XAT 2026 Exam Date Declared: Check Schedule, Registration & Key Details

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur on behalf of XAMI, is scheduled for 4 January 2026 (Sunday). It will be held online (CBT mode) across multiple test centres in India.

XAT 2026 Exam Date Declared: Check Schedule, Registration & Key Details

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026 is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur for admission to its PGDM programs and over 1,200+ B-schools across India, including XIMB, IMT, TAPMI, MICA and more.

XAT 2026 Exam Date Declared

The conducting body XLRI Jamshedpur has officially announced that the XAT 2026 will be held on Sunday, 4 January 2026, in a single session from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. 
Registrations opened on 10 July 2025 and the deadline to apply is 5 December 2025. xatonline.in
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026 is one of India’s most prestigious MBA entrance exams, conducted by XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, on behalf of XAMI (Xavier Association of Management Institutes). The exam serves as a gateway to admission into XLRI and over 150 top B-schools across the country for MBA and PGDM programs.

The XAT 2026 exam date has officially been announced for January 4, 2026 (Sunday). Registration opens on July 10, 2025, and candidates can apply online through the official website — xatonline.in. The last date to submit the application is December 5, 2025, while the admit cards will be available for download starting December 20, 2025.

The test will be conducted in computer-based mode (CBT) from 2 PM to 5 PM at designated centres across India. The XAT exam pattern includes four key sections — Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge. The exam duration is three hours, and there is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer, making accuracy and time management crucial for success.

Candidates possessing a bachelor’s degree (minimum 3 years) or those in their final year of graduation are eligible to apply. The application fee for XAT 2026 is ₹ 2,200, with an additional charge for candidates applying to XLRI programs.

The XAT score is widely accepted by reputed institutions such as SPJIMR Mumbai, XIM Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI Manipal, and others. Aspirants should start their preparation early, focusing on analytical reasoning, decision-making, and verbal skills to maximize performance.

The XAT score is accepted by XLRI and 150+ top B-schools across India for MBA/PGDM admissions in 2026–28 batches. Candidates are advised to register early through the official portal.

Official site:  https://xatonline.in/