XAT 2026 exam took place on January 4, 2026, and the results were declared on January 16, 2026 (as per official announcements from XLRI and reliable sources like and the XAT portal). Cutoffs for top colleges (especially XLRI and associates) are typically released shortly after results, often in the third week of January or early February, when shortlists for interviews/GD/PI are announced. As of late January 2026, official cutoffs from XLRI (for BM/HRM programs) and many top B-schools are either recently out or being finalized based on the score distribution.
XAT cutoffs vary by program (XLRI BM vs. HRM), gender (males often face slightly higher thresholds), background (engineers/non-engineers), and category (general vs. reserved, though general is most discussed). They are percentile-based (overall + sectional in VALR, DM, QA), and the exam's difficulty influences them—2026 trends show slightly higher scoring patterns in some analyses.
What Percentile Is "Safe" for Top Colleges?
A safe percentile means a strong chance of getting a shortlist/interview call (final conversion depends on GD/PI/WAT + profile). Here's a summary of expected/recent cutoffs for top XAT-accepting colleges (general category, based on 2025-2026 trends from sources like IMS, Cracku, Careers360, GOALisB, and others):
XLRI Jamshedpur (Top Tier / Flagship)
- Business Management (BM): 95-96+ percentile (safe: 96+ for males/engineers; slightly lower for females/non-engineers at 91-94).
- Human Resource Management (HRM): 93-95 percentile (safe: 94+).
- Sectionals often 80-88+ in key areas (VALR/DM critical). This is the toughest—aim 96+ for near-certain call.
SPJIMR Mumbai (Profile-based, very competitive): 90-95 percentile (safe: 93+; often 32-34 raw marks equivalent).
XIM University Bhubaneswar (XIMB): 90-93 percentile (safe: 91+).
IMT Ghaziabad: 90-92 percentile (safe: 91+).
IMI Delhi / Great Lakes / Others in Tier-1: 88-92 percentile (safe: 90+ for stronger chances).
Mid-Tier Strong Options (GIM Goa, TAPMI, FORE, KJ Somaiya): 80-90 percentile (safe: 85+ for good calls).
General Safe Benchmarks:
- 95+ percentile: Safe for XLRI (BM/HRM) and top calls—excellent conversion odds with a solid profile/interview.
- 90-95 percentile: Safe zone for SPJIMR, XIMB, IMT, IMI—competitive but achievable.
- 85-90 percentile: Good for mid-tier like GIM, TAPMI, GLIM—still strong placements.
- Below 85: Options in good private B-schools, but top ones unlikely.
Score vs. Percentile (Approximate for XAT 2026, out of 75-100 scaled marks):
- 34-37 marks 95+ percentile (strong for XLRI).
- 29-33 marks 90 percentile.
- 25-28 marks 85 percentile.
Cutoffs aren't fixed like CAT (no strict IIM equivalence for XAT alone, though some IIMs accept it via separate channels). Factors like sectional balance, diversity, work ex, and academics play a big role beyond raw percentile.
For the latest official cutoffs/shortlists:
- Check xatonline.in (XLRI portal) for your scorecard and college-specific calls.
- Visit individual college sites (e.g., xlri.ac.in for XLRI shortlist, spjimr.org for SPJIMR).
- Many colleges have started interview shortlisting by now (end-Jan/early-Feb).