XAT 2026 registration begins at xatonline.in; apply by December 5, exam fee

The Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur, has begun the registration process for the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2026 today, July 10. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can register for XAT 2026 by visiting the official website, xatonline.com, with the registration window open till December 5, 2025.

The XAT 2026 exam is scheduled to be held on January 4. The test is conducted for admission to management programmes offered by XLRI and other participating institutes across the country. The computer-based test (CBT) will be held in a single shift from 2 pm to 5 pm across designated test centres in over 70 cities. The XAT 2026 admit card will be released on December 20, 2025, tentatively.

According to the XAT 2026 organisers, candidates who submit their application on Day 1 will be considered for exclusive preparation-related opportunities . Two hundred randomly selected applicants will be invited to attend interactive Q&A sessions with XAT toppers and the exam convenor, tentatively scheduled for the last week of July and the first week of August.

XAT 2026 application fee

According to the official XAT website, Indian candidates can apply for the Post Graduate Diploma in Management – General Management (PGDM-GM) and the XLRI-RBS Double Master’s Programme using their Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores. On the other hand, Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Foreign, Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) candidates can apply for all XLRI programmes through the GMAT.

The application fee for the XAT 2026 is Rs 2,200. Candidates who wish to apply for XLRI programmes along with appearing for XAT, will have to pay an additional Rs 200 for each programme selected. For Indian candidates applying to the PGDM-GM through GMAT or GRE, the fee is Rs 2,500. NRI, Foreign, PIO, or OCI candidates applying via GMAT are required to pay Rs 5,000.

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XAT 2026: Document upload guidelines and specifications

For XAT 2026, candidates should upload a recent photograph and signature as per the specified format and size provided below.

Photograph image

• The photograph should be a recent passport-size colour picture.
• If wearing glasses, make sure there are no reflections and your eyes are clearly visible.
• Caps, hats, and dark glasses are not allowed. Religious headwear is permitted but must not cover the face.
• The scanned image should be in JPG, JPEG, or PNG format and not exceed 1MB in size.
• Set the scanner resolution to at least 200 dpi and use True Colour mode.

Signature image

• The applicant should sign on white paper using a black ink pen.
• The signature on the admit card and attendance sheet during the exam must match the uploaded signature. A mismatch may lead to disqualification.
• The scanned image of the signature must be in JPG, JPEG, or PNG format.
• The file size should not exceed 1MB.