XAT 2026 Notification: Important Dates, Eligibility Criteria, Registration Process, Application Fees, Test Cities, Exam Pattern

Table of Contents

1. Important Dates for XAT 2026
2. Eligibility Criteria
3. Registration Process
4. Exam Pattern
5. Admit Card
6. Result Declaration
7. Preparation Tips

The XAT 2026 notification will be released on July 15, 2025, on the official website. The XAT 2026 registration process will begin on July 15, 2025, and continue until December 10, 2025. XLRI Jamshedpur will conduct XAT 2026 on behalf of XAMI on January 4, 2026. More than 250 institutes will accept XAT scores for MBA and PGDM admissions. Candidates can apply for the exam at xatonline.in by paying the application fee of INR 2200.

The official notification will contain important details such as important dates, registration process, application fee details, names of the accepting institutes, and previous years' papers.

Important Dates for XAT 2026

Eligibility Criteria

• Educational Qualification: Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree of at least three years or equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university.
• Final Year Students: Candidates in their final year of graduation are also eligible to apply, provided they complete their degree by June 10, 2026.
• Age Limit: There is no age limit for appearing in XAT 2026.

Registration Process

The registration for XAT 2026 is an online process. Candidates need to visit the official website xatonline.in to fill out the application form. The application fee is ?2,200, with an additional ?200 per XLRI program selected. For NRI/Foreign candidates applying through GMAT, the fee is ?5,000.

Exam Pattern

XAT 2026 will be a computer-based test (CBT) conducted in a single session from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The exam comprises the following sections:

• Part 1: Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (Total duration: 170 minutes)
• Part 2: General Knowledge (Duration: 10 minutes)

The total duration of the exam is 180 minutes. Each question carries 1 mark, with a penalty of 0.25 marks for incorrect answers. Additionally, there is a penalty of 0.10 marks for more than 8 unattempted questions. The General Knowledge section does not have negative marking.

Admit Card

Admit cards for XAT 2026 will be available for download from December 20, 2025, onwards. Candidates must log in to the official website using their credentials to download and print the admit card.

Result Declaration

The XAT 2026 results are expected to be announced on January 31, 2026. Candidates can check their results and download the scorecard from the official website.

Preparation Tips

• Understand the Exam Pattern: Familiarize yourself with the exam structure and types of questions asked.
• Study Material: Refer to standard books and online resources for each section.
• Mock Tests: Regularly practice mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.
• Time Management: Develop effective time management strategies to ensure each section is adequately addressed during the exam.