Executive Summary
Complete breakdown of XAT 2026 exam pattern. Sectional time limits, question count, marking scheme, and strategic time allocation for VARC, Decision Making, and Quant sections.
Pattern at a Glance
| Section | Questions | Marks | Suggested Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal & Logical Ability (VARC) | 26 | 26 | ~70 min |
| Decision Making (DM) | 21 | 21 | ~60 min |
| Quant & Data Interpretation (QADI) | 28 | 28 | ~65 min |
| General Knowledge | 25 | 25 | ~15 min |
| TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 3 hrs 10 min |
Marking Scheme
XAT uses a +1 for correct and -0.25 for wrong marking scheme. Unattempted questions carry zero marks for the first 8 unattempted; beyond that, -0.05 per unattempted question is applied — a penalty unique to XAT designed to discourage excessive skipping.