The XLRI, Jamshedpur administers the avier aptitude test, or XAT, a national management entrance exam for admission to MBA and PGDM programs. More than 1,000 B-schools accept XAT scores for admission to their post-graduate management programs, with the exception of XLRI and ten other XAMI member institutes. There are one hundred Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) from Decision Making on the XAT question paper. Aptitude for communication and logic, aptitude for math and data interpretation, and general knowledge. For candidates in the PGDM-BM program at XLRI, the XAT cutoffs are typically approximately 95 percentile for male candidates and 92 percentile for female candidates.

EXAM PATTERN

The 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on the XAT exam are done online and must be completed in 210 minutes. The XAT exam has a sectional time limit. In order to complete the paper within the allotted time, candidates are therefore encouraged to maintain a sufficient pace in each of the four sections. Every successful effort receives one mark, while every unsuccessful attempt receives -0.25 marks.

Every question on the MCQ-based XAT test is worth the same number of points. Each question in the exam is worth one score, for a total of 100 marks. 22 points are awarded for decision making, 26 for verbal and logical ability, 28 for quantitative ability and data interpretation, and 25 for general knowledge.

There is one mark given for each correct response.

For every incorrect response, 0.25 marks are subtracted.

If you leave more than eight consecutive questions unanswered, you will lose 0.10 points.

The General Knowledge component does not have any bad marks.

The General Knowledge component scores will not be taken into account when determining the XAT score.

The essay writing score will be taken into account when the PI shortlist is created.

SYLLABUS

Verbal Ability

Vocabulary Based Questions, Fill in the blanks, Synonyms/ Antonyms, Contextual Meaning of Words, Jumbled paragraphs, Correction of Errors in Sentences, Correct Usage of Words, Completion of Sentences, Completion of Paragraph, Cloze Test and Poem.

Reading Comprehension

In comparison to the VARC element of the CAT Exam, the Reading Comprehension portion of the XAT is smaller but still important. Similar to the CAT, no subject is excluded from the XAT Exam. The XAT Exam passages have a very strict word limit. That being said, this does not make the passages easier to read. It includes Information-Based Question, Author's View type of question, Inference based Question, Main Idea and Purpose of the Passage, True/False Statements based on the Passage and Explanation of Words/Phrases in the Passage.

Logical Reasoning

The CAT Syllabus largely covers the XAT Syllabus's part on logical reasoning. The XAT Exam typically has a small number of questions in this section. Additionally, it contains a few Critical Reasoning questions that are typically absent from the CAT exam. It includes Clocks & Calendars, Analogy, Fact, Inference and Judgment, Binary Logic, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relations, Logical Sequences, Assumption, Premise and Conclusion.

Decision Making

When compared to the other MBA Entrance Exams, the XAT Exam's Decision-Making portion is exclusive. In order to assess the candidate's aptitude for problem- and case-solving, it measures their presence of mind and situation-reading abilities. This part usually includes more than 20 questions, and in XAT 2023, there were 22 questions in it. It includes Conditioning and Grouping Tests, Data Arrangement Test, Complex Arrangement, Decision Making in a situation and Case lets.

Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

Quantitative Ability includes-

• LCM and HCF
• Percentages
• Profit and Loss
• Interest (Simple and Compound)
• Speed, Time and Distance; Time and Work; Averages; Ratio and Proportion and others
• Number System
• Algebra
• Geometry including Co-ordinate Geometry
• Mensuration
• Pure Math
• Venn diagrams
• Linear Equations
• Quadratic Equations
• Complex Numbers
• Logarithm
• Progressions
• Binomial Theorem
• Surds and Indices
• Inequalities
• Permutation and Combination
• Probability Functions
• Set Theory
• Mixtures and Alligations
• Trigonometry

Data Interpretation includes

• Data Tables
• Data Charts
• Bar Diagrams
• Pie Charts
• Graphs
• Data Analysis and Comparison

ESSAY WRITING

Up until XAT 2018, the essay writing section was part of the XAT exam syllabus. After that, it was eliminated. But XLRI Jamshedpur brought back the essay writing portion for XAT 2022. In the XAT syllabus, the essay writing section is the only one with a descriptive question. The total time allocated for the exam will increase by 10 minutes with the introduction of this part. Composing essays is a vast subject with countless possible questions. In the XAT 2022, candidates were presented with two subjects to pick from, however in the XAT 2023, they were given three options for essay topics. The section on essay writing is devoted to modern and abstract topics. Only in the event that a candidate is selected for additional admission rounds at an institution is the section assessed.