XAT 2026 exam was held on anuary 4, 2026. The provisional answer key has been released today So, after you download the XAT 2026 answer key, evaluate your performance by calculating XAT score vs percentile.
XAT score vs percentile 2026 – XLRI and other score accepting colleges shortlist candidates on the basis of XAT percentile. For PI shortlisting XAT cut offs will be released in percentiles. So, what is XAT percentile and how is it calculated from XAT score?
To understand XAT score vs percentile calculation, we must understand the difference between the two. XAT score is the total marks obtained by the candidate in the exam, whereas XAT percentile in their relative rank in comparison of rest of the test takers. Those who appeared for XAT 2026 on January 4, can download the official XAT answer key today and evaluate their performance with it. XAT 2026 result will be announced by the third week of January 2026. Candidates must know the difference between XAT score and percentile in order to know where will their exam performance take them - Tier 1 college, Tier 2 college or Tier 3 college.
- Factors Determining XAT 2026 score vs percentile
- XAT Score vs Percentile 2026 (Expected)
- XAT Score vs Percentile 2026 - Sectional
- XAT Marks vs Percentile 2026: Decision Making
- XAT Score Calculator
- XAT Percentile Calculator Formula?
- XAT Score vs Percentile 2025
- XAT Cut Off Percentiles for XLRI Admission
Factors Determining XAT 2026 score vs percentile
Performance of a candidate in XAT exam is not independent. His/her percentile is related to the number of candidates and difficulty level of the exam. These two are the major factors that affect XAT percentile calculation. While estimating the XAT score vs percentile 2026, the formula is applied based on previous years' trend, here.
Latest - XAT 2026 answer key out out, live updates - check objection dates and process
XAT Score vs Percentile 2026 (Expected)
XAT scores and percentiles can be estimated basis the difficulty level of the exam. If the XAT question paper is easy, higher score will be required for high percentile and if the question paper is tough, lower score will convert into higher percentile. Given below is a table indicating estimated XAT marks vs percentile 2026.
| XAT Score |
XAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| 38.7 |
99.17 |
| 34.7 |
97.67 |
| 33.8 |
97.11 |
| 33.5 |
96.89 |
| 32.4 |
96.03 |
| 29.4 |
92.75 |
| 27.1 |
89.24 |
| 20.5 |
73.15 |
XAT Score vs Percentile 2026 - Sectional
For making it to XLRI Jamshepdur, XAT sectional cut offs matte a lot. Infact, many other top MBA colleges accepting XAT score, consider both overall and sectional scores. While preparing for admission, do calculate XAT cut off marks vs percentile, for each section to make the exam strategy.
XAT percentile vs marks 2026: QADI
Check below expected XAT 2026 score vs percentile of Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section.
| XAT Score |
XAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| 14.7 |
98.51 |
| 13.3 |
97.38 |
| 12.6 |
96.55 |
| 10.1 |
91.32 |
| 9.6 |
89.88 |
| 9.6 |
89.83 |
| 9.1 |
87.77 |
| 8.2 |
84 |
XAT score vs percentile 2026: VALR
Check below XAT score vs percentile 2026 calculation for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning section. This section has 26 questions and if a candidate gets nearly 17 correct, they can score 99+ percentile.
| XAT Score |
XAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| 16.4 |
99.53 |
| 14.9 |
98.8 |
| 11.4 |
93.34 |
| 10.8 |
91.59 |
| 10.7 |
91 |
| 9.7 |
87.55 |
| 9.2 |
85.44 |
| 4.5 |
52.21 |
Also read:
- XAT 2026 Exam Analysis; Difficulty Level of Question Paper, Expected Cutoffs
- XAT 2026 Response Sheet & Answer Key Solutions; PDF Download
- XAT 2026 Question Paper PDF Download
XAT Marks vs Percentile 2026: Decision Making
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Check below XAT marks vs percentile calculation of Decision Making section. This section has 21 questions and if a candidate attempt 13-14 questions correctly, they will get around 97 percentile.
| XAT Score |
XAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| 13.2 |
96.75 |
| 11.9 |
93.4 |
| 9.7 |
82.94 |
| 9.7 |
82.46 |
| 9.7 |
82.39 |
| 9.2 |
79.14 |
| 6.4 |
51.14 |
| 5.6 |
45.44 |
XAT Score Calculator
XAT exam score can be calculated from the number of correct and incorrect attempts made by a candidate. Check XAT marking scheme below:
- One mark for every correct attempt
- - 0.25 marks for every incorrect attempt
- After eight consecutive unattempted questions, 0.10 marks is deducted
- Total number of questions in 95
- GK scores are included in XAT percentile calculation
Based on the above marking scheme, XAT score calculator formula can be understood with the following example:
A candidate attempts about 70 questions out of 95, out of which he solves 60 questions correctly and 10 questions incorrectly.
