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XAT Preparation 2025

Last Updated on August 9, 2024 by Prof. SK Agarwal

XAT 2025 Preparation: Exam on January 5, 2025; XAT Books, Top Coaching, Strategy, XAT Topper Tips; Check 6 Month, 3 Month, 1 Month XAT Preparation Plan  

Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is one of the important and largest MBA entrance exams for admission in XLRI and 160 other top B-schools. XAT 2025 is a computer based test. XLRI has announced major changes in XAT 2025 exam.

Latest Updates

XAT 2025 Exam Pattern: Key Changes

  • XAT 2025 Exam on January 5, 2025 in Single Slot
  • Number of Total MCQs Reduced to 95 from 101
  • GK Section Questions Reduced to 20 in XAT 2025 from Earlier 25
  • GK Section Time Reduced to 10 Minutes
  • Subjective Essay Writing Test Scrapped from XAT 2025 Exam
  • XLRI to Conduct Essay Writing Test during GD-PI Round
  • XAT 2025 Exam Time Duration reduced to 3 hours from 3 hours 30 minutes last year
  • Read XAT 2025 Preparation Strategy with Toppers’ Tips
  • 160+ B-Schools to Accept XAT Exam 2025 Score for MBA Admission 2025

Number of sections in XAT 2025 stands reduced from five to four. Now XAT 2025 will have Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning; Decision Making; Quantitative Aptitude; General Knowledge sections while Essay Writing Test will be conducted by XLRI in its GD-PI round.  XAT 2025 Exam date is January 5, 2025. Below is the XAT preparation plan for XAT 2025

Table of Content

  • 1. What is XAT Exam Pattern? Check XAT Question Paper Composition of 2024

  • 2. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 1: XAT Preparation Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR)

  • 3. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 2: XAT Preparation Decision Making (DM)

  • 4. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 3: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI)

  • 5. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 4: General Knowledge (GK)

  • 6. How to Prepare for XAT 2025: Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)

  • 7. XAT 2025 Preparation Plan for 6 Months, 3 Months, 2 Months

  • 8. Top XAT 2025 Coaching Institutes

  • 9. XAT Preparation Books

  • 10. XAT Mocks: Best Preparation Tool

  • 11. FAQs on XAT Preparation

1. What is XAT Exam Pattern? Check XAT Question Paper Composition of 2024

Unless you are aware what are the key components and sections in XAT exam pattern, what are the topics on which questions are asked in XAT exam, it is like beating about the bush as you will not be able to know how to start the XAT preparation 2025. So, before moving on your XAT preparation path, it is very important to understand the XAT exam pattern as below:

XAT 2024 Exam Pattern

Your XAT preparation should be done with a clear understanding on How to Prepare for XAT Exam 2025, what XAT Study Material for Exam Preparation is required, how to do XAT Sectional Preparation, what are the tips on how to Prepare for XAT Exam, what are XAT Exam Preparation Tips & Tricks Related Resources, which are Best Online Videos for XAT Preparations, How to Prepare for XAT by Self-Study, how to do XAT Exam Preparation with Last Years Exam Papers and Mocks among others. Now check below how to start and complete your XAT preparation 2025 

Exam SectionsNumber of questionsOverall Time & Scoring Pattern
Part-175 Total MCQs170 Minutes. Max.75 Marks(+1 Mark for each Correct answer; -0.25 Negative Marking for each wrong answer)
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning26No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and -0.25 (Max 26 Marks)
Decision Making21No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and – 0.25(Max 22 Marks)
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation28No Sectional Time Limit. +1 and – 0.25 (Max 28 Marks)
Part-220 Total MCQs10 Minutes
General Knowledge20Complete in 10 Minutes. +1; No Negative Marking (Max 20 Marks)
Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)1 Descriptive Topic (Dropped for XAT 2025)No Test in XAT 2025
Total questions (Part 1 + Part 2)95 MCQsMax 95 Marks
A: The exam will be conducted in a single day as a computer based test
A: Like previous years, this year also, the exam will be conducted in single slot of 3 hours 30 minutes duration
A: It is a computer based test and is conducted at test centres. Last year the exam was conducted in more than 70 test cities.
A: Yes, to some extent it is a difficult exam with a unique Decision Making section.
A: Yes, it does not have individual sectional time limit

2. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 1: XAT Preparation Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR)

Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) is the first section in XAT exam and has 26% weightage in the exam. This section includes Reading Comprehension also. You need to prepare on following key topics which have high percentage of  questions appearing in VALR section in XAT exam as shared below:

2.1 VA, RC, LR Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024

2.2 XAT Syllabus for VALR

Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 26 questions are based on VALR section. The syllabus for VALR Section in XAT is divided into 3 parts. The 1st part of syllabus covers topics on Verbal Ability, the 2nd Part of syllabus covers Reading Comprehension passages and the 3rd part covers Reasoning section. Below is shared the topic wise VALR syllabus with number of questions in the exam and actual XAT questions that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT

XAT Syllabus for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR)

2.3 Toppers Tips for VALR Preparation for XAT 2025

Toppers’ Tips

“My main source for preparation of the VA section was the daily newspapers (mainly The Hindu or Indian Express). Apart from that, one of the main things anyone should focus on is to read the RCs and poems in the exam extremely carefully before attempting”

Nipun Garg, XAT Topper 99.95%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

“For verbal, I was mainly studying from online available sources. My major focus in verbal was to ensure that I can understand the meaning of the passages and poems and don’t make silly mistakes during examination. So, I was regularly reading short passages on diverse topics and I had set a fixed timing of 1.5-2 hrs every day to spend on verbal section solving RCs and critical reasoning questions.”

