XAT Exam Pattern 2026 (Latest): Check Marking Scheme, Sections, Total Marks & Exam Format

Q: Is there a sectional time limit in XAT?

Yes, there is sectional time limit in XAT. As per the latest exam pattern, the XAT question paper will be divided into two sections – Part 1 and Part 2. Candidates have to complete the questions of a given session within the time limit only. Since, XAT is an online test, there will be on screen clock indicating the time and as soon as the time of one section will be over, the screen will automatically move to the next part. Candidates need to ensure that they have answered the required number of questions and saved them within the time limit. Here’s how the XAT question paper is divided as per section and time duration. Part 1- Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (170 minutes) Part 2- General Knowledge (10 minutes)

Q: How many questions were there in XAT 2025?

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.

Q: Are six months enough to prepare for XAT?

There is no set time limit to prepare for XAT exam, but you need a minimum of six months for preparation. Ideally candidates need to start XAT preparation by April, however, if they start by June or July too, they can complete the syllabus within time and have ample time for practice of sample papers and mock tests. In order to utilize six months that you have for XAT preparation, do the following: Make monthly, weekly and daily time tables to study and don’t deviate from that routine. Start with subjects which you are your weak spots. We suggest start with studying Quantitative Aptitude and English. For Reading Comprehension, read editorials of newspapers and magazines every day. Read fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies, etc. for strengthening English vocabulary and comprehension. Download MBA exam preparation apps on your phone so that you can revise topics, solve reasoning or English puzzles anywhere when you get time.

Q: How is XAT score calculated?

XAT score is calculated on the basis of raw scores obtained a candidate in each section. In the XAT exam, every correct answer carries 1 mark and every incorrect entry carries – 0.25 marks. There is no negative marking for skipping a question. But, in case of eight consecutive unanswered questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted. XAT has about 99 questions on which the score calculation is done. So, for example, if you have got 70 questions correct and 8 questions in correct, then your raw XAT score will be 70 – 1 = 69. If you have not answered 8 questions consecutively, then your score will be 69- 0.10 = 68.90. This raw score will be further calculated to arrive at XAT percentile. Check here the XAT percentile calculation process: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/xat-score-vs-percentile-how-much-xat-score-will-get-me-99-percentile-blogId-52337

Q: How can I prepare for XAT by self study?

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.

Q: What is the XAT section wise weightage?

XAT exam is more Quantitative Ability and Verbal and Logical Ability based. Which is why these two sections have more weightage than rest of the section. And between these two, Quantitative Ability has more weightage. In terms of marks too, the Quantitative Ability has maximum weightage, i.e. 28 marks, followed by Verbal and Logical Ability with 26 marks, General Knowledge carries 25 marks and Decision Making carries 22 marks. XAT Sections Number of Questions Total Marks Decision Making 22 22 Verbal and Logical Ability 26 26 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation 28 28 General Knowledge 25 25 Essay Writing 1 (out of 3 options) To be evaluated at the time of shortlisting

Q: How many XAT mock tests should I practice?

A candidate should practice at least 35 to 40 XAT mock tests during the entire preparation period. The mock tests should be of different varieties and various difficulty levels. Candidates should ideally start practicing XAT mock tests after completing the syllabus. They should start with easy mock tests, then move to moderate mock tests and then to tough mock tests. The motive should be to score above 98 percentile in the high difficulty level XAT mock test by the time the exam day arrives. In the last two weeks before the XAT exam, candidates must practice at least five mock tests and analyse their performance. It is most likely that by the end of the exam preparation, candidates will be scoring 98 plus percentile in the mock tests. If that happens, they must be rest assured of surpassing that score in the actual exam.

Q: Is solving XAT question paper helpful in exam preparation?

Yes, solving XAT question paper is of immense help in exam preparation as one can get an idea of the exam pattern, difficulty level of the questions, and learn time management. The XAT question papers of previous years also give you an idea of what type of questions (Reading Comprehension passages and poem) are asked in XAT. In fact, preparation of Decision Making section is totally dependent on XAT question papers. XAT question papers of previous years also act as practice test providing you with the opportunity to master speed and time management. Candidates must solve previous years’ XAT questions paper of at least last five years, so that they are aware of the latest type of questions especially poem, RC passages and Decision Making passages.

