XAT Exam Date 2024 is a national entrance examination organized by XLRI, Jamshedpur, for admission to the MBA/PGDM programs of 150 B schools each year. This online (CBT) exam is being conducted in 72 cities across India. The next session will take place on 7 January 2024.
XAT is a three-hour test with General Knowledge and Essay Section. The exam has 165 questions spread over Part 1 and Part 2. The Essay question is optional for PwD candidates.
The key to scoring well in XAT is preparation with right study materials. You must identify your weak and strong sections.
WHAT IS XAT
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national management entrance examination administered by XLRI, Jamshedpur, for admission to MBA/PGDM programs. In addition to XLRI and 10 other XAMI participants, over 700 B-schools approve XAT scores for admission to their postgraduate management programs. The XAT question paper consists of 100 questions from the MCQs of Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Skill, Quantitative Ability & Data Analysis and General Knowledge.
XAT Exam Date Highlights 2024
| Features | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) |
| Conducting Body | XLRI, Jamshedpur |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Syllabus | Decision MakingVerbal & Logical AbilityQuantitative Ability & Data InterpretationGeneral Knowledge |
| Exam Pattern | 99-100 questions in MCQ format |
| Language | English |
| Exam Fees | Rs 1,750 (General category) |
| Exam Purpose | Admission into 800+ MBA colleges |
| Course Offered | MBA/PGDM |
| No. of test takers | Nearly 95,000 |
| No. of Test Cities | 72 |
XAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements in order to appear for XAT. The XAT eligibility requirements are-
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- Applicants must have completed a 3-year bachelor’s degree or accepted equivalent in either stream.
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- Applicants shall not have any backlogs on their mark sheet.
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- Applicants with Indian citizenship can apply for XAT 2024.
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- International candidates and NRI applicants can register with their GMAT scores (except for candidates from Dubai and Kathmandu where XAT centers are available)
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- Applicants in their final year are eligible and must meet all admission requirements before the necessary deadline.
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- Candidates of any age group can apply for XAT 2024. There is no age limit bar for the XAT entrance test.
XAT 2024 Exam Pattern and Test Structure
The XAT test is performed in online mode and the question paper consists of 100 MCQs to be resolved in 180 minutes. There is no sectional time limit in XAT, but candidates are recommended to set a time limit for all four sections so that they can solve at least as many questions in each section in order to reach the sectional cut-off. Each correct answer carries one mark and each incorrect answer carries-0.25 marks. Here are some highlights of the XAT exam pattern.
XAT 2024 has seen a change in its Pattern and Syllabus. Applicants will need to prepare well for the Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation sections of the exam.
Candidates need to prepare for a different kind of questions in the Decision Making section, which will test their problem-solving style. These questions can be based on caselet study, ethical dilemma, business situation decision-making and data arrangement tests. This section has 21 questions and has a moderate difficulty level.
Moreover, the General Awareness section has 25 questions that test static and current awareness of the candidates through questions related to the economy, polity, Constitution of India, sports, awards & prizes, etc. This section has no negative marking but doesn’t get weightage in the overall percentile score. Hence, it is important to stay updated with current affairs and prepare for this section as well.
| Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Making | 21 | 21 |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 26 |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 27 | 27 |
| General Knowledge | 25 | 25 |
| Total | 99 | 99 |
Exam on 7th January
XAT is a much-coveted exam among management aspirants and is known for its rigorous evaluation of candidates’ aptitude, language proficiency, and decision-making acumen. The XAT 2024 examination is scheduled to be held on January 72, and candidates must begin their preparations well in advance.
To excel in this test, candidates must establish a structured study plan and follow it diligently. They must also practice as much as possible using previous year papers, mock tests, and full-length XAT sample papers to familiarize themselves with the exam format.
The XAT exam consists of three sections – Decision Making, Verbal and Logical Ability, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QADIT). The total time for the XAT exam is 210 minutes. This includes 76 MCQs in Part 1 and 30 minutes for the GK and Essay Writing questions. This year, a few changes have been made to the XAT exam pattern.
