Read all about XAT 2020 question paper including difficulty level, topic-wise weightage and RC topics. Download free XAT 2020 question paper.
- Sustaining Pleasure in today’s world
- Knowledge has become a product
- Capitalism and Meaningless Jobs
- Increase in Cultural Exiles
- Poem - Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice
XAT 2020 Question Paper Break Up
XAT exam was held on January 5, 2019 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. XAT question paper had the same number of questions as last year. Given below are key highlights of XAT paper pattern.
| Part |
XAT sections |
Number of Questions |
Marks Allotted |
Number of Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 |
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
26 |
16-18 |
| Decision Making |
21 |
21 |
14-15 |
|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
28 |
27 |
17-18 |
|
| Part 2 |
General Knowledge |
25 |
25 |
15 |
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Prepare well for XAT 2023 by practicing question papers of past 10 years. Download official previous year XAT question papers and strengthen your XAT preparation. Click below to download free XAT question papers:
Free DownloadXAT 2020 Question Paper: Key Points
- Of all the sections, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning questions are of higher difficulty
- Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation questions can be termed moderately difficulty
- Questions of General Knowledge section are easy
- Each right question carries one mark and each wrong question carries -0.25 marks
- In case of eight consecutive unanswered questions, there is deduction of 0.10 marks
- Suggested time limit for Part 1 of the XAT question paper is 165 minutes (55 minutes each)
- Suggested time limit for Part 2 of the XAT question paper is 15 minutes
Also Read:
XAT 2020 Question Paper: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
- This section of XAT 2020 question paper has 14 Reading Comprehension questions and 12 Verbal Reasoning questions
- The RC questions are based on four passages and a poem
- The Verbal Reasoning questions are from grammar, vocabulary and reasoning based questions (critical reasoning and jumbled paragraphs)
- Length of the poem is short and it is less abstract than that of poems in previous years’ XAT question papers
- The word limit of all the RC passages is 250-300 words each and the questions are inferential in nature
- A good attempt of 15-17 questions with 70 per cent accuracy can fetch decent marks in this section
Topic-wise break-up of questions:
| Area/Questions |
No. of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability / Reasoning |
||
| Grammatically correct sentence |
2 |
Moderate |
| Fill in the blanks (3/4 blanks) |
2 |
Moderate |
| Jumbled Paragraphs |
2 |
1 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Critical Reasoning |
6 |
1 Easy, 3 Moderate, 2 Difficult |
| Reading Comprehension |
||
| Passage 1 (Sustaining Pleasure in today’s world) |
2 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 2 (Knowledge has become a product) |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 3 (Capitalism and Meaningless Jobs) |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 4 (Increase in Cultural Exiles) |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 5 (Poem - Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice) |
3 |
1 Moderate, 2 Difficult |
Also Read:
XAT 2020 Question Paper: Decision Making
- This section of the question paper has 21 questions
- There are seven cases having three questions each
- The difficulty level of this section can be termed as moderate
- All the questions are situational based on business decision and ethical dilemma
- An attempt of 14-15 questions with about 75-80 per cent accuracy would be considered to be good
Topics-wise break up of Decision Making section:
| Area/Questions |
No. of Questions |
Question Type |
Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1 |
3 |
Ethical Dilemma |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 2 |
3 |
Ethical Dilemma |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 3 |
3 |
Business Decision |
1 Easy, 2 Moderate |
| Case 4 |
3 |
Business Decisions |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 5 |
3 |
Business Decisions |
2 Easy, 1 Moderate |
| Case 6 |
3 |
Ethical Dilemma |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 7 |
3 |
Ethical Dilemma |
1 Moderate, 2 Difficult |
XAT 2020 Question Paper: Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- There are 22 questions of Quantitative Ability and most of them are from Geometry and Arithmetic
- Data Interpretation has two sets of three questions each from Arithmetic and Geometry
- Out of 22 QA questions, 20 are standalone and two are in the form of a set of Venn Diagram
- Some of the questions in this section of XAT 2020 question paper are sitters while some are lengthy
- An attempt of 4-5 DI questions and 13-15 Quant questions in about 55 minutes can fetch the candidates good marks.
Topic-wise break-up of questions in this section:
| Quantitative Ability (22 questions) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topics |
Easy |
Medium |
Difficult |
Total |
| Arithmetic |
2 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
| Geometry |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
| Modern Maths |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
| Algebra |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Numbers |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
| Data Interpretation (6 questions) |
||||
| Table |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| Multiple graphs |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
13 |
6 |
28 |
XAT 2020 Exam Analysis: General Knowledge
- The overall difficulty level of General Knowledge section of XAT 2020 is easy
- This section comprises 25 questions from static GK (Economy, Geography, Science and Technology) and Current GK (Business economy, personalities and awards)
- An attempt of 12-14 questions fetching a score of 7-8 is good in this section.
