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XAT Exam Analysis 2023: XAT 2023 VALR section was moderate with RC passages being the most difficult. The overall difficulty level of QADI and Decision Making sections was similar to last year. In the essay writing section, candidates had to write a short essay of about 250 words on any 1 of the 3 given topics.
Based on XAT Paper Analysis, candidates can also get an idea of the expected XAT 2023 Cut off. The marks of only the 3 sections in Part 1 will be considered for final percentile calculation. Based on the analysis of XAT 2023 question paper, an attempt of 35-40 questions in these 3 sections (DM, VALR, and QADI) is considered good. Check Expected XAT 2023 Cut Off
XLRI will release XAT Answer Key 2023 within 3-4 days of the exam, likely by Jan 12, 2023. Candidates who qualify XAT 2023 will be eligible to take part in the further XLRI selection process (GD & PI). Check XAT 2023 Selection Process
You can also find XAT paper analysis of previous year examinations (2022-2017) in this article.Candidates must go through the detailed XAT Exam Analysis given below to familiarize themselves with the paper pattern, difficulty level, and good attempts.
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XAT Exam Analysis 2023
XAT Exam Analysis 2023 is updated here based on the initial reactions of the students.
| XAT Exam Section | No. of Questions | Important Topics with High Weightage | Overall Difficulty | Good Attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | RC passages, Critical Reasoning, Grammar based questions, Para Jumbles | Moderate | 17-18 |
| Decision Making | 22 | Decision Making Passages- Business, Social, Financial, Economic, Abstract etc. | Moderate | 11-13 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 | DI, Numbers, Arithmetic, Algebra | Moderate to Difficult | 14-16 |
| General Knowledge | 25 | Static and Current Affairs | Moderate to Difficult | 10-12 |
| Essay | 1 (out of 3 options) | 3 Topics | Moderate | 1 |
| Overall | 105 | - | Moderate to Difficult | Part 1: 35 to 45 Total: 55-60 |
The section-wise distribution of questions will be updated soon based on the analysis of XAT 2023 paper by experts.
XAT Exam Pattern 2023
Given below are the salient features of the revised XAT 2023 test pattern:
- Number of Sections: 3 sections in Part 1, Mock keyboard testing in Part 2, and 2 sections in Part 3
- Number of questions: 105
- Type of questions: 101 MCQs and 1 Descriptive Essay (3 question options)
- Total Marks: 101 (1 mark for every MCQ)
- Negative Marking: 0.25 marks for wrong answers and 0.10 after 8 unanswered questions.
- Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes.
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XAT Exam Analysis 2022
XAT 2022 concluded on Jan 2, 2022. Given below is the overall exam analysis along with the number of good attempts. As per the test takers,
- The paper was of moderate to high difficulty. VALR and DM were not very tough and did not have too many tricky questions.
- QADI has been reported to be the toughest with plenty of lengthy questions. Some students also reported that this section was more DI-oriented.
- GK was the toughest. The questions were from geography, polity, science & tech, and current affairs.
- Also, In the Essay Writing section, candidates had the option of selecting 1 out of the 2 question choices. Only 10 minutes were given for the essay writing section. The two topics of essay were:
- Candidates with stellar academic record are preferred by B-schools for admission but they make average managers
- Capitalism and democracy follow different logics
| Section Name | No of Questions | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | Easy-Moderate | 18-22 |
| Decision Making | 21 | Moderate | 16-18 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 | Difficult | 15-17 |
| General Knowledge | 25 | Difficult | 10-11 |
| Overall | 100 | Moderate-Difficult | 59-68 |
XAT Exam Analysis 2022: VALR
The overall difficulty level of this section was easy to moderate. XAT VALR section had 26 questions:
- 4 RC passages with 3 questions each. The topics of the passages were Stupidity, Conformism, Bullshit, and Lifestyles.
- 2 poems with 3 questions each.
- 2 fill in the blanks
- 4 critical reasoning questions
- 3 grammar-based questions
- 2 para jumbles.
