Students preparing for the exam must have a detailed understanding of the XAT Exam Pattern 2026. There are 4 sections in the paper where Part 1 will have 75 questions and Part 2 will have 20 questions in total.
New modifications have been made to the XAT paper pattern 2026. There will now be two sections to the exam. The first part will be divided into three sections: data interpretation, verbal and logical ability, numeric ability, and decision-making. GK will make up part two. The candidate has 180 minutes to complete the 95 multiple-choice questions. The exam pattern has been modified by the XLRI and is now available on the official website.
The XAT exam pattern for 2026 includes total marks, marking scheme, mode, question type, and number of sections. The 180-minute computer-based XAT exam will be administered online.
XAT 2026 Exam Pattern Overview
The details of the XAT 2026 exam pattern are as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Total Questions | 95 |
| Maximum Marks | 95 |
| Medium of Question Paper | English |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Duration of the Test | 180 minutes |
XAT 2026 Section-wise Exam Pattern
The XAT exam pattern comprises 4 sections. Students must cover each of them with equal preparation as the difficulty level is moderate for all of them.
| Sections | XAT Question Pattern | Overall Time Duration |
| Part-1 | 75 (MCQ) | 170 Minutes |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Decision Making | 21 | |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | |
| Part-2 | 20 (Multiple-choice Questions) | 10 Minutes |
| General Knowledge | 20 | |
| Total Questions (Part 1 + Part 2) | 95 | 180 Minutes |
XAT VARC and Logical Reasoning Pattern
The details of the XAT VARC and Logical Reasoning section are as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Total questions | 26 |
| Type of questions | MCQ |
| RC passages | 4 |
| RC Based on questions | 14-16 |
| VA questions | 8-10 |
| VA topics | Vocabulary; Analogy; Para Jumbles, Para completion; Critical Reasoning; Statements-assumptions |
| Level of difficulty | Moderate to Very Difficult |
XAT Decision Making Pattern
The details of the XAT Decision Making section are as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Total questions | 21 |
| Type of questions | MCQ |
| Question groups | 7 to 8 sets of decision-making problems, followed by 2 and 3 questions each |
| Level of difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
XAT Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation Exam Pattern
The details of the XAT QADI section are as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Total questions | 28 |
| Type of questions | MCQ |
| Level of difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
XAT General Knowledge Exam Pattern
The details of the XAT General Knowledge section are as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Total questions | 20 |
| Type of questions | MCQ |
| Time Limit to Attempt | 10 Minutes |
| Question topics | GK questions could be based on any topic, including Current domestic and international affairs, Business, Economics, social issues, appointments, conventional GK; sports; the Constitution of India, among others. |
| Level of difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
What are the Changes Made in the XAT Exam Pattern 2026?
There have been a few changes made to the XAT 2026 Exam Pattern. They are:
- NAT Questions Introduced: XLRI has included a brand-new Numerical Answer Type (NAT) question category in the XAT pattern 2026. Candidates must input their numerical responses to the NAT questions using the virtual keypad on the computer screen.
- Penalty for Un-attempted Questions: According to the updated XAT question paper pattern, there will be a 0.10 mark negative marking penalty for each question not attempted after 8 questions.
- Essay Writing Test Removed: In the updated XAT exam pattern 2026, the descriptive question from the Essay Writing test has been removed.
- XAT Time Duration: The XAT 2026 exam has been reduced to three hours.
- 25 Minutes Extra for Visually Impaired Candidates: For the initial part of the XAT exam (the first three sections), the scribe will get an additional 25 minutes in 2026. For the GK section, there is no time allowance.
XAT Overall and Sectional Time Limit
The details on the XAT overall and sectional division of time has been shared below.
| Part 1 | ||
| Section | Overall & Sectional Exam Duration | Overall & Sectional Exam Duration for PwD Candidates |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | No Sectional Time Limit | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation | No Sectional Time Limit | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Decision Making | No Sectional Time Limit | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Overall Part 1 | 210 minutes | 210 minutes |
| Part 2 | ||
| General Knowledge | No Sectional Time Limit | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Essay Writing | No Sectional Time Limit | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Overall Part 2 | 35 minutes | 35 minutes |
Conclusion
Students planning to take the XAT Exam are advised to have a detailed understanding of the XAT exam pattern 2026. It is a gateway to what and how to prepare for the exam. It gives a clear understanding of the marking scheme and weightage of each section in the exam pattern.
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95 Multiple Choice Questions. -
180 minutes exam duration. -
Online Computer-Based Test. -
0.10 negative mark for >8 unattempted.
