Colleges
Colleges
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is one of the important and largest MBA entrance exams for admission in XLRI and 160 other top B-schools. XAT is a computer based test of three hours thirty Minutes Duration and is divided into five sections: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning; Decision Making; Quantitative Aptitude; General Awareness; Essay Writing Test. XAT 2025 Exam date is January January 5, 2025. Below is the XAT preparation plan for XAT 2025. XAT 2025 Registration is open. Apply now.
Unless you are aware what are the key components and sections in XAT exam pattern, what are the topics on which questions are asked in XAT exam, it is like beating about the bush as you will not be able to know how to start the XAT preparation 2025. So, before moving on your XAT preparation path, it is very important to understand the XAT exam pattern as below:
XAT 2024 Exam Pattern
Your XAT preparation should be done with a clear understanding on How to Prepare for XAT Exam 2025, what XAT Study Material for Exam Preparation is required, how to do XAT Sectional Preparation, what are the tips on how to Prepare for XAT Exam, what are XAT Exam Preparation Tips & Tricks Related Resources, which are Best Online Videos for XAT Preparations, How to Prepare for XAT by Self-Study, how to do XAT Exam Preparation with Last Years Exam Papers and Mocks among others. Now check below how to start and complete your XAT preparation 2025
| Exam Sections | Number of questions | Overall Time & Scoring Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Part-1 | 75 Total MCQs | 170 Minutes. Max.75 Marks(+1 Mark for each Correct answer; -0.25 Negative Marking for each wrong answer) |
| Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning | 26 | No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and -0.25 (Max 26 Marks) |
| Decision Making | 21 | No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and – 0.25(Max 22 Marks) |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and – 0.25 (Max 28 Marks) |
| Part-2 | 20 Total MCQs | 10 Minutes |
| General Knowledge | 20 | Complete in 10 Minutes. +1; No Negative Marking (Max 20 Marks) |
| Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) | 1 Descriptive Topic (Dropped for XAT 2025) | No Test in XAT 2025 |
| Total questions (Part 1 + Part 2) | 95 MCQs | Max 95 Marks |
Q: In how many days XAT exam will be conducted
Q: In how many sessions will XAT 2025 exam be conducted?
Q: What is the Mode of XAT 2025 exam?
Q: Is XAT a difficult exam?
Q: Can I attempt any section in XAT within over all time limit?
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) is the first section in XAT exam and has 26% weightage in the exam. This section includes Reading Comprehension also. You need to prepare on following key topics which have high percentage of questions appearing in VALR section in XAT exam as shared below:
2.1 VA, RC, LR Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
2.2 XAT Syllabus for VALR
Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 26 questions are based on VALR section. The syllabus for VALR Section in XAT is divided into 3 parts. The 1st part of syllabus covers topics on Verbal Ability, the 2nd Part of syllabus covers Reading Comprehension passages and the 3rd part covers Reasoning section. Below is shared the topic wise VALR syllabus with number of questions in the exam and actual XAT questions that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT
XAT Syllabus for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR)
2.3 Toppers Tips for VALR Preparation for XAT 2025
Toppers’ Tips
“My main source for preparation of the VA section was the daily newspapers (mainly The Hindu or Indian Express). Apart from that, one of the main things anyone should focus on is to read the RCs and poems in the exam extremely carefully before attempting”
Nipun Garg, XAT Topper 99.95%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
“For verbal, I was mainly studying from online available sources. My major focus in verbal was to ensure that I can understand the meaning of the passages and poems and don’t make silly mistakes during examination. So, I was regularly reading short passages on diverse topics and I had set a fixed timing of 1.5-2 hrs every day to spend on verbal section solving RCs and critical reasoning questions.”