XAT Exam Analysis 2022: QADI
The overall difficulty level of QADI was high. There were 28 questions and DI dominated the section. There were 4 DI sets having 3 questions each. 7 questions of moderate difficulty were asked from Number system and probability accounted for only 1 question. The distribution of questions in XAT 2022 QADI is given below:
| XAT QADI Topic | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Algebra | 4 |
| Arithmetic | 2 |
| Numbers | 7 |
| Geometry | 2 |
| Probability | 1 |
| DI (College Admissions) | 3 |
| DI ( Broken Pencils) | 3 |
| DI ( Stock Prices) | 3 |
| DI ( Correct Answers) | 3 |
| Total | 28 |
XAT Exam Analysis 2022: DM (Decision Making)
XAT DM section had 7 passages of easy-moderate level having 3 questions each. The questions did not require any analytical skills and were doable in the stipulated time. The topics of the passages are tabulated below for your reference:
| DM Passage Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Dosa | 3 |
| Doctor SUV | 3 |
| FURCSA | 3 |
| A2Z Engineering | 3 |
| Future Leaders School | 3 |
| Assignment Submission | 3 |
| Passage 7 | 3 |
| Total | 21 |
XAT Exam Analysis 2021
Here are some highlights about the XAT 2021 Exam held on 3rd January, 2021 -
- Candidates found the Overall Difficulty Level to be Moderate to Difficult
- The Decision Making Section was found to be the easiest to solve.
- However, the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section was the most difficult section to solve.
- The Data Interpretation questions were lengthy and took extra time to solve.
- Here is a sectional breakdown of the sections for XAT 2021 -
| Section Name | No of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | Easy |
| Decision Making | 21 | Moderate |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 | Difficult |
| General Knowledge | 25 | Moderate |
| Overall | 100 | Moderate-Difficult |
XAT 2021 Verbal and Logical Ability Analysis
- There were a total of 26 questions in the XAT VA section. The questions were similar to that of last year; inferential and application based.
- There were 17 RC questions from 6 passages and 1 poem. Passages were about 150 to 350 words.
- This section was found to be significantly more difficult than last year.
- The expected cut off for the Verbal Ability section would be around 9 to 10 marks according to various reports.
- The options were similar in nature which could have been confusing for some canidates.
| Question Topics | Total Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Incorrect sentences | 2 | Medium |
| Correct sentences | 1 | Medium |
| Fill in the blanks (4 blanks) | 1 | Medium |
| Jumbled Paragraphs | 2 | Medium |
| Critical Reasoning | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
| Passage 1 | 3 | 2 Easy, 1 Medium |
| Passage 2 | 2 | Difficult |
| Passage 3 | 2 | Difficult |
| Passage 4 | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
| Passage 5 | 2 | Medium |
| Passage 6 | 2 | Difficult |
| Passage 7 | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
XAT 2021 Decision Making Analysis
Given below are the major takeaways from XAT 2021 Decision Making -
- There were a total of 21 questions in the DM Section. Zero questions came from quant.
- Most of the questions were short and understandable, whereas some questions were tricky and ambiguous.
- Most of the questions were Business Related in nature.
- The overall difficulty level of this section was found to be moderately difficult.
- Various reports suggest that the sectional cut off for this section would be around 8-9 marks.
- Overall, questions were harder compaerd to previous year.
| Question Topics | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Business Decision | 3 | Medium |
| Business Decision | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
| Business Decision | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
| Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Difficult |
| Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Difficult |
| Decision on Business | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
| Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Medium to Difficult |
XAT 2021 Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation Analysis
- There were around 28 questions from this section.
- This section was found to be the most difficult in the XAT 2021 paper.
- Most of the questions came from the Quant Section(22 questions), out of which 20 were standalone.
- The Data Interpretation section consisted of 6 questions.
- The DI section had 3 sets with 3 questions each.
- The DI Section was very time consuming.
- Various sources suggest that the sectional cut off for this section would be around 10 to 12 marks.
- Here is the breakdown for the XAT 2021 QA/DI section:
| Question Topics | Total |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 5 |
| Geometry | 5 |
| Modern Maths | 3 |
| Algebra | 4 |
| Numbers | 1 |
| Misc.(Logic) | 1 |
| Table | 3 |
| Venn Diagram | 3 |
| Scatter Plot | 3 |
| Total | 9 |
XAT 2021 General Knowledge Analysis
- There were a total of 25 questions to be attempted within 15 minutes.
- This section was moderate in difficulty.
- Most of the questions were based on Static General Knowledge questions.