Q: What is the duration of the XAT exam?

XAT exam was held for 3 hours and 30 minutes. However, with the revision of exam pattern, it was held for 3 hours in 2025. There is sectional time-limit in the test. 170 minutes are allotted to Part 1 comprising Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability. Part 2 has General Knowledge section to be solved in 10 minutes. No bio-break is allowed during the exam. Candidates have to finish the test in the given time limit only. The test screen will move from part 1 to part 2 the moment 170 minutes get over and once the 10 minutes of part 2 will be over, the test window will be locked. Candidates must keep saving their entries after every attempt as there is no provision in XAT to go back and review your answers once the time limit for that part is over.

Q: What is XAT syllabus?

XAT syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. You can check below subject wise important topics included in the XAT syllabus. Majority of the questions are asked from these topics. XAT Verbal and Logical Ability syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Antonym/Synonym, Parajumble, Para Completion, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Series Completion, Fill in the Blanks, etc. XAT Decision Making syllabus: Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc. XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation syllabus: Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc. XAT General Knowledge syllabus: Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.

1.7K Students Q&A

Registration - 10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25

Updated on Sep 12, 2025 16:58 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

XAT 2026 pattern is expected to be the same as previous year. However, there is one change this year. As per the information shared on the official website of XAT 2026, there will be no sectional time limit in the exam. There will only be overall time limit. Till last year, there was sectional time limit. The first part of XAT question paper comprises Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (170 minutes); the second part has GK section of 10 minutes. Total time duration is 180 minutes. The format of questions in XAT 2026 will be MCQ. Read all about XAT 2026 paper pattern below.

XAT 2026 Registrations Open- Register Now

XAT 2026 Pattern Highlights:

XAT has 95 questions
XAT exam duration is 180 minutes
XAT question paper has four sections
Candidates can toggle between questions and sections
XAT has negative marking
XAT is moderate to high difficulty level test

Table of content

XAT Exam Pattern 2026: An Overview
Section Wise XAT 2026 Exam Pattern
XAT 2026 Pattern: What is the Marking Scheme?
XAT Syllabus 2026: Detailed Breakdown
XAT Preparation 2026: Tips and Strategy
Changes in XAT Exam Pattern Over the Years
FAQs Regarding XAT Exam Pattern 2026

XAT Exam Pattern 2026: An Overview

XAT exam has some unique aspects to it. Candidates must not confuse it with any other MBA entrance exam. Take a look at the key highlights of latest XAT exam pattern.

XAT Exam Structure	XAT Exam Details
Number of sections	4 (Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge)
XAT time limit	3 hours (180 minutes)
Number of questions	95
Total marks	95
Number of answer choices	Five
Mode of examination	Online
XAT marking scheme	+1 mark for correct answer - 0.25 marks for incorrect answer - 0.10 marks for more than 8 consecutive un-attempted questions No negative marking in GK section

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is there a sectional time limit in XAT?

Q: How many questions were there in XAT 2025?

Q: Are six months enough to prepare for XAT?

Section Wise XAT 2026 Exam Pattern

XAT question paper has MCQ format questions spread over the four main sections. Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section has the maximum weightage. However, it is not necessary to attempt all the questions, but candidates must attempt about 2/3rd of the total test, to get a good score overall. Check below section-wise break-up of questions and marks allotted to each section of XAT:

XAT Exam Pattern 2026: Sectional Break-Up of Questions

Given below is the expected sectional break-up of XAT 2026 question paper:

XAT Sections	Number of Questions	Total Marks
Decision Making	21	21
Verbal and Logical Ability	26	26
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation	28	28
General Knowledge	20	20
Total	95	95

XAT 2026 Pattern: What is the Marking Scheme?

XAT has a unique marking scheme in which not only there is negative marking on incorrect attempt but also on the number of incorrect attempts. Candidates must understand the XAT marking scheme well to optimise their peformance. Check below the key highlights of XAT marking scheme 2026:

1 mark will be awarded for every correct answer
0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer
0.10 marks will be deducted for more than 8 consecutive unanswered questions
There will be no negative marking in General Knowledge section
Scores of General Knowledge section will not be considered for calculating XAT percentile

Commonly asked questions

Q: How is XAT score calculated?

