XAT Sample Papers

The XAT 2024 Exam Pattern is designed to assess candidates across various domains, encompassing multiple sections. Here are the key highlights:Sections and Duration:Part 1: Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA & LR) - About 26 questionsPart 2: Decision Making (DM) - About 22 questionsPart 3: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) - About 28 questionsMock Keyboard Testing - Not Applicable (NA)General Knowledge* (GK) - About 25 questionsAnalytical Essay Writing* (AEW) - 1 questionDuration: 175 Minutes (Part 1), 5 Minutes (Part 2), 30 Minutes (Part 3)Question Types:VA & LR: Critical reasoning, reading comprehensions, vocabulary, grammar, para jumbles, cloze tests, etc.DM: Scenarios testing critical thinking, problem-solving, and prioritization skills.QA & DI: Assessing quantitative aptitude covering arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths, etc.GK: 10 static GK and 15 current affairs questions.AEW: Choose one topic from three and write an essay of approximately 250 words, demonstrating coherence, logical consistency, and strong argumentation.XAT Testing Mode and Scoring:Computer-Based Test 101 MCQs and 1 Descriptive EssayScoring: +1 Mark for Each Correct, -0.25 Mark for Incorrect MCQs (Sl. 1 to 75)Time Duration and Percentile Calculation:Overall time duration: 3 hours and 10 minutes.Only 3 sections (excluding GK) are considered for percentile calculation.No sectional time limit; candidates can attempt any question within the overall time limit.Evaluation of Essay Writing:Essay evaluation for shortlisted candidates only.The XAT 2024 Exam Pattern ensures a comprehensive assessment of candidates' abilities, combining objective and subjective components. 

You should ideally begin preparing XAT sample examinations several weeks before the actual exam date. Starting 2-3 months before the test is a decent starting point. This enables you to examine your strengths and weaknesses, become acquainted with the test format, and devise efficient time-management methods. Taking practice exams on a regular basis helps imitate actual testing situations, improves problem-solving abilities, and develops endurance for the lengthy exam. It also gives you insight into the sorts of questions offered on the XAT, allowing you to customize your preparation accordingly. Remember to evaluate your performance after each mock test to find areas for improvement and alter your study strategy as needed.

It is a fact that institutes want diversity in their batches. There is no restriction on educational background for appearing in the XAT. If the candidates meet the basic eligibility criteria, they can appear for XAT. While the XAT exam may be a little tough for candidates from non-engineering backgrounds but any candidate with good critical thinking skills and the ability to learn new things can prepare for the exam and qualify.It is usually seen that engineering students have better knowledge of mathematics and non-engineering students have better communication skills which help them to solve RCs better, to qualify in the XAT exam, students should develop a strategic approach.

The XAT exam syllabus consists of Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge sections. The exam has one unique section - Decision Making. XAT sectionsNumber of questionsMarks allotted (Weightage)Decision Making2222Verbal and Logical Ability2626General Knowledge2525Quantitative Ability & Data  Interpretation2828Essay Writing3 topics (candidates can choose one)To be assessed at the time of PI shortlistingThe question paper will be divided into three parts:Part 1- Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Part 2-  Mock Keyboard Testing Part 3-  General Knowledge + Essay Writing 

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.

A candidate should practice at least 35 to 40 XAT mock tests during the entire preparation period. The mock tests should be of different varieties and various difficulty levels. Candidates should ideally start practicing XAT mock tests after completing the syllabus. They should start with easy mock tests, then move to moderate mock tests and then to tough mock tests. The motive should be to score above 98 percentile in the high difficulty level XAT mock test by the time the exam day arrives.In the last two weeks before the XAT exam, candidates must practice at least five mock tests and analyse their performance. It is most likely that by the end of the exam preparation, candidates will be scoring 98 plus percentile in the mock tests. If that happens, they must be rest assured of surpassing that score in the actual exam.

XAT exam was held for 3 hours and 30 minutes. However, with the revision of exam pattern, it was held for 180 minutes in 2025. There is sectional time-limit in the test. 170 minutes are allotted to Part 1 comprising Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability. Part 2 has General Knowledge section to be solved in 10 minutes. No bio-break is allowed during the exam. Candidates have to finish the test in the given time limit only. The test screen will move from part 1 to part 2 the moment 170 minutes get over and once the 10 minutes of part 2 will be over, the test window will be locked. Candidates must keep saving their entries after every attempt as there is no provision in XAT to go back and review your answers once the time limit for that part is over. 

Yes, the XAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking but if there are 8 consecutive unanswered questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted. Thus, the candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the XAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately. The XAT exam has sectional time limit too, so you may not want to waste time on a question that you cannot solve accurately. You stand to lose both time and marks. So be careful in selecting questions in the XAT exam.  The sectional cut off for XAT is usually 80 percent accuracy. Practice a lot of mock tests to develop this skill. 

As per the latest XAT exam pattern, there will be 95 questions in XAT 2025 in MCQ format.Verbal Ability section of XAT will have 26 questionsDecision Making section of XAT will have 21 questionsQuantitative Ability section will have 28 questionsGK section will have 20 questionsThere will be no essay writing this year. It will be conducted during the selection process.It is not mandatory to solve all the questions. Candidates should solve only those questions which they can solve correctly as there is negative marking in XAT. During the exam preparation, focus on the chapters from which majority of the questions are added. This will help them in achieving the sectional and overall cut offs are required.