Harsh Gupta, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
2.4 VALR Sample Questions with Answers
VA Questions in XAT with Answers
Q.1 Read the following statement carefully. ___________like a fake can be a sign of___________, and clinging too tightly to what feels like one’s authentic self can ________that growth. Fill in the blanks meaningfully, in the above statement, from the following options. A acting, progress, enhance B feeling, growth, hinder C behaving, improvement, support D performing, stupidity, change E operating, smartness, increase
Q.2 Read the following statements and answer the question that follows:
Which of the following combinations is the MOST logically ordered
Correct Answers:
Q.1 B
Q.2 C
LR Questions in XAT with Answers
Q.3 Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:
How do we choose one discovery over any other? The physician Lewis Thomas made a choice. He bluntly asserts: “The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th-century science has been the discovery of human ignorance.” The science writer Timothy Ferris agrees: “Our ignorance, of course, has always been with us, and always will be. What is new is our awareness of it, our awakening to its fathomless dimensions, and it is this, more than anything else, that marks the coming of age of our species.” It is an odd, unsettling thought that the culmination of our greatest century of discovery should be the confirmation of our ignorance. How did such a thing come about?
Which of the following statements can be BEST concluded from the above passage?
Correct Answer: E
RC Questions in XAT with Answers
Q. 4 & 5: Read the following passage and answer the TWO questions that follow:
But as the behavioral economists like to remind us, we are already prone to all sorts of reductions as a species. It’s not just the scientists. We compress complex reality down into abbreviated heuristics that often work beautifully in everyday life for high-frequency, low-significance decisions. Because we are an unusually clever and self-reflective species, we long ago realized that we needed help overcoming those reductive instincts when it really matters. And so we invented a tool called storytelling. At first, some of our stories were even more reductive than the sciences would prove to be: allegories and parables and morality plays that compressed the flux of real life down to archetypal moral messages. But over time the stories grew more adept at describing the true complexity of lived experience, the whorls and the threadlike pressures. One of the crowning achievements of that growth is the realist novel. That, of course, is the latent implication of Prince Andrei’s question: “innumerable conditions made meaningful only in unpredictable moments” would fare well as a description of both War and Peace and Middlemarch, arguably the two totemic works in the realist canon. What gives the novel the grain of truth lies precisely in the way it doesn’t quite run along the expected grooves, the way it dramatizes all the forces and unpredictable variables that shape the choices humans confront at the most meaningful moments of their lives. When we read those novels—or similarly rich biographies of historical figures—we are not just entertaining ourselves; we are also rehearsing for our own real-world experiences….
Q4. Which of the following is the BEST interpretation regarding reductive instincts?
Q.5. Why would a realist novel consist of “innumerable conditions made meaningful only in unpredictable moments?”
Correct Answers
Q.4: E
Q.5: C
2.5 Best VALR Preparation Books for XAT 2025
VALR Preparation books and XAT preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you in XAT preparation and score high in the XAT exam. A few of the best VALR books for XAT recommended by toppers to prepare for XAT are
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | Sentence Correction | Grammatically Correct & Incorrect Sentences | 3 |
| -- | Para Summary | Making choice of Summary of small Paragraph | 1 |
| -- | Jumbled Paragraph | Placing the 5 Jumbled sentences in coherent paragraphs | 2 |
| -- | Fill in the Blanks | Filling 2 Blanks in each sentence with correct words | 2 |
| Reading Comprehension | -- | -- | -- |
| Questions on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Passage Title | RC Passage 1 | Topic: Beauty has an aesthetic, but it is not the same as aesthetics | 2 |
| -- | RC Passage 2 | Topic: The problem of unrecognized ignorance | 3 |
| -- | RC Passage 3 | Topic: Simplified moral frames | 3 |
| -- | RC Passage 4 | Topic: Reductive instinct and realist storytelling | 2 |
| -- | RC Passage 5 | Topic: Mass vaccination and herd immunity | 3 |
| -- | RC Passage 6 | Topic: Poem | 2 |
| Reasoning | Critical Reasoning | True False, Correct Logica following the Statements, Best combination | 3 |
