The XAT exam has some unique aspects to it, like the Decision Making section, which checks your management aptitude. Read here some key XAT 2025 preparation tips by MBA expert Sidharth Balakrishna.
XAT preparation 2024
How to prepare for XAT exam 2025?- The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is the top MBA entrance exam after CAT. Conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, XAT scores are accepted by a number of MBA colleges including XIMB, GIM, XIME, SPJIMR, Mumbai, etc. It is conducted annually in online mode like the CAT and has the same difficulty level. XAT 2025 will be conducted on January 5, 2025. In this article, our expert has shared tips on how to prepare for XAT exam.
The XAT exam has some unique aspects, such as a section on ‘Decision Making’, which checks your management aptitude by presenting different situations and cases and asks you to identify the correct course of action in these situations. While this introduces an element of subjectivity, the paper setters perhaps believe that such questions help pick out a person with adequate management capabilities.
Explore popular MBA colleges for you
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Candidates should also note that the XAT 2025 exam pattern includes a section on General Knowledge. While the score for this section is not considered for calculating the XAT percentile (they are considered only in the second phase of the admission process by a few B-Schools accepting the XAT score), it is nevertheless important enough to warrant careful preparation. So, how to prepare for XAT exam? Let's take a look.
Q: In how many months can I prepare for XAT?
Q: How can I prepare for XAT by self study?
If you are planning to prepare for XAT 2025 exam by self study, you need to start early. At least six months before. XAT exam is conducted on the first Sunday of January every year. So, if you start preparing for the XAT 2025 in June or July, you will have good six months to prepare. Make a preparation plan that includes XAT syllabus coverage, problem solving sessions, mock tests and revision. Get hold of best books for XAT. Consult mentors or previous year toppers for selecting the best books for preparation. Join online study groups where you can get the help of mentors and peers for problem solving and clearing of doubts in topics. Work in tough topics first and then move to easier topics.
Solve a large number and variety of XAT mock tests to master the syllabus. You will need to do a rigorous work on XAT mock tests as for candidates who opt for self study, have to rely on practice.
Q: Is XAT tough for candidates from non-Engineering background?
Yes, XAT is slightly tougher for candidates with non-Engineering background as the Quantitative Aptitude section is of higher difficulty level. However, they can crack it if they work on the fundamentals of Math and practice questions of all difficulty levels. It will take time but they will be able to crack XAT's quant section if they dedicate extra hours to it. Aspirants can find XAT study material online in various online study groups. Students’ groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. share study material with each other. One can also download MBA exam preparation apps to get relevant and useful study material.
The good part about XAT is that, it has different cut offs for candidates belonging to different academic backgrounds. As part of its commitment to academic diversity, the institute has lower cut offs for candidates from non-engineering background than candidates from engineering background.
Just like other MBA entrance exams, there is negative marking for wrong answers in XAT too but another unique aspect is that 0.10 marks is conducted for 8 consecutive unanswered questions. This makes it a difficult exam to navigate on the day of the test.
Also Read:
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
22 Jan '25
23 Jan '25
18 Dec '24 - 24 Jan '25
21 Jan '25 - 25 Jan '25
25 Jan '25
27 Jan '25 - 28 Jan '25
16 Dec '24 - 29 Jan '25
12 Dec '24 - 30 Jan '25
2 Feb '25
28 Jan '25
How to Prepare for XAT Exam 2025?
- If you have appeared for the CAT 2024 exam then preparation for four subjects of XAT 2025-Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation and Verbal and Logical Ability should not be a problem, as not much extra preparation is required for these sections. Also Read: XAT exam syllabus
- Candidates should note that the XAT exam often has questions on ‘Higher Mathematics’ i.e. questions pertaining to Probability, Permutations & Combinations, Base System, etc. in addition to the usual questions from Geometry, Arithmetic and Algebra.
- Data Interpretation questions of the XAT exam are often calculation intensive and sometimes slightly tough. Make sure that you are good with Ratio-Proportion, Fraction-Percentage Conversions, Tables, etc.
