XAT Exam 2025

Details, Eligibility, Application Process, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Colleges

Updated on 15th July 2024 | 2:55 pm | #XAT2025

XAT stands for Xavier Aptitude Test is a highly competitive national-level exam conducted by XLRI on behalf of XAMI and is known for being one of the toughest management entrance exams.

Here is a brief overview of the XAT 2025 examination: 

  • It is a computer-based test which is conducted across 70+ cities in India.
  • It evaluates candidates' abilities in verbal and quantitative reasoning, data interpretation, decision-making, essay writing, and general knowledge. 
  • The duration of the XAT exam is 210 minutes. 
  • It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and one subjective question.

Preparation of XAT is similar to that of CAT but the only extra section that requires separate preparation in XAT is the Decision Making section. The registration process for XAT 2025 has been started w.e.f 15th July 2024.

Start preparing for XAT 2025

XAT 2025: Exam Dates

The official XAT notification was released on 15th July 2024; however, based on past trends, the tentative timeline for the XAT exam 2025 will be as follows:

Event

Dates

Notification Release

15th July 2024

Registration Date

15th July 2024

Last Date to Apply for Colleges

30th November 2024

Last Date of Registration

10th December 2024 (Tentative*)

Admit Card Release

4th week of December 2024

Exam Date 

1st week of January 2025

XAT Answer Key 2025

2nd week of January 2025 

XAT Result 2025

Third/Fourth week of January 2025 

*These dates are based on the announcement for XAT 2024 made last year.


XAT 2025: Highlights

XAT 2025 will allow students to apply for admission to XLRI and other top institutes for the batch of 2025-27. Here are the relevant details to know about the exam:

Highlight

Details

Exam Name

Xavier Aptitude Test

Official Website

www.xatonline.in/

Conducting Body

XLRI Jamshedpur

Frequency

Annually

Registration Mode

Online

Exam Mode

Computer-based

Medium of Exam

English

Total time

3 hours 30 minutes

Total Questions

104

Sections

Part 1: Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Part2: General Knowledge, Essay Writing

Marking Scheme

+1 mark for correct answer

- 0.25 marks for incorrect answer

- 0.10 marks for more than 8 unattempted questions

No negative marking in GK section

Learn more about the XAT exam by clicking here.


XAT 2025: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must meet the XAT eligibility criteria to take the exam.  Here is the XAT eligibility for 2025 as per last year:

If a candidate fulfills the given XAT eligibility requirements, they are welcome to apply and appear for the exam.


XAT 2025: Registration Process

The examination is usually held on the first Sunday of January 2025 in a single-day session. Here are the steps to register in advance for XAT Exam to avoid any last-minute hassle:

Step

Instructions to Register

Visit XAT 2025 Official Website

New applicants should open the official website and click on “Register 2025”.

Register and Enter Your Personal Details

Provide the necessary details and submit the form.

A verification email will be sent to you by XLRI.

Click on the link and you will be redirected to the Application form.

Verify Your Email ID

Candidates must verify the email ID and get their XAT ID to login and fill in the form.

Provide your information and scan the documents

    You need to fill in the following details:

  • Personal information
  • Educational qualifications
  • Work experience after graduation
  • Choice of XLRI PGDM programs
  • Preferred test cities
  • Make sure to have all your documents nearby and carefully review the instructions before proceeding with the scanning process.

Remit the application fee online and register successfully

You can make the registration payment online using a credit/debit card, UPI, or net banking.

After the payment, you can register for the exam successfully.

Download the application form and print it out for future reference

Ensure that you save the application form and print it. The enrollment ID provided on the form will be used to download your XAT admit card later on.

Other Important Points

As we are aware that XAT can potentially change its pattern significantly, it's important to highlight some key registration pointers as follows:


Application Fees

The XAT Exam Fees remain the same for all candidates, unlike the majority of other MBA Entrance Exams which differentiate based on category. Apart from the XAT Application fees, candidates also need to pay for the programs that they wish to apply for:


XAT Admit Card

XAT admit cards will be accessible in the last week of December 2025 till the day of the examination. To download the XAT admit card, candidates should log in to the official website using their User ID and password. Upon logging in, they can select the “Download Admit Card” tab and save the XAT admit card in PDF format. It's advisable to print a copy of the document for future use.

Details mentioned on the XAT admit card are as follows:

Ensure that you carry the XAT admit card with you on the day of the examination, else entry inside the hall will not be permitted.