| -- | Total Questions | -- | 26 |
| Syllabus for VALR Topics | Syllabus | No of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | Sentence Correction (3 Qs); Para Summary & Jumbled Paragraphs (3 Qs); Fill in the Blanks (2 Qs); | 8 |
| Reading Comprehension | Six RC Passages on Abstract Topics, Literature, Current Affairs, Business Economy followed by 2-3 questions on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Passage Title | 15 |
| Reasoning | Critical Reasoning (1 Q), Verbal Reasoning (2 Qs), Calendars, Clocks, Arrangements | 3 |
Decision Making (DM) is a unique section in Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) and carries a weightage of 21% in the exam. It tests you not on your ability to learn concepts or remember formulas, but on your ability to holistically view a situation and propose a solution to a problem. DM also tests you on your ethical standing and asks you to take a decision in a conflicting situation. Three different types of questions asked in Decision Making section are on Data Based Problems, Situation Based Problems and a Mixture of both type of Problems. Below is shared the topic wise XAT entrance exam topics on which problems were based in this section in XAT 2024
3.1 DM Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
3.2 XAT Syllabus for DM
Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 21 questions are based on DM section. The syllabus for DM section is very wide. Below is shared the DM syllabus with number of questions in the exam that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT
XAT Syllabus for Decision Making (DM)
Toppers Tips for DM Preparation for XAT 2025
“To prepare for DM, my recommendation would be to practise previous year papers, as many times as you want, specifically the DM section. Each of us has a unique perspective that might give us different yet valid answers for the questions in DM. Unless this perspective matches with the examiner’s, there is no point in our justifications”
Nandagopal V, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
“The past year papers were the best source for preparation for the exam. I tried to deduce a logically why the given answer was correct. I also relied on few of my friends to discuss the given case studies to gain a different perspective”
Nipun Garg, XAT Topper 99.95%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
3.4 DM Sample Questions with Answers
Q.1 to 3: Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow:
Mr. Singh lived in a sprawling housing society. He employed two part-time domestic helps, Vimla and Sharda. Vimla was responsible for cleaning and dusting, while Sharda took care of cooking. Once Sharda fell ill and consequently took leave for three days. When Sharda returned to work, she learned that Mr. Singh’s gold ring, a gift from his mother, was missing. Suspecting theft, Mr. Singh had terminated Vimla. Mr. Singh asked Sharda to take additional responsibility of cleaning the house, along with an offer to double her salary. Sharda accepted the offer as her previous two jobs were lost due to frequent health-related absences. She was struggling to make ends meet; this offer would go a long way to help her.
Next day, while cleaning under the dressing table, Sharda found the gold ring. Overjoyed, Mr. Singh expressed his gratitude by presenting Sharda a reward of one thousand rupees! However, he made no mention of reinstating Vimla.
Q.1. Sharda was contemplating whether she should inform Vimla that she found Mr. Singh’s ring. Which of the following considerations will BEST dissuade Sharda in sharing the information about the ring with Vimla?
A Mr. Singh will probably terminate Sharda if he gets to know that she has revealed this information. B Had Vimla done her job properly, she would have found the ring and avoided this incident.
C Vimla already knows she has not stolen anything, so telling her will not give her any new information.
D Sharda is not keeping well, and Mr. Singh warned her that her frequent absences could lead to her termination.
E Whenever Sharda was absent, Vimla used to help her by taking over her responsibilities. XAT Preparation Tips
Q.2. Two months passed, and owing to Sharda’s improved health and dedication, Sharda started working in three more houses. However, Vimla was dismissed from her jobs in two more houses primarily due to the ring incident. News of the discovery of the lost ring had not become public, and Sharda wanted to help Vimla. Sharda is contemplating over possible actions. Which of the following actions, by Sharda, will BEST help Vimla?
A Confront Mr. Singh about concealing the discovery of the lost ring from the housing society residents.
B Inform Vimla that the ring has been found and advise her to demand compensation from Mr. Singh for tarnishing her image.