- Static GK Questions were asked from the following topics -
- CEO/CM
- Olympics
- National Parks
- Mountains
- Authors
- History
| Section | No. of questions |
|---|---|
| Current Affairs | 7 |
| History | 0 |
| Economy & Business | 4 |
| Geography | 5 |
| Personality & Awards | 2 |
| Science & Tech | 0 |
| Polity | 0 |
| Books & Authors | 1 |
| Sports | 2 |
| Total | 25 |
XAT Exam Analysis 2020
Previous Year Question Papers are the best guide to prepare for XAT. The section-wise detailed paper analysis of the previous is given below.
XAT 2020 Verbal and Logical Ability Analysis
| Chapter | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level | Ideal Attempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4 passage with 3 questions each | Moderate to Difficult | 7 |
| CR | 5 | Moderate to Difficult | 3 |
| Poem Comprehension | 2 | Moderate | - |
| Analogy | 1 | Difficult | - |
| Antonym | 1 | Moderate | 1 |
| Para Jumble | 2 | Moderate | 1-2 |
| Fill in the Blanks | 3 | Difficult | 1-2 |
Key Highlights of XAT 2020 Verbal and Logical Ability Analysis:
- The section had overall 26 questions with difficulty level a notch up than 2019 session.
- Reading comprehension were coving arts, psychology and social issues.
- XLRI focusses quite a lot on Verbal and language comprehension skills of a candidate. Thus this section is of prime importance.
- There was 1 poem which was moderate-difficult. 2 para jumble questions were moderate.
- Fill in the blanks questions were difficult CR questions were quite difficult.
- An ideal attempt was considered covering 16 to 18 questions with 70% accuracy.
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XAT 2020 Decision Making Analysis
Decision making section was similar to previous years. 21 Situation decision making questions were to be answered.
- Level of difficulty fo situational questions was moderate.
- There were no singlets thus it was easy to attempt decision making.
- No questions were asked from mathematical or analytical reasoning
- Decision making section in 2020 was rather boring according to students.
- Many students avoided sequence questions.
- 16-17 attempts is considered good for clearing the sectional cutoff.
XAT 2020 Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation Analysis
| Chapter | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 4 | Easy |
| Algebra | 7 | Moderate |
| Coordinate Geometry | 4 | Moderate |
| Geometry | 4 | Difficult |
| Data Sufficiency | 2 | Moderate |
| DI-Time Zone | 3 | Difficult |
| DI-Mixed Graphs | 3 | Moderate |
Key Highlights of XAT 2020 Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation Analysis:
- In comparison to XAT 2019 quants was comparatively difficult to attempt in 2020.
- There were a total of 27 questions out of which 21 questions were prominently covered by Algebra and Geometry section.
- DI questions consisted of tables, graphs, and sets.
- One question was found to be incorrect and candidates were allotted buffer marks for that section.
- An ideal attempt considered was 2-3 DI questions and 13-15 questions on quants.
XAT 2020 General Knowledge Analysis
| Aspect | Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| History | 1 | Moderate |
| Geography | 4 | Moderate |
| Economy | 7 | Easy |
| Current Affairs | 2 | Easy |
| Personality and Awards | 3 | Moderate |
| Science and Technology | 2 | Moderate |
| Polity | 2 | Easy |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | Difficult |
| Sports | 2 | Moderate |
Key Highlights of XAT Decision Making Paper Analysis:
- General knowledge nerve lies in good time management as candidates have to attempt a total of 25 questions in 15 minutes.
- Questions are asked from current affairs and static general knowledge.
- At times there are multiple correct options for one question. Level of difficulty was not more or less compared to 2019.
- Attempting 12-14 questions with accuracy is considered good attempt.
Must Read:
XAT Exam Analysis 2019
| Section | Max. Questions | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning | 26 | 16 – 18 | Difficult |
| Decision Making | 21 | 16 – 17 | Moderate |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 27 | 17 – 18 | Moderate |
| General Awareness | 25 | 12 – 14 | Moderate |
XAT Exam Analysis 2019: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
A brief about XAT Previous year paper for 2019 for the Verbal & Reasoning section is that the section had a total of 26 questions.
- This section was tougher than the last year, mainly because of questions from the Verbal section.
- The section was dominated by Reading Comprehensions, having real time-consuming questions.
- RC passages consisted of questions from art, psychology, and social problems.