Harsh Gupta, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

2.4 VALR Sample Questions with Answers

VA Questions in XAT with Answers

Q.1 Read the following statement carefully. ___________like a fake can be a sign of___________, and clinging too tightly to what feels like one’s authentic self can ________that growth. Fill in the blanks meaningfully, in the above statement, from the following options. A    acting, progress, enhance B    feeling, growth, hinder C    behaving, improvement, support D    performing, stupidity, change E    operating, smartness, increase

Q.2 Read the following statements and answer the question that follows:

  • A. Back then, they were owned by companies and installed on their premises.
  • B. Rooms and servers began to replace computer mainframes in the 1990’s.
  • C. These were supplemented by processors from Intel, which by the mid-2000s translated its dominance of PC semiconductors into a near monopoly of the server market.
  • D. They mostly ran on chips made by IBM and HP, the big tech of the day.
  • E. Things started to change once again around a decade ago, when Amazon began selling some of its spare server capacity.

Which of the following combinations is the MOST logically ordered

  • A    A, B, C, D, E
  • B    E, A, D, C, B
  • C    B, A, D, C, E
  • D    E, D, C, B, A
  • E    B, E, C, D, A

Correct Answers:

Q.1 B

Q.2 C

LR Questions in XAT with Answers

Q.3 Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

How do we choose one discovery over any other? The physician Lewis Thomas made a choice. He bluntly asserts: “The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th-century science has been the discovery of human ignorance.” The science writer Timothy Ferris agrees: “Our ignorance, of course, has always been with us, and always will be. What is new is our awareness of it, our awakening to its fathomless dimensions, and it is this, more than anything else, that marks the coming of age of our species.” It is an odd, unsettling thought that the culmination of our greatest century of discovery should be the confirmation of our ignorance. How did such a thing come about?

Which of the following statements can be BEST concluded from the above passage?

  • A    Humans know more when they know they know very little
  • B    Humans became scientists when they realized that they were ignorant.
  • C    Humans progressed because they knew that they knew very little.
  • D    The realization that humans are ignorant led them to invent new things.
  • E    That they do not know enough make humans seek to know more.

Correct Answer: E

RC Questions in XAT with Answers

Q. 4 & 5: Read the following passage and answer the TWO questions that follow:

But as the behavioral economists like to remind us, we are already prone to all sorts of reductions as a species. It’s not just the scientists. We compress complex reality down into abbreviated heuristics that often work beautifully in everyday life for high-frequency, low-significance decisions. Because we are an unusually clever and self-reflective species, we long ago realized that we needed help overcoming those reductive instincts when it really matters. And so we invented a tool called storytelling. At first, some of our stories were even more reductive than the sciences would prove to be: allegories and parables and morality plays that compressed the flux of real life down to archetypal moral messages. But over time the stories grew more adept at describing the true complexity of lived experience, the whorls and the threadlike pressures. One of the crowning achievements of that growth is the realist novel. That, of course, is the latent implication of Prince Andrei’s question: “innumerable conditions made meaningful only in unpredictable moments” would fare well as a description of both War and Peace and Middlemarch, arguably the two totemic works in the realist canon. What gives the novel the grain of truth lies precisely in the way it doesn’t quite run along the expected grooves, the way it dramatizes all the forces and unpredictable variables that shape the choices humans confront at the most meaningful moments of their lives. When we read those novels—or similarly rich biographies of historical figures—we are not just entertaining ourselves; we are also rehearsing for our own real-world experiences….

Q4. Which of the following is the BEST interpretation regarding reductive instincts?

  • A. Reductive instincts tell us to reduce every situation to a heuristic.
  • B. After the invention of storytelling, humans have overcome their reductive instincts.
  • C. Reductive instincts can help us in handling uncertainty
  • D. Reductive instincts have to be overcome for survival in the real world
  • E. Reductive instincts led to compression of complex reality to moral messages.

Q.5. Why would a realist novel consist of “innumerable conditions made meaningful only in unpredictable moments?”

  • A. To keep the reader engaged till the end of the novel.
  • B. To bring in as much content as possible without making it seem forced.
  • C. To showcase unexpected complexity while making it seem relevant in the given context.
  • D. To show to the reader that realist novel does not work on expected lines.
  • E. To engage the reader with realism and fantasy at the same time

Correct Answers

Q.4: E

Q.5: C

2.5 ​Best VALR Preparation Books for XAT 2025

VALR Preparation books and XAT preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you in XAT preparation and score high in the XAT exam. A few of the best VALR books for XAT recommended by toppers to prepare for XAT are

Sub-section/ TopicType of QuestionsDescriptionNo of Questions
Verbal AbilitySentence CorrectionGrammatically Correct & Incorrect Sentences3
--Para SummaryMaking choice of Summary of small Paragraph1
--Jumbled ParagraphPlacing the 5 Jumbled sentences in coherent paragraphs2
--Fill in the BlanksFilling 2 Blanks in each sentence with correct words2
Reading Comprehension------
Questions on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Passage TitleRC Passage 1Topic: Beauty has an aesthetic, but it is not the same as aesthetics2
--RC Passage 2Topic: The problem of unrecognized ignorance3
--RC Passage 3Topic: Simplified moral frames3
--RC Passage 4Topic: Reductive instinct and realist storytelling2
--RC Passage 5Topic: Mass vaccination and herd immunity3
--RC Passage 6Topic: Poem2
ReasoningCritical ReasoningTrue False, Correct Logica following the Statements, Best combination3
--Total Questions--26
Syllabus for VALR TopicsSyllabusNo of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
Verbal AbilitySentence Correction (3 Qs); Para Summary & Jumbled Paragraphs (3 Qs); Fill in the Blanks (2 Qs);8
Reading ComprehensionSix RC Passages on Abstract Topics, Literature, Current Affairs, Business Economy followed by 2-3 questions on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Passage Title15
ReasoningCritical Reasoning (1 Q), Verbal Reasoning (2 Qs), Calendars, Clocks, Arrangements3
VARC
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
Publisher
arihant
Year of Publication
2018
Price MRP
RS. 845
Price Discounted
RS.599 Save: Rs.245

3. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 2: XAT Preparation Decision Making (DM)

Decision Making (DM) is a unique section in Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) and carries a weightage of 21% in the exam. It tests you not on your ability to learn concepts or remember formulas, but on your ability to holistically view a situation and propose a solution to a problem. DM also tests you on your ethical standing and asks you to take a decision in a conflicting situation. Three different types of questions asked in Decision Making section are on Data Based Problems, Situation Based Problems and a Mixture of both type of Problems. Below is shared the topic wise XAT entrance exam topics on which problems were based in this section in XAT 2024

3.1 DM Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024

3.2 XAT Syllabus for DM

Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 21 questions are based on DM section. The syllabus for DM section is very wide. Below is shared the DM syllabus with number of questions in the exam that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT

XAT Syllabus for Decision Making (DM)

  1.  

​Toppers Tips for DM Preparation for XAT 2025

 

“To prepare for DM, my recommendation would be to practise previous year papers, as many times as you want, specifically the DM section. Each of us has a unique perspective that might give us different yet valid answers for the questions in DM. Unless this perspective matches with the examiner’s, there is no point in our justifications”

Nandagopal V, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

“The past year papers were the best source for preparation for the exam. I tried to deduce a logically why the given answer was correct. I also relied on few of my friends to discuss the given case studies to gain a different perspective”

Nipun Garg, XAT Topper 99.95%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

3.4 DM Sample Questions with Answers

 

Q.1 to 3: Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow:

Mr. Singh lived in a sprawling housing society. He employed two part-time domestic helps, Vimla and Sharda. Vimla was responsible for cleaning and dusting, while Sharda took care of cooking. Once Sharda fell ill and consequently took leave for three days. When Sharda returned to work, she learned that Mr. Singh’s gold ring, a gift from his mother, was missing. Suspecting theft, Mr. Singh had terminated Vimla. Mr. Singh asked Sharda to take additional responsibility of cleaning the house, along with an offer to double her salary. Sharda accepted the offer as her previous two jobs were lost due to frequent health-related absences. She was struggling to make ends meet; this offer would go a long way to help her.

Next day, while cleaning under the dressing table, Sharda found the gold ring. Overjoyed, Mr. Singh expressed his gratitude by presenting Sharda a reward of one thousand rupees! However, he made no mention of reinstating Vimla.

Q.1. Sharda was contemplating whether she should inform Vimla that she found Mr. Singh’s ring. Which of the following considerations will BEST dissuade Sharda in sharing the information about the ring with Vimla?

A    Mr. Singh will probably terminate Sharda if he gets to know that she has revealed this information. B    Had Vimla done her job properly, she would have found the ring and avoided this incident.

C    Vimla already knows she has not stolen anything, so telling her will not give her any new information.

D     Sharda is not keeping well, and Mr. Singh warned her that her frequent absences could lead to her termination.

E    Whenever Sharda was absent, Vimla used to help her by taking over her responsibilities. XAT Preparation Tips

Q.2. Two months passed, and owing to Sharda’s improved health and dedication, Sharda started working in three more houses. However, Vimla was dismissed from her jobs in two more houses primarily due to the ring incident. News of the discovery of the lost ring had not become public, and Sharda wanted to help Vimla. Sharda is contemplating over possible actions. Which of the following actions, by Sharda, will BEST help Vimla?

A    Confront Mr. Singh about concealing the discovery of the lost ring from the housing society residents.

B     Inform Vimla that the ring has been found and advise her to demand compensation from Mr. Singh for tarnishing her image.

C    Inform as many domestic helps in the housing society as possible that she has found the ring. D    Quit the job at Mr. Singh’s house and ask him to consider offering that job to Vimla.

E    Divulge to Vimla’s employers in the housing society that she has found the ring.

Q.3. The news of the discovery of the lost ring eventually became public. The domestic helps in the society were chagrined by the treatment meted out to Vimla and the fact that the news of the discovery was not made public immediately. They wanted to ensure that they would not get targeted every time if something goes missing. Which of the following policy options will BEST minimize the chance of employers suspecting their domestic workers of theft in the future?

A    The domestic workers will undergo a daily search by the security guards when leaving the society. B    When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft without proof, they will have to be paid at least one month’s salary in full.

C     The current address and contact details of all domestic workers should be submitted to the housing society.

D     If there is a suspicion of theft, the security guards will first conduct a thorough search of the affected house.

E    When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft, the employer will have to publicly apologize if the domestic worker can prove their innocence.

