XAT 2026 Final Result and Official Answer Key: Scorecards Released
XLRI Jamshedpur has officially declared the XAT 2026 final results and released the scorecards on January 16, 2026.Aspirants can now access their sectional percentiles and raw scores by logging into the official portal with their XAT ID. Following the review of challenges against the provisional answer key, the final keys were used to process the digital records. Shortlisted candidates are now transitioning to the Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds for the 2026-28 academic session. Registered test-takers are advised to download and maintain their PDF results for upcoming B-school counseling sessions.

As of February 2, 2026, the Xavier School of Management (XLRI) has concluded the primary phases of the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026. While the provisional documents were released earlier in January, the final Results and the frozen version of the official Answer key have now been integrated into the candidate dashboards. Over 1 lakh management aspirants are currently accessing the Official XAT Online Portal to verify their performance metrics and secure their official scorecards.
Milestone Dates in the XAT 2026 Cycle
The 2026 examination followed a tight schedule to ensure that B-schools could begin their selection rounds by early February. The final Results are a culmination of a multi-step verification process handled by the XLRI examination cell.
- Exam Date: The computer-based test was conducted on January 4, 2026.
- Provisional Key: The initial Answer key was released on January 9, allowing students to raise objections.
- Objection Deadline: The window for challenging discrepancies closed in the third week of January.
- Scorecard Release: Official Results were made live on January 16, 2026, ahead of the original tentative schedule.
- Result Validity: The scorecards issued for the 2026 session will remain valid for one academic year.
Understanding the Scoring and Final Key Integration
The final Answer key is the definitive document used to calculate the raw scores that appear on the scorecard. XLRI's unique marking scheme, including penalties for unattempted questions, makes the final Results highly sensitive to the accuracy of this key.
| Section | Questions | Correct Answer | Incorrect Answer |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | 26 | +1.0 | -0.25 |
| Decision Making | 21 | +1.0 | -0.25 |
| Quant & Data Interpretation | 28 | +1.0 | -0.25 |
| General Knowledge (GK) | 20 | +1.0 | 0.00 |
- A penalty of -0.10 marks is applied after 8 consecutive unattempted questions in the first three sections.
- The GK section does not contribute to the overall percentile in the final Results.
- If any question was found to be erroneous in the provisional Answer key, it was either withdrawn or marks were awarded to all candidates in the final tally.
- The final Answer key is no longer open to challenges and represents the absolute authority for the 2026 evaluation.
Next Steps After Result Declaration
With the 2026 Results now available, the focus has shifted to the admission cut-offs for XLRI Jamshedpur, XLRI Delhi-NCR, and over 250 other participating institutes. Candidates can track their shortlist status on the XLRI Admission Page.
- Shortlist Release: Most top-tier B-schools are expected to release their interview shortlists by the first week of February.
- GD/PI Rounds: Personal Interviews and Group Discussions are slated to begin in mid-February 2026.
- Scorecard Printing: Aspirants must carry a printed copy of the XAT 2026 Results for all physical verification rounds.
- Waitlist Movement: Candidates not in the first list should monitor the portal for subsequent admission rounds throughout the spring.
Conclusion
The announcement of the XAT 2026 final results and the conclusion of the answer key verification mark the end of the testing phase and the beginning of the selection season. By providing a transparent window for challenges and delivering the results by mid-January, XLRI has maintained its reputation for administrative efficiency. Aspirants must now act quickly to finalize their applications for individual institutes based on their percentile standing. As the 2026-28 admission cycle moves into the interview stage, having a verified and downloaded scorecard is the most critical asset for every management candidate.
