As most students are disappointed with their CAT 2025 result, they are now aiming to secure a good percentile in XAT 2026. However, one common question on their minds remains: “Is XAT tougher than CAT?”
In an interaction with Rahul Shukla, XAT Convenor, he said that "XAT is not as hard as compared to CAT. Instead, it's built around clarity and predictability, so candidates who've prepared sincerely can secure a good percentile".
He added that XAT now follows a stable format year after year.
Key insights:
- CAT test-takers dropped from 2.93 lakh (2024) to 2.58 lakh (2025)
- XAT registrations have remained largely stable, unlike other exams
- The paper focuses on doable, application-based questions, not extreme difficulty
- GK does not affect percentile, but can help to improve the final XLRI merit lists
With many CAT aspirants looking for a second chance, XAT 2026 acts as a balanced exam that helps to fulfil your management dream.
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Key Summary
- XAT 2026 will not be tougher than CAT 2025, but different in approach
- The exam focuses on clarity, fairness, and application-based testing
- Section-wise preparation using previous years’ papers is very important, along with solving mock papers
- GK matters for final selection, not percentile
- XAT remains a strong second chance for CAT candidates aiming for top B-schools
Message for Demotivated CAT Takers
For students who didn't perform well in CAT 2024, Professor Shukla offered encouraging words and practical advice.
"If you have prepared very hard for the previous test which you took on 30th of November, don't let that effort get wasted. This preparation can easily feed into the coming test," he stated, emphasising that 70-80% of CAT preparation translates directly to XAT.
He reminded aspirants that these tests measure only one dimension of intelligence and don't define their complete potential. "You guys are more than what we test. Lots of people never take such tests or never go to B schools, also do well," he added, putting the examination in perspective.
Ques. Should I attempt XAT if I didn't perform well in CAT?
Ans. Yes, if financially feasible. Your CAT preparation (70-80%) directly applies to XAT. One test doesn't define your capabilities, and XAT offers access to 250+ business schools.
Check: XAT 2026 Score Vs Percentile (Expected)
Will XAT 2026 Be Harder Than CAT 2025?
Most of the candidates who are appearing for the XAT 2026 have one question in mind that "Is XAT tougher than CAT 2025?"
To answer this, Professor Shukla responds that "I will not defend whichever test students have taken that is difficult. But I would say that this is my personal belief that none of the conveners or none of the institutes who set papers they want to make paper difficult,". He further mentioned that XAT's philosophy differs fundamentally from creating unnecessarily difficult papers.
As per Convenor Rahul Shukla, "If there are 28 questions in XAT's quantitative and data interpretation paper and out of which I make 10 difficult, then students will end up attempting only 18 and score is coming out of 18. So you are not evaluating the candidates, what you should evaluate, because you made those 10 questions difficult."
Also Read:
- How to prepare for XAT 2026 to score 90 percentile?
- XAT 2022 Question Paper with Solutions PDF Free Download
Ques. Will XAT 2026 be more difficult than CAT 2025?
Ans. No, XAT follows a different philosophy. The exam aims to be doable and accessible rather than unnecessarily difficult, focusing on testing candidates' understanding rather than creating ambiguity or extreme difficulty levels.
Section-Wise Expectations for XAT 2026
Based on historical trends and insights from XAT Convenor Professor Rahul Shukla, here's what candidates can expect from each section.
Before getting into section-wise expectation, have a look at the overall expected score and percentile required to get your targeted B-Schools.
| Percentile Range | Expected Score (Out of 100) | Target B-Schools |
|---|---|---|
| 99+ percentile | 38-42+ marks | XLRI Jamshedpur, XLRI Delhi-NCR (Top programs) |
| 95-99 percentile | 32-38 marks | XLRI, XIMB, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI |
| 90-95 percentile | 28-32 marks | GIM, LIBA, FORE School, XIME |
| 85-90 percentile | 24-28 marks | Other XAT-accepting institutes |
Also Read:
- Check Overall and sectional Score vs Percentile of XAT 2026
- What is the minimum cutoff percentile of XLRI BM Program?
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR)
The VALR section in XAT is one of the toughest among management entrance exams, and it is expected that for XAT 2026, it will remain the same.
