The XAT 2026 cutoff for PGDM (BM and HRM) programs has been released by XLRI Jamshedpur on 30 January 2026 on its official website, this year the cutoff for PGDM BM male has been reduced to 94 percentile.

The shortlist and PI call letters were released on January 28, 2026, and the shortlisted candidates are required to complete the interview slot booking process by January 30, 2026.

The participating colleges have scheduled the GD-PI rounds for mid-February and March 2026, and the final merit list for XAT 2026 admissions will be prepared after the conclusion of the interview rounds.

The final selection will be based on a holistic evaluation, including XAT 2026 scores (60%), Analytical Essay Writing (AEW), and GD/PI, with the interview stage carrying a 25% weightage.

The XLRI expects to interview approximately 4,000–4,500candidates during the 2026–2027 admissions cycle - XLRI Jamshedpur

Related Links:

XAT College Predictor

Key Summary

  • The XAT 2026 response sheet was released on January 6, 2026 to help candidates check their responses and calculate raw scores.
  • The provisional answer key is expected around January 7–8, 2026, followed by a 2-3 day objection window.
  • Scores should be calculated out of 75 marks, as GK is excluded from percentile calculation.
  • Score vs percentile trends show that 40+ marks can place you in 99+ percentile, 36–39 to 97–98, 32–35 to 95–96, and 28–31 marks to 92–94 percentile.
  • XAT 2026 results are expected around 12th January 2026, followed by the next selection steps (GD/PI rounds) to admission into B-Schools.
  • The XAT 2026 Cutoffs are expected to drop slightly in 2026 due to the moderately difficult paper, especially in DM and QA.

What is the XAT Exam?

The XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national-level management exam, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur for admission to MBA, PGDM, and other Management programs in over 150+ top business schools across India.

What After the XAT Exam?

  • As the XAT exam is done, the XAT score will now become a primary criterion for shortlisting to the next process.
  • Your overall percentile, sectional cutoff, academic background, and work experience determine your shortlisting chances, especially for XLRI Jamshedpur and XLRI Delhi.

What it’s used for:

  • Admission to MBA/PGDM programs in XLRI and other top B-schools
  • Shortlisting candidates for group discussions, personal interviews, and final selection
  • Eligibility for scholarships in participating institutes.

Check: Is XAT tougher than CAT?

XAT 2026 Exam Important Dates

Date / Timeframe Event
30 January 2026 (Released) Cutoff
Feb – Apr 2026 (varies by institute) GD/PI & Admissions Rounds
Sunday, 4 January 2026 (Over) XAT 2026 Exam Day
2nd week of January 2026 (Released) Response Sheet & Answer Key
16th January 2026  Result (Released)

XAT Results 2026

The XAT 2026 results are expected to be announced on 12th January 2026 on its official website. As per the previous years' trends, XLRI releases the results around 18-20 days after the exam, along with individual scorecards on the official XAT website.

  • The candidates will be able to download their scorecards using their XAT ID and DOB.
  • The scorecard will display section-wise scores and percentiles, along with the overall percentile of Part 1.
  • The score of GK will also be mentioned, but separately, as it does not contribute to the overall percentile and is used only at later stages of selection by some institutes.

XAT Score vs Percentile 2026 (Expected)

The XAT score vs percentile data shows that even a small increase in marks can greatly improve your chances of getting into a top college.

  • A 40+ score in XAT usually means 99th percentile, placing candidates in the top 1% with a strong chance of XLRI selection.
  • Scores of 36–39 fall in the 97–98 percentile range, a key zone where crossing 36 significantly improves chances of XLRI and top private B-school calls.
  • A score of 32–35 places candidates in the 95–96 percentile range, considered safe for an XLRI interview call.
  • Those scoring 28–31 (92–94 percentile) often receive calls from XIMB, IMT, GIM, and TAPMI.
  • While 25–27 marks (90–91 percentile) can limit options to Tier-2 B-schools.
Total Score (VALR + QA&DI + DM) Expected Percentile Outcome / College Opportunities
40+ 99% High chance of XLRI selection; top-tier B-schools
36–39 97–98% XLRI interview highly likely; strong shot at IIM affiliates & XIMB
32–35 95–96% Safe XLRI interview call; strong chance with a good interview
28–31 92–94% XIMB, GIM, IMT, TAPMI type B-schools; interview call likely
25–27 90–91% Good B-schools; Tier-2 MBA options
<25 <90% Limited Tier-1 options; focus on alternative colleges & interviews

Ques. Is 24 marks in XAT vs percentile?

Ans. Yes, a 24 mark in XAT will place you in the 90–93 percentile range, depending on the exam difficulty level. This percentile is considered competitive for several Tier-1 and Tier-2 B-schools, though it may be borderline for XLRI programs.

