After completing Bachelor’s degree, many students are interested in the field of management and want to pursue top professional degrees like MBA. But if you want to do it from a recognized college then you have to give an entrance exam. The CAT exam is the most popular entrance exam for MBA. But due to high competition not every participating candidate can take admitted to MBA through the CAT exam. So there are other MBA entrance exam options available for them like XAT, ATMA, GMAT, etc.
Today we will talk about the what is XAT exam, XAT Exam is for what purpose and how to get admission to an MBA through the xat exam, and the colleges which recognize the score of XAT.
What is XAT Exam?
Xavier Aptitude Test i.e. XAT Exam is National Level Exam through which you can take admission in Management courses like MBA, PGDM, BM, HRM, etc. in more than 150 b-schools/colleges. XAT Exam is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur every year in January. The XAT exam is usually conducted in the first week of January and about 80,000 students give this exam.
XAT Exam is for what purpose?
The primary purpose of the XAT exam is to assess the aptitude and potential of candidates aspiring to pursue postgraduate management courses such as MBA (Master of Business Administration) and PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management).
XAT Exam Pattern
The exam contains around 100 to 110 multiple-choice type (MCQs) questions conducted in online (computer-based) mode. The total duration of the XAT exam is 180 minutes (3 hours). An additional 25 minutes are given for the General Knowledge section, which is not included in the calculation of the overall percentile score. There is no specific sectional time limit for the XAT exam. Candidates can move between sections as per their preference and time management. The XAT exam consists of four main sections:
- Verbal and Logical Ability (VA-RC)
- Decision Making (DM)
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QA-DI)
- General Knowledge
Topic (part-1) | No. of Questions | marks |
decision making | 22 | 22 |
quantitated ability and data interpretation | 28 | 28 |
verbal and logical ability | 26 | 26 |
Total | 76 |
Topic (part-2) | No. of Questions | marks |
General knowledge and essay writing | 25+1 | 35 |
Total | 26 |
Negative Marking: One mark is given for each correct answer, and there is also a negative marking of 0.25. for every four wrong answers, one mark will be deducted. Along with that, there is a negative marking of 0.1 for skipping more than 8 questions. Up to 8 questions, there is no negative marking but after 8 questions a no negative of 0.1 is done on each question.
Colleges accepting XAT Score
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) score is accepted by numerous prestigious colleges and institutes in India for admission to their management programs. These are the TOP 30 XAT Colleges:
- XLRI Jamshedpur – Xavier School of Management
- SPJIMR Mumbai – S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research
- XIMB Bhubaneswar – Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
- IMT Ghaziabad – Institute of Management Technology
- TAPMI Manipal – T.A. Pai Management Institute
- GIM Goa – Goa Institute of Management
- Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, and Gurgaon
- K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai
- MICA Ahmedabad – Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad
- FORE School of Management, New Delhi
- Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai
- IFMR Graduate School of Business, Krea University, Chennai
- XIME Bangalore – Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship
- XISS Ranchi – Xavier Institute of Social Service
- BIMTECH Greater Noida – Birla Institute of Management Technology
- IMT Nagpur – Institute of Management Technology Nagpur
- IMT Hyderabad – Institute of Management Technology Hyderabad
- IMT Dubai – Institute of Management Technology Dubai
- XUB Bhubaneswar – Xavier University Bhubaneswar
- Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Indore
- XIME Chennai – Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship
- AIMS Bangalore – Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences
- SCMS Cochin School of Business, Kochi
- ITM Navi Mumbai – ITM Business School Navi Mumbai
- Jagan Institute of Management Studies (JIMS), New Delhi
- SDMIMD Mysore – SDM Institute for Management Development
- MET Institute of Management, Mumbai
- IPE Hyderabad – Institute of Public Enterprise
- LIBA Chennai – Loyola Institute of Business Administration
- IRMA Anand – Institute of Rural Management Anand
XAT Exam Syllabus
verbal ability | ||
vocabulary | fill in the blanks with the correct words | synonyms and antonyms |
conceptual usage | jumbled paragraphs | correction of errors |
completion of sentences | completion of paragraph | RC passages based on abstract topics |
literature, social, and economic issues | assumption | blood relations |
poems | cloze test | premise conclusion |
quantitative ability | ||
LCM and HCF | percentages | average ratio and proportion |
profit and loss | interest (simple and compound) | number system |
speed, time, and distance | time and work | algebra |
geometry | mensuration | Venn diagram |
linear and quadratic equation | complex numbers | logarithm progressions |
Binomial Theorem | inequality | permutation and combination |
probability | function and set theory | trigonometry |
analysis of comparative data tables | bar diagrams | Pai charts |
GK | |
National and international current affairs | conventional GK |
Constitution of India | business and economy |
books and authors | capital and currencies |
decision making | |
condition and grouping tested | data arrangement |
test Complex arrangement | decision-making in a situation |
case lets | conceptions |
premises | conclusions |
XAT Estimated Cut Off Marks wise
Marks | Est. Percentile |
27-28 | 89% |
29-30 | 90% |
31-32 | 93% |
33-34 | 95% |
39-40.5 | 99% |
What Is XLRI Famous for?
