The Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur has officially released the XAT 2026 response sheet on January 6, 2026. This release comes just two days after the successful completion of the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) on January 4. For thousands of MBA aspirants across India, this document is the first major step toward understanding their performance and predicting their chances of getting into prestigious B-schools like XLRI, SPJIMR, and IMT Ghaziabad.
The response sheet is a comprehensive record of the candidate’s performance during the three-hour exam. It lists every question from the paper and highlights the specific option chosen by the candidate. This transparency allows students to cross-reference their choices once the official answer key is made available, which is expected within the next 48 to 72 hours.
How to Download XAT 2026 Response Sheet
Candidates can now access their response sheets through the official portal. It is recommended to download and save a digital copy immediately, as the window for access is often limited.
- Visit the Official Website: Go to
xatonline.in. - Candidate Login: Look for the “Login” or “Candidate Response” tab on the homepage.
- Enter Credentials: Use your XAT ID and Password (often your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format) to log in.
- Access the Dashboard: Once logged in, click on the button labeled “Candidate Response” or “Download Response Sheet.”
- Save the PDF: The document will open in a new tab. Use the download icon to save it for score calculation.
Understanding the XAT 2026 Marking Scheme
Calculating your raw score from the response sheet is straightforward, but you must be careful with the unique negative marking rules that set XAT apart from exams like CAT.
- Correct Answer: +1 mark.
- Incorrect Answer: -0.25 marks.
- Unattempted Questions: You can skip up to 8 questions without any penalty. Starting from the 9th unattempted question, a penalty of -0.10 marks per question is applied.
- General Knowledge (GK): There is no negative marking in the GK section, and these marks are not included in the main percentile calculation for the XLRI shortlist.
Expected Cut-offs and What Comes Next
Based on initial student feedback, the XAT 2026 paper was rated as “Moderate” in difficulty. While the Quantitative Aptitude section was slightly time-consuming, the Decision Making and Verbal sections were considered manageable.
For the flagship Business Management (BM) program at XLRI, experts predict an overall cut-off of approximately 95-96 percentile for male engineering candidates. For the Human Resource Management (HRM) program, the cut-off usually hovers around the 92-93 percentile mark.
Once the provisional answer key is released (expected by January 8-10), a short objection window will open. Candidates who find discrepancies in the official answers can challenge them by paying a nominal fee. After reviewing these challenges, XLRI will release a final answer key followed by the official results in the last week of January 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the XAT 2026 response sheet the same as the answer key?
No. The response sheet only shows what answers you marked. The official answer key, which contains the correct answers determined by XLRI, is released separately or slightly later.
2. I cannot see the “Response Sheet” tab in my login. What should I do?
If the tab is missing, try clearing your browser cache or opening the site in an Incognito window. During high traffic periods, the site may load slowly, so waiting a few minutes and refreshing often helps.
3. Does the GK score affect my percentile?
No, your XAT percentile is calculated based only on the first three sections: Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation. However, GK scores are used by XLRI during the final interview and selection round.
4. When will the official XAT 2026 result be declared?
XLRI typically declares the results in the last week of January. For 2026, the expected date is between January 25 and January 31.
5. How much is the fee to challenge the XAT answer key?
While the exact fee is confirmed during the objection window, it is usually around ₹500 per question, which is refunded if the objection is found to be valid.