Correct Answers

Q.1: A

Q.2: B

Q.3: A

3.5 Best DM Preparation Books for XAT

  • Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers)-RK Jha
  • Study Material from IMS, TIME, CL and other coaching institutes
  • Focus on Situation Analysis: Understanding the motives behind the test will help you align your thinking process with the expectations of the test setter. Thus before answering a question you need to first analyse the situation from the different perspectives, i.e., the economic as well as the social perspective.
  • Frame the answer in your mind: Read, understand and try to gauge the motive behind the question. Once you have done this try to frame the answer within your mind without looking at the options, as sometimes the options can be misleading and lead you to a different outcome.
  • Eliminate incorrect options: Not all the five options are relevant. After a basic reading of the question you can start eliminating the options and in most cases, you would be able to eliminate at least two options.
Sub-section/ TopicType of QuestionsDescriptionNo of Questions
Caselet-1Problem Based on Human ResourcesExperience Credentials of Employees3
Caselet-2Problem Based on ABC Business SchoolDisciplined School with High Placements but less learning3
Caselet-3Problem Based on TaxisCompetition among Taxi Drivers3
Caselet-3Problem Based on Sales & MarketingSUV Sales Target Met but recovery of loss a concern due to extended warranty3
Caselet-4Problem Based on Household helpWrongful Termination of Domestic Help3
Caselet-5Problem Based on Human Resources at IT Firm SymbolisDistribution of Performance Bonus to the Best Employees3
Caselet-6Problem Based on Gas Extraction Company Deep Sea cReleasing the Natural Gas Pressure and Safety Arrangements3
Syllabus for Decision Making TopicsSyllabusNo of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
Problems based on situations in form of CaseletsHR Problems, Sales and Marketing, Management and others followed by 2-3 questions each21
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4. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 3: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI)

4.3 Toppers Tips for QADI Preparation for XAT 2025

Toppers’ Tips

“I prepared for the QA section in CAT by practising questions from the Arun Sharma book. What most of the engineers are weak at, and generally ignore, are concepts in geometry and mensuration. The competitive advantage of putting in the extra hours in them are two-pronged. Primarily, you won’t shy away from answering them since you have prepared. Additionally, now that you are prepared, you might know some theorems and lemmas that can help you solve these questions really fast, thus saving time.”

Nandagopal V, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

“My major preparation strategy for this section was to solve a set of diverse questions covering all major domains every day to retain concepts in my mind. Though one thing I did was that in final exam I attempted the questions of topics I was most comfortable in and rest I attempted only after I had solved everything else”

Harsh Gupta, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

4.4 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Sample Questions with Answers

 

Q.1 In a school, the number of students in each class, from Class I to X, in that order, are in an arithmetic progression. The total number of students from Class I to V is twice the total number of students from Class VI to X. If the total number of students from Class I to IV is 462, how many students are there in Class VI?

A    93

B    88

C    83

D    77

E    None of the remaining options is correct.

Q.2 The cost of running a movie theatre is Rs. 10,000 per day, plus additional Rs. 5000 per show. The theatre has 200 seats. A new movie was released on Friday. There were three shows, where the ticket price was Rs. 250 each for the first two shows and Rs. 200 for the late-night show. For all shows together, total occupancy was 80%. What was the maximum amount of profit possible?

A    Rs. 1,20,000

B    Rs. 87,000

C    Rs. 95,000

D    Rs. 91,000

E    Rs. 1,16,000

Q.3 A group of boys is practising football in a rectangular ground. Raju and Ratan are standing at the two opposite mid-points of the two shorter sides. Raju has the ball, who passes it to Rivu, who is standing somewhere on one of the longer sides. Rivu holds the ball for 3 seconds and passes it to Ratan. Ratan holds the ball for 2 seconds and passes it back to Raju. The path of the ball from Raju to Rivu makes a right angle with the path of the ball from Rivu to Ratan. The speed of the ball, whenever passed, is always 10 metre per second, and the ball always moves on straight lines along the ground. Consider the following two additional pieces of information:

I. The dimension of the ground is 80 metres × 50 metres.

II. The area of the triangle formed by Raju, Rivu and Ratan is 1000 square metres.

Consider the problem of computing the following: how many seconds does it take for Raju to get the ball back since he passed it to Rivu? Choose the correct option.

A    I alone is sufficient to solve the problem.

B    II alone is sufficient to solve the problem.

C    Either of I or II, by itself, is sufficient to solve the problem.

D    I and II both are required to solve the problem.

E    The problem cannot be solved even with both I and II.

Correct Answers

Q.1: D

Q.2: D

Q.3: A

 

4.5 Best QADI Preparation Books for XAT

The best books for Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation for XAT preparation are:

  • How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
  • Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit K Sinha
  • Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K Verma
  • Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal
  • How to prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
  • ‘Logical Reasoning and data Interpretation for the CAT’ - by Nishit K Sinha (Published by Pearson)
  • CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) section in XAT commands 28% weight in XAT exam. QADI questions in XAT are designed to assess the quantitative aptitude of candidates. The students are expected to possess a foundational understanding of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization, and insightful analysis of the data. Below is shared the topic wise QADI syllabus with number of questions in the exam and actual XAT questions that appeared recently in the exam to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT

4.1 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024

4.2 XAT Syllabus for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Out of total 100 questions in XAT, 28 questions are based on QADI section. Below is shared the QADI syllabus with number of questions in the exam that appeared recently to help you familiarize with the type of questions in XAT