Q: How can I prepare for XAT by self study?

Q: What is the XAT section wise weightage?

XAT Syllabus 2026: Detailed Breakdown

Check here detailed breakdown of XAT syllabus to understand what and how to prepare:

Section 1: Decision Making

XAT Decision Making is all about interpreting business scenarios and case studies to arrive at the most correct solution. This is a section which tests, the candidate’s problem solving and decision making skills. Questions are situation based requiring candidates to choose the best business decision in favour of greater good.

Section 1: Verbal and Logical Ability:

Having RC passages and poem for Reading Comprehension XAT Verbal Ability section may seem different but it is not. Apart from regular RC questions, it has vocabulary and grammar based questions. The Logical Ability sub part has verbal, non-verbal, abstract and critical reasoning questions.

Section 3: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation:

This section consists of questions from Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Interpretation. Most of the questions are asked from Arithmetic, so do not ignore that topic.

Section 4: General Knowledge:

General Knowledge section of XAT is a mix of static GK and Current Affairs. Candidates need to be well aware of dates and events from history, geography, and business and economics, sports, science and tech. etc.

Also Read: XAT syllabus 2026: Topic wise

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XAT Syllabus 2026

View Syllabus

XAT Preparation 2026: Tips and Strategy

Read the articles listed below to prepare for XAT 2026:

XAT Exam Preparation Articles
How to prepare for XAT in 6 months	How to Prepare for XAT exam? Tips from Toppers
How to prepare for XAT in 3 months	XAT preparation: Tips to crack QA-DI
XAT preparation: Tips to crack Verbal Ability	XAT preparation: Tips to crack Decision Making
Expert speak: How To Prepare for XAT Exam?	Best Study Material for XAT preparation
How to Prepare for XAT in 1 Month	XAT exam: Revision Tips for Last Two Weeks

Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha

Check out free XAT mock test by Shiksha to know your preparation level. This XAT mock test has been prepared from previous years' XAT questions for optimum practice.

XAT_Mock_Test_1	XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions
XAT_Mock_Test_2	XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many XAT mock tests should I practice?

Q: Is solving XAT question paper helpful in exam preparation?

Changes in XAT Exam Pattern Over the Years

The XAT question paper has not seen many changes in the last eight years, apart from Essay Writing being scrapped in 2018, reintroduced in 2022 and scrapped again in 2025. Given below is a table comparing the XAT exam pattern and difficulty level of the questions of previous years:

XAT Exam Year	Total Number of Questions	Section-wise number of questions	Marking Scheme	Level of Difficulty
XAT 2026	95	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 20	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Expected to be moderate
XAT 2025	95	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 20	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Expected to be moderate
XAT 2024	100	VARC: 26 DM: 22 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 Essay: 1 (to be evaluated upon shortlisting)	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2023	100	VARC: 26 DM: 22 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 Essay: 1 (to be evaluated upon shortlisting)	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2022	100	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 Essay: 1 (to be evaluated upon shortlisting)	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2021	100	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2020	100	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2019	99	VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 27 GK: 25	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.5 for more than 8 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2018	97	VARC: 24 DM: 21 QA & DI: 27 GK: 25 One essay topic	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer; -0.5 for more than 12 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2017	97	VARC: 24 DM: 21 QA & DI: 27 GK: 25 One essay topic	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer; -0.5 for more than 12 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2016	103	VARC: 26 DM: 23 QA & DI: 29 GK: 25 One essay topic	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer; -0.5 for more than 13 unanswered questions	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2015	114	VARC: 28 DM: 23 QA & DI: 33 GK: 30 One essay topic	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer	Moderate to difficult
XAT 2014	113	VARC: 28 DM: 24 QA & DI: 31 GK: 30 One essay topic	+1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer	Moderate to difficult

Check XAT cut offs and predict calls from XLRI and other colleges accepting XAT score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all XAT participating colleges by clicking the link below:

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