The 2026 XAT exam is a month away so having a clear study plan can help improve accuracy, gain confidence and manage time. A good score in XAT means top business schools like XLRI, IMT Ghaziabad, XIMB and TAPMI are within reach. Long RCs, tricky decision making sets and quant questions are the characteristics of the exam but with a focused plan it may make a big difference.

XAT 2026 Exam Important Dates 

The 2026 XAT exam registration is about to close on 5 Dec. Here are all the key dates for candidate’s reference-

XAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The ninety five questions on the 2026 XAT exam must be finished in 180 minutes. The XAT exam will consist of four key components. The complete XAT exam pattern is provided below -

Study Plan for 2026 XAT Exam

Use a simple study plan to get ready for the 2026 XAT exam. Strive to master all important concepts before going into the exam. This four step plan will keep you organised and increase your score.

Section-wise Strategy to Crack XAT 2026 Exam 

Decision Making

• This section tests logical and ethical thinking.

• Revise past five years’ DM sets

• Avoid emotional reactions instead use fair and balanced solutions.

• Practice sets on business, HR and situational problems.

Verbal and Reading Comprehension 

• XAT verbal is tough with dense passages and critical reasoning.

• Read philosophy, psychology and abstract articles.

• Improve grammar basics

• Practice CR questions on assumption and inference.

• Build vocabulary through daily reading

Quant & DI

• This part focuses more on concepts than on speed.

• In arithmetic start with percentages, ratios, TSD, time and work.

• Regularly practise mensuration, mathematics and geometry.

• Resolve DI setups that call for reasoning.

• Keep a formula list for quick revision

Steps to Prepare Effectively for XAT 2026 Exam 

• Build strong foundations of quant, verbal and decision making

• Solve previous years papers to understand the pattern.

• Take weekly mock tests and review your performance.

• Instead focus on being as accurate as possible rather than fast. Practice essay writing for the interview stage

Expected XAT 2026 Cutoff for XLRI and Other Top B-schools

XAT 2026 Expected Cutoff For XLRI

• Cutoffs for the MBA-BM program range from 96 percentiles for male engineers to 90 percentiles for female non-engineers based on the trends of last year.

• Overall cutoffs for MBA-HRM program may be in the range of 95 percentile for male engineers to 88 percentile for female non-engineers.

Leading Colleges Accepting 90+ XAT Percentile

Top Colleges Accepting 80+ XAT Percentile

Colleges Accepting Below 80 XAT Percentile