XAT syllabus and exam pattern 2026: a 180-minute CBT of 95 questions in two parts, with plus 1 for a correct answer and minus 0.25 for a wrong one, and a signature Decision Making section.
The XAT syllabus and exam pattern 2026 cover a 180-minute computer-based test of 95 multiple-choice questions, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur for admission to XLRI and 160-plus B-schools. The paper is part-locked: Part 1 of 170 minutes has Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (75 questions together), and Part 2 of 10 minutes has General Knowledge (20 questions), entered only after Part 1 ends. XAT is conducted in English only.
| Section | Questions | Part |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 1 |
| Decision Making | 21 | 1 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 | 1 |
| General Knowledge | 20 | 2 |
| Total | 95 |
Decision Making has 21 questions and is XAT's signature section that no other MBA exam has. It presents short business and ethical caselets and asks you to choose the best course of action, testing judgement rather than calculation. Because it is unique to XAT and rewards practice with its style, it is a section where focused preparation gives a clear scoring edge over unprepared candidates.
XAT gives 1 mark for a correct answer and deducts 0.25 for a wrong answer in Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. General Knowledge gives 1 mark for a correct answer with no negative marking. There is also a penalty of 0.10 for each question left unattempted beyond 8 in Part 1, so you should attempt at least most of the paper.
| Section | Correct | Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal, Decision Making, Quant | plus 1 | minus 0.25 |
| General Knowledge | plus 1 | no negative |
No. General Knowledge in XAT has 20 questions with no negative marking, but it does not count toward your overall percentile; it is used only as a qualifier and for shortlisting by B-schools. So you should attempt every GK question since there is no penalty, but focus your main preparation on the three Part 1 sections that decide your percentile.
XAT has 95 questions in 180 minutes, split as 75 questions in the 170-minute Part 1 and 20 GK questions in the 10-minute Part 2. The essay was scrapped from 2025, so the current paper is entirely multiple choice. Because Part 1 and Part 2 are locked separately, plan to finish your Part 1 sections before the GK part opens.
Build Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Verbal and Logical Ability with steady practice, since they carry the most questions and are XAT-hard. Give special attention to Decision Making, because it is unique to XAT and highly scoring with the right approach. Revise static and current GK lightly, since it has no negative marking but does not affect your percentile. Take full-length mocks on the exact 95-question pattern. See our full XAT strategy guide and practise on the XAT mock test series, and browse all exams we cover.
The XAT syllabus and exam pattern are distinctive: 95 questions in 180 minutes across two locked parts, a signature Decision Making section, and a GK part that has no negative marking and does not count toward the percentile. XAT is held on the first Sunday of January, so preparation now targets XAT 2027. Master Decision Making and the two skill sections to lift the percentile that decides your call from XLRI and other top B-schools.
XAT is a 180-minute computer-based test of 95 multiple-choice questions in two locked parts. Part 1 (170 minutes) has Verbal and Logical Ability 26, Decision Making 21 and Quantitative Ability and DI 28; Part 2 (10 minutes) has General Knowledge 20. Marking is plus 1 and minus 0.25, with no negative in GK.
Decision Making is XAT's signature section with 21 questions that no other MBA exam has. It uses short business and ethical caselets and asks you to choose the best course of action, testing judgement rather than calculation, and focused practice gives a clear scoring edge.
No. XAT General Knowledge gives 1 mark for a correct answer with no negative marking, so you should attempt all 20 GK questions. However, GK does not count toward your overall percentile and is used only as a qualifier for shortlisting.
Yes. XAT deducts 0.25 for a wrong answer in Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability and DI, against 1 mark for a correct one. There is also a penalty of 0.10 for each question left blank beyond 8 in Part 1.
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XAT has 95 questions in 180 minutes: 75 in Part 1 and 20 GK in Part 2. The Analytical Essay Writing was scrapped from 2025, so the current paper is entirely multiple choice.
