XAT 2027 (Xavier Aptitude Test) will be held on Sunday, 3 January 2027, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and registration closes on 6 December 2026. XLRI Jamshedpur runs the exam on behalf of XAMI, and its official site says more than 250 B-schools accept the score. This guide covers dates, eligibility, the exam pattern, fees, the NRI route, and a 10-week plan.
Key takeaways
- XAT 2027 is on 3 January 2027, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Registration runs from 15 July to 6 December 2026.
- It has 95 questions in 180 minutes: Verbal and Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quant and Data Interpretation, plus a General Knowledge section.
- A wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. After 8 skipped questions, each extra skip costs 0.1 marks.
- The fee is Rs 2,300, plus Rs 200 for each XLRI programme you add.
- Indian candidates must take XAT for XLRI. NRI, foreign, OCI and PIO candidates may apply to XLRI through GMAT.
Facts checked against official sources on 26 October 2026.
What is XAT 2027 and who conducts it?
Quick answer: XAT 2027 is a national MBA/PGDM entrance test. XLRI Jamshedpur conducts it on behalf of the XAMI member institutes. The official site says over 250 B-schools accept the score. The 2027 exam is a single online test on 3 January 2027, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
XLRI has run XAT for more than 75 years, according to the official XAT website. The score is used in two ways:
- XAMI member institutes, such as XLRI, XIM University (Bhubaneswar), XIME, LIBA, XISS and others. For 2027, Xavier Institute of Management and Informatics, Jaipur joined as a new XAMI member.
- XAT associate institutes, a longer list of B-schools across India (and one in Dubai) that use XAT scores. The XAT 2027 bulletin lists them in Section C.
One key point: registering for XAT does not apply you to these schools. Each institute has its own application form and selection process. XLRI says it has no role in other institutes' selection. XLRI also warns on its site that its admissions are merit-based, with no management or NRI quota.
When is XAT 2027? Key dates
All dates below are for the XAT 2027 cycle (admission to programmes starting in 2027). They come from the official bulletin, FAQ and registration page.
| Event | XAT 2027 date |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | 15 July 2026 |
| Last official mock test | 31 October and 1 November 2026 (register by 28 October to take it) |
| Registration closes | 6 December 2026 |
| Admit card download | From 20 December 2026 (tentative) |
| XAT 2027 exam | Sunday, 3 January 2027, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
| Result | Last week of January 2027 (FAQ: about three weeks after the exam) |
| Scorecard download | 31 January to 30 June 2027 |
The bulletin and registration page do not mention a late fee. So treat 6 December 2026 as a hard deadline. XLRI says it may change bulletin details without notice, so check xatonline.in for updates.
Who is eligible for XAT 2027?
The official FAQ sets a simple rule:
- You need a recognised bachelor's degree of at least three years, or its equivalent, in any discipline.
- Final-year students can apply if they finish their final exams by 11 June 2027.
- There is no age limit stated in the official FAQ.
- For XLRI, only full-time work experience after graduation counts. Internships and articleship do not.
If you are in your final year, enter your aggregate marks up to your last semester or year. For Class 10 and 12 (CBSE/SSC), XLRI says to use all subjects, not your best five.
Can NRI and foreign nationals take XAT 2027?
This is where many applicants get confused. The official FAQ says: "All Indian candidates must appear for XAT 2027. NRI, Foreign, OCI, and PIO candidates may apply through GMAT."
Here is what that means for XLRI:
| Applicant | Route to XLRI programmes |
|---|---|
| Indian citizen living in India | XAT (GMAT/GRE allowed only for PGDM (GM) and PGDM (LSCM)) |
| NRI, foreign national, PIO or OCI | GMAT, for all XLRI programmes |
The FAQ defines an NRI as an Indian citizen living outside India who holds an Indian passport. If you are an NRI and want an associate institute (not XLRI), check that school's own rules. Each one decides how it uses scores.
Test cities abroad: none. The bulletin lists over 100 test cities, all in India. If you live abroad and plan to sit XAT, you must travel to an Indian city.
What is the XAT 2027 exam pattern?
XAT 2027 is a computer-based test. The XLRI prospectus says it will be "conducted online". It is a single-slot exam, so there is no score normalisation across slots.
| Section | Questions (approx.) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) | 26 | 170 minutes shared |
| Decision Making (DM) | 21 | 170 minutes shared |
| Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) | 28 | 170 minutes shared |
| General Knowledge (GK) | 20 | 10 minutes |
| Total | 95 | 180 minutes |
What each section tests, in XLRI's own words:
- VALR: critical reasoning, reading comprehension (including poems and cartoons), vocabulary, grammar, para jumbles and cloze tests.
