XAT stands for Xavier' Aptitude Test. This is a national level entrance examination which is managed by XLRI every year which allows a student who is interested in the management area. Additionally, this score can be used for admission in various other 100 institutes for admission to their management programs through XAT score. It is conducted on first Sunday of the year in which the program commences and is an online format-based exam.  Kickstart your XAT Course online now

XAT Preparation Strategy

The paper can be apportioned into three parts: concept driven, practice intensive and environmentally sensitive. Concept-driven includes Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and some areas of Verbal & Logical Ability; Practice Intensive involves Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning as it can be understood only when practised nicely and General Knowledge is environment susceptible. The exam is somewhat different from the other MBA entrance exams as it includes a section on Decision Making. This area checks the management aptitude by presenting different situations and cases and asks you to identify the correct decision in these situations by an individual.

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XAT Verbal & Logical Ability

• Critical Reasoning & Reading Comprehension areas incorporate the majority part of this section.
• Higher weightage to reasoning skills. Purely vocabulary-based questions may be asked.
• This section requires a very fine and quick reading skill as well as comprehension skills.
• Practising through Mock Tests is quintessential for superior performance.

XAT Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning

• This forms the most substantial part of the XAT exam.
• Based on various business and everyday situations, you should decide what the various stakeholders should do in a given situation.
• In general, the situations are based on interesting dilemmas for the parties involved, and most of the choices involve an analysis of the possible gains and losses with each course of action taken.
• Different types of questions asked in these areas include ethical dilemmas, financial issues involving sales, revenues etc. of a company, employee management issues and general management scenarios.
• Focus on what kind of decisions are to be made, ensure that the decision taken is always unbiased and should not be in favour a particular party, ethical, balanced and from the view of all stakeholders involved. Do not lose your integrity in the entire process and do not let your own personal biases rule over your judgment.

XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

• Majority of the questions featured in this area are included from topics such as Geometry, Number Systems, Functions, P&C, Probability and Data Interpretation.
• Strong conceptual base in the above topics, with a good application orientation, is the key to doing well.
• Important areas are Geometry, Number Systems, P&C, Probability and Functions.

Strategy for XAT decision making

XAT General Knowledge

• As far as XAT is concerned, general knowledge was first asked in the exam in 2013. Total 25 questions in XAT on GK.
• More emphasis to be put on economics and business-related facts.
• Preparation of current events of the last 6 months is needed to be able to attempt this section accurately.
• In static GK part, gather knowledge on awards, books & authors and geography.

XAT Essay Writing

• Keep track of past trends, XAT essay topics are expected to have had stronger abstract dimensions.
• The topic is generally based on a common phrase or an idiom with a philosophical hint within.
• The examiner is not only looking for language skills here but is also evaluating how structured thoughts are and the ability to provide logical arguments and your knowledge level.
• Reading the editorial page of national newspapers will surely be of great help in this section.
• It is recommended that you write sample essays and get them assessed on content and style.

Overall, more practice is needed to handle reasoning-based questions which require a strong analytical application. While preparing for the decision-making section and the essay writing task, it also gives more confidence to the XAT test taker the ability to handle the test challenges.

Concept strengthening should be followed by efforts in application orientation and thereafter going through an adequate number of practice tests. While attempting the paper, time management should the main motive, clear thoughts on how to go on paper with priorities and a right balance should be maintained between speed and accuracy!

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