Sub-section/ TopicType of QuestionsDescriptionNo of Questions
ArithmeticTime Speed DistancePilot increasing speed of Aircraft to reach Destination1
ArithmeticProfit & LossCost of Running Movie Theatre and required capacity to ear profit; Selling Price at Food Stall2
ArithmeticArithmetic ProgressionNumber of students in a class1
Number SystemIncreasing, DecreasingReal Numbers, Value3
Permutation & Combination; Set TheoryCombination of Items in Restaurant; Vegetable MarketMaking a combination of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian items from Menu; Aman buying vegetables3
GeometryTriangles and RectanglesFarmer’s Tringalular land; Rectangle Football ground; Right Angle3
Algebra- PolynomialsRoots of PolynomialRatio of area from largest to smallest1
Linear Equation, Log, Quadratic EquationReal Numbers, LogsCoinciding Lines represented by the two equations; Equation Log3
Data InterpretationDI Set-1T-20 Match3
Data InterpretationDI Set-2Statistics – Hinge number3
Data InterpretationDI Set-3Discount Coupon3
Data InterpretationDI Set-4Shortlisting for Interview2
Total Questions----28
Syllabus for QADI TopicsSyllabusNo of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
ArithmeticTime Speed Distance (1 Qs); Profit & Loss (2 Qs); Arithmetic Progression (1 Q); Number System (3 Qs); P&C (3 Qs)10
AlgebraEquations, Linear Equation, Log, Quadratic Equation (3 Qs), Plynomials (1 Q), Set Theory (1 Q)5
GeometryAngles, Triangles, Rectangles, Lines, Theorems2
Data InterpretationTables (3), Data Analysis (3), Graphs (3), Statistical presentation (2)11

5. How to Prepare for XAT 2025 Section 4: General Knowledge (GK)

General Knowledge section has 20 questions in XAT 2025 exam. The score in this section is not taken into account for percentile calculation in XAT exam. However, during XLRI PI Round GK plays an important role in final selection. In-depth and regular reading of GK helps more as sometimes a few GK questions in XAT appear more tricky and need intensive reading. Below is shared the topic wise XAT entrance exam GK syllabus on which questions were based in XAT 2024 in this section

5.1 General Knowledge (GK) Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024

5.2 XAT Syllabus for General Knowledge
In the GK section, questions focus on static GK and current affairs. Major Topics Covered include economics, finance, national and international current affairs, Constitution of India, Company profiles, logos, Business & Economy, Who’s who, Books & Authors, Capitals & Currencies

5.3 Toppers Tips for GK Preparation for XAT 2025

“GK preparation strategy that I followed is to read newspapers consistently for 6 months prior to XAT. Very difficult to prepare for GK last minute”

Tanish Jain, XAT Topper 99.99%; XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

“Although GK score is not counted in percentile preparation, it plays important role in XLRI admission. My UPSC preparation helped me in that and a few things that would help in GK preparation strategy are Try reading a newspaper every day, it will help you with your VARC, essay and interview as well; Pick up something like The Hindu, Mint or Indian Express. Read editorials”

Kanika Mehra XAT Topper 98.32%, XLRI PGDM-BM 2022-24

5.4 General Knowledge Sample Questions with Answers

Q.1. What is the name of Air India’s Artificial Intelligence-powered chat assistant that introduced a generative AI virtual agent?

A    Niyaa

B    AirBuddy

C    Sathi

D    Maharaja

E    Frenz

Q.2. In November 2023, which state government declared a fish named “Ghol” as the state fish?

A    Uttar Pradesh

B    Haryana

C    Gujarat

D    Bihar

E    Maharashtra

Q.3. Which Indian city set a world record by illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps on the eve of Diwali 2023?

A    Ayodhya

B    Prayagraj

C    Varanasi

D    Udupi

E    Rameswaram

Q.4. Which rocket was used to launch Aditya-L1?

A    PSLV-C57

B    LVM3 -M4

C    NGLV

D    GSLV-F12

E    TERLS

Q.5. Which company has launched a dedicated air cargo service in India to speed up deliveries?

A    Amazon

B    Flipkart

C    Jiomart

D    Tata Cliq

E    Snapdeal

Correct Answers

Q.1: D

Q.2: C

Q.3: A

Q.4: A

Q.5: A

5.5 Best GK Preparation Books for XAT
To study the Static and latest GK for XAT, consistent preparation is required. Following study material is helpful to crack GK section in XAT with high score

  • Manorama Year Book: Very useful as it has all the historical and latest updated information on the topics
  • News Papers: XAT is known for its emphasis on Business and Economy, so the GK preparation should also include the regular reading of News papers like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Times of India,’ ‘Business Standard’, Economic Times’ among others.
  • Digital & Social Media: Your TV, Mobile, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube could prove to be a good source of General Awareness, so instead of doing irrelevant chats, focus on improving General Awareness
Sub-section/ TopicType of QuestionsDescriptionNo of Questions
Static GKHistoryHistorical capital cities of India; Famous battles; Doctrine of lapse3
Static GK & ChangesGeographyNational capitals of countries; Flow of River Ganges2
Static & CurrentEconomics & BusinessBrics1
Current AffairsPersonality & AwardsDr Akshata Krishnamurthy, Matthew Perry,2
Current AffairsScience & TechnologyAditya L-1; X 37B2
Current AffairsSportsWomen’s Premier League, Asian Games2
Static & CurrentBooks & AuthorsMatch the authors of the books1
Current AffairsLatest National & InternationalCountry pulling out of “Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe”; Air India’s AI; “Ghol” as the state fish; City illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps; Earthquake in Japan;5
MiscellaneousCompanies, people, work, actionLeap Year calculation; Dedicated air cargo service in India; ChatGPT, Google Bard, Chatsonic3
Current AffairsNobel PrizeNobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in Economics2
Static & CurrentCulture & EntertainmentMovie Oppenheimer, Nabanno harvest festival of Bengal and Bangladesh2
Total----25
Syllabus for GK TopicsSyllabusNo of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
Static GK (XAT 2025 to have 8 Questions)History (2 Qs), Books & Authors (3Qs), Capitals and Currencies (2 Qs), Geography (2 Qs); Culture (1)10
Current Affairs (XAT 2025 to have 12 Questions)Economics & Business (2 Q); Personality & Awards (2Qs); Science & Technology (2 Qs); Sports (1 Qs); National & International Affairs (3 Qs); Companies & People (2 Qs); Nobel Prize (2 Qs); Entertainment (1)15

