After the nightmare of XAT 2020, XAT 2021 was back to its usual form. In terms of difficulty level, XAT 2021 was along similar lines to XAT 2019 & XAT 2018. When it comes to the different sections, DM was of a similar level to XAT 2019/2018 with the cut off expected to be around 8.5-9 marks (8-8.5 for XLRI HRM). VALR was also of a similar level to XAT 2019 but slightly easier to read and comprehend. The sectional cut off for the section is expected to be around 8-8.5 marks (for both programs). QA was easy but there were a couple of DI sets which were quite tricky with the cut offs expected to be around 10.5-11 marks for XLRI BM and 9-9.5 marks for XLRI HRM.
Overall, the cut off for the XLRI BM Program is expected to be 32.5-33.5 marks while the same for the HRM program is expected to be 30-31.
Sections |
Number of Questions |
Time Limit |
Paper - 1 |
75 |
165 Minutes |
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
|
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
28 |
|
Decision Making |
21 |
|
Paper - 2 |
25 |
15 Minutes |
General Awareness |
25 |
|
Total |
100 |
180 Minutes |
*The 4th section (General Knowledge) will count only for the final selection, not for Interview round shortlist. It is allotted a time frame of 15 minutes for 25 questions.
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The XAT Exam is one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams in India. Therefore it is extremely important for each candidate to understand exactly how to prepare for XAT 2021.
The candidate needs to have some basic information about the XAT Exam when they begin to prepare for XAT 2021. This information is given above in the form of the exam pattern and the syllabus. Based on the likely XAT 2021 Exam Pattern, the candidate can build a roadmap for their preparation of XAT 2021.
The basic structure of preparing for any MBA Entrance Exam is always similar:
These are a few basic steps that have to be taken so that the candidate can crack the XAT Exam. There is obviously much more that can be done while preparing for the XAT Exam however these basic steps should serve as a guideline to the specific plan that the candidate makes for their own preparation.
Before the XAT 2021 Exam, every candidate speculates about what exam is going to be like. This is where the previous years’ XAT Analysis will come into play. The XAT 2021 Exam is likely to consist of 2 individual papers and may follow the XAT 2020 Pattern. The first paper of the XAT 2020 Exam is the aptitude based paper which has a time limit of 165 minutes. It has the following sections:
The 2nd paper consists of 25 General awareness questions and has a time limit of 15 minutes. In terms of the difficulty level, the XAT Exam has a reputation of being one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams in India. The Verbal & Logical Ability section is usually quite difficult while the Decision Making section is tricky. The Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation section is also considered to be quite tough and generally has a higher level of difficulty compared to CAT. Therefore all XAT 2021 aspirants should be meticulous in terms of their preparation so that they stand a good chance of acing XAT 2021.
XAT was undoubtedly the toughest exam of the year, yet again. The paper structure was the same as that of last year, which was as expected. The Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) section was tougher than last year. The Decision Making (DM) section was of moderate level of difficulty, which is similar to last year. The Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QADI) section was marginally easier than last year.
Section |
Number of Questions |
Marks/Q |
Total Marks |
Cut-offs* (percentiles) |
|||||
PGDM-BM |
PGDM-HR |
||||||||
Male |
Female |
Male Engineer |
Female Engineer |
Male Non-Engineer |
Female Non-Engineer |
||||
Verbal and Logical Reasoning |
26 |
1 |
26 |
74 |
72 |
79 |
74 |
78 |
73 |
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
28 |
1 |
28 |
85 |
75 |
75 |
70 |
70 |
65 |
Decision Making |
21 |
1 |
21 |
78 |
74 |
73 |
68 |
73 |
68 |
Total |
75 |
75 |
95 |
93 |
93 |
91 |
90 |
88 |
|
The XAT Exam 2019 lived up to its reputation of being one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams. The Verbal section was quite tough and the Decision Making section had quite a few tricky questions. The XAT Exam Pattern has changed quite a lot in recent times. Some of the changes in XAT Exam 2019 compared to XAT Exam 2018 were:
The level of difficulty was somewhat similar to last year with the benefit that the essay section, as a whole, was scrapped.
Sections |
Number of Questions |
Marks per Correct Answer |
Time Limit |
Paper 1 |
|||
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
1 |
No sectional time limit (165 Minutes for Paper 1) |
Decision Making |
21 |
1 |
No sectional time limit (165 Minutes for Paper 1) |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
27 |
1 |
No sectional time limit (165 Minutes for Paper 1) |
Paper 2 |
|||
General Knowledge |
25 |
1 |
15 Minutes |
Total |
99 |
180 Minutes |
XAT 2018 was conducted online after a gap of 19 years. The paper was majorly similar to XAT 2017 in terms of overall level of difficulty. The Verbal and RC section was more difficult than the previous years paper. However, the DI in the QADI section was far easier than the previous four years. The Decision Making (DM) section continued to be solvable without any guarantee of accuracy. The paper had 74 questions in total.