C Inform as many domestic helps in the housing society as possible that she has found the ring. D Quit the job at Mr. Singh’s house and ask him to consider offering that job to Vimla.
E Divulge to Vimla’s employers in the housing society that she has found the ring.
Q.3. The news of the discovery of the lost ring eventually became public. The domestic helps in the society were chagrined by the treatment meted out to Vimla and the fact that the news of the discovery was not made public immediately. They wanted to ensure that they would not get targeted every time if something goes missing. Which of the following policy options will BEST minimize the chance of employers suspecting their domestic workers of theft in the future?
A The domestic workers will undergo a daily search by the security guards when leaving the society. B When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft without proof, they will have to be paid at least one month’s salary in full.
C The current address and contact details of all domestic workers should be submitted to the housing society.
D If there is a suspicion of theft, the security guards will first conduct a thorough search of the affected house.
E When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft, the employer will have to publicly apologize if the domestic worker can prove their innocence.
Correct Answers
Q.1: A
Q.2: B
Q.3: A
3.5 Best DM Preparation Books for XAT
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caselet-1 | Problem Based on Human Resources | Experience Credentials of Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-2 | Problem Based on ABC Business School | Disciplined School with High Placements but less learning | 3 |
| Caselet-3 | Problem Based on Taxis | Competition among Taxi Drivers | 3 |
| Caselet-3 | Problem Based on Sales & Marketing | SUV Sales Target Met but recovery of loss a concern due to extended warranty | 3 |
| Caselet-4 | Problem Based on Household help | Wrongful Termination of Domestic Help | 3 |
| Caselet-5 | Problem Based on Human Resources at IT Firm Symbolis | Distribution of Performance Bonus to the Best Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-6 | Problem Based on Gas Extraction Company Deep Sea c | Releasing the Natural Gas Pressure and Safety Arrangements | 3 |
| Syllabus for Decision Making Topics | Syllabus | No of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Problems based on situations in form of Caselets | HR Problems, Sales and Marketing, Management and others followed by 2-3 questions each | 21 |
4.3 Toppers Tips for QADI Preparation for XAT 2025
Toppers’ Tips
“I prepared for the QA section in CAT by practising questions from the Arun Sharma book. What most of the engineers are weak at, and generally ignore, are concepts in geometry and mensuration. The competitive advantage of putting in the extra hours in them are two-pronged. Primarily, you won’t shy away from answering them since you have prepared. Additionally, now that you are prepared, you might know some theorems and lemmas that can help you solve these questions really fast, thus saving time.”
Nandagopal V, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
“My major preparation strategy for this section was to solve a set of diverse questions covering all major domains every day to retain concepts in my mind. Though one thing I did was that in final exam I attempted the questions of topics I was most comfortable in and rest I attempted only after I had solved everything else”
Harsh Gupta, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
4.4 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Sample Questions with Answers
Q.1 In a school, the number of students in each class, from Class I to X, in that order, are in an arithmetic progression. The total number of students from Class I to V is twice the total number of students from Class VI to X. If the total number of students from Class I to IV is 462, how many students are there in Class VI?
A 93
B 88
C 83
D 77
E None of the remaining options is correct.
Q.2 The cost of running a movie theatre is Rs. 10,000 per day, plus additional Rs. 5000 per show. The theatre has 200 seats. A new movie was released on Friday. There were three shows, where the ticket price was Rs. 250 each for the first two shows and Rs. 200 for the late-night show. For all shows together, total occupancy was 80%. What was the maximum amount of profit possible?