XLRI College is one of the top colleges that comes under the XAT Exam. It is also known as one of the oldest colleges of MBA in India. Xavier School of Management is famous for several reasons and holds a prominent position among the top business schools in India.
- Academic Excellence
- Legacy and History
- Faculty Expertise
- Strong Alumni Network
- Placements and Industry Relations
- International Recognition
The main campus of XLRI is at Jamshedpur. It offers mainly two courses i.e. BM (240 seats), and HRM (180 seats). Eligibility criteria are candidate must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3-year duration in any stream and there are no criteria for minimum marks of 50%. Final-year candidates also apply for this exam. The second campus is suited in Delhi and offers only BM (Business Management). Through the XAT exam, you can take admitted to XLRI and many other management colleges.
XAT Participating Institutes – cutoff, salary, fees
XLRI Jamshedpur | |
batch size | BM (240 seats), and HRM (180 seats) |
cutoff | 90% – 93% |
average salary | 27 LPA |
Highest salary (domestic) | 78.2 LPA |
Highest salary (International) | 1.1 CPA |
fees | approx ₹25 – 30 lakhs |
XLRI Delhi NCR | |
batch size | BM (180 seats) |
cutoff | 90% |
Average Salary | 27.58 LPA |
Median salary | 25.30 LPA |
Highest salary | 49 LPA |
fees | 23 Lakhs approx. |
XIM Bhuvneshwar | |
batch size | 356 |
cutoff | 90% |
Average Salary | 20.30 LPA |
Median salary | 19.30 LPA |
Highest salary | 71.5 LPA |
fees | 20 Lakhs approx. |
IMT Ghaziabad | |
batch size | 600 |
cutoff | 88 – 90% |
average salary | 17.25 LPA |
Median salary | 16 |
Highest domestic salary | 34 LPA |
highest int. salary | 65 LPA |
fees | 19 lakhs approx. |
IMI New Delhi | |
batch size | 240(PGDM) + 60(HRM) + 60(B&FS) |
cutoff | 87 to 90% |
average salary | 17 LPA |
Median salary | 16 LPA |
Highest salary | 50 LPA |
fees | 21 lakhs approx |
About XAT Exam- Extra Points
- The score of the GK section does not add to the final cutoff, the interview call comes on the basis of the other section. The score of GK is seen when in the interview round, when your score matches with someone else’s, then GK can be considered.
- XAT exam is a 3-hour long exam in which decision-making comes which does not come in the other MBA entrance exams. This only topic can take your rank up and down too. This Decision-Making topic has been included to understand the mindset of the student that how he/she thinks in different situations.
- XAT exam is conducted almost after 1 month after the CAT, so if you do not do well in the CAT exam, then you have another option to take admitted to an MBA college through XAT.
- If we compare it with the CAT exam then the data interpretation part of the Xat exam is comparatively easy but also there are poem sections in verbals which make it difficult to some extent.
Preparation Tips for XAT
- Study Habit: To crackers at the Xat exam first, make a habit to spend at least 3 hours a day on each section.
- PYQs: To pass any entrance exam, it is very important to solve the questions that came in the previous year. So you solve more and more PYQs, this will give you more understanding of the pattern of the XAT exam.
- Mock test: Give as much of the mock test as you can. Because it Boosts your thinking and knowledge and also a special focus on the decision-making part because it is a game changer in the XAT exam it can make or break your rank.
Best books for XAT Exam
Every entrance exam has its own pattern and to understand that pattern one has to solve the PYQs. These are some of the top XAT Books from where you can understand the previous year’s questions and concepts related to them.
- “How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT” by Arun Sharma – This book covers various quantitative aptitude topics and is beneficial for the Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section of XAT.
- “Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension” by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay – This book focuses on verbal ability and reading comprehension, which are essential for the Verbal and Logical Ability section.
- “A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning” by R.S. Aggarwal – This book is useful for developing reasoning and decision-making skills required for the Decision Making section.
- “Manorama Yearbook” – For the General Knowledge section, this book can help you stay updated with current affairs and general knowledge topics.
- “Word Power Made Easy” by Norman Lewis – This book can enhance your vocabulary, which is beneficial for both the Verbal and Logical Ability section and the General Knowledge section.
- “XAT (Solved Papers)” by Gautam Puri – This book contains previous years’ XAT papers with detailed solutions, which can be helpful for understanding the exam pattern and types of questions.
- “Target XAT 2023 (Past Papers 2005 – 2022 + 6 Mock Tests)” by Disha Experts – This book offers a compilation of past XAT papers along with practice mock tests for self-assessment.
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Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | BUY NOW |
Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | BUY NOW |
Manorama Yearbook | BUY NOW |
Word Power Made Easy | BUY NOW |
XAT (Solved Papers) | BUY NOW |
Target XAT 2023 | BUY NOW |
FAQs
XAT Exam is for what purpose?
The XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) exam is conducted for the purpose of admission to various management programs offered by XLRI Jamshedpur and other participating institutes. XAT is one of the most popular national-level entrance exams for management studies in India.
Generally, a percentile above 90 is considered competitive and can open up opportunities for admission to top-tier management institutes like XLRI, SPJIMR, XIMB, etc.
the XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) exam fee for Indian candidates was around Rs. 1800 to Rs. 2000. For foreign candidates, the fee was higher, around USD 50 to USD 75.