XAT 2024: Registration, Admit Card, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Syllabus and Cutoffs

Updated on 10th April 2023 | 01:34 pm | #XATexam

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a computer-based test that has been conducted by XLRI for over 72 years. It is a national-level entrance exam held once every year in the month of January. Every year over 1 lakh candidates register for XAT and more than 70,000 appear for the exam.

Along with XLRI and 11 other XAMI colleges, XAT is accepted by over 160 institutes including TAPMI, IMT, etc for admission to their post-graduate management programs. XLRI only accepts XAT scores for admission to the PGDM courses offered at its campuses and no other entrance is accepted.

XAT 2024 is expected to follow the same pattern as last year. Thus, based on XAT 2023, the exam duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes in a single slot. XAT 2024 will have 4 sections plus an essay question divided into two parts; Part 1 (VA, DM, QADI) has 175 minutes and Part 2 has General Knowledge and Essay Writing with 30 minutes to complete the section.

Eligibility of XAT & other MBA Entrances

XAT Exam 2024: Overview

As XAT 2024 is expected to be along the lines of the previous year, here are the features of the XAT exam including the mode of exam, time duration, sections and registration fee among other things.

XAT exam	Detail
Conducting Body	XLRI Jamshedpur
Mode of Exam	Computer-based test
Registration fee	INR 2000/-
Number of Sections	Part 1: Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making & Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Part 2: Mock Keyboard Testing Part 3: General Knowledge & Essay Writing
Institutes Accepting XAT	160+
Courses Offered	MBA, PGDM
Duration of exam	210 minutes

Review the XAT notification, click here

XAT Exam Dates

Given below is the tentative timeline for the XAT exam (based on XAT 2023):

Event	Date
Registration Start Dates	1st week of August 2023
Registration End Dates	Last week of November 2023
XAT Admit Card Download	Last week of December 2023
XAT Exam	1st week of January 2024
XAT Result	Last week of January 2024
XAT Score Card Download	January to March 2024

XAT Eligibility Criteria

A candidate wishing to appear for XAT 2024 must meet the minimum requirements before registering for the exam. Here is the eligibility criterion for XAT-

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree that took three years or more to complete in any discipline from a recognized Institute.
Candidates in their final year can also give the XAT exam.
There is no minimum pass percentage required to appear for the XAT exam.
NRI students can apply through the GMAT exam.

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

XAT Registration Process

The XAT registration process can be completed online. Candidates must have the required documents and pay the application fee to complete the registration process. Those who wish to appear for XAT must complete their registration process on or before the last registration date.
Follow these simple steps to complete the XAT registration-

On the official website for XAT, register yourself
Verify the email ID you have provided
Fill out the XAT application form
Upload the required documents
Pay the application fee online
Review the application and submit it

XAT Registration Fee

XAT aspirants can pay the application fee online through the payment gateway after filling out the form and uploading the documents. While XAT 2024 is expected to closely follow the XAT 2023 pattern, the registration fee will be given after the notification is released tentatively at the start of August 2023. Given is the fee for XAT 2023-

Detail	Fee
XAT Application Fee	INR 2000/-
XLRI Programmes Fee	INR 200/- each

According to the official website, the following points should be kept in mind regarding the payment of the application fee-

The payment for the XAT application can be made using credit cards, debit cards, internet banking, IMPS, cash cards or mobile wallets.
After making the payment, an e-receipt will be generated. If the candidate does not receive the e-receipt, there is a payment failure and the candidate will be required to re-login and make the payment again.
The candidate must save the e-receipt and the online application form.

XAT Required Documents

The candidates will be required to upload a passport-size photograph and signature image to the application form. The official website for XAT explains the requirements for the images and a brief is provided below-

The photograph should be a recently taken passport-size, coloured photograph. The background should be white/ light.
The size of the photograph file should be between 20KB to 50KB.
The candidate must sign on a white paper with a black pen and scan the signature.
The signature will be used on the admit card and should match the sign given on the attendance sheet on the exam day.
The file size for the signature should be between 10KB to 20KB.

