XAT-2015: How different from other exams; know and prepare well

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
November 3, 2014
XAT is the largest MBA/PGDM entrance test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) in paper pencil mode
"We believe that single testing session with same difficulty level will provide level playing field to all the test takers without any discrimination" Prof Munish Thakur, Convener XAT 2015
XLRI, Jamshedpur one of the highly ranked and premium B schools in India will conduct Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2015 for admission to XLRI, XIMB, SPJIMR, XISS, XIME,  IMT Ghaziabad,   and other well reputed B schools XAT 2015 on behalf Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI) on January 4, 2015. XLRI has been conducting XAT for the last 60 years at All India level in the paper pencil mode to provide level playing field for the XAT aspirants coming from all backgrounds.

XLRI-XAT 2015 is the gateway to admission in various PGDM courses for the session 2015-16 at XLRI and other important 120 B schools in India. Registration for XAT 2015 was opened on August 12, 2014 and the process will close on November 22, 2014.

XAT 2015: Largest paper pencil mode MBA/PGDM entrance test

XAT is the largest MBA/PGDM entrance test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) in paper pencil mode, conducted in India. Approximately 1 lakh candidates register for XAT every year. There is no other paper pencil based management entrance test which gets such a high registration in the current scenario.

While number of entrance exams have switched over to computer based testing pattern, XAT 2015 will maintain its paper pen testing pattern. Sharing the logic behind conducting paper pencil based exam. Dr Munish Thakur, Admission Chairperson XLRI and XAT 2015 convener says “XAT ensures that all the candidates from varying backgrounds are at par.  XAT is aimed to select the most appropriate candidates who wish to pursue management education.”

XAT 2015: A Single session exam

According to Prof Munish Thakur, XAT 2015, convener “The Test will be conducted in a single session across India in 47 cities and 2 cities abroad.  Test duration will be of 3 hours. Exam will have same difficulty level across all the testing centres.” The major USP of XAT 2015 is that the single session test will have same number and type of questions. No difference in the difficulty level would be there. This will have favourable impact in normalization of scores and calculation of percentile for short listing the candidates for final admission round.

In view of Prof S K Agarwal, mentor and expert on XAT preparation, tests conducted over a period of longer testing window and more testing sessions may have varying difficulty level because of which it might become little more difficult to normalize the scores and calculate the percentile precisely.

Prof Munish Thakur says “We believe that single testing session with same difficulty level will provide level playing field to all the test takers without any discrimination. This will also speed up the process of score normalization.”
   
XAT 2015 similar to earlier years but different from other exams

According to Prof Munish Thakur “XAT-2015 would be similar to XAT-2014 and will not have any significant changes. The examination pattern will remain the same as earlier.”  It assures the XAT 2015 aspirants that XAT 2015 will not be much different from its earlier exam years.

The exam pattern and duration however, is slightly different from other exams. In view of Prof S K Agarwal Verbal Ability expert and mentor on XAT preparation candidates should devise section wise preparation plan for XAT 2015 according to their respective weigthtage since sectional cut-off along with the overall cut off is also present in XAT.

Aspirants who have registered and wish to appear in XAT 2015 are expected to find the examination more appealing and in line with their preparation methodology.  Candidates do not have to fight with technical snags and glitches which is a common feature in the computer based test. 

Most of the other management entrance exams whether computer based or paper pencil based have either clubbed more than one part of the test in single section, have varying marking pattern or change their pattern year after year. There is no subjective writing test along with the MCQ test in other entrance tests. 

XAT 2015 is going to take care to fill all these gaps and has introduced an absolutely different testing pattern which tests the knowledge, IQ, speed, accuracy, concentration, General Awareness and writing ability of the candidate in one go. While most of MBA/PGDM institutes, not accepting XAT 2015 scores would be conducting the Written Ability Test in final admission round, B schools associated to XAT 2015 will get the candidates who have already appeared in Essay Writing test along with the MCQ test in XAT 2015 entrance exam.