Then his overall XAT score will be 60-2.5 = 57.5
Also Read: XAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 2026
XAT Percentile Calculator Formula?
The formula to calculate XAT percentile is same as that of other MBA entrance exams, i.e. Number of candidates – Rank of a candidate/Number of candidates x 100. Here’s an example:
If 1000 candidates appeared for XAT and candidate A gets the highest score, it means 999 candidates scored less than A. So, the XAT percentile calculation will be 999/1000x100= 99.9.
Also Read:
XAT Score vs Percentile 2025
Given below is the table indicating XAT marks vs percentile comparison of last year. If you look at this XAT 2025 score vs percentile comparison, you will note that getting 47 questions correct can fetch you 99 percentile.
| XAT score 2025 |
XAT percentile 2025 |
|---|---|
| 47 and above |
99 |
| 42 and above |
96 |
| 40 and above |
94 |
| 36 and above |
85 |
| 32 and above |
80 |
| 24 and above |
75 |
XAT Cut Off Percentiles for XLRI Admission
XLRI releases the XAT cut offs, a week after result declaration dismissing every speculation about how much score is needed for its MBA programmes. The XAT cut offs, usually remain between 92-96 percentile.
XAT 2025 Cut Offs: MBA BM
Check below XAT 2025 cut offs for MBA BM programme. XAT 2026 cut offs are expected to be in the same range.
| Category |
QA |
VALR |
DM |
Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer/Tech Male |
88 |
84 |
84 |
96 |
| Engineer/Tech Female |
82 |
80 |
80 |
91 |
| Non-Engineer Male |
88 |
84 |
84 |
96 |
| Non-Engineer Female |
82 |
80 |
80 |
91 |
XAT 2025 Cut Offs: MBA HRM
Check below XAT 2025 cut offs for MBA HRM programme. XAT 2026 cut offs are expected to be in the same range.
| Category |
QA |
VALR |
DM |
Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer/Tech Male |
83 |
90 |
87 |
95 |
| Engineer/Tech Female |
73 |
85 |
80 |
90 |
| Non-Engineer Male |
76 |
90 |
87 |
93 |
| Non-Engineer Female |
78 |
85 |
80 |
87 |
Read more:
XAT cut off is the most important factor in selection of candidates for XLRI Jamshedpur’s Personal Interview or PI round. Those who do not meet the cut off are not even taken into consideration for PI shortlisting. The two main parameters upon which candidates are short listed for the PI round are academic scores (class 10,12 and graduation) and XAT cut off.
Aspirants must note that they need to score as much or above the XAT cut off and should have a consistent academic record of high score to have greater chances of getting selected. It is not necessary that they will be called for the PI round if their XAT score matches the cut off. If any candidate with the same score has a better academic record, he/she will be selected over the other.
No, cut offs of XAT participating colleges are different from each other. These colleges fix cut off percentiles for admission individually basis certain criteria determined by their respective admission cells. XAT cut off for XIMB is different from XAT cut off for TAPMI. XAT cut off for XIMB is usually around 90-93 whereas XAT cut off for TAPMI is 80-85. On the other hand, XAT cut off for KJ Somaiya-Mumbai is 85-90. Most of the MBA colleges shortlist candidates for admission on the basis of overall XAT percentile. However, the candidates must aim to meet sectional XAT cut offs too in the exam to avoid an unwanted situation at the time of admission. Before applying for admission, candidates must check the selection criteria of their target colleges to be sure of requirements.
Yes, candidates with less than 50 per cent in aggregate in graduation are eligible for admission to PGDM courses in XLRI. Candidates need to have minimum passing marks in Graduation. They must have however, completed their graduation from a recognised university only. Candidates planning to seek admission to an MBA college other than XLRI must check its eligibility criteria as the minimum score requirement of AICTE approved colleges is 50 percent (45 percent for Reserved categories). But having 50 per cent and above score is not a guarantee for getting selected for admission. You will need to clear the admission round which is based on XAT cut off percentile. If you do not meet the XAT cut off percentile you will not be selected for XAT personal interview round, which is the main parameter for MBA admission in XLRI.
XLRI Jamshedpur releases the XAT cut offs every year in the month of February after the result announcement. The XAT exam is held on the first Sunday of January and the result is announced in the last week of January. And within a week of result announcement, the XAT cut offs are released.
