• Updated on Aug 05, 2025 by Souvik
XAT Exam Analysis 2026: The XAT 2026 examination analysis will be released after the exam concludes on January 5, 2026. The exam will follow the same pattern and marking scheme as XAT 2025 and will be conducted in the online mode. Candidates will need to focus on improving their accuracy and speed in completing the XAT 2026 sections.
XAT 2025 had a moderate level of difficulty. The easiest section was the Verbal and Logical Ability, and the most challenging was the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section. Candidates struggled with the lengthy QA-DI questions and hard GK questions. The Decision-Making section had a moderately complex level.
XAT Exam Analysis 2026: Exam Pattern
XAT 2026 will follow the same examination pattern as XAT 2025. No major changes have been made to the sections and topics. Here is the current XAT Exam Pattern and marking scheme.
- XAT 2026 will have 95 multiple-choice questions across four sections: Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision-Making, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and General Knowledge.
- The examination is to be completed over 3 hours or 180 minutes.
- XAT is an online, computer-based test.
- The VA/LR, DM, and QA-DI sections make up Part 1 of the exam, while GK is Part 2 of the exam.
- There was a sectional time limit of 170 minutes for Part 1 and 10 minutes for Part 2 till 2025. There is no sectional time limit for 2026.
- Correct answers have one mark, and wrong answers fetch a 0.25 mark deduction.
- There is a negative marking of -0.10 for each unattempted question after eight unattempted questions.
XAT Exam Analysis 2025
XAT 2025 candidates reported that most of the exam sections were moderate to difficult. The paper consisted of 102 total questions, and it was estimated that 35 to 45 good attempts in all sections were sufficient to clear the cut-off. The table below breaks down the number of questions in each section, important topics in each, difficulty level, and number of good attempts in each section.
Check XAT Syllabus 2025
XAT Exam Analysis 2025: Section-Wise
The XAT 2025 paper had an even distribution of questions across its sections. While the VA and LA section had the most questions in critical reasoning, it was the easiest section. The quant section had the most questions from Arithmetic, and the questions were on the lengthy side. Due to increased difficulty from the previous year, the cut-off was expected to decrease by 2 to 3 marks.
Verbal & Logical Ability
The verbal and logical ability section of XAT 2025 had 26 questions. There was one poem-based question and 12 RC questions. The rest of the questions were critical reasoning, grammar, paragraph completion and fill-in-the-blanks. Here is the breakdown of questions in the VALR section.
Decision-Making
The decision-making section of XAT had 21 questions. Sets with three questions made the bulk of the section, along with sets of two questions. The table below lists the number of questions in the DM section.
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
XAT 2025 candidates reported that the QA and DI section was the most difficult. It had 28 total questions, most of which were from Arithmetic. Algebra and Numbers had four questions each, followed by Geometry and DI with three questions each. Here is the number of questions in the QA and DI section:
General Knowledge
The GK section had three Science and Tech-based questions and two each of History, Geography, Sports, and Entertainment. Current Affairs had the most questions, four. The number of questions for the entire section is as follows.
XAT Exam Analysis 2025: Difficulty Level
The Verbal and Logical Ability section was the easiest for XAT 2025, while the Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section proved the most challenging. While some reviewers stated that the General Knowledge section was easy, others found it difficult. The decision-making section was also moderately difficult, with 28 questions. Here is the difficulty level of XAT 2025:
XAT Cut Off 2026 (Expected)
In XAT 2025, candidates needed to score 20 to 21 marks in the QA-DI section and 18 marks in the DM and VALR sections to achieve a percentile score of above 99.9. The same pattern is expected to follow in XAT 2026.
- To get a percentile score of 99.5 in XAT 2026, a score of 19.25 marks is essential in the QA-DI section and 16 marks in the VALR and DM sections.
- The cut-off percentile for XAT is generally around 90 to 95 percentile, which is equal to marks of 9 to 11.25 in the QA-DI section, and 9 to 11 marks in the VALR and DM sections.
- Scoring 7 to 8 marks in each section will get candidates a percentile score of 80 to 85.
Check XAT Cutoff 2026
XAT Exam Analysis 2026 FAQs
Which is the most difficult section of XAT 2026?
The difficulty of any examination depends on the abilities and skills of the individual candidates. XAT 2025 had a difficult GK and QA-DI section, which had lengthier questions.
What type of questions are asked in the Decision Making section of XAT 2026?
The decision-making section of XAT has questions of different business scenarios requiring candidates to make decisions. There is no calculation involved in this section.
What was the difficulty level of the QA-DI section of the XAT 2025?
The QA-DI section of XAT 2025 was considered difficult by candidates. Most of the questions were of Arithmetic and took time to solve.
Are the XAT cut-offs applicable to all institutes that accept XAT scores?
No. Each institute that accepts XAT score has its own cut-off scores. Cutoffs must be checked from the official website of the participating institute.
Which section has the most questions in XAT?
The Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section of XAT has the most questions. There are 28 questions, while the VALR, GK, and DM sections have 26, 25, and 22 questions.
What was the overall difficulty level of the XAT 2025?
XAT 2025 had a moderate to difficult level. The easiest section was the Verbal and Logical Ability, and the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section was the toughest.
What are the key topics in Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation for XAT 2026?
For XAT 2026, important topics for the QA-DI section are Arithmetic, Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration, Number Systems, Geometry, Trigonometry, Data Sufficiency, DI- Time Zone, and DI- Mixed Graphs.
Is there negative marking in XAT 2026?
XAT deducts 0.25 for each wrong answer. Moreover, it deducts 0.10 marks after eight unattempted questions.
Are there any changes made to the XAT 2026 exam pattern?
No. XLRI has made no new changes in the XAT 2026 exam pattern. It will follow the same exam pattern as the previous year.
What are the important topics for XAT 2026?
Based on XAT 2025, candidates should prioritise preparing for the Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. Arithmetic and Numbers questions for QA, and regular revision of the current affairs will help in this regard as well.