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks/Q | Total Marks | Cut-offs* (percentiles) | |||
| PGDM-BM | PGDM-HR | ||||||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | ||||
| Verbal and Logical Reasoning | 26 | 1 | 24 | 79.46 | 75 | 79.66 | 75 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 27 | 1 | 27 | 88.7 | 80 | 70.07 | 65 |
| Decision Making | 21 | 1 | 21 | 76.84 | 75 | 71.628 | 70 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 1 | 25 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 99 | 99 | 94 | 94 | 92 | 92 | |
XAT 2017 had 72 questions in total, down from 78 questions in 2016. The overall difficulty level fell down by a significant margin, as compared to previous years. For PGDM-HR, the percentile cut-off fell steeply this year by 1.85 percentile points. The reason for this could be the desired expansion of the candidate pool to interview for PGDM-HR. The cut-off marks this year were around 37 for BM program and 33 for HRM.
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks/Q | Total Marks | Cut-offs* (percentiles) | |
| PGDM-BM | PGDM-HR | ||||
| Verbal and Logical Reasoning | 24 | 1 | 24 | 79.46 | 79.69 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 27 | 1 | 27 | 88.7 | 70.07 |
| Decision Making | 21 | 1 | 21 | 76.84 | 71.628 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 1 | 25 | - | - |
| Total | 97 | 97 | 96 | 92.55 | |
XAT 2016 was deemed to be a tough nut to crack, even by XAT standards. The paper was considered to be significantly tougher than previous years' papers and was the cause of anxiety among many students. The score required to be shortlisted for BM program was around 30 and the corresponding score for HRM was around 27.
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks/Q | Total Marks | *Cut-offs (percentiles) | |
| PGDM-BM | PGDM-HR | ||||
| Verbal and Logical Reasoning | 26 | 1 | 26 | 77.47 | 69.128 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 29 | 1 | 29 | 88.60 | 69.00 |
| Decision Making | 23 | 1 | 23 | 78.042 | 68.978 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 1 | 25 | - | - |
| Total | 103 | 103 | 96 | 94.4 | |
*The cut-offs in the above table are for XLRI PGDM programs
XAT in 2015 was judged to be tougher than CAT 2014 (both for admission to the session 2015-17). The quantitative Ability section was especially tough. Scores of around 29.5 and 27.5 were enough to fetch one a shortlist call for BM and HRM programs respectively.
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks/Q | Total Marks | Cut-offs* (percentiles) | |
| PGDM-BM | PGDM-HR | ||||
| Verbal and Logical Reasoning | 28 | 1 | 28 | - | - |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 33 | 1 | 33 | - | - |
| Decision Making | 23 | 1 | 23 | - | - |
| General Awareness | 30 | 1 | 30 | - | - |
| Total | 114 | 114 | 94.23 | 90.04 | |
The XAT 2021 Exam Pattern is likely to follow the XAT 2020 Pattern and will be as follows:
XAT 2021 Paper 1
Section Name |
Expected Number of Questions |
Expected Marking Scheme |
Sectional Time Duration |
Expected Total Marks |
Expected Time Duration |
Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
+1/-0.25 |
Not Applicable |
26 |
165 Minutes |
Decision Making |
21 |
+1/-0.25 |
Not Applicable |
21 |
|
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
28 |
+1/-0.25 |
Not Applicable |
28 |
|
Total |
75 |
100 |
165 Minutes |
XAT 2021 Paper 2
Section Name |
Expected Number of Questions |
Expected Marking Scheme |
Sectional Time Duration |
Expected Total Marks |
Expected Time Duration |
General Knowledge |
25 |
+1/-0.25 |
Not Applicable |
25 |
25 Minutes |
Total (Paper 1+ Paper 2) |
100 |
- |
100 |
180 Minutes (3 hours) |
Here are a few predictable pointers regarding expected exam patterns that all candidates must remember while preparing for XAT 2021.
The marking scheme for the XAT 2021 Exam is:
The rule for the number of questions which can be left is modified quite frequently. However, the addition of this rule means that the candidate must decide on exactly how many questions can they afford to leave, especially since the penalty for an incorrect response is 2.5 times the penalty for leaving the question.