- Decision Making: personal and work scenarios. You weigh options, solve problems and set priorities.
- QA & DI: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration and modern maths, plus data reading and analysis.
- GK: 8 static GK questions and 12 current affairs questions.
The official FAQ also says:
- There are no sectional time limits. You can attempt sections in any order and switch between them.
- A scientific calculator is available on screen.
How does XAT marking work?
| Rule | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | +1 |
| Wrong answer | −0.25 |
| First 8 unattempted questions | 0 |
| Each unattempted question after the 8th | −0.1 |
| GK section | No negative marking |
The GK section does not count towards your overall percentile or cut-off. XLRI uses it only in the selection process for its own programmes. So do not ignore GK if XLRI is your target.
What are the XAT 2027 fees?
| Who pays | Amount |
|---|---|
| XAT registration | Rs 2,300 |
| Each XLRI programme added | Rs 200 extra |
| Indian candidates, PGDM (GM) through GMAT/GRE | Rs 2,600 |
| NRI/Foreign/PIO/OCI, one or more programmes through GMAT | Rs 5,000 |
You can pay by debit card, credit card, net banking, IMPS or wallets. All payments are non-refundable. Fees are in Indian rupees. A foreign card will be charged at your bank's exchange rate.
How to apply for XAT 2027, step by step
- Go to xatonline.in and click Register. Use your personal email and mobile number. You cannot change them later.
- Verify your email through the link sent to you, then log in.
- Fill in your academic and work experience details. Spell your name and your parents' names exactly as on your certificates.
- Select XLRI programmes if you want to study at XLRI.
- Choose up to 6 test cities. Pick ones close to home. XLRI makes the final allotment.
- Upload your photo and signature in JPG format, within the size limits in the bulletin.
- Pay the fee and save the e-Receipt. If no e-Receipt appears, the payment failed.
- Preview everything, then submit before 6 December 2026. After you submit with payment, details cannot be edited.
Then apply separately to each associate institute you want, on its own website.
How is XAT different from CAT?
Both are MBA entrance tests, and their Quant and Verbal prep overlaps a lot. XAT adds a few things you must plan for:
- Decision Making. This section is unique to XAT. It rewards clear, step-by-step reasoning about people and trade-offs.
- GK section. It does not affect your percentile, but XLRI uses it.
- Skip penalty. Leaving many questions blank costs marks after the first 8.
- Timing. XAT comes in early January, which gives you extra weeks after CAT.
- Single slot, no sectional time limits. You control how you split the 170 minutes.
If you are preparing for CAT too, the same Quant and reading base serves both. Add Decision Making practice and some GK on top.
Book a free demo class if you want a mentor to check your Quant method before 3 January. You can also see fees.
Worked examples: Quant and Decision Making
Example 1: What is my XAT score?
A student faces the 75 scored questions (VALR, DM and QA & DI). She answers 60. Of those, 48 are correct and 12 are wrong. She leaves 15 blank. Assume the 8-question skip allowance applies to these 75 questions.
- Correct answers: 48 × 1 = +48
- Wrong answers: 12 × 0.25 = −3
- Skipped: 15. The first 8 are free, so 15 − 8 = 7 are penalised.
- Skip penalty: 7 × 0.1 = −0.7
- Score: 48 − 3 − 0.7 = 44.3
Example 2: Guess or skip? A decision-making question in maths
You have already skipped 8 questions. You meet a question you cannot solve. Should you guess or skip? Suppose the question has 5 options. (Check the option count on your own mock paper.)
Skip: you lose 0.1 marks for sure. Expected score = −0.1.
Guess at random: the chance of being right is 1/5.
- Expected score = (1/5 × 1) + (4/5 × −0.25)
- = 0.2 − 0.2
- = 0
Eliminate one option first, then guess: the chance of being right is 1/4.
- Expected score = (1/4 × 1) + (3/4 × −0.25)
- = 0.25 − 0.1875
- = +0.0625
What this shows: once your 8 free skips are used, a guess has a higher average score than a skip, and removing even one wrong option helps more. This is an average over many questions, not a promise for one question. Use it as a rule for the last minutes, not as a reason to rush.