XAT Exam Pattern

The XAT exam pattern for 2024 would be the same as that of XAT 2023. As XAT 2023 observed a few changes, XAT 2024 will follow similar lines. The paper is divided into 3 parts which are given below:

XAT 2024	Sections	No. of Questions	Time
Part 1	Verbal & Logical Ability	26	175 minutes
	Decision Making	22
	Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation	28
Part 2	Mock Keyboard Testing	-	5 minutes
Part 3	General Knowledge	25	30 minutes
Part 3	Essay Writing	1	10 minutes
Total		102	210 minutes

View the XAT Exam Pattern in detail, click here.

XAT Marking Scheme

For every correct answer: +1 mark
For every incorrect answer: -0.25 marks
After 8 unanswered questions, -0.1 for every unanswered question
The essay question will be marked separately after the shortlisting process.

XAT Syllabus

The XAT 2024 syllabus is divided into 4 sections along with an essay question. The essay question is not included in the XAT percentile score calculation and is only considered for evaluation after shortlisting. Given below are the main topics that candidates must cover for XAT 2024 preparation-

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, Constitution of India, Current Affairs, etc.

Click here for a detailed understanding of the XAT syllabus.

How to Prepare for XAT 2024

Now that the XAT notification has been released, candidates must plan and work accordingly towards cracking and acing XAT 2024.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for XAT-

Establish a Timetable: Scoring well in entrance exams is dependent on the discipline and dedication with which a candidate prepares. So, establish a timetable that you follow daily to reach your targets and cover the syllabus within the given time.
Identify your Weak and Strong Areas: To ace XAT, you must identify the concepts and sections you are weak at and those you can score well in relatively easily. Based on your assessment, begin covering the weaker areas with more time and establish the basic concepts again. For the strengths, you can diligently practice questions and revise.
Practice with Mock Exams: Mock exams will help you understand where you stand in your XAT preparation and against your peers. You will also be able to analyze your weak and strong points by analyzing the mock papers. Regularly giving mocks will also help you stay motivated by noting the progress.
Review Previous Year Papers: Previous year papers can help you familiarize yourself with the exam pattern and the types of questions that are asked in XAT. They can also give you a good idea of your preparation and the sections which require further improvement.

Here’s how you can prepare for XAT

XAT Admit Card

Candidates who successfully register for the exam will be able to download their XAT admit card from the official website tentatively from the last week of December 2023 till the exam date. Candidates will not receive any hard copy and must take a printout of the admit card. The XAT admit card is a mandatory document that candidates must carry on the day of the exam.

Here are the steps candidates can follow to access their admit card-

Login to the official XAT website.
Click on “Download Admit Card”
Get the admit card in pdf version
Get a printout of the XAT admit card

Exam Centers for XAT

XAT 2024 will be held in over 72 cities with over 100 exam centers. Candidates can choose two exam centers of their choice. The final exam center for each candidate will appear on their XAT admit card. While going to the exam centers on the exam day, candidates should keep the following points in mind:

Ensure you arrive at the center atleast an hour before the start of the exam.
Do not carry any electronics including mobile phones, watches, etc inside the exam center.
Carry a hard copy of the admit card along with the other required documents.

Colleges Accepting XAT 2024

Here is a list of colleges accepting XAT scores for admissions to their MBA programs.

Colleges Accepting XAT 2024
XLRI Jamshedpur	Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad
XIM Bhubaneswar	Amity Business School, Noida
Goa Institute of Management	LIBA Chennai
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai	IFMR, Chennai
Alliance School of Business, Bangalore	T.A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times is XAT held in a year?

XAT is held once annually. XAT 2024 will tentatively be held in the first week of January 2024 in a single slot.

What is the XAT exam eligibility?

For XAT, candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree of three years or more. There is no minimum pass percentage required to appear for XAT. Final-year students can also give the exam.

How many attempts are there in XAT?

There is no restriction on the number of XAT attempts. Thus, a candidate can appear for the exam every year as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

What after the XAT exam?

After XAT 2024 has ended, the conducting body will release the results that can be obtained by logging into the official website. Then the XAT cutoffs will be released, based on which students will be required to go through further admission processes.

How can I apply for XLRI Jamshedpur?

Indian candidates can appear for XAT and clear the cutoffs. After the merit list is released, candidates will be required to clear further admission rounds. The college will then release the final merit list. Candidates who make the final list can get admission to XLRI Jamshedpur.