Topic-wise break-up of questions in GK section
| Section |
No. of questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Current Affairs |
3 |
Moderate |
| History |
4 |
Moderate |
| Economy & Business |
4 |
Moderate |
| Geography |
5 |
Moderate |
| Personality & Awards |
2 |
Moderate |
| Science & Tech |
5 |
Moderate |
| Polity |
1 |
Moderate |
| Books & Authors |
1 |
Moderate |
| Sports |
0 |
Moderate |
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Q: What is the XAT question paper pattern?
XAT question paper is similar to other MBA entrance exams, i.e. it has a limited number of MCQs. Check the table below for th pattern of XAT question paper 2025:
XAT Exam Structure | XAT Exam Details |
|---|---|
Mode of examination | Online |
XAT sections | Part 1- Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Part 2- General Knowledge |
Duration of exam | 3 hours |
Number of questions | 95 |
Total marks | 95 |
Number of answer choices | Five |
XAT marking scheme | 1 mark awarded for every correct answer 0.25 marks deducted for every incorrect answer - 0.10 mark deducted for more than 8 un-attempted consecutive questions No negative marking in GK section |
Candidates must check out previous years' XAT question papers to have an understanding of the paper pattern, topic-wise weightage and types of questions. These official XAT question papers are available in PDF format for free download. They can download the question paper PDFs for practicing XAT questions.
Q: Which section of XAT question paper is lengthiest?
It depends upon each candidate which section of XAT exam paper they find lengthy. It also depends on the questions chosen for the exam in that particular year. However, it has been seen that Data Interpretation questions are usually lengthy. Overall, the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section has the maximum number of questions i.e. 28 and candidates have to solve at least 22-24 questions to meet the desired cut off. So, this section may appear lengthy to the candidate.
To some candidates, the Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning section appears to be lengthy, because of dense reading comprehension passages and reasoning questions based on analogy, series, etc. The fact that both these sections are from the Part 1 of the XAT exam which is of 175 minutes makes it manageable as along with Decision Making, one can solve a decent number of QA-DI and VA-LR questions in 175 minutes.
Q: Is solving XAT question paper helpful in exam preparation?
Yes, solving XAT question paper is of immense help in exam preparation as one can get an idea of the exam pattern, difficulty level of the questions, and learn time management. The XAT question papers of previous years also give you an idea of what type of questions (Reading Comprehension passages and poem) are asked in XAT. In fact, preparation of Decision Making section is totally dependent on XAT question papers. XAT question papers of previous years also act as practice test providing you with the opportunity to master speed and time management.
Candidates must solve previous years’ XAT questions paper of at least last five years, so that they are aware of the latest type of questions especially poem, RC passages and Decision Making passages.
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XAT Mock Test will help you to get an idea about the type of questions asked, the exam pattern and marking scheme. After taking the test, you can immediately check your score. You can also download the Question Paper along with answers and their explanations for Free. Click below to start the free online test now.
Free XAT Mock Test
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
Hello Sudhanshu,
If you're aiming for MBA colleges that accept XAT scores up to the 90th percentile and require separate registration before the exam, here are some options:
XLRI Jamshedpur
XAT Cutoff: 94-95 percentile Fees: ?24.80 Lacs Average Salary: ?32.70 LPA Registration: Separate registration re
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 4 days ago
For the General AI category students, the Manipal University XAT cutoff 2023 was 85 percentile for admission to the MBA in Banking and Financial Services, MBA in Human Resources Management, MBA in Marketing, and MBA in International Business courses. For Master of Business Administration (MBA), the
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Osmania University does accept XAT scores for admission to their MBA program. However, the cutoff for XAT scores can vary each year based on the number of applicants and the competition. For the academic year 2024-25, the cutoff for XAT scores is around 25-27 percentile.
It's always a good idea
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
EMPI Business School accepts multiple national-level management exams, including XAT, for admitting students to its PGDM courses. In 2024, the XAT cutoff percentile for admission to the PGDM in International Business course was 60 for the students belonging to the General AI quota. So, candidates se
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The expected CAT/XAT percentile for GLIM G is about 80+.
Scholar-Level 18
Answered 3 weeks ago
Top MBA colleges offering average CTCs above 12 LPA, with ST out-of-state reservations and accepting CMAT or XAT scores, include XLRI Jamshedpur (32 LPA, XAT), XIM Bhubaneswar (20 LPA, XAT), Great Lakes Institute of Management (15–17 LPA, CMAT/XAT), Goa Institute of Management (14–15 LPA, CMAT/XAT),
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month 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 9
Answered a month 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 month 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 month 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
i need the colleges name through XAT exam upto 90 percentile which need to be separately registered before exam?