Example 3: A classic Quant question
Find the smallest number that leaves a remainder of 3 when divided by 4, 6 and 9.
- A number that leaves remainder 3 for each divisor is 3 more than a common multiple of 4, 6 and 9.
- Prime factors: 4 = 2², 6 = 2 × 3, 9 = 3².
- LCM = 2² × 3² = 36.
- Smallest number = 36 + 3 = 39.
- Check: 39 = 4 × 9 + 3, 39 = 6 × 6 + 3, 39 = 9 × 4 + 3. Correct.
If LCM steps feel shaky, read our guides to GCF and LCM and factors and multiples. These number topics come up often in aptitude tests.
XAT 2027 preparation plan by months left
Today is about 10 weeks before the exam. Here is a plan for each starting point.
If you have about 10 weeks (starting now)
- Weeks 1-2: take a past XAT paper under timed conditions. XLRI posts past papers (2018 to 2024) on xatonline.in. Mark your weakest topics.
- Weeks 3-5: fix your weak Quant and DI topics. Do a short set of Decision Making questions every day.
- Weeks 6-8: one full mock a week. Spend as long reviewing it as you spent taking it.
- Weeks 9-10: light practice, GK revision and rest. Sleep well before 3 January.
Also, register by 28 October 2026 if you want to take the last official mock on 31 October and 1 November. It runs on the actual exam platform.
If you have about 1 month
- Skip new topics. Revise the ones that come up most in past papers.
- Take two or three full mocks. Plan your section order and time split.
- Read news daily for the 12 current affairs GK questions.
If you are aiming for XAT 2028 (6+ months)
- Build Quant basics first: percentages, ratios, number properties, algebra and geometry.
- Read long articles daily for VALR.
- Plan how many hours a week you can give. Steady weekly study usually works better than a last-minute cram.
- Official XAT 2028 dates are not announced yet. XAT is usually held in early January.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Missing the deadline. No late fee window is mentioned. Registration closes on 6 December 2026.
- Thinking XAT registration covers every college. You must apply to each associate institute separately.
- Using a work email. You may lose access if you change jobs, and you cannot change it later.
- Skipping too many questions. After 8 blanks, each one costs 0.1 marks.
- Ignoring Decision Making. It is 21 questions, and it needs practice like any other section.
- Ignoring GK if XLRI is your goal. It does not change your percentile, but XLRI uses it.
- NRIs assuming they must take XAT. For XLRI, NRI, foreign, PIO and OCI applicants may apply through GMAT.
- Panic in Quant. Anxiety slows good students down. Our guide on why smart students struggle with math explains why.
How 1-on-1 tutoring helps with XAT 2027
At Asymptode, we teach maths. So we are honest about where we help with XAT.
- Quant and Data Interpretation. One student and one dedicated mentor, live online, no batches. The mentor watches each step of your working and fixes the method, not just the answer.
- Logic and Decision Making method. We help you set out reasoning step by step, like the guess-or-skip example above. We are not a verbal or GK coaching service.
- Planning around your exam date. We follow your timeline to 3 January 2027 and your own weak topics.
- Flexible scheduling across time zones. Useful for working graduates and NRI applicants.
- Personalised homework with feedback, and every class is recorded so you can rewatch it.
- Calm, method-first classes. Good if maths makes you tense. See our strategies for overcoming math anxiety.
Want to see how it works? Book a free demo class or see fees.
Frequently asked questions
When is the XAT 2027 exam?
XAT 2027 is on Sunday, 3 January 2027, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The admit card is expected from 20 December 2026 (tentative).
What is the last date to apply for XAT 2027?
Registration closes on 6 December 2026. The official bulletin and registration page do not mention a late fee.
Is there negative marking in XAT 2027?
Yes. Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. After 8 unattempted questions, each extra one costs 0.1 marks. The GK section has no negative marking.
Can final-year students apply for XAT 2027?
Yes, if they complete their final-year exams by 11 June 2027. You need a recognised bachelor's degree of at least three years in any discipline.
Can NRIs and foreign nationals take XAT 2027?
For XLRI, Indian candidates must take XAT. NRI, foreign, OCI and PIO candidates may apply through GMAT for all XLRI programmes. XAT test cities are only in India.
How many colleges accept XAT scores?
The official XAT website says over 250 B-schools accept XAT. Each one has its own application and selection process.
Ready to sharpen your Quant before 3 January? Book a free demo class or see fees.