XLRI Jamshedpur has officially released the XAT 2026 results and final answer key on January 16, 2026. Aspirants who appeared for the Xavier Aptitude Test on January 4 can now access their scorecards at xatonline.in. The results were finalized after reviewing objections against the provisional key, providing candidates with their sectional percentiles and overall scores. Qualified candidates should prepare for the subsequent Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds as top B-schools begin their shortlisting process.

Following the successful conduct of the Xavier Aptitude Test on January 4, the wait for thousands of management aspirants has come to an end as the XLRI result was officially declared on January 16, 2026. While the headline suggests anticipation, as of today, January 22, the official portal at xatonline.in has already been updated with the scorecards. Candidates are currently in the process of downloading their marks, which reflect their performance across the three core sections: Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation.

Understanding the Result Compilation and Final Key

The declaration of the XLRI result follows a rigorous review of the provisional answers. After the objection window closed in the second week of January, the exam authorities released the final answer key to ensure total transparency in the scoring process. This year, the conversion of raw scores into percentiles has taken into account the moderate difficulty level of the 2026 paper, with the final answer key serving as the definitive basis for the calculation of the 1.2 lakh participants' scores.

• Final Score Calculation: Each correct answer awarded +1 mark, while a penalty of -0.25 was applied for incorrect responses.
• Unattempted Question Penalty: A unique XAT feature where -0.10 marks were deducted for more than eight consecutive unattempted questions.
• General Knowledge Section: While the GK score is present on the XLRI result, it is not included in the calculation of the overall percentile.
• Scorecard Validity: The downloaded results will remain valid for one academic year for admission into the 2026-27 batch.

Selection Process and Cut-off Trends

With the XLRI result now available, the focus has shifted toward the institutional cut-offs and the selection rounds. Historically, XLRI Jamshedpur releases its specific branch-wise cut-offs within a week of the result declaration, which is expected by January 24. Candidates who meet these benchmarks will be invited for the Group Discussion (GD), Personal Interview (PI), and the evaluation of the Essay Writing section which was conducted during the scheduled exam.

• Sectional Cut-offs: Most top-tier B-schools require a balanced performance across all three core sections.
• Selection Rounds: Shortlisted candidates will be notified via email to book their interview slots for February and March.
• Weightage: The final merit list will consider the XAT score, academic profile, work experience, and performance in the selection rounds.
• Portal Alerts: Aspirants should regularly check the official portal for the direct link to the XLRI shortlisting status.

Conclusion

The release of the XLRI result on the official portal marks the transition from the testing phase to the competitive admission stage. As candidates verify their scores against the final answer key, the emphasis now lies on preparing for the rigorous selection rounds that define the entry into India's premier management institutes. With the results already active, students are advised to download their scorecards immediately and begin their preparations for the personal interviews scheduled for early spring.