The XAT cut offs are released at the official website of XLRI Jamshedpur and are available for download without login. The XAT cut offs are released for PGDM-HRM and PGDM-BM gender and academic stream wise. The document contains sectional and overall cut off percentiles for male, female, male non engineering and female non-engineering categories. Selection of candidates for the Personal Interview and Group Discussion round of XLRI admission is done on the basis of these category wise cut offs.
Sectional cut off for XAT refers to the minimum percentile fixed for each section of the exam that candidates have to meet. For example, if the Quantitative Aptitude cut off is 85 percentile for XAT, students should score 85 percentile or more in the section of XAT to become eligible for group discussion and personal interview. Check the below tables for PGDM BM and PGDM HRM for XAT.
XAT Sectional cut offs for PGDM BM
General Engineers | VA | DM | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Males | 75 | 75 | 85 | 95 |
Females | 75 | 75 | 80 | 92 |
General Non-Engineers | VA | DM | QA | Overall |
Males | 75 | 75 | 85 | 95 |
Females | 75 | 75 | 80 | 92 |
XAT Sectional cut offs for PGDM HRM
General Engineers | VA | DM | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Males | 90 | 75 | 85 | 93 |
Females | 90 | 75 | 65 | 91 |
General Non-Engineers | VA | DM | QA | Overall |
Males | 90 | 75 | 70 | 90 |
Females | 75 | 75 | 60 | 88 |

Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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Student Forum
Answered 2 weeks ago
XLRI selects candidates for its MBA full time programme through XAT score. Those who qualify the exam and meet the minimum cut off, are shortlisted for Essay Writing and Personal Interview. Final selection is made on the basis of candidate's XAT score, academic score, work experience and performance
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
XAT 2026 result will not be sent in email. However, XLRI will send an email to candidates informing them about the availability of scorecard and how to download it. Candidates must keep a check on their email account for result notification.
P
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
XAT 2026 result date has not been announced by XLRI. However, since the scorecards are released by the third week of January every year, the XAT result 2026 can also be expected to be released by January 17 or 20, 2026.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The Bangalore University MBA Cutoff 2025 has been announced for admission to the MBA/PGDM programme via the Karnataka PGCET, CAT, NMAT, XAT, and other accepted exams. According to the Bangalore University Karnataka PGCET Cutoff 2025, students needed to obtain a rank of 3375 for admission to ABBS Ba
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Every question of XAT carries 1 mark and a score of 38 to 42 usually covert into 99 percentile, so candidates should aim for the same number of correct attempts in the exam. XAT has negative marking so they should not attempt any question, if they are not sure of, otherwise it will affect the overal
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The CCSU MBA Cutoff 2025 has been released for admission to the MBA programme via the XAT, MAT and CAT entrance examinations. The CCSU XAT Cutoff 2025 was 50 for the Gender-Neutral Candidates under the All India quota. In the case of CCSU MAT Cutoff 2025, the qualfying cutoff percentile was 75 for t
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, if you have secured an 82nd percentile in XAT, you can get the scholarships for pursuing an MBA course at FOSSTIMA Business School. The concessions on fees that the school provides are:
- A scholarship of INR 3 Lacs for a percentile holder from 80 to 85.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Hi.
Yes, PIBM (Pune Institute of Business Management) does conduct its own entrance exam in addition to accepting scores from national and state-level exams. Here's how it works:
PIBM's Entrance Exam Policy
Yes, PIBM has its own internal aptitude test called PMAT (PIBM Management Aptitude Test).
PMAT
h
Scholar-Level 17
Answered a month ago
No. Scores in CAT/XAT/GMAT is not mandatory for admission into BITS Pilani MBA in Business Analytics. However, those who have appeared for these entrance exams will get their score considered in the selection criteria. Appearing for BAAT exam is mandatory for MBA Business Analytics admission.
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The XAT Cutoff 2025 was released for admission to the MBA/ PGDM programme for Gender-Neutral candidates belonging to the All India quota. The Rajagiri Business School XAT Cutoff 2025 was 15 percentile for admission to the PGDM course. Candidates needed to secure at least 15 percentile to avail admis
N
Contributor-Level 10
XAT cut off different for male and female candidates to promote diversity in the candidate pool. However, the difference in cut offs is not too big. There's usually a difference of 1 or 2 percentile between XAT cut offs for male candidate and female candidate. Infact, the difference is not limited to gender only. The XAT cut offs for engineering students and non-engineering students are also different.
MBA has traditionally seen to be dominated by candidates from Engineering graduates, a stream which has also been traditionally been dominated by male students. To increase diversity and encourage students from other streams of education, XLRI has different cut offs. However, low cut offs, does not ensure admission. Female candidates still need to meet other parameters of XLRI admission criteria.