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.
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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 2025?
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.
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: How can I prepare for XAT 2025 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.
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.
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How to Prepare for XAT Exam 2025?
- If you are preparing for the CAT 2024 exam which will be held a month before XAT 2025, then preparation for four subjects-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.
- 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: How can I cover the XAT syllabus by self study?
If you are planning to appear for the XAT exam by self study, you must start early as the syllabus is vast and tough. To cover the XAT syllabus by self study, candidates must refer to the books recommended for XAT preparation. You can take help from the following books to cover the XAT syllabus but do join a study forum to get help from mentors and peers when need be:
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Common Admission Tests for Admission into IIMs by Sarvesh K Verma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha
- Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency by Ananta Ashisha/Arihant
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Objective General English by Dr RS Agarwal and Vikas Agarwal
- High School English Grammar by Wren & Martin
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
- Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency by Ananta Ashisha
- How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
Q: When is the best time to begin XAT preparation?
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.
Q: What is the difficulty level of the Quantitative Aptitude questions in XAT?
Q: Can I prepare for XAT with CAT preparation material?
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 |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 9 hours ago
Hii, The difficulty of XAT, CAT, or CMAT depends on individual aptitude and preparation, but generally:
- CAT: Considered the toughest, with high competition and emphasis on VARC, DILR, and Quant.
- XAT: Moderate, with an additional Decision-Making section and essay writing, testing analytical thinking.
- CM
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, a college ID card is not considered valid for identity verification in the XAT 2025 exam. Acceptable documents typically include a government-issued photo ID such as an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, passport, or driving license. Ensure your ID is original, valid, and matches the name on your
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade) admits students through XAT and GMAT scores other than the CAT scores for their MBA (International Business) program. Here are the respective :-
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test):
The candidate using XAT can apply at IIFT for the MBA (IB). XAT is one of the tests
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Sandip University accepts various national-level exams for MBA admissions, including XAT. The XAT 2025 dates have been released. As per that, the exam is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2025. Moreover, the applications for the same are expected to be released in the middle of December 2024.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, candidates can apply for SAGE University MBA through the XAT exam. The registrations for the exam are open and will go on till Nov 30, 2024. The exam will take place on 5 Jan 2024. Candidates can apply and appear for the exam to get a seat in the university's MBA programme.
In addition to that,
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
SNU Noida accepts a wide range of national-level entrance tests for admissions to its MBA programme, including XAT. Those who wish to get admission via XAT, must register and appear for the exam. As per the official website, XAT 2025 is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2024.
Note: The above-mentioned
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
XAT is one of the selection criteria for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme at DES Pune University. Other selection criteria include:
CAT, NMAT, GMAT, PERA, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, DES PU Entrance Exam, Group Discussion (GD), and Extempore.
To be eligible for the MBA program, candidat
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 weeks ago
As per the latest XAT schedule, the exam is scheduled to be held on Jan 5, 2025. This paper generally consists of three sections, namely Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. The tentative last date to register for this exam is Nov 30, 2024.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
If we compare the entrance exams required for admission to DY Patil Talegaon, SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM, we will see that only DY Patil Talegaon does not conduct admissions through XAT score and only uses the MAHCET score for admission.
SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM conduc
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
There are no specific factors considered when calculating the XAT cutoff. However, to qualify for admission into the PGDM, PGDM Business Analytics, and MBA programmes at Globsyn Business School, prospective students need to hold a Bachelor’s degree (10+2+3) or equivalent from a recognised university
S
Contributor-Level 7
Which entrance exam is easy among XAT, CAT and CMAT for admission to MBA at Assam University?