XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is accepted by more than 250+ MBA colleges in India. XLRI, IMT, IMI, Taxila Business School, and XIMB are some of the top MBA colleges accepting XAT. Registration for XAT 2027 is open till 6 December 2026, and the exam will be held on 3 January 2027. XLRI Jamshedpur conducts this exam every year, and approximately 1,00,000 students appear in this examination. Among all the XAT-accepting colleges, these top MBA colleges provide the best education, higher placements, skill development, research opportunities, entrepreneurship platforms, qualified faculty, and world-class infrastructure.
Important Updates of XAT 2027
| Particulars | XAT 2027 Details |
|---|---|
| Notification Release Date | 8 July 2026 |
| Registration Starts | 15 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 6 December 2026 |
| Official Website | xatonline.in |
| XAT Exam Date | 3 January 2027 (Sunday) |
| Exam Timing | 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
| Application Fee | ₹2,300 |
| XLRI Programme Fee | ₹200 extra per programme |
| GMAT/GRE – Indian Applicants | ₹2,600 |
| NRI/Foreign/PIO Applicants | ₹5,000 |
| Admit Card | Around 20 December 2026 (Tentative) |
| Exam Cities | 109 cities |
| City Choices | Up to 6 cities |
| Total Questions | 95 MCQs |
| Part 1 Questions | 75 questions |
| Decision Making | 21 questions |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | 26 questions |
| Quantitative Ability & DI | 28 questions |
| Part 1 Duration | 170 minutes |
| General Knowledge | 20 questions |
| GK Duration | 10 minutes |
| Total Exam Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Correct Answer | +1 mark |
| Wrong Answer Penalty | -0.25 marks in Part 1 |
| Unattempted Questions | After 8 unattempted, -0.10 marks for each additional question |
| GK Negative Marking | No negative marking |
| GK Marks in Percentile | Not counted in initial percentile |
| Analytical Essay Writing | Removed from XAT 2025; evaluated during GD-PI |
| Expected Candidates | 1,00,000+ |
| Top College Average Packages | Around ₹10 LPA to ₹30+ LPA |
Check out – Top 100 MBA Colleges in India | Tier 1 MBA colleges of India
Top MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Scores in India
| Rank | Institute Name | Cutoff | Average Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | XLRI – Jamshedpur | 95+ | 31.08 LPA |
| 2 | IMT – Ghaziabad | 90+ | 21.04 LPA |
| 3 | IMI – New Delhi | 85–90 | 16.71 LPA |
| 4 | Taxila Business School | 90+ | 11.50 LPA |
| 5 | XIMB | 90+ | 19.53 LPA |
| 6 | MICA Ahmedabad | 90+ | 19.22 LPA |
| 7 | FORE – New Delhi | 85+ | 16.80 LPA |
| 8 | TAPMI | 85+ | 13.99 LPA |
| 9 | GIM – Goa | 85+ | 15.60 LPA |
| 10 |
Jaipuria Institute of Management – Noida |
83+ | 9.05 LPA |
| 11 | Great Lakes | 80–85 | 17.80 LPA |
| 12 | LBSIM | 80+ | 12.25 LPA |
| 13 | KJ Somaiya Mumbai | 80+ | 12.45 LPA |
| 14 | Welingkar | 75–80 | 11.68 LPA |
| 15 | FMS – IRM | 81+ | 7.50 LPA |
| 16 | JIMS | 80+ | 9.92 LPA |
| 17 | BIMTECH | 75+ | 11.00 LPA |
| 18 | XIME | 75+ | 10.50 LPA |
| 19 | KIIT | 79+ | 9.50 LPA |
| 20 | BIM Trichy | 78+ | 11.40 LPA |
| 21 | IMI Kolkata | 75+ | 10.65 LPA |
| 22 | IMT Nagpur | 73+ | 11.00 LPA |
| 23 | Woxsen University | 71+ | 9.30 LPA |
| 24 | VIT | 70+ | 9.68 LPA |
| 25 | Shri Balaji University | 68+ | 8.25 LPA |
| 26 | NDIM | 70+ | 9.05 LPA |
| 27 | Indus Business Academy | 65+ | 8.09 LPA |
| 28 | NSB | 70+ | 7.50 LPA |
| 29 | ATLAS | 70+ | 9.10 LPA |
| 30 |
Shiva Shivani Institute of Management |
70 | 6.85 LPA |
See: Top MBA Colleges in India with NIRF Rankings 2026: Complete Information
Best Private B Schools accepting XAT
| Rank | Institute Name | Fees | Highest Placements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | XLRI – Jamshedpur | 30.60 Lakh | 75.00 LPA |
| 2 | IMT – Ghaziabad | 21.38 Lakh | 41.55 LPA |
| 3 | IMI – New Delhi | 22.00 Lakh | 70.95 LPA |
| 4 |
Taxila Business School |
9.30 Lakh | 38.00 LPA |
| 5 | XIMB | 28.40 Lakh | 30.00 LPA |
| 6 | MICA Ahmedabad | 28.00 Lakh | 40.91 LPA |
| 7 | FORE – New Delhi | 20.77 Lakh | 29.00 LPA |
| 8 | TAPMI | 18.00 Lakh | 32.77 LPA |
| 9 | GIM – Goa | 20.40 Lakh | 29.00 LPA |
| 10 |
Jaipuria Institute of Management – Noida |
13.56 Lakh | 22.00 LPA |
