XAT Exam Pattern 2027: Marks & Marking Scheme

XAT 2027 has 95 questions in total. But only 75 of these questions decide your percentile. The next few sections explain the gap between the two numbers.

XAT 2027 runs across 4 sections in 180 minutes. It is a computer-based test, held at test centres in more than 100 Indian cities. XLRI Jamshedpur conducts XAT for XAMI member institutes and a wider group of associate B-schools. XAT 2027 falls on Sunday, January 3, 2027, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. XLRI's official website still mentions shifting a candidate to "another terminal" if a system glitches mid-test.

This confirms the computer-based format has carried over into this cycle. Correct answers earn 1 mark each. Wrong answers cost 0.25 marks, but only in the sections that count toward your score.

The XAT overview 2027 page covers the full application timeline and eligibility rules. Here's what to expect once you are inside the exam.

Video: XAT 2027 Pattern, By T.I.M.E.

T.I.M.E.'s own breakdown of the XAT 2027 pattern walks through the same numbers this section covers: sections, timing and the marking split.

What Are the Four Sections in the XAT 2027 Exam?

XAT 2027 has four sections. These are Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR), Decision Making (DM), Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI), and General Knowledge (GK). VALR, DM and QA & DI together make up Part 1. GK is separate and forms Part 2.

Each section plays a different role in your score. The breakdown below matches XLRI's own exam pattern page.

Video: The Four Sections, One at a Time

Watch how each of XAT's four sections actually plays out, useful if the tabs above raised more questions than they answered.

Every question is worth 1 mark, in every section, including GK. So the number of questions in a section is also its number of marks. VALR, DM and QA & DI together make up Part 1, worth 75 of the paper's 95 total marks.

Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add to exactly 100%.

A table shows the numbers, but solving 28 QA & DI questions in a shared 170-minute window feels different. XAT previous year question papers show this faster than any table can. Try them to see where your own time actually goes.

Does XAT 2027 Have Sectional Time Limits?

VALR, Decision Making and QA & DI do not have a fixed timer of their own. XLRI confirms on its official website that all three sections stay open for one 170-minute Part 1 window. You can start with any section you like and move between them freely.

One exception breaks this flexibility. You can easily miss it while planning your strategy.

Your real time-management problem is fitting 75 questions into 170 minutes. Split evenly, that is about 2 minutes and 16 seconds per question. The 10-minute GK block runs on its own clock. It never eats into that 170-minute budget, and it never gives you extra time either.

XLRI states the marking scheme clearly on its own exam pattern page. Every correct answer in Part 1 adds 1 mark. Every incorrect answer subtracts 0.25 marks. If you leave a question blank instead of guessing wrong, it costs nothing, up to a point.

How Many Questions Can I Skip Without Losing Marks?

You can leave up to 8 questions unattempted at no cost. From the 9th skipped question onward, each one costs 0.1 mark, per XLRI's marking rules. This penalty adds on top of whatever you lose from wrong answers. Guessing wrong and skipping too much can both drain your score at the same time.

Does the GK Section Count Toward My XAT Percentile?

No. XLRI states plainly that GK "will not contribute to your overall percentile or cutoff score." XLRI scores GK, but that score does not affect your percentile. XLRI looks at your GK score separately, only when shortlisting for its own XLRI programmes. For every other XAMI member institute, your GK performance does not affect the number that decides your call.

The question count per section only tells you how the marks split. It does not tell you what topics actually show up. Knowing the topics is what helps you prepare.

What Topics Does the Decision Making Section Cover in XAT 2027?

Decision Making questions in XAT 2027 are mostly short business or ethical situations. You pick the most reasonable response among close options, not the mathematically correct one. Reading every option carefully matters more than speed here. Two or three choices often look almost equally correct at first glance.

See the XAT syllabus 2027 for the complete topic-wise weightage and a section-by-section study plan.

The XAT exam paper is not the same as it was a few years ago. Two changes are behind that. Know them before you compare notes with an older batch of test-takers.

Did XAT Drop the Essay Writing Section?

Yes. XLRI removed Essay Writing from the main XAT paper starting with XAT 2025. It moved into XLRI's own later selection process instead of the timed test.

If you're comparing notes with an older sibling, or a coaching centre's account of XAT from 2024 or earlier, keep this in mind. The essay change is the biggest structural gap to account for.