XAT 2026 Exam Analysis: Check Difficulty Level, Good Attempts & Students Reaction

Overview: The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026 was finally conducted on 4 January 2026 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM across various test centres. Read on to know the detailed XAT exam analysis 2026 with us!

In this XAT analysis 2026, aspirants can quickly check:

• Overall XAT exam analysis: pattern, structure, and any key changes
• Section-wise XAT 2026 exam analysis for VALR, DM, and QA–DI
• Difficulty level and good attempts required to stay in a safe percentile range
• Expected XAT 2026 cutoffs for XLRI and other leading B-schools

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XAT Exam Analysis 2026: Surprise Elements

XAT 2026 introduced a few unexpected changes that caught students off guard:

• Statement-based question returned in QA after many years (Data Sufficiency-based)
• Comprehension-heavy QA questions made a comeback after a long gap
• The paper clearly shifted focus towards application-based and comprehension-driven questions rather than direct formula-based problems

Overall, the exam tested decision-making ability, logical reasoning, and clarity of concepts more than speed.

XAT 2026 Exam Analysis Live: Difficulty Level & Good Attempts Table

The table below was updated immediately after the XAT 2026 exam. It shows the section-wise XAT 2026 exam breakdown with the suggested time limit. 

XAT Exam Analysis 2026 – Section-Wise Breakdown

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks	Suggested Time
PART A – 180 Minutes (No Sectional Time Limit)
Verbal & Logical Ability	26	1	26	50 minutes
Decision Making	21	1	21	45–50 minutes
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation	28	1	28	70–75 minutes
PART B – 10 Minutes (No Negative Marking)
General Knowledge	20	1	20	10 minutes
Total	95	—	95	180 minutes

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XAT Exam Analysis 2026: Section-Wise Difficulty Level 

The XAT exam analysis 2026 paper was of moderate difficulty overall.

• The Decision Making section was easy to moderate, with familiar case-based questions.
• VARC was moderate but time-consuming, mainly because of the lengthy Reading Comprehensions.
• The QA-DI section ranged from moderate to difficult, featuring lengthy, calculation-intensive problems.
• The General Knowledge section was easy to moderate, offering a good scoring opportunity for well-prepared candidates.

Sections	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Difficulty Level & Key Observations
Decision Making	21	21	Easy to Moderate
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VARC)	26	26	Moderate
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA-DI)	28	28	Moderate to Difficult
General Knowledge (GK)	20	20	Easy to Moderate
Overall	95	95	Moderate

XAT Exam Analysis 2026: Ideal Attempts

The XAT exam analysis 2026 highlights that accuracy played a more crucial role than the total number of attempts.

Candidates who adopted a balanced approach across all sections were better positioned to clear the sectional cut-offs, as ignoring any section proved to be a high-risk strategy.

According to the XAT exam analysis 2026, the ideal range of good attempts was:

• Decision Making: 18–19 questions
• VARC: 19–21 questions
• QA-DI: 16–18 questions

This brings the total number of good attempts in Part A to approximately 58–60, provided candidates maintained high accuracy.

XAT Exam Section	Questions	Maximum Marks	Good Attempts
Decision Making	21	21	16–18
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning	26	26	19–21
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation	28	28	18–20
Total (Part A)	75	75	53–59

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XAT 2026 Exam Analysis 2026: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

VALR Difficulty Level:

• Overall difficulty was at par with CAT-level questions
• Close answer options made selection tricky
• Around 7–8 questions felt difficult due to overlapping choices

Breakdown of Question Topics:

Question Topics	Number of Questions	Difficulty Level
Grammatically Correct	2	Moderate
Fill in the Blanks (4 blanks)	1	Moderate
Para Jumbles (5 statements)	2	Moderate
Critical Reasoning	3	Moderate
Poem-based Passage	2	Difficult
RC 1 (Social/Philosophical Reasoning)	3	Difficult
RC 2 (Economic/Market Behaviour)	3	Difficult
RC 3 (Ethics/Value Judgments in Society)	3	Difficult
RC 4 (Cognitive Psychology / Mind & Behaviour)	3	Difficult
RC 5 (Cultural / Historical Context)	3	Difficult

XAT 2026 Exam Analysis 2026: Decision Making (DM)

The decision-making section continued to be the strongest scoring area for most candidates.

DM Section Insights:

• DM sets were lengthier than last year
• Overall pattern remained similar to the last two years
• Case studies felt slightly repetitive
• Answer choices were logical and straightforward
• Strong alignment with Previous Year Papers (PYPs)

📌 Candidates who practised DM from past XAT papers found this section highly rewarding.