- Other questions were from topics like critical reasoning, poem comprehension, analogy, antonym, para-jumbles, fill in the blanks, etc.
- A well-prepared student could have attempted 16 – 18 questions with 65% accuracy.
Topic-wise distribution of the XAT VA & LR section for the 2019 exam:
XAT Exam Analysis 2019: Decision Marking & Analytical Reasoning
Previous Year analysis for XAT Decision Making tests helps you to get an idea that how prepared you are for a management level course.
- The difficulty level of this section was again similar to last year. Decision Making questions dominated the section with 18 questions.
- There were no questions from Mathematical/ Analytical Reasoning.
- There were 3 questions that were similar to those that were there in the previous year’s papers.
- All questions were of moderate level.
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| Topic | No. of Ques. | Good Attempts | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Situational Decision Making | 21 | 16 -17 | Moderate |
XAT Exam Analysis 2019: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
The section was slightly tougher than last year’s.
- A few questions were tricky and few of them were a little ambiguous.
- Questions were mainly asked from Arithmetic, Algebra, Coordinate geometry, Trignometry, DI Time zone, etc.
- A good attempt would be 17-18 with an accuracy of 70%.
- An ideal time to attempt this section would be about 65 – 70 minutes.
- Questions were a mix of easy, moderate, and difficult questions.
The chart gives the topic-wise distribution of XAT Quantitative Ability & XAT Data Interpretation section for 2019:
Previous Years Exam Analysis XAT General Awareness 2019
Most of the questions were a single statement based. Some of the questions had more than one seemingly correct statement. The questions were mainly asked from sub-topics like Economy & Business, History, Geography, Sports, polity, etc. If you keep yourself updated with all these topics then you can easily score well in this section. There were 25 questions in total.
The chart below gives a fair idea about the Topic-wise distribution of the General Awareness section for the XAT 2019 exam.
XAT Exam Analysis 2018
Considering XAT 2018 was held in online mode, it was marred by a number of connectivity issues. Thus, in an official statement by XLRI, the exam was rescheduled for two of its exam centers (Kolkata & Gurgaon). The exam was of moderate difficulty level. XAT Previous Year topic wise analysis for 2018 is given below:
Section-wise XAT Analysis 2018
- Quantitative Ability: This section had 27 questions of easy level.
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning: This section had 26 questions of a moderate level.
- Decision Making: This section had 22 questions that were tricky and time-consuming.
- General Knowledge: This section had 25. About 50% were from current affairs.
XAT Cutoff for Different XLRI Programs
| Program Offered | Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning | Decision Making | Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | Overall (Percentage/ Marks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Management | 79.46% | 76.84% | 88.7% | 96% |
| Human Resource Management | 79.67% | 71.628% | 70.07% | 92.55% |
| Global Management Programme | 5 marks and above | 5 marks and above | 6 marks above | 22 marks and above |
Read: Top XAT Online Coaching Centres
XAT Previous Year Exam Analysis (2018/2017/2016)
| Year | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 100 | 98 | 104 |
| Duration | 3 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Mode of Exam | Online | Offline | Offline |
| Type of Questions | MCQs + Descriptive | MCQs + Descriptive | MCQs + Descriptive |
| Answer Options | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Level of Difficulty | Moderate to High | Moderate to High | High |
| Total Sections | 3+2 | 3+2 | 3+2 |
| Distribution of Questions | VALR - 26 DM - 22 NA & DI - 27 GK - 25 | VALR - 24 DM - 21 NA & DI - 27 GK - 25 | VALR - 26 DM - 23 NA & DI - 29 GK - 25 |
| Special Case | 0.05 marks per question if more than 8 questions were un-attempted | 0.05 marks per question if more than 12 questions were un-attempted | 0.05 marks per question if more than 13 questions were un-attempted |
XAT Exam Analysis 2017
XAT 2017 Exam took place in a single slot on January 08, 2017, across multiple centers. The Paper was divided into 4 sections - Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning, Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability, and General Knowledge. The level of difficulty of the XAT Paper ranged from moderate to high. The exam was held in offline mode.
- Verbal & Logical Ability: Multiple questions could have been easily attempted as RC passages were not very difficult. Para jumbles, however, were time-consuming. Critical reasoning was moderately difficult.
- Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning: Unlike the previous year, there were no long passages on DM. The questions on cricket, snakes & ladder were confusing.
- Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability: DI sets were quite tricky and geometry was also not easy. Few questions were ambiguous.
- GK: Most questions this year were single statement-based. Maximum questions were from economics, geography, science, technology.
While the overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate. Questions in quantitative ability were comparably hard and the verbal ability section was slightly easier than the previous years. XAT Previous Year topic wise analysis is given below:
Section-wise XAT 2017 Analysis
| Sections | Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal & Logical Ability | 26 | Low to Moderate |
| Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning | 22 | Moderate to High |
| Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability | 27 | High |
| GK | 25 | Moderate |
XAT vs CAT vs SNAP
| Exam Name | CAT | SNAP | XAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body | IIMs | Symbiosis International Deemed University | XLRI |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test | Computer-Based Test | Computer-Based Test |
| Frequency of Exam | Once a Year | Once a Year | Once a Year |
| Duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) | 1 Hour (60 Minutes) | 3.30 Hours (210 Minutes) |
| Number of Sections | 03 | 03 | 04 |
| Sectional Time Limit | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – 40 Minutes Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning – 40 Minutes Quantitative Ability – 40 Minutes | No sectional Time | Part 1 - 175 mins Part 2 – 5 mins Part 3- 30 mins |
| Types of Question Format | 66 Questions (MCQs + Non-MCQs) | 60 MCQs | 101 MCQs, 1 Descriptive |
| Option to Choose Order of Sections | Candidates are not allowed to switch between sections | The candidate can answer questions in any section | Candidates can switch sections in part 1. |
| Total Marks | 198 | 60 | 101 (Essay evaluated later only for PI shortlisted candidates) |
| Negative Marking for Incorrect Answer | -33% | -25% | -25% |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult | Easy to Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| Top MBA Colleges Accepting Exam Score | 20 IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IMI, IMT, IITs, TAPMI, XIMB and hundreds of other B-schools | SIBM Pune, SCMHRD Pune, SIIB Pune, SIBM Bangalore & all other Symbiosis institutes – Check more | XLRI Jamshedpur, XIM Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, MICA Ahmedabad, Great Lakes, TAPMI Manipal, GIM Goa, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai, FORE New Delhi |
XAT Paper Analysis 2023 FAQs
Ques. Can you name a few B-schools that accept XAT scores?
Ans. This is the list of a few top B-schools that accept XAT scores:
- XLRI Jamshedpur
- XIM Bhubaneswar
- MICA Ahmedabad
- Great Lakes
- TAPMI Manipal
- GIM Goa
- K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai
- FORE New Delhi
- IRMA Anand.
Ques. What is the difference between BM and HRM offered by XLRI?
Ans. Business Management (BM) is similar to MBA offered by IIMs that focus on skill future business managers in key areas such as Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, Production, Operations and Decision Sciences, and Strategic Management.
Human Resource Management (HRM) solely focuses on Human Resource studies that include Human Resource Planning, Human Resource Information Systems, Selection, Performance Management, Training and Development, Compensation Administration, and developing harmonious Employer-Employee relations.
Ques. What are the important topics in Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation of XAT?
Ans. The topics in the Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section of XAT are Arithmetic, Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration, Number Systems, Geometry, Trigonometry, Data sufficiency, DI- Time Zone, DI- mixed graphs.
Ques. Does XLRI follow a policy for the reservation of seats?
Ans. No, XLRI does not provide any reservation in seats based on category and gender. However, the cut offs released by XLRI vary as per the gender and category of candidates.
Ques. Are there any descriptive questions in XAT 2023 exam?
Ans. Yes, this year XAT 2023 exam has a descriptive question in the essay section in part 3 of the paper. Apart from this, the question paper comprises only 101 multiple-choice questions divided into 4 sections- VALR, QADI, DM, and GK.
Ques. Which section consists of the highest number of questions in XAT?
Ans. The QADI section in XAT consists of the highest number of questions, i.e. 28. VALR, DM, and GK sections comprise 26, 22, and 25 questions respectively.
Ques. What is the expected cut off for admission in XLRI through XAT 2023?
Ans. XLRI XAT Cut off 2023 for BM & HRM programs is expected to be above 93 & 95 percentile for male candidates. For female candidates, the cut off will tentatively be above 91 & 93 percentile for the BM & HRM programs respectively.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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