A Rs. 1,20,000
B Rs. 87,000
C Rs. 95,000
D Rs. 91,000
E Rs. 1,16,000
Q.3 A group of boys is practising football in a rectangular ground. Raju and Ratan are standing at the two opposite mid-points of the two shorter sides. Raju has the ball, who passes it to Rivu, who is standing somewhere on one of the longer sides. Rivu holds the ball for 3 seconds and passes it to Ratan. Ratan holds the ball for 2 seconds and passes it back to Raju. The path of the ball from Raju to Rivu makes a right angle with the path of the ball from Rivu to Ratan. The speed of the ball, whenever passed, is always 10 metre per second, and the ball always moves on straight lines along the ground. Consider the following two additional pieces of information:
I. The dimension of the ground is 80 metres × 50 metres.
II. The area of the triangle formed by Raju, Rivu and Ratan is 1000 square metres.
Consider the problem of computing the following: how many seconds does it take for Raju to get the ball back since he passed it to Rivu? Choose the correct option.
A I alone is sufficient to solve the problem.
B II alone is sufficient to solve the problem.
C Either of I or II, by itself, is sufficient to solve the problem.
D I and II both are required to solve the problem.
E The problem cannot be solved even with both I and II.
Correct Answers
Q.1: D
Q.2: D
Q.3: A
4.5 Best QADI Preparation Books for XAT
The best books for Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation for XAT preparation are:
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) section in XAT commands 28% weight in XAT exam. QADI questions in XAT are designed to assess the quantitative aptitude of candidates. The students are expected to possess a foundational understanding of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization, and insightful analysis of the data. Below is shared the topic wise QADI syllabus with number of questions in the exam and actual XAT questions that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT
4.1 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
4.2 XAT Syllabus for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 28 questions are based on QADI section. Below is shared the QADI syllabus with number of questions in the exam that appeared recently to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Time Speed Distance | Pilot increasing speed of Aircraft to reach Destination | 1 |
| Arithmetic | Profit & Loss | Cost of Running Movie Theatre and required capacity to ear profit; Selling Price at Food Stall | 2 |
| Arithmetic | Arithmetic Progression | Number of students in a class | 1 |
| Number System | Increasing, Decreasing | Real Numbers, Value | 3 |
| Permutation & Combination; Set Theory | Combination of Items in Restaurant; Vegetable Market | Making a combination of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian items from Menu; Aman buying vegetables | 3 |
| Geometry | Triangles and Rectangles | Farmer’s Tringalular land; Rectangle Football ground; Right Angle | 3 |
| Algebra- Polynomials | Roots of Polynomial | Ratio of area from largest to smallest | 1 |
| Linear Equation, Log, Quadratic Equation | Real Numbers, Logs | Coinciding Lines represented by the two equations; Equation Log | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-1 | T-20 Match | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-2 | Statistics – Hinge number | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-3 | Discount Coupon | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | DI Set-4 | Shortlisting for Interview | 2 |
| Total Questions | -- | -- | 28 |
| Syllabus for QADI Topics | Syllabus | No of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Time Speed Distance (1 Qs); Profit & Loss (2 Qs); Arithmetic Progression (1 Q); Number System (3 Qs); P&C (3 Qs) | 10 |
| Algebra | Equations, Linear Equation, Log, Quadratic Equation (3 Qs), Plynomials (1 Q), Set Theory (1 Q) | 5 |
| Geometry | Angles, Triangles, Rectangles, Lines, Theorems | 2 |
| Data Interpretation | Tables (3), Data Analysis (3), Graphs (3), Statistical presentation (2) | 11 |
General Knowledge section has 20 questions in XAT 2025 exam. The score in this section is not taken into account for percentile calculation in XAT exam. However, during XLRI PI Round GK plays an important role in final selection. In-depth and regular reading of GK helps more as sometimes a few GK questions in XAT appear more tricky and need intensive reading. Below is shared the topic wise XAT entrance exam GK syllabus on which questions were based in XAT 2024 in this section
5.1 General Knowledge (GK) Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
5.2 XAT Syllabus for General Knowledge
In the GK section, questions focus on static GK and current affairs. Major Topics Covered include economics, finance, national and international current affairs, Constitution of India, Company profiles, logos, Business & Economy, Who’s who, Books & Authors, Capitals & Currencies
5.3 Toppers Tips for GK Preparation for XAT 2025
“GK preparation strategy that I followed is to read newspapers consistently for 6 months prior to XAT. Very difficult to prepare for GK last minute”
Tanish Jain, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
“Although GK score is not counted in percentile preparation, it plays important role in XLRI admission. My UPSC preparation helped me in that and a few things that would help in GK preparation strategy are Try reading a newspaper every day, it will help you with your VARC, essay and interview as well; Pick up something like The Hindu, Mint or Indian Express. Read editorials”
Kanika Mehra XAT Topper 98.32%, XLRI PGDM-BM 2022-24
5.4 General Knowledge Sample Questions with Answers
Q.1. What is the name of Air India’s Artificial Intelligence-powered chat assistant that introduced a generative AI virtual agent?