Ques. Was XAT 2026 harder than 2025?

Ans. XAT 2026 is expected to be slightly difficult than XAT 2025, especially in the Decision Making and Quantitative Ability sections. As per the previous year's analysis, the XAT exam is considered moderate to difficult.

Ques. Is 27 a good score in XAT?

Ans. Yes, 27 marks is considered a good score in XAT and typically falls in the 95–97 percentile range. This will place you in the XLRI Jamshedpur and other top XAT-accepting institutes.

Check:

XAT 2026 Cutoff Analysis

Category Expected Overall Percentile Cut-Off Notes / Context
General 95-96 %ile Highest competition, lowest relaxation margin.
OBC / EWS 90-94 %ile Slightly lower threshold reflecting reserved category benefit.
SC 85-90 %ile Not officially published in all cases — estimated trend.
ST 80-85 %ile Typically toughest competition is even within the reserved slot.

XAT Cutoffs for XLRI BM and HRM in XAT 2026

XAT Cutoff 2026 for PGDM BM

XAT Cutoff 2026 for PGDM HRM

Source: Official XAT Cutoffs

Ques. Should I wait for the official results or start GD-PI preparation based on expected cutoffs?

Ans. You should start preparing for GD-PI immediately rather than waiting for the official XA 2026 results.

Based on past trends, the XAT percentile calculated using the response sheet is usually very close to the final results, with only minor variations.

  • In XAT 2024 and 2025, over 80% of candidates who received XLRI calls had already begun PI prep before results.
  • Even a 0.5–1 percentile drop rarely affects strong profiles with good academics or work experience.

Ques. What is a safe score for XLRI BM and HRM programs in XAT 2026?

Ans. A safe score for XLRI depends on the overall percentile, sectional percentile cutoffs (especially Decision Making), and profile strength. Based on previous years’ data:

  • BM: 38-42 marks
  • HRM: 32-35 marks
Program Safe Overall Percentile
XLRI BM (Business Management) 99–99.5+ percentile
XLRI HRM (Human Resource Management) 95–96+ percentile

Ques. Can XAT cutoffs be predicted from the response sheet?

Ans. Yes, XAT cutoffs can be predicted using the response sheet, but they are not exact.

With the help of the response sheet and provisional answer key, candidates can:

  • Calculate their raw score
  • Compare it with the previous years’ score vs percentile data
  • Estimate overall and sectional percentiles

Check:

XAT Admission Process 2026-2028

Once results are announced, the XLRI and B-schools will start releasing their cutoffs. Meanwhile, candidates should compare their percentiles with expected and previous-year cutoffs of top B-schools.

  • Top institutes, like XLRI Jamshedpur, usually shortlist candidates with scores above the 92–95 percentile range.
  • Mid-tier colleges often accept candidates in the 80–90 percentile band, while some institutes shortlist from the 70–75 percentile onwards.

Shortlisting for GD-PI / WAT

The Shortlisting round for GD-PI/WAT will start in February 2026. Only 10-15% of the XAT candidates are shortlisted for this round at the top B-Schools, making it a competitive process.

  • XAT score matters the most (60–70%), but candidates must clear all sectional cut-offs, as failing even one section leads to rejection.
  • Good academics and 1–2 years of work experience can improve chances, while gender and category diversity also provide some advantage.
  • Overall, colleges look at the complete profile, not just a high XAT percentile.
Shortlisting Parameter Expected Weightage Range
XAT Percentile (Overall + Sectional) 60–70%
Academic Performance (10th, 12th, Graduation) 10–15%
Work Experience 10–15%
Category & Gender Diversity 5–10%

GD / WAT / PI Rounds

The WAT/GD-PI round is the next stage after getting shortlisted on the basis of the academics and XAT scores. This round plays a crucial role in the final selection into the top schools

  • In this stage, shortlisted candidates attend Group Discussion, Writing Ability Test, and Personal Interview (PI), which will be held between February and March.
  • The Personal Interview carries the highest weightage (40–60%), making it the most crucial round as it evaluates the personality and suitability for the program.
  • GD (10–20%) tests communication, teamwork, and leadership skills, while WAT (10–15%) checks clarity of thought and writing ability.
Selection Round Weightage (%) Remarks
Group Discussion (GD) 10–20 Assesses communication, teamwork, leadership
Writing Ability Test (WAT) 10–15 Evaluates clarity of thought and writing skills
Personal Interview (PI) 40–60 Focuses on overall personality, academics, and fit for the program

XAT Selection Final Score

The final XAT selection stage is based on a combined score that includes the XAT percentile (50–60%), academic profile (10–15%), work experience (5–10%), and GD/WAT/PI performance (25–35%), with the personal interview playing a major role.