Premier B-Schools that Accept XAT Score

The XAT 2025 Exam, like CAT, helps aspiring candidates gain admission to the best B-schools in India. Once the candidates meet the XAT cutoffs, they will have the chance to proceed to the GD-PI rounds for admissions to MBA and PGDM programs. Below are some of the top B-Schools that consider XAT scores for admissions:

XLRI Jamshedpur is the most renowned among these institutions and oversees the organization of the XAT Exam. The HR program is regarded as exceptional, not only within India but across Asia. The Business Management course is highly esteemed in India and is often considered a top choice alongside IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta.

An elaborate list of colleges accepting the XAT Score will be available on the official XAT 2025 website.


XAT Exam 2025: Result

XAT 2025 result will be declared in the last week of January 2025. Here is a stepwise approach for downloading your XAT 2025 scorecard:


Selection Process After XAT Exam

Each of the colleges accepting XAT scores carries out their individual admission procedures and interview assessments. For XLRI Jamshedpur, the admission process through XAT chiefly involves three main steps, which are as follows:

Step1: Shortlisting Candidates
Candidates are required to clear the XAT cutoffs to be shortlisted for the following admission rounds.

Step 2: Group Discussion and Interview
Selected candidates are required to participate in a group discussion and interview session, which will take place in multiple centers across different cities. Shortlisted candidates will be given the opportunity to select their preferred location.

Step 3: Final Selection
The final list of candidates will be made based on the XAT scores, GD-PI rounds and academic background among other criteria. Thus, the list of final candidates will be asked to complete the formalities for admissions.


XAT 2025: Exam Pattern

The tentative XAT Exam Pattern in terms of the sectional sub-division is given below:

Part

Section

No of Questions

Maximum Marks

Part 1 (175 minutes)

Decision Making

22

22

Verbal and Logical Ability

26

26

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

28

28

Part 2 (5 minutes)

Mock Keyboard Testing

-

-

Part 3 (30 minutes)

General Knowledge + Essay Writing (to be evaluated during PI shortlisting)

25+ 3

25

--

Overall

104

104

Now that we have an understanding of the tentative XAT 2025 exam pattern, here is a summary of the major parameters expected in XAT 2025:

Read: XAT 2024 Analysis and Expected Cut-off


XAT 2025: Syllabus

XAT 2025

Details

Sections

    Part 1
  • Verbal and Logical Ability (VA & LR)
  • Decision Making (DM)
  • Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI)
  • Part 2
  • General Knowledge (GK)
  • Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)

The XAT exam has a very similar syllabus to that of the other MBA exams in India. While it covers core topics, it distinguishes itself with sections dedicated to Decision Making and Essay Writing. To provide a clearer overview, here's an outline of the XAT syllabus across all sections:

Section

Main Topics

Verbal & Logical Ability

Vocabulary, Para jumble, Grammar, Fill in the blanks, Analogy, Binary Logic, etc.

Decision Making

Data Arrangement, Assumptions, Complex Arrangement, Conclusions etc.

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Mensuration, Algebra, Geometry, Caselets, Data charts, Tables, etc.

General Knowledge

Economics and Finance, Books, Authors, the Constitution of India, Current Affairs, etc.

For further details, click here.


Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the XAT is widely regarded as one of the most challenging MBA entrance exams, and its relatively lower number of applicants may stem from various factors, including the perceived difficulty level and the limited college options that accept its scores. However, considering the similarities in paper pattern and syllabus with other MBA entrance exams like CAT, candidates preparing for the CAT exam may find it advantageous to also pursue the XAT. With many MBA entrance exams sharing a similar structure, aspiring candidates are encouraged to broaden their opportunities by attempting multiple entrance exams, maximizing their chances of admission to esteemed management institutes.

XAT FAQs

In XAT 2024 more than 1.35 lakh candidates have registered for the XAT exam. An estimation of more than 2 lakh candidates may register for XAT 2025.

Here is a list of the top B-schools accepting the XAT scores:

  • XLRI Xavier School of Management
  • Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME)
  • Xavier Institute of Management & Research (XIMR)
  • Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
  • T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI)
  • MICA
  • Goa Institute of Management (GIM)

XAT, also known as Xavier Aptitude Test, is a national-level management entrance exam conducted annually by XLRI Jamshedpur, one of the leading B-schools in India, for admission based on XAT scores.

XAT is comparatively easier to pass than CAT as it provides candidates with more time and flexibility. In CAT, candidates must answer 66 questions within 120 minutes, which means they have approximately 49 seconds per question. While, in XAT, there are 76 questions to be answered in 175 minutes, allowing around 138 seconds per question. Consequently, candidates who take the CAT often struggle due to the constraints of speed and time. On the other hand, XAT enables candidates to allocate time for reading and eliminating choices while answering questions.

No, electronic gadgets including calculators are not allowed inside the examination hall.

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