A Niyaa
B AirBuddy
C Sathi
D Maharaja
E Frenz
Q.2. In November 2023, which state government declared a fish named “Ghol” as the state fish?
A Uttar Pradesh
B Haryana
C Gujarat
D Bihar
E Maharashtra
Q.3. Which Indian city set a world record by illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps on the eve of Diwali 2023?
A Ayodhya
B Prayagraj
C Varanasi
D Udupi
E Rameswaram
Q.4. Which rocket was used to launch Aditya-L1?
A PSLV-C57
B LVM3 -M4
C NGLV
D GSLV-F12
E TERLS
Q.5. Which company has launched a dedicated air cargo service in India to speed up deliveries?
A Amazon
B Flipkart
C Jiomart
D Tata Cliq
E Snapdeal
Correct Answers
Q.1: D
Q.2: C
Q.3: A
Q.4: A
Q.5: A
5.5 Best GK Preparation Books for XAT
To study the Static and latest GK for XAT, consistent preparation is required. Following study material is helpful to crack GK section in XAT with high score
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static GK | History | Historical capital cities of India; Famous battles; Doctrine of lapse | 3 |
| Static GK & Changes | Geography | National capitals of countries; Flow of River Ganges | 2 |
| Static & Current | Economics & Business | Brics | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Personality & Awards | Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy, Matthew Perry, | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Science & Technology | Aditya L-1; X 37B | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Sports | Women’s Premier League, Asian Games | 2 |
| Static & Current | Books & Authors | Match the authors of the books | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Latest National & International | Country pulling out of “Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe”; Air India’s AI; “Ghol” as the state fish; City illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps; Earthquake in Japan; | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | Companies, people, work, action | Leap Year calculation; Dedicated air cargo service in India; ChatGPT, Google Bard, Chatsonic | 3 |
| Current Affairs | Nobel Prize | Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in Economics | 2 |
| Static & Current | Culture & Entertainment | Movie Oppenheimer, Nabanno harvest festival of Bengal and Bangladesh | 2 |
| Total | -- | -- | 25 |
| Syllabus for GK Topics | Syllabus | No of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Static GK (XAT 2025 to have 8 Questions) | History (2 Qs), Books & Authors (3Qs), Capitals and Currencies (2 Qs), Geography (2 Qs); Culture (1) | 10 |
| Current Affairs (XAT 2025 to have 12 Questions) | Economics & Business (2 Q); Personality & Awards (2Qs); Science & Technology (2 Qs); Sports (1 Qs); National & International Affairs (3 Qs); Companies & People (2 Qs); Nobel Prize (2 Qs); Entertainment (1) | 15 |
Essay writing in XAT was the descriptive online computer based test. This test was scrapped in 2019 but was restored in 2022 and again scrapped in XAT 2025. Essay writing in XAT is the test of writing skill of an aspirant. The test requires that the test taker should write a coherent and logical essay on the given topic. The exam syllabus on Essay Writing test is not limited to any particular type of topic. Past trends in XAT reveal that it needs a well worded essay on the contemporary or abstract topic. Test taker has to write essay on one topic out of the three given topics. Essay in XAT plays important role in the Personal Interview round as questions are based on what you have written in your XAT Essay.