| 11 | Great Lakes | 18.71 Lakh | 39.30 LPA |
| 12 | LBSIM | 17.25 Lakh | 24.00 LPA |
| 13 | KJ Somaiya Mumbai | 22.32 Lakh | 29.30 LPA |
| 14 | Welingkar | 14.04 Lakh | 40.00 LPA |
| 15 | FMS – IRM | 7.20 Lakh | 20.00 LPA |
| 16 | JIMS | 9.90 Lakh | 22.00 LPA |
| 17 | BIMTECH | 14.00 Lakh | 22.00 LPA |
| 18 | XIME | 15.65 Lakh | 22.00 LPA |
| 19 | KIIT | 16.90 Lakh | 20.00 LPA |
| 20 | BIM Trichy | 12.86 Lakh | 13.50 LPA |
Check out – MBA vs PGDM | Top MBA Colleges in Jaipur
Best Government MBA Accepting XAT in India
| Rank | Institute Name | Fees | Course |
| 1 | IISWBM | 5.15 Lakh | MBA – Public System |
| 2 | IIM Lucknow | 1.40 Lakh | Executive MBA |
| 3 | IMS – Ranchi | 80 Thousand | MBA |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Information Technology – Allahabad | 3.50 Lakh | MBA |
| 5 | Tezpur University | 62 Thousand | MBA |
| 6 | National Institute of Technology – Rourkela | 2.75 Lakh | MBA |
| 7 | Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology | 4.20 Lakh | MBA |
| 8 | Patna University | 76 Thousand | PG – Industrial Management |
| 9 | Institute of Co-operative Management | 1.65 Lakh | MBA |
| 10 | University of Burdwan | 80 Thousand | MBA – Human Resource |
| 11 | Chandragupt Institute of Management | 6.50 Lakh | PGDM |
| 12 | Ravenshaw University Cuttack | 3.50 Lakh | MBA |
| 13 | Gauhati University | 63 Thousand | MBA |
| 14 | Goa University | 44 Thousand | MBA |
| 15 | Mizoram University | 51 Thousand | MBA |
Also Read – Top 50 Business Schools in India
Eligibility Criteria for XAT 2027
- Applicants need to have a graduation degree (minimum three years) in any stream from a recognised institute or university.
- Final-year students of graduation are also eligible to apply for XAT 2027.
- There is no minimum percentage requirement, no upper age limit and no limit on the number of attempts for XAT.
- NRI and foreign applicants can apply for admission to XAT colleges with GMAT/GRE scores.
- XAT Registration Link – https://xatonline.in/
Admission Process Beyond XAT Score
Clearing the XAT cutoff is only the first stage of admission. Institutes follow a multi-stage selection process.
- Colleges shortlist candidates based on their XAT scores. They also consider academic records, work experience, and profile diversity.
- Shortlisted candidates participate in Group Discussion (GD), Personal Interview (PI), and sometimes a Written Ability Test (WAT).
- The final merit list gives weightage to the XAT score, performance in the selection rounds, and past academic achievements. The weightage differs for every institution
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FAQs: MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Scores
1. How many MBA colleges accept XAT scores?
Ans. More than 250 MBA colleges in India accept XAT scores.
2. Which colleges accept XAT scores for MBA?
Ans. XLRI, XIMB, IMT, IMI, GIM, TAPMI and many other B-schools accept XAT scores.
3. What are the eligibility criteria for XAT colleges?
Ans. Applicants must have a graduation degree from a recognized institute or university in India in any stream. Students in their final year or final semester of graduation are also eligible to apply.
4. What XAT score is needed for top MBA colleges?
Ans. Top colleges generally require a high XAT percentile, but cutoffs vary by institute.
5. Do private MBA colleges accept XAT scores?
Ans. Yes, several leading private B-schools accept XAT scores for MBA and PGDM admissions.
6. Does XLRI accept XAT scores?
Ans. Yes, XLRI uses XAT scores for admission to its management programmes.
7. What happens after clearing the XAT cutoff?
Ans. Candidates may be shortlisted for further rounds such as PI, GD or WAT, depending on the institute.
8. Can I apply to multiple colleges with one XAT score?
Ans. Yes, candidates can use their XAT score to apply to multiple participating institutes, subject to each college's application process.
9. Is XAT accepted for PGDM programmes?
Ans. Yes, many PGDM institutes accept XAT scores for admission.
10. Do IITs accept XAT scores?
Ans. Most IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) mainly ask for CAT scores for their MBA programs. However, some IIT departments, like DoMS at IIT Madras, sometimes do accept XAT scores as well.