XAT Mock Test: Actual XAT 2018 pattern & syllabus officially released with significant changes

XAT Mock Test on the actual XAT 2018 paper pattern with significant changes in XAT syllabus has been released by XLRI a few days before the exam day. The XAT 2018 will be the first online XAT exam going to be held on January 7, 2018 from 10AM to 1.35 PM. The exam will contain number of changes in XAT test pattern apart from being a computer based test.

Salient features and key changes announced in XAT 2018 pattern and XAT syllabus are:

• Total Questions 98
• Number of MCQs-97
• 98th question on Essay Writing is descriptive
• Essay Writing is computer based
• 200 words will be the maximum word limit for Essay Writing
• Each MCQ is followed by 5 answer options
• Correct answer for MCQ to get 1 mark
• Maximum 3 marks awarded for Essay writing
• Negative marking 0.25 () for MCQs from Sl no.1 to 72
• No negative marking for MCQs from Sl No. 73 to 97 (GK questions)
• Candidates are allowed to submit test paper after 30 minutes of the test commencement time
• XAT Mock Test 2018 has time duration of 2 hours. Actual XAT 2018 test paper will have time duration of 3 hours

Total XAT questions: 98
Releasing the XAT 2018 question paper XLRI has shared to the prospective XAT 2018 test takers, We have tried to create actual examination environment here. You would be taking a test of 98 questions. Question No. 1 to 97 are multiple choice type and Question No 98 requires descriptive answers.

There will be 72 MCQs for three main sections which will determine the XAT percentile score to shortlist the candidates. The division of questions in each of the 3 sections carrying negative marking is as under:
XAT Exam Section
Number of questions (All MCQs)
Maximum marks for each correct answer
Negative marking

English Language & Logical Reasoning
24
1
0.25

Decision Making
21
1
0.25

Quantitative Ability
27
1
0.25

Total
72
72

Actual XAT 2018 is 3 hours exam
In the revised pattern, XAT 2018 will be a 215 minutes test from 10AM to 1.35PM. However, the candidates will need to attempt the entire test in 210 minutes (3 hours).
The XAT Mock Test 2018 despite containing same number of and type of questions as expected in XAT 2018 exam is to be completed in a time duration of 2 hours.

Word limit fixed for Essay Writing: Be careful
As revealed in XAT Mock Test 2018 and confirmed by XAT exam centre also, the Essay writing test will be online computer based and the candidates need to write essay on computer screen with a maximum word limit of 200 words. So two important things to remember in XAT 2018 essay writing test are:

The space provided in XAT 2018 exam for essay writing may not go beyond 200 words. So the candidates will have to complete their essay writing cautiously within this word limit.
XAT 2018 exam will have one essay topic on which candidates will have to write a short essay in 20-25 minutes within the overall time limit allotted for entire XAT 2018 exam.

10 Expected Essay topics for XAT 2018
On any essay topic in XAT 2018 exam, the writing of essay will be like a long paragraph of not more than 200 words on computer screen. So make sure whatever you write is meaningful and is non repetitive in content. The probable essay topics in XAT 2018 are:

• Unity in Diversity is more relevant now in India
• Blues of Demonetization still haunt the economic growth
• Unless Agriculture is practiced as business, it will not improve the face of Rural India
• Sensitivity of Sensex has nothing to do with economic growth
• Society bears the burn of terrorism which has no religion before it.
• Democracy will lose meaning without social activism
• GST is no magic band to push faster economic growth
• Home buyers remain homeless, no teeth given to RERA
• Making business lobbying legal can reduce corruption
• Political interests and Uniform civil code cannot go hand in hand

Last 15 years XAT Essay Topics
Essay topics asked in XAT are mostly on abstract topics or Social topics touching the lives of common people. To write such type of essays, candidates need good concentration and well practiced preparation to write a good essay. With the reduced word limit for essay writing, now the expression and meaningful writing skill will be put to test in XAT 2018 essay writing test.
Year-wise past XAT essay topics are:

XAT exam year
Essay topic in XAT exam

2017
Globalization and Jingoism always coexist

2016
Technology and Nature are natural enemies

2015
Listening is a dying art. We hardly listen to understand. We only listen to refute or reply.

2014
The most beautiful thing can neither be seen nor be touched but can only be felt

2013
Corruption is the root cause of economic slowdown in India

2012 ( Option to choose one of the two topics)
Government is not addressing the root cause of poverty Or,
Government is not able to implement the policies properly due to the huge magnitude of poverty

2011 (Long and thought provoking topic made the candidates think more before beginning to write)

The statesman who would attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals, would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted to no council and senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.

