XAT 2019 Analysis: Moderate Quant, Tricky Decision Making to Keep the Cut offs Low

Here is XAT 2019 Analysis! The XAT 2019 got over at 1 PM on Sunday, January 6, 2019 with many substantial changes introduced for the first time in the exam. NAT questions were introduced for the first time in XAT.

This year the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) began at 10 AM with a time duration of 3 hours instead of earlier three and half hours as a computer based test.  

XAT Percentile Predictor 2019

XAT 2019 has been reported a bit more difficult exam and it is expected that XAT cut offs may go down in view of the difficulty level of the exam.

XAT 2019 was the second computer based test conducted by XLRI in the history of 60 years of conducting XAT. Although the technical glitches were minimal in the second computer based XAT, a bit of problems were reported at some of the centres which were overcome promptly.

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XAT 2019 was conducted in 47 test cities in India and did not have any test city abroad. Earlier the exam was conducted in 49 test cities including 2 test cities abroad.

While there was no surprise element in the test structure of XAT 2019 Exam, it had number of changes as compared to last year.

XAT 2019 Pattern: Exam Divided in Two Parts
XAT 2019 was divided in two parts. The 3 sections in Part one are counted for percentile calculation to prepare the merit list while the score in GK in part two is kept out of preparing the merit list:

Candidate were allowed to go to Part 2 in XAT 2019 after completing the time duration of 165 minutes in Part 1

Key Changes in XAT 2019
XAT Exam Analysis 2019 reveals the following key changes in the XAT exam pattern:

• For the first time in XAT, NAT questions were introduced
• XAT 2019 Exam was of 3 hours duration instead of 3½ hours
• Visually impaired candidates with scribe were given additional 25 minutes only for Part 1 of XAT.
• Exam Timing: 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM on January 6, 2019
• The Total Number of Questions for the Exam were 99 (74 + 25) instead of 100
• Marks for every correct answer : 1
• Negative marking for every wrong answer : 0.25
• Negative marking for every unattempted question beyond 8 unattempted questions : 0.10
• No Negative marking for General Knowledge section in part-2
• All the MCQ type questions had five options with one correct option
• No Essay Writing Test in XAT 2019

NAT Questions in XAT 2019 

As if the difficulty level in XAT was not enough, a new type of Numerical Answer Type Question (NAT Questions) has been introduced for the first time in XAT 2019. Procedure for answering a numerical answer type (NAT) question was to enter a numerical answer by making use of virtual numeric keypad that appeared below the question. Step-wise procedure to answer the question was as under:

• To enter a numerical answer, candidate had to use the virtual numeric keypad that appeared below the question
• A fractional number in the decimal notation (e.g. -0.3 or -.3) could be entered as an answer with or without '0' before the decimal point.
• To clear the answer, click on the Clear Response button was required.

However, candidates have reported that despite announcing the introduction of NAT questions in XAT 2019, XLRI has refrained from placing them in the exam this year.

XAT 2019 Sectional Analysis
Part-1 in XAT 2019 had 74 questions divided in three sections which included MCQs and did not have NAT questions although XLRI had announced to introduce such type of questions this year. Here is Section wise XAT 2019 Exam Analysis:

1.      Verbal and Logical Ability

• Total Questions: 26
• 4 RC Passages followed by 3 Questions each
• 1 piece of Poetry followed by 2 questions
• Questions in Verbal included Antonyms, parajumbles, Critical Reasoning
• Section difficulty was moderate to tough
• RC passages were on Creativity, Mood Disorder
• No NAT questions was in this section

2.      Decision Making

• Total Questions: 21
• Decision Making problems repeated from last year with different options. 1-2 questions were exactly same
• DM question sets were on Human Resource Management, Starting a Franchise and others
• Questions were moderate to difficult

3.      Quantitative:

• Total Questions: 27
• More questions on Arithmetic
• 2 DI sets in the section with 3 questions each
• Section difficulty level was moderate to tough

Part-2: General Knowledge

• Total Questions 25
• GK questions were on higher difficulty side
• 1 Question HUL Merger with GSKCH India from latest GK topic published by MBAUniverse.com
• Questions were framed on Budget sessions, History, Merger-Acquisition

• Who acquired  Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Healthcare
• Which of the following is not the part of VIACOM 18
• Highest import to India
• Giga fibre to be launched by which company
• Who is the SBI Chairman
• What are the names of Parliament Budget Sessions
• Name of Liquid for dissolving Gold
• Name of Rajasthan Snake Dance 

Overall analysis

• XAT 2019 exam paper was on moderate to difficult
• Many questions in Decision Making were repeated on last year’s pattern
• Overall Cut off levels to go down or to remain same as that of last year