Registration Last date closes on Nov 30
You will be able to access your XAT Application form through the online portal. Once you have done that, you must make sure that all the details are correct. You should also double-check all the uploaded images and documents. Then, you need to pay the exam fee using any of the online payment modes. Once you have done this, you will receive an e-receipt.
XAT is a national-level MBA entrance test that paves the way for premium management programmes at XLRI Jamshedpur and other XAMI member institutes. Apart from this, XAT scores are accepted by over 165 renowned colleges across the country for admissions into their management programmes. XAT is known as one of the toughest management entrance exams in India.
XAT Syllabus
The XAT 2024 Syllabus has been revamped. The number of questions in the Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning section have been increased to 26 from 24. The Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section now contains 28 MCQs. The Essay Writing Test is a descriptive response section and does not carry negative marking.
Candidates should familiarize themselves with the XAT exam pattern and syllabus before starting their preparations. They should solve XAT Previous Year Papers and mock tests to get an idea of the level of questions asked. It is also recommended that candidates try to make a time table for their preparations.
During the online registration process, candidates should fill in their personal details, academic details and work experience details. They should also indicate their program preferences and test city preferences. Finally, they should pay the application fee using a debit card or credit card.
| Subject | Important Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | Geometry, Tables, Graphs, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Statistics, Profit & Loss, Speed and Distance, Clocks, Probability, Algebraic Function, Mensuration -2D and 3D |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | Grammar, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehensions, Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning, Completion of Sentences |
| Decision Making | Analytical Reasoning, Situational, Case sets, Data Arrangement, |
| General Knowledge | Current Affairs, Politics, Literature, Sports, History, Awards and Recognitions, Business, Economics, International Relations, Society, Merger, and Acquisition |
XAT Seat Intake
The following table shows the list of Top MBA Colleges that accept XAT Score along with their Seat Intake and respective Program Fees:
| NAME OF THE INSTITUTE | NUMBER OF SEATS | PROGRAM FEES (IN LAKHS) |
|---|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur | 360 | 23.00 |
| XIM Bhubaneswar | 360 | 17.30 |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 180 | 17.50 |
| TAPMI Manipal | 285 | 16.90 |
| MICA Ahmedabad | 180 | 18.50 |
| IRMA Anand (Gujarat) | 180 | 12.10 |
XAT 2024 Selection Procedure
Applicants will be shortlisted for the XAT 2024 Exam application procedure based on their results in the entrance examination and the XAT Cut Off scores. Although some institutes have both the GD (Group Discussion) and the PI (Personal Interview) rounds, others have just one of them.
Group Discussion
In the group discussion, groups of 8-15 participating candidates are formed and asked to discuss the subject for approximately 20 minutes. The subjects will be mainly related to current affairs, politics, trending social issues, or any other issues related to advertising, technology, business or education, etc. Applicants are judged primarily in soft skills such as communication skills, assertiveness, team management skills, dispute resolution, leadership skills, etc.
Personal Interview
PI is normally the last round of the selection process. Candidates are expected to appear for an interview with the interview panel if they are chosen on the basis of their results in GD. Questions in the Personal Interview round are focused on the background of applicants, academics, accomplishments, and encouragement to choose a career in management. The purpose of this round is to evaluate the communication skills, trust and ability to think under pressure among candidates.
XAT 2023 Admit Card
Candidates applying for the examination will be able to download the XAT Admission Card from 20 November 2022 to 18 December 2022 The Admission Card will only be accessible in online mode. Candidates must login to the official website with their user ID and password obtained at the time of the registration of the exam to download the admission card. The XAT Admission Card is a must-have document for applicants, as they will not be able to write the exam without it.
The name of the applicant, the photograph, the name and address of the Exam Center, the date of the Exam, etc will be indicated on the XAT 2023 Admission Card. Test takers must hold a copy of the admission card until the entire admission process is completed as necessary at each point.
How to Prepare
In the Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section, focus on your speed and accuracy. Try to solve as many question sets as possible in the time available for this section. Moreover, the questions in this section are framed based on various business-like situations, so focus on critical thinking skills.
In the General Knowledge section, it is advisable to read newspapers on a daily basis and stay updated with current affairs. You can also prepare static GK by reading books like Manorama Year Book and Competition Success Review2