XAT is the second most popular exam after CAT in India purely because it has the highest number of top B-School Seats. Here’s a concise, easy‑to‑grasp rundown of everything from the exam structure to top PGDM/HRM colleges, their seat intakes, fees, and placement highlights to let an aspirant understand why XAT is so big and how to get started.
XAT 2026: The Basics
- When & Who
- Typically scheduled first Sunday of January each year (so expect early January 2026).
- Conducted by XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur.
- Registration Window & Fee
- Opens mid‑July through early December of the preceding year.
- Exam fee around ₹ 2,200, with an extra ₹ 200 for each XLRI programme you apply to.
- Eligibility
- Any graduate (or final‑year student) from a recognised university (minimum 3‑year degree).
- No minimum percentage or age limit.
- Exam Pattern
- Duration: 180 minutes total
- Part 1 (170 min): Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making (approx. 75 questions)
- Part 2 (10 min): General Knowledge (20 questions; for profile but not counted in percentile)
- Marking Scheme: +1 for correct, –0.25 for wrong; penalty for excessive unattempted questions.
- Duration: 180 minutes total
Top PGDM/HRM Colleges Accepting XAT
Below is a snapshot of leading institutes that use XAT scores for admissions. For XLRI Jamshedpur, only the two‑year PGDM programmes are listed (Business Management and Human Resource Management).
|
Institute (Campus) |
Seats |
Total Fees (₹) |
Avg. CTC (LPA) |
Highest CTC (LPA) |
|
XLRI Jamshedpur |
420 |
25.8 L |
27.07 |
75 |
|
• PGDM – Business Management (BM) |
240 |
(included above) |
||
|
• PGDM – Human Resource Management (HRM) |
180 |
|||
|
SPJIMR Mumbai (PGDM) |
480 |
23.4 L (est.) |
~ 26 |
~ 31 |
|
XIM Bhubaneswar (MBA‑BM) |
~ 350 |
19.95 L |
19.53 |
30 |
|
MICA Ahmedabad (PGDM‑C) |
240 |
21 L |
19.21 |
35.5 |
|
TAPMI Manipal (PGDM) |
630 |
17.10 L |
13.84 |
32.02 |
|
IBS Hyderabad (PGDM) |
1,320 |
16.02 L |
9.71 |
36.76 |
|
LIBA Chennai (PGDM) |
240 |
19.10 L |
11.20 |
21 |
|
IMT Ghaziabad (PGDM) |
960 |
21.53 L |
17.20 |
62.86 |
|
FORE School of Mgmt, Delhi (PGDM) |
480 |
20.77 L |
~ 12.5 |
~ 20 |
|
GIM Goa (PGDM) |
240 |
18 L (est.) |
~ 14 |
~ 25 |
|
IRMA Anand (PGDM‑RM) |
240 |
17.5 L (est.) |
~ 12 |
~ 27 |
|
Great Lakes Chennai (PGPM) |
300 |
20 L (est.) |
~ 15 |
~ 30 |
|
KJ Somaiya, Mumbai (PGDM) |
240 |
19 L (est.) |
~ 12 |
20 |
XLRI Delhi is the latest entrant with over 180 seats
XAT 2025 Cut-Offs: What You Need to Score for Top B-Schools
Here’s a simplified breakdown of the overall XAT 2025 cut-offs for leading management institutes. While XLRI uses detailed criteria including gender and academic background, most other colleges work with general overall percentiles. Use this as a guide to set your target score.
XLRI Jamshedpur
One of the most prestigious B-schools in India, XLRI offers two flagship programs – PGDM in Business Management (BM) and PGDM in Human Resource Management (HRM). Here’s how the cut-offs looked in 2025:
- PGDM – BM (Male Candidates): 96 percentile and above
- PGDM – BM (Female Candidates): 91 percentile and above
- PGDM – HRM (Male Candidates): 95 percentile and above
- PGDM – HRM (Female Candidates): 90 percentile and above
XLRI sets different cut-offs for male and female candidates to promote gender diversity. Additionally, academic discipline may also impact shortlisting in HRM (with engineers facing higher cut-offs).
Other Top B-Schools and XAT Cut-Offs (2025)
Here’s how some of the other top B-schools fared in terms of XAT cut-off percentiles:
|
Institute |
Programme |
Expected Cut-Off (Overall Percentile) |
|
SPJIMR, Mumbai |
PGDM |
93 – 95 percentile |
|
XIM Bhubaneswar |
MBA – BM |
88 – 91 percentile |
|
IMT Ghaziabad |
PGDM |
90 – 92 percentile |
|
GIM, Goa |
PGDM |
85 – 90 percentile |
|
TAPMI, Manipal |
PGDM |
80 – 85 percentile |
|
IRMA, Anand |
PGDM – Rural Mgmt |
80 – 85 percentile |
|
MICA, Ahmedabad |
PGDM – Communications |
80 – 85 percentile |
|
Great Lakes, Chennai |
PGPM |
80 – 85 percentile |
|
LIBA, Chennai |
PGDM |
80 – 85 percentile |
|
KJ Somaiya, Mumbai |
PGDM |
80 – 85 percentile |
✅ Key Takeaways
- XLRI remains the toughest nut to crack, with cut-offs well above 90 percentile for all programs.
- SPJIMR, IMT, and XIMB are next in line, requiring strong overall performance across sections.
- MICA, IRMA, GIM, and TAPMI offer great opportunities for aspirants in the 80–85 percentile range.
- KJ Somaiya, LIBA, and Great Lakes are solid bets for well-rounded profiles just below the top cut-off range.
How to Plan Your XAT 2026 Journey
- Understand Your Fit
- General Management: IMT, FORE, TAPMI, XIMB, IBS
- HR & OD: XLRI HRM, LIBA, SPJIMR
- Marketing & Communications: MICA, Great Lakes
- Rural & Dev. Mgmt: IRMA, XIMB (RD)
- Set Your Target Percentile
- Aim for 95+ to access top‑tier programmes (XLRI BM/HRM, SPJIMR).
- 85–90 for premier institutes like XIMB, MICA, IMT.
- 80+ to unlock strong niche schools (IRMA, Great Lakes).
- Build a Balanced Application List
- Shortlist 6–8 programmes across “super‑elite,” “premier,” and “niche‑specialist” tiers.
- Consider fees vs. average CTC to estimate ROI and payback period.
- Master the Exam Pattern
- Allocate practice time to Decision Making and VA‑LR—they’re unique to XAT.
- Regularly solve past papers under timed conditions.
- Keep abreast of current affairs for the GK section.
- Polish Your Profile
- GMAT/XAT is just one filter—focus on academics, work experience, and extracurriculars for GD‑PI shortlists.
- Stay Consistent
- Draft a study plan covering all sections with weekly milestones.
- Join peer‑study groups or coaching if you need structured guidance.