2010
Earth provides enough to satisfy everybodys need but not everybodys greed

2009
The Inherent vice of Capitalism is unequal sharing of blessings and the inherent virtue of Socialism is equal sharing of misery

2008
Gender Imbalance would lead to Third World War

2007
Economic growth without environmental damage a mirage or a reality

2006
India has one of the largest pools of talented manpower, but few innovations and patented products

2005
More than one billion Indians: A gigantic problem or a sea of opportunities

2004
Asked at the age of 83, as to which of his project would he choose as his master piece, Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect answered, The next one

2003
To give real service, one needs to add something that cannot be bought or measured, like sincerity and integrity

No Negative Marking for 25 GK questions
General Awareness or GK Questions as per XAT syllabus is an important section in XAT 2018 and is given due weightage by XLRI in final admission round. Salient features of questions in GK section are:

GK questions will be in Section 4 of XAT 2018 question paper as revealed in XAT Mock Test 2018
GK questions will be from Serial number 73 to 97 (Total 25 questions)
Questions on GK will be in MCQ format
Each correct answer of GK question will be awarded 1 Mark
No negative marking is applicable for wrong answers of GK questions
GK section score will not be counted for percentile calculation
Recommended time to attempt GK section is 10 minutes

Difficulty level lowered in XAT pattern 2018

• XLRI has announced that the level of difficulty of the questions has also been carefully designed.
• In order to enable students to attempt as many questions as possible and encourage them to demonstrate all-round skills, the difficulty level of the questions has been brought down.
• In the previous years, students would attempt only half of the questions reducing the range of marks scored among students. However if the examination is made very easy, many would finish the test before time.
• If ten thousand students finish the question paper in time and if all of them get most of the questions right then it would be difficult for XAT associated colleges to choose from these ten thousand students. Therefore XAT 2018 has been designed in such a manner that that the top hundred students will be able to complete the first 3 sections in XAT 2018 within 160 to 170 minutes.
• This way, the examination would avoid 2 possible errors i) low range of scores ii) excellent students not getting enough opportunities to showcase their ability because of too easy a question paper.
• Experts on XAT 2018 preparation are of the view that with fewer questions to solve in other than Quant section, the students who are non-engineers will find the paper a bit difficult. The decrease in the number of questions may imply that the paper can be expected to be a bit more analytical in nature where answers will not be straight forward.
• 92000 candidates applied for XAT 2018
• There are about 92000 candidates who have applied to appear in the first online computer based XAT exam on January 7, 2018. The number is higher than last year and the competition to get into XLRI, SPJIMR, IMT, GIM, Great Lakes, LIBA, TAPMI, XIMB has also increased.
• There are 150+ MBA colleges in India who will accept XAT 2018 score for admission to MBA/PGDM 2018-20 batch. Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2018 is the gateway to highly ranked B schools in India. A high score in XAT 2018 may get you shortlisted for next round of admission process at one of the top rated B schools in the country.
• XLRI has been conducting XAT on behalf of XAMI for more than 60 years at All India level. XAT 2018 is being conducted at 47 test cities in India and at Dubai and Kathmandu outside India.

MBA/PGDM Admissions 2018 Open - Important Dates
For your benefit, MBAUniverse.com has listed important MBA/PGDM Admission Application Deadlines. Check now

Institute of Management - NIRMA University
Application last date to IMNU is open till January 9, 2018

SOIL Gurgaon
Application Open for One year PGP and Two year PGDM at SOIL Gurgaon

IRMA Anand (Gujarat)
Application for PGDRM at IRMA is open till December 31, 2017

TAPMI Manipal
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at TAPMI is open till January 16, 2018

Great Lakes Chennai and Gurgaon
PGPM (cycle 2) Application Deadline- 24th Jan, 2018.

KJ SIMSR Mumbai
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at K J Somaiya is open till January 31, 2018

GIM Goa
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at GIM Goa is open till January 3, 2018

BIMTECH Greater Noida
Application Open for PGDM 2018-20 at BIMTECH Greater Noida

LIBA Chennai
Online Application for PGDM 2018-20 at LIBA is open till January 31, 2018 at a cost of Rs.1500/-

LBSIM New Delhi
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at LBSIM New Delhi is open till December 31, 2017

CIMP Patna
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at CIMP is open till March 2nd week, 2018

BIM Tiruchirappalli
Application last date to BIM Trichy is open till January 31, 2018

KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar
Application Open for MBA 2018-20 Batch

We School Mumbai
Application Open for PGDM 2018-20 Batch