
The XAT 2026 admissions are starting soon. XAT 2026 results came out on January 16, 2026, and XLRI Jamshedpur, among other top MBA programs, is starting its shortlisting. Now that cutoffs are coming soon, applicants need to know how percentiles relate to scores, how overall and section scores affect selection, and what past trends suggest for this year. After this, the next big steps are Group Discussions/Written Ability Tests and personal interviews at schools that accept XAT scores.

Key Summary -
|
XAT percentile is your relative score in relation to the performance of other candidates appearing for XAT 2024. It is the percentage of candidates who score less than or equal to your XAT score. You can calculate your XAT percentile with your rank using the following formula:
XAT Percentile = {(N – Rank of the Candidate)/ N}*100
Here, N = total number of applicants in XAT exam
For example, if your rank in XAT 2024 is 100 and 100,000 students took the test, your XAT percentile would be 90.
Note: XAT score is not normalized because it is administered in a single session.
XAT participating colleges may release XAT cutoff in terms of percentile or score. Therefore, you must know the XAT score vs percentile analysis to understand your XAT result better. Check the section-wise XAT cutoff score vs percentile based on the previous year’s analysis.
XAT Score vs Percentile for Verbal & Logical Ability
| XAT Raw score | XAT Percentile score |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 | 90+ |
| 13.5 | 95+ |
XAT Score vs Percentile for Decision-Making
| XAT Raw score | XAT Percentile score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 85 |
| 10 | 90 |
| 11.5 | 95+ |
XAT Score vs Percentile for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
| XAT Raw score | XAT Percentile score |
|---|---|
| 10.5 | 85 |
| 12.5 | 90 |
| 15 | 95+ |
You get admission to courses such as Business Management, Human Resource Management, and Global Management Programmes at India's top B-Schools if you qualify as per the XAT Cutoff. Authorities ensure that the selection is transparent for every candidate.
XAT cutoff is determined based on the following factors:
XAT 2026 cut-offs are the lowest scores students need to get into top MBA programs that take XAT scores. Each college puts out its own cut-off after the XAT results are out. These scores depend on how hard the test was, how many people applied, and how many spots are open. Looking at past years, expect colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur, XIMB, SPJIMR, IMT, and GIM to want scores in the 80 to 95+ percentile range. XLRI will probably have the highest standards.
| Institute | Expected Cut-off (Percentile) |
|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur – BM & flagship programs | 96 + %ile |
| Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) | 90–93 %ile |
| SPJIMR, Mumbai | 93.5–95 %ile |
| Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT) | 90–92 %ile |
| KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai | 85–90 %ile |
| Goa Institute of Management (GIM) | 85–90 %ile |
| IRMA, Anand | 80–85 %ile |
| MICA, Ahmedabad | 80–85 %ile |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management | 80–85 %ile |
| LIBA, Chennai | 80–85 %ile |
Reddit Users-
Below is the XAT 2026 cut off of overall vs sectional percentile, students should focus on the below table -
| Category | Overall Percentile | Sectional Cut-offs (VALR / DM / QA) |
|---|---|---|
| XLRI BM (Male / Engg) | 95–97 %ile | 87–89 %ile / 83–85 %ile / 84–86 %ile (approx.) |
| XLRI BM (Female / Engg) | 90–92 %ile | 80–82 %ile / 80–82 %ile / 80–82 %ile (approx.) |
| XLRI HRM (Male / Engg) | 95–97 %ile | 82–84 %ile / 90–92 %ile / 88–90 %ile (approx.) |
| XLRI HRM (Female / NE) | 88–90 %ile | 68–70 %ile / 85–87 %ile / 80–82 %ile (approx.) |
Check the XAT cutoff percentile 2024 for both courses – PGDM BM and PGDM HRM to check your minimum marks based on your stream and gender here:
Check XLRI XAT Cutoff 2025 percentile for BM (Business Management) in the following table:
| XAT Section | Engineering (Male) | Engineering (Female) | Non-Engineering (Male) | Non-Engineering (Female) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 88 | 82 | 88 | 82 |