6. How to Prepare for XAT 2025: Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)

Essay writing in XAT was the descriptive online computer based test. This test was scrapped in 2019 but was restored in 2022 and again scrapped in XAT 2025. Essay writing in XAT is the test of writing skill of an aspirant. The test requires that the test taker should write a coherent and logical essay on the given topic. The exam syllabus on Essay Writing test is not limited to any particular type of topic. Past trends in XAT reveal that it needs a well worded essay on the contemporary or abstract topic. Test taker has to write essay on one topic out of the three given topics. Essay in XAT plays important role in the Personal Interview round as questions are based on what you have written in your XAT Essay.

6.1 Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) Topics & Questions Appeared in XAT 2024

6.2 XAT Syllabus for Analytical Essay Writing  (AEW)

6.3 Toppers Tips for AEW Preparation for XAT 2025

“Focus on writing different styles of essays and of different word limits. There are online resources for essay topics for XAT and other MBA exams. Take a topic, write the essay. Then go back find and essays online on the topic to read up on the topic and see how you can structure your ideas better”

Anna J Joseph, XAT Topper 99.98% XLRI PGDM-BM 2023-25

“My strategy to prepare for Essay Writing Test was to read everyday, so you have some fodder to write. Read newspaper editorials. Read AEON essays, Write simple, short sentences, with no flowery language. Have a coherent idea flowing in your essay”

Kanika Mehra XAT Topper 98.32%, XLRI PGDM-BM 2022-24

6.4 Analytical Essay Writing Sample Questions

Previous Topics for XAT Essay Writing Test are:

  • Ethical Practices and Sustainability: Do they co-exist?
  • Globalization and Jingoism always coexist
  • Listening is a dying art. We hardly listen to understand. We only listen to refute or reply.
  • The most beautiful thing can neither be seen nor be touched but can only be felt
  • Corruption is the root cause of economic slowdown in India
  • Earth provides enough to satisfy everybody's need but not everybody's greed
  • Gender Imbalance would lead to Third World War
  • Economic growth without environmental damage – a mirage or a reality
  • India has one of the largest pools of talented manpower, but few innovations and patented products
  • More than one billion Indians: A gigantic problem or a sea of opportunities
  • National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 a good step
  • Establishing Bad Bank to improve Economy
  • Building Central Vista will improve India’s Global image
  • Covid Pandemic derailed Economic growth
  • 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
  • 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  

6.5 Best AEW Preparation Books for XAT

  • AEON Essays
  • Read News paper editorials & Articles on different topics
  • Read online how to write essay
  • Use study material on Essay Writing from IMS, CL, TIME
Sub-section/ TopicType of QuestionsDescriptionNo of Questions
EssayEssay-1Tech prediction often fail not because of wrong models or a lack of imagination but due to lack of humility in admitting our uncertainties about the future.1
EssayEssay-2Implementing more stringent regulations for Social Media Platforms is crucial to effectively combat the proliferation of fake news.1
EssayEssay-3Things which matters the most must never be at the mercy of things that matters the least.1
TotalChoice to choose one Topic out of 3--3
Syllabus for Essay TopicsSyllabusNo of Questions Appeared in XAT 2024
Analytical Essays of 150-200 words (Scrapped in XAT 2025 exam)Choice of one Essay out of Three on Abstract (2); Literature/Current Affairs/Business Economy (1)3

7. XAT 2025 Preparation Plan for 6 Months, 3 Months, 2 Months

One of the most important preparation tools is your XAT exam preparation time table. As the  preparation time goes on reducing month after month with every passing day, you need to revisit your preparation strategy and synchronise it with remaining preparation Time. Finalizing the preparation time table depends upon your skill set also. How much preparation you need? What are your weak areas and how much time you need to improve upon them could differ from person to person.

7.1 How to prepare for XAT Exam in 6 months?

 

  • Preparation Start Date: May/June
  • Daily Time to Devote: 2-3 Hours
  • Preparation Over Date: Mid December
  • Preparation Activity after December 15: Revision, Mocks but Nothing New to begin

XAT preparation for 6 months is sufficient to crack the exam. Following should be adhered to before proceeding on XAT preparation journey:

  • As you are left with sufficient XAT exam preparation time, first of all go through and understand the XAT exam pattern
  • Get a good feel of XAT 2025 exam syllabus
  • Find out your strong and weak areas
  • Start building up the fundamentals and get conceptual clarity on the topics which fall in your weak areas
  • Don’t waste too much time on theory. If you have understood the basics, attempt XAT sectional quiz.
  • Practice after theory is a must. Accordingly take periodical XAT 2025 Quiz, attempt XAT previous years Mock test, XAT previous years question papers
  • Get the best XAT preparation material with best books for XAT preparation.
  • Beginning your XAT preparation early will give you time to periodically assess yourself and overcome your weaknesses.
  • Remain confident right from the day one during your XAT preparation journey.

Self - Preparation is the best preparation strategy for XAT 2025. However time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It could be a small quant formula, LR logic, or Verbal usage clarity which might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.  