XAT 2015; time duration-overall as well as sectional

XAT 2015 will be a 3 hours test to be held on January 4, 2015. The test will be conducted in 47 cities across India in a single session beginning from 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM with no break in between.

The candidates will not have any break in between except for the fact that Objective MCQ part will be over in 150 minutes and next 30 minutes will be allotted for essay writing part. 

XAT 2015 test takers will be expected to complete the first 3 sections of the first part of the MCQ exam namely Verbal and Logical Ability; Decision Making; Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation in 140 minutes while questions in General Knowledge section will have to be attempted in 10 minutes only. 30 minutes will separately be allotted for essay writing test.

XAT 2015: Section wise expected number of questions

XAT 2015, to be conducted on January 4, 2015 will be divided in two parts.

Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on XAT 2015 preparation expects following number of questions to appear in XA 2015 in different sections

Part-1 will have four sections in Multiple choice questions (MCQs) format

1.Verbal and Logical Ability – 28-30 questions

2. Decision Making- 23-25 questions  

3. Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation-30-33 questions

4. General Awareness-20 questions

The marks of General Knowledge will not be used for determining the percentile and cut off at first stage of selection. However it is used by XLRI and some other Associate Member Institutes at the time of final selection

Part-2

The second part in XAT 2015 will be the test on writing ability. Aspirants will be asked to write an essay on a given topic. Candidates having been tested on objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) will also be tested on real life driven written communication skill based on wider perspective on important issues of our times. The candidates in XAT are tested on both the counts. Their performance in essay writing will also form the base of their final section round.

Freedom to move among the sections; be careful

XAT 2015 will not restrict the test takers from moving to one or other sections within the overall allotted time. XAT 2015 aspirants are advised not to spend too much time only on one section since all the sections will have the respective cut off percentile.

No varying marking system expected

All the questions in XAT 2015 are expected to carry equal marks. Prior to 2013 XAT used to carry varying marking system from 1.5 to 5 marks per question. The system got stabilized in 2013 and continued in 2014 also. XAT 2015 is also expected to follow the same pattern

Negative marking

One fourth of a mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer in XAT 2015. So please be careful while marking your answer choice on the OMR sheet.

Get familiarised with OMR sheet

-OMR sheet requires your identification data. So fill in the information required on the answer sheet. Please remember your test may not be evaluated if the required details are not entered on the answer sheet.

- Each question in XAT 2015 will have five alternatives instead of 4 as provided in other exams. Answer each question by darkening the appropriate bubble against the question number on the answer sheet. For example if your answer to question number 1 is 'B', darken fully the circle B' against question 1.

- Use only BLUE OR BLACK BALL-POINT PEN for marking answers on the OMR answer sheet in XAT 2015. Please do not use gel pens or ink pens   

How to mark your answers

Please read the instructions carefully before proceeding to mark your answer choice on OMR sheet in XAT 2015.  sometimes we skip the correct numbered bubble and mark out answers in some other column. This inadvertently made mistake, results in a chain of followed wrong answers and the entire hard work  put in prior to actual testing day results in a waste of time.
 
Presentation of questions is different

XAT 2015 examination topics, type and composition of questions especially in Verbal Ability according to Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability preparation, are differently presented and the candidates have to prepare accordingly. 

There are more questions on error corrections and core grammar usage in XAT. Jumbled paragraphs are not so long as in CAT but there is more number of short RC passages having a length of around 500 words. The passages are followed by more number of questions. Questions on use of phrases, idioms, figures of speech   are more prominent in XAT.  Prof Agarwal suggests that XAT aspirants should strengthen their fundamentals further.

Related Links

XLRI: Go get grab your Dream B School; XAT 2015 is round the corner

XAT 2015 Application form: Know the procedure to apply

XAT 2015 would be similar to XAT 2014 says Dr Munish Thakur, Convenor XAT

XAT 2015 exam date: notification out, exam on January 4

XAT 2015 to assess multidimensional capability: XLRI Admission Chair

XAT 2015: 7 Steps of Registration; fill up the information with patience

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on XAT 2015 exam prep