SMPL
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], November 6: This Diwali, XAT 2027 has introduced four significant developments aimed at making the MBA/PGDM admission journey more rewarding for aspirants. From greater flexibility in attempting the examination to expanded admission opportunities and additional preparation resources, the announcements bring meaningful benefits for students preparing to pursue management education.
The key developments include increasing the number of unanswered questions allowed without penalty from 8 to 12, expanding XLRI Jamshedpur's PGDM-HRM intake from 180 to 240 seats, welcoming 16 new XAT associate institutes, and providing XAT 2025 and 2026 question papers with answer keys to candidates completing their applications by 11th November 2026.
More flexibility in the exam
XAT 2027 has increased the unanswered-question threshold without penalty in Part 1 from 8 to 12 questions, with a penalty of 0.10 marks applying to each unanswered question beyond this limit. This gives aspirants greater freedom to skip particularly difficult or time-consuming questions without an immediate penalty. Candidates can focus on maximising their scores through well-considered attempts instead of feeling compelled to answer questions simply to avoid the unanswered-question penalty.
More seats at XLRI Jamshedpur
XLRI Jamshedpur has increased its PGDM-HRM intake from 180 to 240 seats, adding 60 seats, a 33.3% increase. The expansion creates additional admission capacity in the programme, allowing more deserving candidates to be considered for the available seats while maintaining the institute's selection standards.
More B-school opportunities
XAT 2027 has welcomed 17 new associate institutes, further expanding the range of management institutions and programmes that aspirants can explore through XAT scores. The new associates include Abhijit Kadam Institute of Management & Social Sciences (Solapur), ACCMAN Institute of Management (Greater Noida), Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (Faridabad), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Department of Management Studies (Navi Mumbai), Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Management and Research – BVIMR (New Delhi), Dayananda Sagar Business School (Bangalore), Institute of Management (Kolhapur), Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development – IMED (Pune), Institute of Management and Rural Development Administration (Sangli), Lexicon Management Institute of Leadership and Excellence – Lexicon MILE (Pune), Mahindra University (Hyderabad), Masters' Union University (Gurgaon), Narayana Business School (Ahmedabad), RV University (Bangalore), Sparsh Global Business School (Greater Noida), Yashwantrao Mohite Institute of Management (Karad), and Xavier Institute of Management and Informatics (Jaipur).
These additions give aspirants a wider choice of institutes across different cities, management programmes and specialisations, allowing them to evaluate more admission opportunities aligned with their academic interests, career aspirations and location preferences. The expanded network further reinforces that XAT offers opportunities beyond XLRI, helping aspirants explore multiple B-school options through a single entrance examination.
A preparation gift for Diwali
Aspirants completing their XAT 2027 applications by 11th November 2026 will receive the XAT 2025 and XAT 2026 question papers with answer keys.
Dr. Rahul K. Shukla, Professor, General Management Area, and Convenor, XAT and Admissions, said, “Diwali is a time for new beginnings, and these announcements are meant to give aspirants more reasons to begin with confidence. More flexibility in the exam, more seats at XLRI, more B-schools to choose from and recent papers to practise all add up to more opportunities. Candidates who have not yet applied should complete their applications by 11th November to receive the preparation gift. We encourage aspirants to make informed decisions, assess their potential and not rule themselves out of opportunities.”
Key Details of the XAT 2027 Diwali Announcements:
- Unanswered questions allowed without penalty: 12 (earlier 8), with a 0.10 mark penalty for each one beyond the 12th
- XLRI Jamshedpur PGDM-HRM intake: 240 seats (earlier 180), 60 additional seats
- New associate institutes: 16
- Preparation gift: XAT 2025 and XAT 2026 question papers with answers for applications completed by 11th November 2026
- XAT 2027 registration closes: 6th December 2026
- XAT 2027 exam date: 3rd January 2027
- Apply at: https://xatonline.in
XAT wishes all aspirants a bright and happy Diwali. XAT 2027 continues to welcome aspirants across academic disciplines and professional backgrounds.
About XAT
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). Accepted by more than 250 B-Schools and held across over 100 test cities in India, XAT is the oldest MBA/PGDM entrance examination in the country. The exam is conducted in a single slot with no score normalisation, and is supported by mock tests, webinars, and preparation sessions.
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