- The Verbal and Logical Ability section of the XAT includes questions pertaining to Reading Comprehension, Fill in the Blanks, Para Jumbles, Paragraph Completions, Critical/Logical Reasoning, Sentence Correction, etc. There is one poem too, which may pose challenge. So, practice previous years' XAT question papers for handling poem.
- The Decision Making section requires careful preparation as it is a unique aspect of the XAT. The candidate is asked to choose the best course of action in the various given situations. In general, the situations include economic situation, business decision, dilemmas for the parties involved, and require an analysis of the possible benefits or negatives for each possible course of action.
- I would suggest referring XAT previous year question papers to understand the type of scenarios that may be given in XAT 2025.
- Finding the correct answer of a question includes the candidate developing an ability to understand the situation and analyse it carefully. Try and ensure that the choice you make is unbiased, ethical, balanced and takes into account the perspectives of all stakeholders involved.
Also Read:
General Knowledge: Most of the questions in this section of XAT pertain to economics and business. Make sure you are up-to-date with current events by reading a newspaper daily and a business magazine. But you need to do this for at least a few months before the exam, not just for a few days!
Read More:
- How to prepare for XAT 2025 exam in 3 months
- How to Prepare for XAT 2025 exam in 1 month
- XAT Preparation 2025: Tips to Crack QA and DI
- XAT Preparation 2025: Tips to Crack Decision Making
- XAT Preparation 2025: Tips to Crack Verbal Ability
About the Author
Sidharth Balakrishna is the author of several Pearson books, such as, ‘An Introduction to CAT-Tips from an IIM Alumnus', ‘Reading Comprehension for the CAT- A Winning Approach by an IIM Alumnus', ‘Case Studies in Marketing’-part of the Pearson Case Book series and ‘Vocabulary for the CAT: A Winning Approach by an IIM Alumnus’.
Q: What is the difficulty level of the XAT exam?
XAT is one of the tougher MBA entrance exams. The difficulty level of the XAT question paper is usually moderate to high. The XAT 2024 question paper was of moderate difficulty level. The Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section is usually tougher than other sections. Verbal and Logical Reasoning section is usually moderate. However, some candidates find the Verbal Ability section tough as it has questions based on Reading Comprehension passages and poem. Decision Making and General Knowledge sections are moderate to easy.
Out of 100 questions, about 70-75 attempts with 70 to 80 per cent accuracy is considered a good attempt in the XAT exam. The test takers must strive to attempt 2/3 rd of the total questions in each section for a decent overall score. If a candidate scores 95 percentile, they will be in a position to get a good college.
Q: When is the best time to begin XAT preparation?
Q: Are six months enough to prepare for XAT?
There is no set time limit to prepare for XAT exam, but you need a minimum of six months for preparation. Ideally candidates need to start XAT preparation by April, however, if they start by June or July too, they can complete the syllabus within time and have ample time for practice of sample papers and mock tests. In order to utilize six months that you have for XAT preparation, do the following:
- Make monthly, weekly and daily time tables to study and don’t deviate from that routine.
- Start with subjects which you are your weak spots. We suggest start with studying Quantitative Aptitude and English.
- For Reading Comprehension, read editorials of newspapers and magazines every day. Read fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies, etc. for strengthening English vocabulary and comprehension.
- Download MBA exam preparation apps on your phone so that you can revise topics, solve reasoning or English puzzles anywhere when you get time.
Q: Can I prepare for XAT with CAT preparation material?
Q: Which is the best book for the Quantitative Aptitude section of XAT?
Take Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
Shiksha has created an online XAT mock test for aspirants to attempt and assess their preparation level. The mock test has been created on the basis of questions asked in previous years’ XAT exams. Click on the link below to take the free XAT mock test by Shiksha.
