XAT 2025 Live Updates; Question Paper Analysis (Available), Answer Key, Pattern, Difficulty Level & Expected Cutoffs

Personal Interview round for MBA admission at XLRI will be held in late February or March 2025. Candidates selected for PI-Essay Writing will be informed about date and venue via email.

XAT 2025 was held yesterday. The difficulty level of this year’s exam was moderate to high. XAT cut offs are expected to remain the same as previous years.

This year, the XLRI selection criteria include personal interview and essay writing. GK scores will also be evaluated for PI shortlisting. Academic record and work experience will be critical parameters.

XAT 2025 cut offs will release in the last week of January or first week of February 2025. The cut offs will release category wise and gender wise.

The provisional XAT 2025 answer key will be open to challenge. Candidates can challenge the official XAT 2025 answer key by filling an online application form and uploading a document supporting their claim.

Candidates will be able to download the XAT answer key 2025 through login. They will have to login at xatonline.in website with their XAT id and password to download the answer key.

XAT 2025 answer key may be released along with the response sheet or 2-3 days after. Announcement will be made at the official website.

XAT 2025 response sheet will be available through login. Candidates will be able to check their XAT response sheet at xatonline.in website.

XLRI Jamshedpur will release the XAT 2025 response sheet of candidates most likely by the end of this week. Shiksha will share the date as soon as it is announced.

Check expected XAT cut offs 2025, for some of the top MBA colleges accepting XAT score for admission.

Check expected KJ Somaiya XAT cutoff 2024 below:

Check expected TAPMI XAT cutoff 2025 below:

Check expected XIMB XAT cutoff 2025 below:

XAT 2024 Cut Offs (sectional) for XLRI MBA Business Management (BM)

XAT 2024 Cut Offs (sectional) for XLRI MBA Human Resource Management (HRM)

Check the table below for an estimation of how much score will convert into how much percentile:

Candidates can now assess their performance and prepare for MBA admissions. XLRI will release XAT response sheet and answer key in a few days. These documents will help test takers in analyzing their performance better. The institute will release XAT 2025 result by the third week of January 2025.  

One student shared that, decision making was lengthy as there were long paragraphs. Quants section was fine, not too tough. Another candidate said, XAT 2025 was easier than CAT 2024.

XAT 2025 exam analysis in detail will be available by 7:00 pm. In the detailed XAT analysis 2025, we will share sectional difficulty level, number of good attempts and expected cut offs.

As per the initial review of the XAT question paper 2025, the exam was same as previous years. It was moderately difficult.

XAT 2025 exam is over. Candidates have started coming out of their test centres. Shiksha will speak to students to know the level of XAT test.

XAT 2025 response sheet PDF can be expected to be released by the end of this week. The candidate response sheet will carry questions and the options they chose as answers.

Expected XLRI cut offs for MBA this year can be between 91-95 percentile. The XAT 2025 cut offs will be released by the institute after result announcement.

The XAT 2025 exam has 95 questions so to score about 98-99 percentile, a total of 45-47 attempts with maximum accuracy can be expected to be good.

Memory based questions and answer keys of XAT 2025 will be provided after the exam gets over. The memory based answer keys will help in analyzing the difficulty level of exam.

Difficulty level of XAT 2025 exam is expected to be same as previous years, i.e. moderate to high. Section wise, Quantitative Aptitude section can be expected to be lengthy.

XAT 2025 exam started at 2:00 pm at designated test centres. It will end at 5:00 pm. There will be no breaks in between.

PwD candidates will get 20 minutes extra to complete XAT 2025 question paper. They also have the flexibility to submit their answers between 170 and approximately 226.67 minutes for Part 1 and 10 minutes and 13.33 minutes for Part 2. They will be allowed to exit the lab between 180 and 240 minutes, depending on test completion.

XAT exam is of 180 minutes and there is sectional time limit for both parts of the paper. For Part 1 the time limit is 170 minutes and for Part 2, the time limit is 10 minutes. Part 1 includes DM, VALR and QADI and candidates can use 170 minutes for all the three sections as per their strategy and requirement. In Parr 2, candidates will have to only attempt GK questions.

Reporting time for XAT 2025 exam is 12:30 pm for all candidates. The exam will begin at 2:00 pm. Test takers have started reaching the XAT test centres and the entry process will commence soon.