7.2 How to prepare for XAT in 3 months?

  • Preparation Start Date: July/August
  • Daily Time to Devote: 3-4 Hours
  • Preparation Over Date: Mid December
  • Preparation Activity after December 15: Revision, Mocks but Nothing New to begin

XAT preparation time of three months is not short. What you have done in last three months or whatever you have prepared can be revised now in three months with various XAT preparation tools. The time is ripe to intensify a little your XAT preparation strategy for three months:

  • See that you have achieved good clarity on fundamentals and have strengthened your basics
  • Alongwith going through the books for XAT preparation, visit number of online XAT preparation material
  • It is time that you started taking XAT Mock test, analyse your errors and rectify them
  • Instead of reading the theory again and again, now you should attempt the question and when you are stuck, visit the basics and clarify your point to clear the confusion
  • Solve XAT previous year question papers
  • Join a good Test series for XAT preparation

7.3 How to prepare for XAT in 2 months?

  • Preparation Start Date: September/October
  • Daily Time to Devote: 3-4 Hours
  • Preparation Over Date: Mid December
  • Preparation Activity after December 15: Revision, Mocks but Nothing New to begin

It may sound a little surprising but it is true. Many XAT toppers are of the view that XAT preparation time of two months is good enough to crack XAT exam. Even 2 months are good to score 95 percentile provided you are sincere enough.

  • Focus more on XAT Exam Quiz, XAT Mock tests, different types of questions as appeared in XAT
  • Don’t leave any XAT Mock Test without analyzing it
  • Go through the Books for XAT preparation and the XAT preparation material and ensure  that you have gone through the sectional and overall quiz and practice tests in these XAT preparation books.
  • There are some strong areas within your weak areas and some weak areas within your strong areas. Try to focus on all the weak areas and see if you are able to improve them. However, you should not waste more time on them. Instead focus more on your strong areas and improve them further.

XAT Preparation: XAT Test Day Strategy to Score 95 Percentile

The five sections of XAT exam need a systematic study schedule. Looking at the level of difficulty and surprise elements that appear in XAT every year, a thorough preparation of 4-5 months is required to crack XAT 2025. You can move forward with your XAT preparation taking lead from following tips:

  • XAT 2025 Preparation does not require you to study round the clock, instead you need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score.
  • According to the experts and toppers, the best way to prepare for XAT 2025 exam is to know your strengths and weaknesses and start working on them now. Since there is time to get over with your weakness and further strengthen your strong areas, you must devote around 2-3 hours a day from now on to crack XAT 2025 with a high score. 
  • Despite number of changes brought about during last 5 years in XAT, the basics of the exam have not changed. Accordingly, the XAT study material based on past XAT exam papers and XAT Mocks is the great tool to prepare for XAT 2025.
  • You need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score
  • XAT 2025 exam will have 3 major sections contributing to your percentile score. Attempt any section within overall time limit. You need to ensure high score in each of the 3 sections as there is also a sectional score cut off in XLRI XAT cut-off.
  • It may be noted that even half of the total questions in XAT exam, if attempted right can fetch you a percentile of 98-99. The need is to maximize your correct attempts and minimize the wrong attempts

8. Top XAT 2025 Coaching Institutes

If you wish to prepare for XAT with coaching, it is important to find out the best coaching for XAT exam preparation that can focus on all the sections to prepare for XAT, like Decision Making which is not a common section for other exams. Even the best coaching for XAT exam may have its draw backs in regard to imparting XAT coaching on certain topics.

Benefits of XAT Preparation with Coaching

XAT coaching helps you overcome many weak areas. The XAT 2025 preparation through coaching can be a class room regular or weekend coaching or it can be XAT preparation online through the coaching centres. Good Coaching institutes like TIME, CL, IMS among others provide best XAT preparation material with practice questions. Apart from class room coaching,  XAT preparation online is a good answer to the working professionals who find it difficult to attend regular class room coaching for XAT. During the past few years preference for XAT online coaching has gone up many times. In fact XAT preparation through online coaching for XAT is more cost effective, less time consuming and offers you more time to practice XAT question papers and XAT exercises. Top XAT coaching institutes are:

Top XAT Coaching Centers in India

Top XAT Coaching InstitutesType of Courses Online/Offline/BothCity wise XAT Preparation Center Location
TIMEBothDelhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among total 100+ centres
Career LauncherBothDelhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among 80+ centres
IMSBothDelhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow among 50+ centres
Byju’sOnlineOnline Coaching via Tablet anywhere in India & Abroad
2IIM.comOnlineOnline coaching course with videos, quizzes, practice tests, and slideshows. Classroom coaching in Chennai only
MBAGURUBothCentres across Delhi located in CP, Rajouri Garden, Pitampura, Kailash Colony
Arun Sharma’s MindworkzzBothMindworkzz has 3 centres in C P, Delhi and offers online coaching as well
EndeavorBothLucknow, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune among 20+ centres across India
BullsEyeOnlineOffers Online Coaching
TathagatClassroom coachingCentres located in Delhi, Noida
AlchemistClassroom coachingCP-Delhi, North Delhi, West Delhi and Gurgaon

9. XAT Preparation Books

The XAT books and preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you score high in the XAT exam. XAT exam preparation books will not only guide you how to begin your XAT 2025 exam preparation but will also strengthen your fundamentals and clarify your concepts. The exercises and different difficulty level questions will also help you to practice on variety of questions. 