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Vipra is a massive Breaking Bad fan. When not watching crime drama series, she spends time in updating the list of places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet, but she is happiest in the company of dogs. ... Read Full Bio
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
8 Jan '25 | SNAP 2024 result announcement |
21 Dec '24 | SNAP 2024 session 3 |
25 Dec '24 - 25 Jan '25 | MAH CET 20245 registration pro... |
Mar '25 | MAH MBA CET 2025 |
13 Jan '25 - 17 Jan '25 | NMAT 2024 Exam Window (second ... |
5 Jan '25 - 10 Jan '25 | NMAT 2024 Scheduling Window (s... |
25 Jan '25 | CMAT 2025 exam date |
20 Jan '25 | CMAT 2025 admit card download |
24 Dec '24 - 2 Mar '25 | MAT 2024 Registration Process ... |
24 Dec '24 - 9 Mar '25 | MAT 2024 Registration Process ... |
19 Dec '24 | CAT 2024 result announcement |
3 Dec '24 - 5 Dec '24 | CAT 2024 answer key challenge |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
24 Jan '25 - 21 Feb '25 | TANCET 2025 Registration |
Feb '25 | TANCET Admit Card Download |
Feb '25 | IBSAT 2024 Selection Process (... |
28 Dec '24 - 29 Dec '24 | IBSAT 2024 Exam |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
XAT 2025 exam had only 2 sections in the question paper, Part 1 had Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making and Verbal Ability. Part 2 consisted of General Knowledge section. Essay Writing has been removed from the entrance test. It is a part of XLRI PI selection process. The total time duration of X
P
Beginner-Level 2
Answered Yesterday
XAT 2025 exam was of moderate difficulty level. The students who had appeared for the exam last year, said the XAT 2025 question paper was not much different. Section wise, Quantitative Aptitude questions were on the tougher side, Verbal Ability and Decision Making were easy to moderate and GK was e
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 2 days ago
Best would to be to use the free college predator tool in Shiksha.com.
https://www.shiksha.com/college-predictor
Fill your details and it provides detailed results and it also gives you option to filter colleges according to your preferances.
G
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
A XAT percentile of 7.2471 is approximately equivalent to a score of 17-18 out of 100. This score is below the typical cutoff for most top MBA colleges that accept XAT scores. For instance, institutions like XLRI Jamshedpur and MICA Ahmedabad generally require a minimum percentile of 85-90 for cons
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Yes, it is possible to crack XAT exam in first attempt. But for that, one needs to have a proper plan and start the preparation about 9-10 months before the exam. XAT is a high difficulty level exam and one needs to cover the exam syllabus end to end to be able to score well. Covering the entire XAT
A
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
Candidates can take reference of subjects and topics from CAT study material for Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude, but XAT preparation has to be exam specific and must include exam specific study material. Aspirants can use CAT sample questions too for practice purpose,
E
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
XAT syllabus for Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude are same as CAT syllabus. Decision Making and General Knowledge syllabus are not a part of CAT syllabus. Thus, XAT aspirants have to study more than CAT aspirants, which is why one needs to have a XAT specific preparation
N
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
There are no non-MCQs in XAT. All the questions are in MCQ format with four options to choose the correct answer from. There are neither Type in the Answer and nor subjective answer type questions. Earlier, there used to be essay writing which required candidates to type a short essay on screen.
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
As per the latest XAT exam pattern, the question paper has only 2 parts. Part 1 consists of VALR, DM and QA DI questions. Part 2 consists of GK questions. Essay Writing is not a part of the online test. The total time duration is 180 minutes or 3 hours. Part 1 is of 170 minutes and Part 2 is of 10 m
P
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
XAT score calculation process is simple as the marking scheme is pretty straightforward. The total marks of XAT 2025 is 95. The test has 95 questions each carry 1 mark. Section wie distribution is:
VALR: 26 marks
DM: 21 marks
QADI: 28 marks
GK: 20 marks
However, since GK marks are not to be included in X
S
Beginner-Level 3
Ideally, XAT preparation takes six to nine months, but if candidates have prepared for CAT too, XAT preparation can be done in lesser time as one will have to only work on Decision Making and General Knowledge topics. Those who are weak in English Comprehension must start reading practice early on. The ideal time to start XAT preparation is May, so you can cover the whole syllabus by October and dedicate two months to mock test practice.
If you start studying for XAT late, by July or so, make sure you complete the syllabus by October only. Remember that XAT syllabus is tough, so you’ll need to study at least 6-8 hours daily from start until the end. Give ample time to yourself to complete the XAT syllabus.