting the course and campus option while filling out the XAT application form. There is no separate application form for XLRI courses.
E
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
No, the XAT application form cannot be filled offline. Candidates must submit their application and pay the required exam fees online through the official website.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Candidates holding a bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognised university can apply for XAT exam. Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
The last date to fill the XAT application form 2027 is December 6, 2027. Candidates must complete registration and fee payment before this deadline.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The time required for XAT Verbal Ability depends on candidate's current level. A daily combination of reading, vocabulary revision and question practice can help build consistency.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
XAT VALR section has around 26 questions. Based on previous year trends, around 9 to 11 questions can be from Verbal Ability, although exact breakup can change in exam.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes. RC is an important part of XAT VALR section. It has contributed a significant number of questions in previous years. Candidates should practise factual, analytical, philosophical and abstract passages.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The important topics for XAT Verbal Ability include Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Grammar, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Fill in the Blanks and Sentence Correction.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
XLRI Xavier school of managment XAT cutoff 2026 has been released. The cutoff for overall section was a score of 95 percentile that was minimum requirement for a candidate to be eligible for admissio.
R
Contributor-Level 6
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Abhishek Dhawan is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He holds a BA degree from the University of Delhi. At Shiksha, Abhishek primarily covers MBA and BBA entrance
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