6.1 Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
6.2 XAT Syllabus for Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)
6.3 Toppers Tips for AEW Preparation for XAT 2025
“Focus on writing different styles of essays and of different word limits. There are online resources for essay topics for XAT and other MBA exams. Take a topic, write the essay. Then go back find and essays online on the topic to read up on the topic and see how you can structure your ideas better”
Anna J Joseph, XAT Topper 99.98% XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25
“My strategy to prepare for Essay Writing Test was to read everyday, so you have some fodder to write. Read newspaper editorials. Read AEON essays, Write simple, short sentences, with no flowery language. Have a coherent idea flowing in your essay”
Kanika Mehra XAT Topper 98.32%, XLRI PGDM-BM 2022-24
6.4 Analytical Essay Writing Sample Questions
Previous Topics for XAT Essay Writing Test are:
6.5 Best AEW Preparation Books for XAT
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay-1 | Tech prediction often fail not because of wrong models or a lack of imagination but due to lack of humility in admitting our uncertainties about the future. | 1 |
| Essay | Essay-2 | Implementing more stringent regulations for Social Media Platforms is crucial to effectively combat the proliferation of fake news. | 1 |
| Essay | Essay-3 | Things which matters the most must never be at the mercy of things that matters the least. | 1 |
| Total | Choice to choose one Topic out of 3 | -- | 3 |
| Syllabus for Essay Topics | Syllabus | No of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Essays of 150-200 words (Scrapped in XAT 2025 exam) | Choice of one Essay out of Three on Abstract (2); Literature/Current Affairs/Business Economy (1) | 3 |
One of the most important preparation tools is your XAT exam preparation time table. As the preparation time goes on reducing month after month with every passing day, you need to revisit your preparation strategy and synchronise it with remaining preparation Time. Finalizing the preparation time table depends upon your skill set also. How much preparation you need? What are your weak areas and how much time you need to improve upon them could differ from person to person.
7.1 How to prepare for XAT Exam in 6 months?
XAT preparation for 6 months is sufficient to crack the exam. Following should be adhered to before proceeding on XAT preparation journey:
Self - Preparation is the best preparation strategy for XAT 2025. However time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It could be a small quant formula, LR logic, or Verbal usage clarity which might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.
7.2 How to prepare for XAT in 3 months?
XAT preparation time of three months is not short. What you have done in last three months or whatever you have prepared can be revised now in three months with various XAT preparation tools. The time is ripe to intensify a little your XAT preparation strategy for three months:
7.3 How to prepare for XAT in 2 months?
It may sound a little surprising but it is true. Many XAT toppers are of the view that XAT preparation time of two months is good enough to crack XAT exam. Even 2 months are good to score 95 percentile provided you are sincere enough.
XAT Preparation: XAT Test Day Strategy to Score 95 Percentile
The five sections of XAT exam need a systematic study schedule. Looking at the level of difficulty and surprise elements that appear in XAT every year, a thorough preparation of 4-5 months is required to crack XAT 2025. You can move forward with your XAT preparation taking lead from following tips:
If you wish to prepare for XAT with coaching, it is important to find out the best coaching for XAT exam preparation that can focus on all the sections to prepare for XAT, like Decision Making which is not a common section for other exams. Even the best coaching for XAT exam may have its draw backs in regard to imparting XAT coaching on certain topics.