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR) | 84 | 80 | 84 | 80 |
| Decision Making (DM) | 84 | 80 | 84 | 80 |
| Overall | 96 | 91 | 96 | 91 |
You can check XLRI XAT Cutoff 2024 percentile for HRM (Human Resource Management) here:
| XAT Section | Engineering (Male) | Engineering (Female) | Non-Engineering (Male) | Non-Engineering (Female) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 83 | 73 | 76 | 68 |
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR) | 90 | 85 | 90 | 85 |
| Decision Making (DM) | 87 | 80 | 87 | 80 |
| Overall | 95 | 90 | 93 | 87 |
Check the XAT cutoff percentile 2024 for both courses – PGDM BM and PGDM HRM to check your minimum marks based on your stream and gender here:
Check XLRI XAT Cutoff 2024 percentile for BM (Business Management) in the following table:
| XAT Section | XAT Cutoff for Engineering | XAT Cutoff for Non-Engineering | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| QA | 86 | 81 | 85 | 80 |
| VALR | 83 | 80 | 83 | 80 |
| DM | 85 | 80 | 86 | 81 |
| Overall | 96 | 91 | 95 | 90 |
You can check XLRI XAT Cutoff 2024 percentile for HRM (Human Resource Management) here:
| XAT Section | XAT Cutoff for Engineering | XAT Cutoff for Non-Engineering | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| QA | 80 | 73 | 75 | 68 |
| VALR | 90 | 85 | 90 | 85 |
| DM | 85 | 78 | 85 | 78 |
| Overall | 95 | 90 | 93 | 88 |
As XAT aspirants, you must know the overall and sectional XAT Cutoff 2023 for BM and HRM programs offered by XLRI Jamshedpur. This way, you can predict the XAT score you should score to qualify for the XAT exam.
Check the table below for XAT cutoff 2023 for PGDM BM (Business Management) for male and female candidates:
| XAT 2023 Section | XLRI XAT 2023 Cut off for BM | |
|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | |
| Overall | 95 | 92 |
| VALR | 75 | 75 |
| DM | 75 | 75 |
| QA | 85 | 80 |
You can refer to the following table for XAT cutoff 2023 for PGDM HRM (Human Resource Management) for male and female candidates from engineering and non-engineering backgrounds:
| XAT 2023 Sections | XLRI XAT 2023 Cut off for HRM | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male Engineering | Male Non-Engineering | Female Engineering | Female Non-Engineering | |
| VALR | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| DM | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| QA | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 |
| Overall XAT Cut off | 93 | 90 | 91 | 88 |

Ques. What is the XAT 2026 cutoff for XLRI BM and HRM?
Ans. For the XAT 2026, if you're aiming for XLRI BM, plan to score around the 95–96+ percentile mark. HRM usually needs a 93–95+ percentile. Keep in mind that these scores are for the total percentile and also have minimum scores for each section. The final list of selected candidates can be different based on category and background.
Ques. Does XLRI have sectional cutoffs in XAT 2026?
Ans. Yes, XLRI does have required minimum scores for each section: Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Logical Ability, and Decision Making. You need to score above the minimum percentile in each of these, as well as the total overall score. If you don't meet the minimum score in any section, your application could be rejected, even if your overall score is good.
Ques. How is XAT 2026 percentile calculated?
Ans. XAT percentile is figured out with this formula: (N − Rank) / N × 100, where N is the number of people who took the test. It shows how well you did compared to everyone else. XAT scores aren't adjusted because the test is only done once.
Ques. What XAT2026 score corresponds to 95 percentile?
Ans. XAT 2026, getting about 13–15 points in the main parts will get you above the 95th percentile. Keep in mind that the exact score needed can change based on how hard the test is, but doing well in all sections is key.
Ques. Does clearing the XAT cutoff guarantee admission?
Ans. No, meeting the XAT 2026 cutoff just means you can move on to the next step. What really decides if you get in are things like your group discussion/writing ability test, personal interview, grades, job history, and overall background. The cutoff is simply the starting point.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.