XAT 2026 Exam Analysis 2026: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI)

The QADI section was widely considered the most challenging section of XAT 2026.

Key Observations:

• The difficulty level was higher than in the last two years
• Questions were lengthy and concept-heavy
• Even understanding the questions took significant time
• Only one statement-based question appeared, marking a rare return.
• DI sets were challenging, mainly due to heavy comprehension requirements.
• A large number of Geometry questions appeared.
• One DI set was completely geometry-based, increasing complexity.

📌 This section tested conceptual clarity and patience rather than calculation speed.

QA Topics	Total Questions	Difficulty Level
Arithmetic	3	Easy-Moderate
Geometry	5	Moderate-Difficult
Modern Mathematics	3	Difficult
Algebra	3	Easy
Number System	2	Moderate
Total	16	Moderate

DI Topics	Total Questions	Difficulty Level
Scatter Plot / Line Graph (observation) based set	3	Moderate
Arithmetic-based set	3	Moderate
Average-based set	3	Moderate
Number-matrix-based set	3	Moderate
Total DI Questions	12	Moderate

XAT 2026 Exam Analysis 2026: General Knowledge (GK)

The General Knowledge (GK) section focused heavily on current and contemporary issues.

• Questions were based on recent national and international events
• Coverage aligned with the latest updates till December
• Static GK had a limited presence compared to current affairs

📌 Students who regularly followed the news and monthly current affairs found this section manageable.

Prefer Year-wise Pages?

You can also access individual year pages here:

• XAT 2025 Question Paper PDF
• XAT 2024 Question Paper PDF
• XAT 2023 Question Paper PDF
• XAT 2022 Question Paper PDF

XAT 2026 Marking Scheme & Unique Features

When the XAT 2026 exam analysis is released, one of the most discussed topics will be the "unattempted question penalty." XAT is one of the few exams that penalizes excessive skipping.

Aspect	Details
Positive Marking	+1 mark for every correct answer
Negative Marking (Part 1)	–0.25 marks for every incorrect answer
Unattempted Question Rule	Up to 8 questions can be left unattempted without any penalty
Penalty Beyond 8 Unattempted Questions	–0.10 marks for each question skipped after the 8th
Sectional Time Limit	No sectional time limit in Part 1
Total Time for Part 1	170 minutes for VALR, Decision Making, and QA-DI

Looking for XAT Cut Off 2026?

Cutoffs vary by institute and XLRI uses both overall + sectional percentiles for BM/HRM shortlisting. For the latest expected cutoffs, official cutoff PDF references, and college-wise cutoffs,

Check: XAT Cut Off 2026 (Detailed).

Note: These are projected cutoffs based on the anticipated difficulty of XAT 2026.

How to use the XAT 2026 Exam Analysis?

Once the exam concludes, the XAT 2026 exam analysis will serve several purposes for aspirants:

• Percentile Calculation: By comparing your "good attempts" with the expert analysis, you can estimate your raw score and corresponding percentile.
• College Shortlisting: Based on the expected cutoffs, you can decide which other B-school applications (like MICA, IMT, or TAPMI) you should prioritise.
• Preparation for GD/PI: If the XAT 2026 answer key and exam analysis suggest that you will cross the XLRI cutoff, you can immediately begin preparing for the Decision Making and Essay Writing components, which are crucial at the interview stage.

Tips for XAT 2027 Aspirants

As we approach the 2027 cycle, keep these strategies in mind to ensure your own performance matches the "Toppers' Analysis":

• Master the Decision-Making Section: Practice previous years' papers extensively. Decision-making is more about a mindset than a formula.
• Improve Reading Speed: With abstract RCs and lengthy poems, the VALR section will be a test of endurance.
• Focus on Accuracy: Because of the negative marking for both wrong and unattempted questions, a balanced "selective attempt" strategy will be vital.

The detailed, live XAT 2026 exam analysis will be updated on this page in the evening of January 4, 2026. Stay tuned and keep checking the Toprankers XAT 2026 exam Analysis page for real-time updates, student reactions, and expert reviews.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the XAT 2026 exam remains a pivotal gateway for MBA aspirants. Its evolving structure and challenging content reflect the dynamic needs of top business schools.

Candidates must adapt to these changes, focusing on comprehensive preparation across all sections.

Understanding the exam's complexity by doing proper XAT 2026 exam analysis, strategic preparation, and awareness of expected XAT cutoffs will be key to success.

As XAT question paper analysis maintains its reputation as a rigorous test, it offers a unique opportunity for aspirants to demonstrate their aptitude and readiness for the demanding world of management. 

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