What is a Good Score in XAT 2026? Score vs Percentile Explained
- MBA Entrance Exam Expert
- Aug 24
- 4 min read
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: What Makes a XAT Score “Good”?
Unlike CAT, which is attempted by over 2 lakh students, the XAT sees fewer applicants (90,000–100,000), and a unique paper structure. A “good score” in XAT is not always a high score—but the right mix of sectional balance and strategic answering.
In fact, a raw score of 35–38 out of 75 has often resulted in 95+ percentile—enough to be shortlisted for XLRI’s top programs.
Let’s unpack what this means and how to set realistic score targets for XAT 2026.
2. XAT 2026 Exam Structure Recap
Section | No. of Questions | Max Marks |
Verbal & Logical Ability | ~26 | ~26 |
Decision Making | ~21 | ~21 |
Quantitative Ability & DI | ~28 | ~28 |
General Knowledge (GK) | ~25 | Not used in percentile |
Essay Writing | 1 | Evaluated post shortlisting |
🎯 Total percentile score = sum of first 3 sections → Max ~75 marks
3. How is XAT Percentile Calculated?
Only Verbal, Decision Making, and Quantitative scores are considered for percentile.
No normalization across slots (single-day exam).
GK and Essay are not used for percentile—only during final selection at some colleges (e.g., XLRI).
Negative marking:
–0.25 for every wrong answer (in objective sections)
–0.10 for every question skipped after 8 unanswered
📌 Percentile = comparative rank, not based on absolute score
4. Raw Score vs Percentile Mapping (Based on Past Trends)
Raw Score (Out of 75) | Approx. Percentile |
40–42 | 98+ %ile |
38–40 | 96–97.5 %ile |
35–37 | 94–95.5 %ile |
32–34 | 90–93 %ile |
28–31 | 85–89 %ile |
25–27 | 80–84 %ile |
📈 This range may slightly vary year to year depending on difficulty level.
5. Section-Wise Cutoffs: XLRI & Others (2024 Data)
📘 XLRI Business Management (BM)
Category | VA-LR | DM | QA-DI | Overall |
General Male | 75% | 75% | 85% | 96% |
General Female | 75% | 75% | 80% | 92% |
📘 XLRI Human Resource Management (HRM)
Category | VA-LR | DM | QA-DI | Overall |
General Male | 80% | 70% | 70% | 93% |
General Female | 80% | 70% | 65% | 90% |
🔍 XLRI maintains gender-diversified cutoffs to encourage representation.
6. What is a Good Score for XLRI BM & HRM?
🎯 XLRI BM
Target Overall Percentile: 96–98+%ile
Approx Raw Score: 39–42/75
Sectional Strategy: Focus on QA + DM, and maintain minimum in Verbal
🎯 XLRI HRM
Target Overall Percentile: 90–94%ile
Approx Raw Score: 33–36/75
Sectional Strategy: Focus more on Verbal, ensure decent DM performance
7. What is a Good Score for Other Top XAT Colleges?
College Name | Target Percentile | Approx Raw Score |
XIM Bhubaneswar | 90–93%ile | 33–36 |
IMT Ghaziabad | 85–90%ile | 30–33 |
TAPMI Manipal | 80–85%ile | 28–31 |
Great Lakes Chennai | 80–84%ile | 27–30 |
LIBA Chennai | 75–80%ile | 25–28 |
📌 These schools may also consider GK + Essay in final admission, but do not use it for shortlisting.
8. Does GK & Essay Affect Shortlisting?
GK is not used in calculating percentile.
But in XLRI’s final interview round:
GK + Essay + PI form part of the final composite score.
A poor GK score can hurt your composite rank.
Many other XAT-accepting institutes (XIMB, IMT) may or may not use GK/Essay—always check official policy.
✅ Safe Tip: Prepare for GK from October onward (Business, Polity, Static GK, and Current Affairs).
9. Tips to Improve Your XAT Score Strategically
🔢 Quantitative & DI
Focus on Arithmetic, Algebra, and Number Systems
Attempt only high-probability questions—accuracy > attempts
🧠 Decision Making
Solve past 5–7 years of XAT DM sections
Focus on fairness, stakeholder balance, and avoiding extreme decisions
📖 Verbal Ability
Read philosophical and abstract articles
Practice para jumbles, odd one out, and critical reasoning
🎯 General Tips
Don’t skip more than 8 questions — blank penalty applies
Take mocks from December onward (sectional + full-length)
Post-CAT, dedicate 4–6 weeks to XAT-specific prep
10. Final Take: Your XAT Score Goal Based on College List
College Type | Ideal Raw Score | Target Percentile |
XLRI BM | 39–42 | 97–98+%ile |
XLRI HRM | 34–36 | 93–95%ile |
XIMB, IMT, TAPMI | 30–33 | 85–90%ile |
Backup Colleges | 25–28 | 75–80%ile |
Set your goal based on your top-choice college, and then reverse-plan your prep around the score needed.
“XAT rewards maturity, not speed. It’s not a sprint—it’s a thinking marathon.”
FAQs
What is the XAT exam paper like?
The paper is moderately difficult to tough, especially the Decision Making section. Key features:
RC passages are inference-heavy
Decision Making presents business-like ethical dilemmas
Quant requires strong fundamentals in arithmetic and algebra
DI questions are data-dense, often with mixed sets
GK is broad and can include international current affairs
The essay is argumentative or abstract but limited to 250–300 words
What is the full form of the XAT exam?
XAT stands for Xavier Aptitude Test. It is named after St. Francis Xavier, a prominent Jesuit and the namesake of the Xavier group of institutions, led by XLRI Jamshedpur.
What is the XAT exam cut-off?
XAT cut-offs vary by program, gender, and academic background. For XLRI:
Program | Male (Engineer) | Female (Non-Engineer) |
BM | 96–98 percentile | 91–93 percentile |
HRM | 92–94 percentile | 88–90 percentile |
Other colleges may accept candidates with percentiles as low as 75–85, depending on the institute.
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