Benefits of XAT Preparation with Coaching
XAT coaching helps you overcome many weak areas. The XAT 2025 preparation through coaching can be a class room regular or weekend coaching or it can be XAT preparation online through the coaching centres. Good Coaching institutes like TIME, CL, IMS among others provide best XAT preparation material with practice questions. Apart from class room coaching, XAT preparation online is a good answer to the working professionals who find it difficult to attend regular class room coaching for XAT. During the past few years preference for XAT online coaching has gone up many times. In fact XAT preparation through online coaching for XAT is more cost effective, less time consuming and offers you more time to practice XAT question papers and XAT exercises. Top XAT coaching institutes are:
Top XAT Coaching Centers in India
| Top XAT Coaching Institutes | Type of Courses Online/Offline/Both | City wise XAT Preparation Center Location |
|---|---|---|
| TIME | Both | Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among total 100+ centres |
| Career Launcher | Both | Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among 80+ centres |
| IMS | Both | Delhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow among 50+ centres |
The XAT books and preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you score high in the XAT exam. XAT exam preparation books will not only guide you how to begin your XAT 2025 exam preparation but will also strengthen your fundamentals and clarify your concepts. The exercises and different difficulty level questions will also help you to practice on variety of questions.
Since there are few common core sections in XAT and CAT, the books to prepare for XAT and CAT exams are also very much similar. A few of the best books for XAT preparation recommended by toppers are:
9.1 XAT Books by Arun Sharma
9.2 XAT Books by Nishit K Sinha
9.3 XAT Exam Preparation Books pdf Free Download
Your preparation books Pdf free download available on various websites can help you compare the quality of the downloaded XAT Study Material for XAT preparation. Apart from this, your XAT study material should include:
XAT Preparation 2024 with Previous Test Papers
Previous year papers comprising XAT questions and detailed solutions are a good source of XAT preparation material. They give you the idea and type of XAT questions that you may face in the real XAT exam paper 2024. After strengthening your fundamentals, your XAT exam preparation should focus on practicing with more and more previous XAT test papers. This XAT preparation strategy will not only give you an opportunity to solve real XAT exam questions, but will also bring more confidence in you after you are able to solve variety of questions. Solve XAT Previous Test Papers
Practice test papers for XAT prepared by top experts and XAT toppers are good tool for XAT 2025 preparation and to crack XAT exam with high score. XAT exam 2025 preparation with sample papers can become easy as the XAT Mocks include the best selected questions for XAT preparation. These Mock tests are available both online and offline. There are number of XAT mock tests comprising model XAT exam questions to help in your XAT preparation. So, don’t miss them.
You can check your current level of XAT exam preparation by taking Previous Year Papers / Mock Test. Unless you know which are your weak areas that need your more attention and which are your strong areas where you need to prepare for XAT exam, it is difficult to complete your XAT preparation 2025 and devise your preparation strategy. According to XAT toppers the Mock tests help you gauge your preparation and help you to improve and focus more in the desired direction. Alongwith the XAT Mock tests, XAT exam quiz, XAT previous years Mock test, XAT sectional quiz will also play a major role in improving your speed and accuracy in XAT preparation. Prepare with XAT Mock Tests
Q: How many Mocks before the exam are sufficient to take
Q: Where can I get online computer based Mocks Free?
Q: Are any official Mocks available before the XAT exam
Preparation FAQs are answered by XAT experts and toppers on this page as above. However, the most important FAQs to prepare for XAT are answered below:
Q: How many Mocks before XAT exam are sufficient to take?
A: Around 35-40 Mock tests before XAT exam are considered good. To prepare for XAT, it is not only sufficient to take Mocks but more important is to analyse your mistakes in them and improve for future.
Q: I wish to self prepare for XAT. How do I start preparation without coaching?
A: First know the XAT exam pattern & syllabus and gather the best preparation books, XAT study material and start your preparation by section without leaving anything to chance.
Q: What is the role of Decision Making in XAT? How can I improve on it?
A: Most XAT aspirants find themselves weak in DM preparation but with consistent reading and practice, they can score high percentile in XAT. As suggested above, you should follow the DM preparation tips for XAT.
Q: Is there sufficient time now to start XAT preparation?
A: Yes, it is good time to start your XAT preparation. Since XAT is likely to be held on January 5, 2025, there is still good preparation time which if fruitfully used, can turn the table in your favour.
Q: What could be the 10 Preparation Steps for XAT?
A: Step by Step Preparation tips for XAT as recommended by XAT toppers are:
