XAT is popular among MBA aspirants because of its difficulty level and the kind of questions that are asked in the exam. To crack the XAT, candidates need to have a well-planned preparation strategy that includes a combination of smart work and hard work. according to the updated paper pattern. The XAT 2024 exam will consist of one descriptive essay question and one hundred multiple-choice questions.
Those students who plan to apply for the XAT in 2024 should concentrate on tailoring their section preparation to their areas of strength and weakness. Analysing the XAT exam from the prior year will also be very beneficial. Understanding the updated XAT exam pattern and syllabus is the first and most important step in preparing for the exam.
Students can scan over to learn about the exam pattern of XAT such as the medium of the exam, the no. of questions, the marking scheme, topics, and duration of the exam.
Section |
Number of Questions |
XAT Syllabus |
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
Critical and Analytical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Logical Deductions |
Decision Making |
21 |
Caselet study, Data Arrangement, Decision making in a given scenario, Ethical Dilemma |
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
28 |
Mensuration, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Arithmetic |
General Knowledge |
25 |
Static GK and Current Affairs |
Essay |
1 |
Short Essay of 250 words on 1 of the 2 given topics |
The XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national-level entrance exam. The Verbal and Logical Ability section of XAT is one of the most challenging sections. This section is designed to test your reading comprehension skills, vocabulary, grammar, and logical reasoning ability.
Here are some tips to help you start preparing for the Verbal and Logical Ability section of XAT 2024:
The Decision Making section of XAT is a critical part of the exam. It is important to start the preparation for this section early on to perform well in the exam. Here are some tips to start your XAT Preparation for Decision Making section:
The first month of your XAT preparation should be dedicated to understanding the exam pattern and syllabus. Start by analysing the previous year's question papers and identify the topics that are frequently asked. This will help you prioritize your study plan.
Focus on strengthening your basics in Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. For General Awareness, read newspapers, and magazines, and watch news channels regularly.
In the second month, start practising mock tests and solving sample papers. This will give you an idea of the exam's difficulty level and help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Revise the topics that you found difficult in the first month and focus on improving your speed and accuracy.
In the XAT final month focus on revision and taking more mock tests. Analyze your mock test scores and identify the areas that need improvement. The last week should be dedicated to revising formulas, shortcuts, and important topics.
Apart from the above study plan, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take breaks between study sessions. Remember to stay calm and focused during the exam.
XAT preparation requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Ideally, six to nine months are adequate to prepare for XAT but the key is to dedicate a good number of hours to preparation on a daily basis. A minimum of six to eight hours daily is the requirement for an average student. Aspirants who start preparing for the XAT exam in May or before that, are most likely to be well prepared having covered the entire syllabus and memorising the concepts and formulae by August-September. But those, who start preparing for the XAT exam in October-November, must get on to it in full-speed mode. Candidates must make a sound strategy, focus on the essentials and build upon their strengths. Start your XAT preparation with your strong areas and then move to weaker ones. Given below are some tips on how to make an XAT preparation plan.
The above-mentioned were some general XAT exam preparation tips. Now, let’s look at the section-wise XAT preparation plan.
XAT 2024 syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. You can check below subject-wise important topics included in the XAT syllabus. The majority of the questions are asked from these topics.
XAT Verbal and Logical Ability syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Antonym/Synonym, Parajumble, Para Completion, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Series Completion, Fill in the Blanks, etc.
XAT Decision Making syllabus: Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc.
XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation syllabus: Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc.
XAT General Knowledge syllabus: Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.
XAT exam is more Quantitative Ability and Verbal and Logical Ability based. Which is why these two sections have more weightage than rest of the section. And between these two, Quantitative Ability has more weightage. In terms of marks too, the Quantitative Ability has maximum weightage, i.e. 28 marks, followed by Verbal and Logical Ability with 26 marks, General Knowledge carries 25 marks and Decision Making carries 22 marks.
XAT Sections |
Number of Questions |
Total Marks |
Decision Making |
22 |
22 |
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
26 |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
28 |
28 |
General Knowledge |
25 |
25 |
Essay Writing |
1 (out of 3 options) |
To be evaluated at the time of shortlisting |
Ques. Is the XAT exam harder than the CAT exam?
Ans. XAT includes an extra section on decision-making, it is somewhat more difficult than CAT. XAT quantitative aptitude questions are particularly difficult to answer. In terms of difficulty, IIFT and CAT are regarded as similar.
Ques. Which is the best book for XAT preparation?
Ans. Some of the most recommended books to prepare for XAT 2024 exam are:
Ques. Which sections will the XAT questions be taken from?
Ans. The questions will be asked from sections namely-
Ques. How many questions will the XAT 2024 contain?
Ans. It is anticipated that XAT 2024 will have 100 questions.
Ques. What are the benefits of finishing the XAT 2024 practice exam?
Ans. Mock tests help you become more proficient by increasing both your speed and accuracy when answering the questions on test day.