As a candidate, you must understand that only a thin layer (creamy layer) of candidates surpass the XAT exam and are directed to the ground of XLRI. To be one of those, there are some ground checks that a candidate must be aware of. These checks can be made keeping your psychological and strategical state of mind in place. Here are some important highlighters that would make you stand out from the rest of the candidates who step in to take XAT 2021: You would have to submit your question paper half an hour after the examination starts.
Let us have a look at the XAT 2021 Marking scheme a bit more carefully.
The XAT 2021 Exam does not have a definitive syllabus because of which the XAT Preparation can become quite difficult. In order to study the XAT 2021 Syllabus, one should ideally go section by section so that they can cover as much ground as possible even if it is impossible to completely cover it owing to its ambiguous nature. The sections, as mentioned above, are:
This section is the first section of the XAT exam paper and is expected to have 26 MCQ based questions. This section can be further split into following sub sections:
This section is considered to be slightly more difficult than CAT as it can involve challenging topics such as analogy of unlike statements, critical reasoning, assertive reasoning, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and phrases, jumbled paragraphs etc. A part of the reason for this belief is that there are no sectional time limits in the XAT 2020 Exam. Due to this, most candidates tend to finish this section in a hurry whether it be in the beginning of the paper or the end. This leads to a fall in the average score of the candidate in the section and gives it the reputation of being quite difficult.
This is a part of the second section and one of the most important sections of the XAT examination. This subsection is expected to have almost 22 questions. The Decision-Making section is unique amongst all the other MBA Entrance Exams in India. It does not have any fixed syllabus because it consists of small cases and drawn-out case studies. The students need to predict or forecast the solution in order to make a decision regarding the solution.
QA is the second part of the second section in the XAT examination and is expected to comprise 27 questions in total. The QA section is a combination of Mathematical problems and Data Interpretation questions. It consists of several different components such as:
These are a few of the more commonly tested topics in the XAT Exam. Apart from these topics, there are also questions based on data interpretation. Time Management is extremely important in this section because of the inherently lengthy nature of the section.
The GK section will be the last section of the XAT examination and is expected to comprise 25 questions. This particular section of the XAT 2021 Exam will not be counted in the overall score when deciding the cutoff but does play some role in the final selection of the candidate. The major topics pertaining to the General Knowledge section might be related to static and current affairs, summits and conferences, famous entrepreneurs, business and economy, books and authors, banking and finance, scientific discoveries etc. Therefore, the candidates should not ignore the section completely. The vast nature of the general knowledge section means that no candidate can be completely confident in their preparation of this section. The only bonus, in this section, is that there is no negative marking which means that the candidates should be attempting each question with at least their best guess.
This is a general look at the XAT 2021 Syllabus. For more information, please visit this page.
The XAT Exam is one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams in India. Therefore, it is extremely important for each candidate to understand exactly how to prepare for XAT 2021.Â
The candidate needs to have some basic information about the XAT Exam when they begin to prepare for XAT 2021. This information is given above in the form of the exam pattern and the syllabus. Based on the XAT 2021 Exam Pattern and their own status in terms of the XAT 2021 Syllabus, the candidate can build a roadmap for their preparation of XAT 2021.  Â
The basic structure of preparing for any MBA Entrance Exam is always similar:
These are a few basic steps that must be taken so that the candidate can crack the XAT Exam. There is obviously much more that can be done while preparing for the XAT Exam however these basic steps should serve as a guideline to the specific plan that the candidate makes for their own preparation.
Read in detail:How to prepare for XAT 2021
To read more, click on this link.The XAT 2021 Cut Off is the minimum percentile that a candidate needs to attain in order to get a call from the college they have applied to. While the exact XAT 2021 Cut Off can only be speculated since it depends on several factors such as:
However, the cut off for the top colleges in XAT 2021 has remained relatively constant over the past few years. The cut off for the BM program at XLRI Jamshedpur is likely to remain around 96%ile while the same for the HRM program is likely to stay at around 94%ile. The reason for the difference between the two percentiles is the fact that there are less candidates interested in the HRM Program at XLRI Jamshedpur.
The official XAT 2021 Cut Off will only be known post the XAT 2021 Result. The cut off for XLRI is likely to range between 95-97 percentile.
The XAT 2021 marksheet can be easily downloaded by visiting the official website of XAT 2021. The result will arrive between January and March 2021
The XAT 2021 Exam is simply the qualifier for candidates and as such there are generally several processes that Business Schools follow before they decide on whether they wish to select a candidate or not.
Some of the most common selection procedures which are followed are:
In XAT 2020, there was also a self-assessment and recorded interview round however it is not guaranteed that the rounds will be repeated in XAT 2021
These are the staple selection procedures amongst all the B-Schools and especially among the top B-Schools. However, this should not be taken as gospel since the B-School has the authority to change the selection procedures as per their wishes.