Introduction:
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national level management aptitude test that will be conducted by Xavier School of Management. Xavier School of Management was founded by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1949 in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. XAT scores will be accepted by more than 800 institutes for admission to MBA, PGDM and other management courses in India. Next to CAT, XAT has emerged as the second popular entrance test for MBA aspirants in India. The difficulty level of XAT is more than that of CAT. XAT exam is conducted in more than 35 centers in India and 2 centers- Dubai & Kathmandu.
XAT is a computer-based entrance test. XAT 2019 will be held on January 6 from 10AM-1 PM. Once the candidates got to know that they are eligible to apply for XAT and registering for the exam, they can start preparing for the exam.
Following are the step by step process to prepare for XAT 2019:
- Exam Pattern:
Being aware of the exam pattern for any exams is the first and foremost important thing for the candidates to start preparing for the exam. XAT is also not an exception in it. Only getting a complete idea about the syllabus of XAT, you can prepare for each section accordingly. XAT is an MCQ type test. Following is the XAT 2019 exam pattern:
| Sections | Number of Questions | Time Duration |
| Part – 1 | 74 questions in total | 165 minutes in total
There is no sectional time limit in part 1 |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | 26 | |
| Decision Making | 21 | |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 27 | |
| Part – 2 | 25 questions | 15 minutes in total |
| General knowledge | 25 | |
| Total (1+2) | 99 |
The overall time duration for XAT 2019 is 3 hours. XAT 2019 will contain 4 sections divided into 2 parts. The first part will have 3 sections comprising of Verbal & Logical Ability with 26 questions, Decision Making with 21 questions and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation with 27 questions. This section will have a total time duration of 165 minutes with no sectional time limits. The second part will have 25 General Knowledge questions with 15 minutes of the time limit. So there will be a total of 99 questions in XAT 2019. Each question will carry 1 mark and 0.25 marks will be deducted as negative marking. The GK section does not have negative marking. Also, another important point to note is that there is a choice for not attempting 8 questions, beyond this any unattempted question will be charged 0.05 marks. So, the candidates should start preparing accordingly.
- Syllabus:
Once the candidates are aware of the exam pattern, the next thing to concentrate is the syllabus of XAT 2019. The syllabus plays an important role in knowing the subject wise topics the question paper will be comprised of.
Following is the syllabus for XAT 2019:
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning: This section consists of Grammar, Vocabulary, Para Jumbles, Para Completion and Reading Comprehensions based questions.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation: This section will have questions from topics, Geometry, Graphs, Statistics, Trigonometry, Speed & Distance, and Profit & Loss etc.
Decision Making: This section will have Situational, Case lets, and Analytical Reasoning type questions.
General Knowledge: This section will consist of Politics, History, Sports, Nation and States, Literature, Society, Economics based MCQs.
The candidates must get a proper idea about the questions from which topics will be covered the most by viewing the previous year question papers and prepare for XAT.
- Cutoff:
Yes, cutoffs also play an important role in XAT or any other competitive exams. The cutoff is the important factor that the candidates must consider while preparing for the exams. The official cutoffs will be given by the exam authority after the results. So, the candidates can take a look at the previous year cutoffs and expected cutoffs so that they can get a rough picture of how the current year cutoff is going to be. Following are the expected cutoffs of Top Institutes for XAT 2019:
90-100 XAT Percentiles:
- XLRI, Jamshedpur-95+
- SPJIMR, Mumbai-90
- XIM, Bhubaneswar-90
- IMT, Ghaziabad-90
80-90 XAT Percentiles:
- GIM, Goa-85
- TAPMI, Manipal-80
- Great Lakes, Gurgaon-80
- FORE, New Delhi-80
The XAT cutoffs will vary for different programs for different institutes. There will be sectional cutoffs and the candidates must clear both the sectional and overall cutoffs in order to qualify in XAT exam and move to the next round which is Group Discussion round.
After the above steps, the candidates should prepare the exam by giving equal importance to all the sections as the sectional cutoffs exist in XAT exam. By analyzing the topics that will be covered, the candidates must start learning for the exam. Have a look at the previous year question papers and start to learn. Previous year question papers will give you a clear idea about how the questions are going to be and from which topics a greater number of questions and frequently questions will be asked.
Try a number of mock tests in order to practice managing your time in exams. This will also increase your speed and accuracy in exams.
Conclusion:
Hence, in order to crack a competitive exam, thorough knowledge about its exam pattern and syllabus is a must. Also stay calm and concentrate on your preparation. Avoid negative thoughts and distractions. So, give your best in preparation and your exams in order to produce the expected results in XAT 2019.
To Know More About XAT 2019 Exams and Get Important Tips For XAT Preparation Click Here.