XAT 2025 question paper will have MCQs. Candidates will have to save their answers before moving to the next question. Candidates can mark their questions for review to come back to it later. But they will have to attempt the question ‘marked for review’ within the stipulated time. Check below, status of questions as displayed in the XAT test form.

XAT test form question status

XLRI has shared with candidates in email PDFs of guidelines and items permitted/prohibited at the XAT 2025 exam centre. Check the items permitted/prohibited:

• Do not reach the test centre late. Gates will close at 1:50 pm
• Do not peep into any other candidate’s terminal
• Do not disturb other candidates during exam
• Do not carry mobile phone or any other electronic item
• Do not carry bags or valuables

• Reach the exam centre as per the reporting time
• Carry a blue/black ball point pen
• Carry the relevant documents
• Cooperate with XAT test centre staff
• Keep a check on the timer and make sure you complete both parts of the test on time
• Make sure you solve about 10-12 of the total questions with maximum accuracy in every section

Candidates need to carry the following documents

• 2 copies of XAT 2025 admit card
• 1 photo ID card
• 1 passport size photo
• Scribe certificate if applicable
• Name change document if applicable

To aim for 99 percentile in XAT, candidates must aim to attempt 45-50 questions with maximum accuracy of above 85 percent.

XAT 2025 exam will be conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur today at various examination centres in 110 cities. Over 1 lakh students are expected to appear for XAT exam today.

Score of GK section will be taken into consideration for evaluation of candidates for PI shortlisting process. It will not be considered for XAT percentile calculation.

Important topics for QADI section of XAT are Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc.

Important topics for Decision Making section are Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc.

Important topics from which questions will be asked in VALR section of XAT are Reading Comprehension (including a poem), Vocabulary, Analogy, Parajumble, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Fill in the Blanks, etc.

• +1 for every correct attempt
• -0.25 for every incorrect attempt
• -0.10 for 8 consecutive unmarked questions
• No negative marking in GK

Candidates must go through the main concepts and theorems and important GK questions once before the exam. But they should not spend too much time in studying. One hour of revision should be enough.

This year, the examination authority will allow use of scientific calculator to do calculations for solving questions.

Candidates have to carry a blue or black ball point pen. No other stationary item will be allowed inside the XAT examination centre.

Check below, XAT exam day dress code:

• Caps, hats and headgears are not allowed
• Jackets and hoodies with pockets are not allowed
• Metal jewellery and accessories are not allowed
• High boots and shoes are not allowed
• Socks, plain pullovers, sweaters, and cardigans without pockets are allowed

Candidates must affix a recent passport size photo on their XAT 2025 admit card. The photo should preferably be the same as uploaded in the XAT application form 2025.

Digital copy of the XAT 2025 admit card will not be accepted as a valid document. Candidates must carry two print outs of their admit card tomorrow to the examination centre.

Candidates have to carry any one of the following photo IDs tomorrow to the XAT 2025 test centre:

1. Aadhaar card
2. Voter ID card
3. PAN card
4. Valid College ID
5. Passport
6. Driving License
7. Employee ID card

Candidates are supposed to carry the following documents on XAT 2025 exam day:

• To copies of XAT admit card 2025
• A photo ID card (original copy)
• A recent passport size photo

Major changes in XAT 2025 exam:

• There will be no essay writing
• Number of questions in GK will be 20
• Exam duration will be 180 minutes

XAT is a computer based test exam held at designated test centres. Candidates have to take the test on a computer system. They need to login to the test on their respective terminals and punch in their answers with the help of computer mouse. Candidates cannot appear for the test at any centre and computer system other than the ones allotted to them.

The admit card of XAT 2025 exam will have the following information printed on it:

• Candidate’s name
• Candidate’s photo
• Candidate's date of birth
• Candidate's category
• Candidate’s XAT ID
• Exam date
• Exam time
• Exam venue

Instructions regarding exam/exam day

XAT 2025 admit card was released on December 26. Test takers must download their hall ticket by today or tomorrow morning and take prints outs before the exam.

XAT 2025 will be held from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. It will be a three-hour exam without break. Candidates are supposed to report to their examination centres at 12:30 pm.

XLRI Jamshedpur will be conducting the XAT 2025 exam tomorrow for admission to its full-time MBA courses. The XAT 2025 score will be valid for about 800 other B-Schools for MBA admission.