In a significant move to broaden management education in India, XLRI, Xavier School of Management, introduced the Xavier Scholar Entrance Test (XSET), a nationwide examination that demonstrates a clear focus on the selection of research-oriented candidates for doctoral courses in management. In general, management education concentrates more on the skills development of managers and executives.
However, XLRI is opting to go beyond that by nurturing thinkers, researchers, and scholar-leaders who are capable of integrating theoretical and practical knowledge. XLRI, through its Doctoral Programmes, the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) and the Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EFPM), wants to attract and produce the policy makers of the future social innovators, and ethically insightful leaders.
Key Features of XSET
Here are the interdisciplinary specialisations in the nine major management domains:
Economics
Finance
Human Resources
Information Systems
Marketing, Operations & Decision Sciences
Organisational Behaviour, Strategy, and General Management (Entrepreneurship, Law, Ethics)
The programme has a commitment to full-time research scholars and, as a gesture of the institute’s dedication, offers them financial assistance as well as free hostel accommodation on XLRI’s 40+ acre Jamshedpur campus. An innovative study plan combining formal instructional sessions, seminars, research projects, and mentor-guided thesis work forms the core of the program’s academic and leadership goals.
XSET Details & Eligibility
The XSET 2026 exam will be held on Sunday, 4 January 2026, and it is a computer-based test that will be conducted in 12 cities across India.
The examination will cover the following areas:
Research Aptitude in Management
Knowledge of management concepts
Reasoning (logical-analytical)
Ethical orientation and research mindset
Only those candidates who score at least 50% are eligible for the interview stage. Other factors such as academic performance and relevant work experience will also be taken into consideration for the final selection.
What Interested Candidates Should Do
Candidates need to visit the official website of XLRI to meet the purpose of FPM or EFPM candidates to register for XSET and file their applications.
Work on developing a mindset that is centered around research, and get ready by doing reasoning, ethical principles, and management basics.
Candidates are encouraged to align their current academic or professional path to one of the nine domains of XLRI in order to increase their relevance and competitive advantage.
Since the number of seats is limited and only a small number of candidates will be successful, the key to success lies in the early registration and your being proactive in your preparation.
In brief: If your main motivation is not only to manage organisations but also to influence ideas, research, and leadership in management, then XLRI’s XSET is a credible and powerful way forward. The transition from practitioner to scholar-leader starts at this point.
