Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2016, the mandatory exam to get into XLRI and other top B-schools in India will have an increased time limit of 30 minutes to solve around same number of questions. In an exclusive response to MBAUniverse.com Prof Munish Thakur, Convener XAT 2016 and admission chair at XLRI clarifies “The objective of increase in the time is to allow students answer more questions. The increase in time would allow students to increase the score.”
Accordingly, going by the objective of providing additional time of 30 minutes to XAT 2016 aspirants it is expected that there would be same number of questions which will have to be answered by the test takers in 210 minutes (3 ½ hours) instead of earlier allotted time of 180 minutes (3 hours). Now maximising the attempts in additional 30 minutes to score more while maintaining higher accuracy level, will be a great opportunity in XAT 2016.
XAT 2016 to be held on January 3, 2016 will be a paper-pen based exam. The test has increased its test duration by 30 minutes. Now XAT 2016 will have a time duration of 3½ hours instead of earlier 3 hours. XLRI the XAT 2016 convening institute shares ‘The duration of the test will be of three and a half hours (3 ½) i.e. from 10:00am to 01:30pm on Sunday, January 3, 2016’.
The anticipation among the XAT 2016 aspirants is that with the increased time limit XLRI would also increase the number of questions or number of sections. But all the fears are allayed by XAT 2016 convener Prof Munish Thakur with the clarification to XAT 2016 aspirants while sharing the key objective of increasing the time limit by 30 minutes in XAT 2016 exam.
During the past few years XAT had kept the exam duration of 3 hours (180) minutes from 10.30 AM to 1.30PM. However, it is a pleasant surprise for the aspirants that XAT 2016 will allow the test takers to solve the test paper in three and half hours from 10 AM to 1.30PM without increase in number of questions.
XAT 2016 with similar structure
The XAT 2016, as shared by XLRI will have 2 parts divided in 5 sections. The first part will consist of 3 sections comprising MCQs on Verbal and Logical Ability; Decision Making; Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation.
The second part will consist of multiple choice questions (MCQs) on General Knowledge followed by descriptive essay writing test. The same XAT exam structure has continued since last 3 years.
XAT 2016 percentile on first 3 sections
The first 3 sections in part 1 of XAT 2016 comprising Verbal and Logical Ability; Decision Making; Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation will account for calculation of percentile forming the merit list to shortlist the candidates for PI round.
The second part with GK and Essay writing test is meant to be given weightage in the PI round after shortlisting the candidates at first stage. XLRI considers and evaluates GK and Essay writing skill in GD/PI round at the second stage of admission process, a few of the institutes consider only the first part to shortlist the candidates and have their own criteria to award weightage in PI round.
Earlier XAT exam allowed 140 minutes to attempt and answer the MCQs in first 3 sections and out of the rest 40 minutes 10 were to be spent to answer questions in General Knowledge section and 30 minutes were separately allotted for essay writing test.
XAT 2016 would allow additional 30 minutes to attempt the questions in first 3 sections while the time allotted to second part might remain the same.
XAT 2016 is the gateway to more than 141 highly ranked B schools in India including XLRI, XIMB, SPJIMR, IMT among others. Registration for XAT 2016 opened on September 4, 2015 and will close on November 30, 2015. The registration process is online but the payment of registration fee can be made online or in cash at IDBI bank branches or by demand draft. XAT 2016 registration and application fee has been increased to Rs.1500/- from earlier Rs.1000/-.
Since those who are going to apply for XAT 2016 would sure apply to XLRI, they should note that they have to pay an additional fee of Rs.250/- for each programme at XLRI while submitting XAT 2016 application.
XAT 2016 is scheduled to be held on January 3, 2016 as the conventional paper pen based test in a single session from 10 AM to 1.30 PM in 47 test cities across the country with 2 test cities abroad in Kathmandu and Dubai
XLRI has been conducting XAT for the past 60 years on behalf of XAMI in the same pattern. The aim to continue the similar approach is to ensure that all the candidates from varying backgrounds are at par. XLRI believes that single testing session with same difficulty level will provide level playing field to all the test takers without any discrimination. XAT 2016 is aimed to select the most appropriate candidates who wish to pursue management education. Around 90 thousand to 1 lakh candidates explore admission opportunities in XLRI and other member and associate B schools by registering for XAT every year.
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on XAT 2016
