After CAT, XAT is the second most important exam which most of the people write. Many top B schools like XLRI, XIMB, IMT, etc. accept the score of XAT which are dream colleges for many students. In this article, we will be discussing how XAT is different from CAT.

Decision Making:

• • This section sets XAT apart from other MBA entrance exams.
  • Not included in CAT or other management entrance exams.
  • Requires a combination of logical reasoning and reading comprehension skills.
• Nature of Questions:
  • Involves analyzing a small case and making a decision based on the question asked.
  • Answer choices provided often lead to confusion.
• Challenges:
  • Many students use the elimination method but get stuck between two choices.
• Strategy for Success:
  • Regular practice and mock tests are essential to excel in this section.

 Prepare for CAT and XAT

General Knowledge:

• Importance of GK in MBA Exams:

  • While GK score may not directly affect your percentile in exams like CAT, it is crucial for further rounds in some B-schools like XLRI and others.
  • GK is not included in the CAT exam.

• Preparation Strategy:

  • Reading newspapers daily and staying updated on current affairs is essential for scoring well in the GK section.
  • Keeping oneself informed about current events helps in answering GK questions accurately during exams.

Also Read: Important essay writing tips for XAT exam

Essay Writing: 

• Essay Writing in XAT:

  • Unique section not found in CAT.
  • Given 20 minutes to write an essay during the main exam.

• Comparison with WAT:

  • Similar to Written Ability Test (WAT), but conducted within the main XAT exam.
  • In WAT, conducted in later rounds after shortlisting for next stage in IIMs or other B-schools.

• Importance in Selection Process:

  • Essay is not counted in percentile but considered by colleges like XLRI and others in later stages of selection process.

• Preparation Strategy:

  • Daily writing practice is key to scoring well.
  • Helps increase speed due to limited time and improves ability to express viewpoints effectively.

Negative Marking:

• Penalty for Wrong Answers:

  • Deduction of marks for wrong answers differs between XAT and CAT.
  • XAT imposes a higher penalty compared to CAT.

• XAT Penalty:

  • XAT deducts one-fourth marks for each incorrect answer.

• CAT Penalty:

  • CAT deducts one-third marks for each incorrect answer.