What to Expect:
- Difficulty Level: High to Very High
- Number of Questions: 26
- Recommended Time: 45-50 minutes
| Question Type | Expected Count | Difficulty | Key Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16-18 | High | Lengthy passages (600-800 words), interpretation-based questions |
| Critical Reasoning | 4-6 | Moderate to High | Complex argument structures |
| Verbal Reasoning | 3-4 | Moderate | Para jumbles, sentence correction, vocabulary |
| Poems/Unconventional RCs | 1-2 | High | Abstract interpretation required |
Decision Making (DM)
As per Professor Shukla, "If you follow or solve last year's last 10 years question papers, I guess you have an answer to this year's question paper as well." Pattern recognition is absolutely important for decision-making.
What to Expect:
- Difficulty Level: High (Unique to XAT)
- Number of Questions: 22
- Recommended Time: 35-40 minutes
| Scenario Type | Expected Count | Key Skills Tested |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical Dilemmas | 6-8 | Value-based judgment, stakeholder analysis |
| Business Situations | 6-8 | Resource optimisation, strategic thinking |
| Personal Dilemmas | 4-6 | Emotional intelligence, practical wisdom |
| Social Issues | 3-4 | Social awareness, balanced perspective |
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QADI)
As per Convenor Rahul Shukla, XAT designs QADI questions to be application-based rather than formula-heavy. "We try to give questions which are not mostly formula based, application based," he explained, adding that "from last few years, non-engineers are doing equally good as engineers."
Check: Is a calculator allowed in XAT
What to Expect:
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to Moderately High
- Number of Questions: 28
- Recommended Time: 50-55 minutes
| Topic Area | Expected Questions | Difficulty | Must-Attempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 8-10 | Moderate | Yes |
| Algebra | 4-6 | Moderate to High | Selective |
| Geometry | 3-5 | Moderate | Selective |
| Modern Math | 2-4 | High | Only if confident |
| Data Interpretation | 6-8 | Moderate | Yes |
Related News:
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- XAT Quant Topic Wise Weightage 2026, 2025- Download PDF
General Knowledge (GK)
Since there's no negative marking in GK, the strategy is straightforward: attempt all 20 questions. Even strategic guesses or elimination can help you score.
What to Expect:
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Number of Questions: 20
- Time Limit: 10 minutes (Part 2 of the exam)
- Negative Marking: None
| Topic Area | Expected Questions | Preparation Window |
|---|---|---|
| Current Affairs (National) | 6-8 | Last 6-8 months |
| Current Affairs (International) | 4-6 | Last 6-8 months |
| Business & Economy | 3-4 | Last 6-8 months |
| Sports | 2-3 | Last 6-8 months |
| Awards & Honors | 1-2 | Last 6-8 months |
| Science & Technology | 1-2 | Recent developments |
Also Read:Check the section-wise analysis of the XAT 2025 paper
Ques. How many questions to attempt in XAT to get 99 percentile?
Ans. Attempt 50-54 questions total with high accuracy: VALR (18-20), Decision Making (14-16), and QADI (18-20). Focus on accuracy over quantity for 99 percentile.
Ques. Are GK marks considered in XAT?
Ans. GK marks don't affect XAT percentile calculation but are used by XLRI Jamshedpur and Delhi-NCR for final merit list preparation after interviews conclude.
Ques. Does XAT do scaling?
Ans. XAT doesn't officially disclose scaling methods. However, like most competitive exams, percentile calculation considers overall difficulty and candidate performance distribution to normalise scores fairly.
Also Read:XAT Quant Topic-wise weightage 2026
Rahul Shukla said that “I would suggest everybody that you all need to start preparing or solving mocks between 2 and 5:00 PM when we would be conducting our test so that when you appear on the day of test your brain is already ready”
Topper Tips for XAT 2026
From a 99.78 Percentile Scorer on Reddit:
- Don't spend more than 1 hour on Decision Making, as it's unpredictable and not a high-scoring section
- Aim for 12 marks per section to clear cutoffs, then move on quickly
- DO NOT try to maximise scores in DM, you need strong VALR and QADI scores to push the overall percentile
- Expect 1-2 very hard Reading Comprehensions in VALR, skip them immediately
- Finish both VALR and DM combined in under 1 hour
- Save maximum time for QADI and solve it slowly and accurately
- Don't worry about negative marking for unattempted questions; it doesn't significantly impact scores
- Strategic skipping is better than wrong attempts
So to sum up, as XAT 2026 approaches, Professor Shukla's message is clear: the exam aims to be fair, accessible, and evaluative rather than eliminative. With consistent practice, strategic time management, and confidence in preparation, aspirants can clear the XAT 2026 with a good percentile.
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