Since there are few common core sections in XAT and CAT, the books to prepare for XAT and CAT exams are also very much similar. A few of the best books for XAT preparation recommended by toppers are:

9.1 XAT Books by Arun Sharma

9.2 XAT Books by Nishit K Sinha

9.3 XAT Exam Preparation Books pdf Free Download

Your preparation books Pdf free download available on various websites can help you compare the quality of the downloaded XAT Study Material for XAT preparation. Apart from this, your XAT study material should include:

  • Latest RC Passages and practice questions provided by Study centres like TIME, CL among others 
  • Editorial and short articles published in English news papers 
  • ‘Word Power Made Easy’ – by Norman Lewis
  • ‘High School English Grammar & Composition’ – by Wren & Martin
  • Regularly solve the Verbal Ability questions from your XAT study material especially on Para summary, Jumbled Paragraphs

XAT Preparation 2024 with Previous Test Papers

Previous year papers comprising XAT questions and detailed solutions are a good source of XAT preparation material. They give you the idea and type of XAT questions that you may face in the real XAT exam paper 2024. After strengthening your fundamentals, your XAT exam preparation should focus on practicing with more and more previous XAT test papers. This XAT preparation strategy will not only give you an opportunity to solve real XAT exam questions, but will also bring more confidence in you after you are able to solve variety of questions.  Solve XAT Previous Test Papers

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE for CAT
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
Publisher
McGraw Hill India
Year of Publication
2024
Price MRP
RS. 1050
Price Discounted
RS.739 Save: Rs.311
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
Publisher
McGrawHill
Year of Publication
2022
Price MRP
RS. 1020
Price Discounted
RS.732 Save: Rs.288
LOGICAL REASONING
How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma
How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma
Publisher
McGraw Hill
Year of Publication
2023
Price MRP
RS. 845
Price Discounted
RS.599 Save: Rs.245
Data Interpretation for CAT
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
Publisher
McGrawHill
Year of Publication
Invalid date
Price MRP
RS. 845
Price Discounted
RS.589 Save: Rs.256
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
Publisher
Pearson
Year of Publication
2020
Price MRP
RS. 1050
Price Discounted
RS.999 Save: Rs.51
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
Publisher
Pearson
Year of Publication
2020
Price MRP
RS. 845
Price Discounted
RS.599 Save: Rs.245

10. XAT Mocks: Best Preparation Tool

Practice test papers for XAT prepared by top experts and XAT toppers are good tool for XAT 2025 preparation and to crack XAT exam with high score. XAT exam 2025 preparation with sample papers can become easy as the XAT Mocks include the best selected questions for XAT preparation. These Mock tests are available both online and offline. There are number of XAT mock tests comprising model XAT exam questions to help in your XAT preparation. So, don’t miss them.

You can check your current level of XAT exam preparation by taking Previous Year Papers / Mock TestUnless you know which are your weak areas that need your more attention and which are your strong areas where you need to prepare for XAT exam, it is difficult to complete your XAT preparation 2025 and devise your preparation strategy. According to XAT toppers the Mock tests help you gauge your preparation and help you to improve and focus more in the desired direction. Alongwith the XAT Mock tests, XAT exam quiz, XAT previous years Mock test, XAT sectional quiz will also play a major role in improving your speed and accuracy in XAT preparation. Prepare with XAT Mock Tests

A: You should take a minimum number of 35-40 Mock tests before the exam of different difficulty level. To prepare for the exam, it is not only sufficient to take Mocks but more important is to analyse your mistakes in them and improve for future.
A: You can take Online computer based free Mocks at MBAUniverse.com as well as other websites including the websites of coaching institutes
A: Yes, XLRI conducts official XAT Mocks before the exam for the candidates who have registered for XAT exam

11. FAQs on XAT Preparation

Preparation FAQs are answered by XAT experts and toppers on this page as above. However, the most important FAQs to prepare for XAT are answered below:

QHow many Mocks before XAT exam are sufficient to take?
A:
 Around 35-40 Mock tests before XAT exam are considered good. To prepare for XAT, it is not only sufficient to take Mocks but more important is to analyse your mistakes in them and improve for future.

Q: I wish to self prepare for XAT. How do I start preparation without coaching?
A:
 First know the XAT exam pattern & syllabus and gather the best preparation books, XAT study material and start your preparation by section without leaving anything to chance.

Q: What is the role of Decision Making in XAT? How can I improve on it?
A:
 Most XAT aspirants find themselves weak in DM preparation but with consistent reading and practice, they can score high percentile in XAT. As suggested above, you should follow the DM preparation tips for XAT.

Q: Is there sufficient time now to start XAT preparation?   
A:
 Yes, it is good time to start your XAT preparation. Since XAT is likely to be held on January 5, 2025, there is still good preparation time which if fruitfully used, can turn the table in your favour.  

Q: What could be the 10 Preparation Steps for XAT?
A:
 Step by Step Preparation tips for XAT as recommended by XAT toppers are:

  • Step 1: Scan the XAT Exam Pattern & Syllabus
  • Step 2: Attempt a few XAT Mock tests/previous test papers to figure out your strong and weak topics
  • Step 3: To begin with make sure to devote a minimum of 2-3 hours a day for XAT preparation Step 4: Divide your time as per your skill set and requirement to build your Basics and bring conceptual clarity through books, study material as per XAT Exam pattern & Syllabus
  • Step 5: Decision Making (DM) section in XAT is unique, so prepare it well.
  • Step 6: Data Interpretation (DI) is considered a bit more time consuming. Start practicing on DI questions. Use approximation techniques for quick calculations.
  • Step 7: Consistently work to improve upon your weak areas by allotting more preparation time
  • Step 8: Take as many Mocks as possible with low to high difficulty level, analyse errors and improve in subsequent mock test
  • Step-9: Complete your XAT preparation 15 days before the XAT exam day. Don’t start anything new after that
  • Step 10: Be ready for the XAT exam day, treat actual XAT exam like another Mock Test

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