Component Weightage (%) Remarks
XAT / Entrance Exam Score 50–60 Normalized score / percentile from XAT / GMAT
Academic Profile 10–15 10th, 12th, Graduation performance
Work Experience 5–10 Relevant experience (if any)
GD / WAT / PI 25–35 GD: 10–20%, WAT: 10–15%, PI: 40–60% of this portion

Final Merit List & Admission Offers

Based on this overall score, institutes release the final merit list and admission offers. As per the previous year's analysis, only 2-5% XAT candidates were able to secure admission into top B-schools.

XAT Exam Accepted By Top MBA Colleges
XAT colleges XAT cut-off score XAT cut-off percentile
XLRI-Jamshedpur 35.5-38.5 94-92
XIMB-Bhubaneswar 30.5-32.5 90-93
SPJIMR-Mumbai 32.5-34.5 93.50-95
IMT-Ghaziabad 30.5-32 90-92
GIM-Goa 27.5-30.5 85-90
TAPMI-Manipal 26-27.5 80-85
IRMA-Anand 26-27.5 80-85
MICA-Ahmedabad 26-27.5 80-85
Great Lakes Institute of Management 26-27.5 80-85
LIBA-Chennai 26-27.5 80-85
KJ Somaiya-Mumbai 27.5-30.5 85-90

Ques. Do I need to apply to XAT-accepting colleges before or after the exam?

Ans. Most colleges require applications before or during the XAT registration window (July-December 2025 for 2026), whereas XLRIs require post exam updates.

  • It is advised to apply early to avoid missing deadlines, e.g., XLRI/XIMB forms close by mid-December.
  • Post-exam (January 2026), you can shortlist based on scores, but top colleges may have already processed initial applications.

Ques. What are good colleges for low XAT scores (e.g., 70-80 percentile)?

Ans. As per the experts and previous years' applicants, candidates who have low XAT scores around the 70-80th percentile can take admission in the following colleges:

  • BIMTECH Greater Noida (75-80).
  • LIBA Chennai (80+).
  • IFMR Chennai (80-85).
  • Lower options: Shiv Nadar, IILM, BML Munjal, or regional colleges like those in Greater Noida/Kanpur accepting low ranks.

Quora and X posts mention affordable alternatives with good placements (10-12 LPA), especially for those missing CAT cutoffs.

XAT 2026 FAQs

Ques. What are realistic good attempts and scores for calls (e.g., XLRI)?

Ans. For XLRI calls, a realistic target is 60–65 attempts in Part 1 with high accuracy, leading to a score of 30+ marks. This usually places you in a 97+ percentile, which is competitive for XLRI Jamshedpur, subject to sectional cut-offs.

Ques. Is 30 marks good in XAT?

Ans. Yes, 30 marks is an excellent score in XAT and typically falls in the 97–99 percentile range. You have a strong chance of getting an XLRI and other top B-school interview calls.

Ques. Does XLRI give 100% placement?

Ans. Yes, XLRI does give 100% placement for its flagship programs: BM & HRM, including both the Jamshedpur and Delhi NCR campuses, for the 2023–25 batch.

The XLRI final placements 2024 data show an exceptional placement across both Jamshedpur and Delhi NCR campuses.

  • A total of 591 students from XLRI Jamshedpur and Delhi NCR secured placements across both PGDM (BM) and PGDM (HRM) programs.
  • 172 recruiters participated, including 41 new companies, providing 600+ domestic and 2 international offers.
  • With an average salary of ₹31.08 LPA and a Median salary: ₹29 LPA. Highest offers of ₹1.10 crore (international) and ₹75 LPA (domestic).
  • Around 34.17% students have received Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) while doing internships.
  • The data reflects 100% placement achievements along with the balanced salary distribution and increasing recruiter diversity.

Ques. Is GK Score Counted in XAT?

Ans. No, the General Knowledge (GK) score is not counted in the XAT percentile calculation. However, XLRI and some institutes consider GK performance during the final selection and interview stage.

Ques. Is the XAT response sheet 2026 out?

Ans. Yes, XLRI Jamshedpur has released the XAT Response Sheet 2026. You can download your response sheet by logging in to the official website xatonline.in using your XAT ID and password.

Ques. How was the XAT paper 2026?

Ans. The XAT 2026 paper was rated moderate to difficult overall.

  • Decision-making was lengthy and logic-intensive
  • Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning was moderate with tricky RCs
  • Quantitative Ability & DI was time-consuming, especially the arithmetic and DI sets
  • General Knowledge was moderate and slightly current-affairs oriented

Ques. Was XAT 2025 harder than 2024?

Ans. XAT 2025 was slightly difficult than XAT 2024.

  • Decision-making questions in 2025 were more analytical
  • The quantitative section had increased calculation intensity
  • Cutoff is expected to drop marginally in 2025 compared to 2024