The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) authorities have introduced a few changes in the examination for the 2026 academic year. Students can find all the changes made in XAT exam made by authorities in this article with a comprehensive detail on the same. Earlier, there were 101 MCQs in the XAT examination and now students will have only 95 MCQs to attempt. Students will now be able to toggle between sections and prioritize the familiar questions to obtain good marks. Many such changes are introduced by the XLRI (Xavier School of Management) Jamshedpur.
XAT 2026 is considered to be one of the most competitive and crucial exams for MBA aspirants and they must be familiar with the new exam pattern and related updates to modify their preparation strategy and secure a good score. Candidates can refer to the following to learn about all the new changes that have been made to the XAT exam 2026 and also find out if these changes are beneficial or not for them.
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What's New in XAT Exam?
Students can check out all the new changes made in XAT exam below.
Change | XAT 2026 Update |
Total Questions | Reduced from 101 to 95 MCQs |
Exam Duration | Shortened from 210 minutes to 180 minutes |
Sectional Time Limits | Removed; candidates can freely navigate across sections |
Exam Structure | Part I: VA, DM, QA/DI (170 mins); Part II: GK (10 mins) |
GK Section | Reduced to 20 questions (12 current, 8 static); not counted in percentile |
Essay Writing | Removed from main exam; now part of GD/PI round |
Numerical Answer Type (NAT) | Introduced to test conceptual accuracy |
Negative Marking | –0.25 for wrong answers; –0.10 for >8 skipped questions in a row |
PwD Time Allowance | Extra time: 25–55 minutes depending on section |
Test City Selection | Applicants can now choose only 2 preferred test cities |
Also Read: Top Private Colleges Accepting XAT 2026 Score (Non-XLRI)
New Changes in XAT 2026 | Detailed Analysis
Candidates are provided with XAT new changes in a detailed description below.
1. Decrease in Overall Questions
The number of MCQs in the exam have been reduced and now students will get on 95 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), whereas earlier there were 101. Students will now have sufficient time to plan their exam flow accordingly and this will also promote the ease of the overall exam difficulty.
2. Reduced Exam Duration
The total test duration for XAT 2026 has been reduced from 210 minutes to 180 minutes. This will allow students to prioritise necessary questions which will increase their chances of scoring higher. The candidates have to appear for the test with greater emphasis on speed and efficiency now.
3. Closing Sectional Time Limits
One of the most important and beneficial changes in the exam is now students will be able to switch between sections and choose the questions to answer primarily. This will assist them into tracking the exam duration wisely.
4. Modified Exam Pattern
XAT 2026 is less complicated in structure, dividing the test into two halves which are different:
- Part I: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (170 minutes).
- Section Two: General Knowledge (10 minutes).
This easy separation allows candidates to manage the paper more effectively and balance their studying time with the length of each section.
5. Shortened General Knowledge Section
The General Knowledge (GK) section has 20 questions, down from 25. It contains 12 current affairs questions and 8 basic knowledge questions. While GK scores are not used in the percentile calculation process, they do play a crucial role in the final selection process in XLRI and other schools that are a part of XAT.
6. Essay Writing Section Replaced with GD/PI
The AEW section is no longer there in the online XAT 2026 test. Essays will now be tested in the GD/PI rounds. This alignment is a better fit for the style of thinking and speaking that candidates exhibit during an interview.
7. Introduction of Questions with Numerical Answers (NAT)
XAT 2026 has new questions called Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. In these questions, candidates must write numeric answers instead of picking from different options. This change is meant to check understanding of concepts better, especially in the Quantitative and Data Interpretation sections.
8. New Marking Scheme and Penalty for Skipping
The marking system remains +1 for a correct answer and -0.25 for a wrong answer. The test will continue to penalize -0.10 for each question left blank after eight consecutive questions are left blank. Candidates should not leave many questions one after the other.
9. Additional Time for Candidates with Disabilities
People with disabilities (PwD) will be provided with some extra time between 25 and 55 minutes. This change will guarantee that all the applicants have a fair chance to attempt the examination under the same circumstances.
10. Less Choice of Test Cities
In XAT 2026, one can choose only two test cities instead of six as before. What this means is that candidates need to be extremely cautious during registration while choosing their exam centers.
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