How to Prepare for XAT 2026 Exam in 1 Month: Check Last Month Plan and Tips
Xavier Aptitude Test 2026 ( XAT )
Admit Card - 25 Dec '25
XAT 2026 preparation plan for last month should have complete focus on practice, revision and working on strengths in a focused manner. Aspirants need to keep the focus on mocks and analysis. Check out tips & tricks to prepare for XAT 2026 in one month.
By the last month of XAT 2026 preparation, you should be about 90 percent prepared. Because in the last month, you will be required to do extensive revision and memorizing static GK to cover the remaining 20 percent. XAT 2026 will be held on January 4, 2026. Most of the MBA aspirants shall have appeared for CAT 2025 before that (November 30, 2025). CAT experience will provide them the reference point for utilizing the last month before XAT 2026. They will know their strengths and weakness viz. Reading Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation. In the last one month, they will have to do XAT based practice. Read this article to get tips on XAT 2026 preparation in last one month.
There will be four sections in XAT exam 2026 i.e. Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. The preparation strategy for XAT 2026 in the last month should be based on how much XAT syllabus one has covered so far. You should ideally have covered the entire syllabus by November 2025.
MBA aspirants who have appeared for or appearing for other MBA entrance exams as well, then they need to mainly focus on Decision Making and Quantitative Aptitude for XAT. Here we have mentioned tips to prepare for XAT 2026 exam in one month.
How to Prepare for XAT 2026 in One Month
Focus on XAT Exam Pattern
XAT is mainly a test of decision-making skills, calculative skills, cognitive ability, language comprehension and general knowledge. It has a unique section – Decision Making. Since not much study material is available for this particular section, preparation for it is based on previous year XAT question papers only.
XAT has sectional time-limit. Candidates have to complete Part 1 of the question paper i.e. Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation in 170 minutes. The General Knowledge part is of 10 minutes. There is no essay writing in XAT this year, so you will find it easier to handle the pressure. Take a look at the XAT 2026 exam pattern below.
XAT Exam Pattern 2026
Check below the highlights of latest XAT exam pattern based on the previous year's question paper:
| XAT exam features |
Details |
|---|---|
| Sections |
Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge |
| Test duration |
180 minutes Part 1- 170 minutes Part 2 - 10 minutes |
| Questions |
|
| Marking scheme |
|
XAT Preparation for GK and Decision Making
Decision Making and General Knowledge are exclusive to XAT. Thus, candidates who are also appearing for other MBA entrance exams need to focus specifically on the preparation of these two sections. Other sections i.e. Verbal and Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation are common to CAT/MAT/SNAP/CMAT. Read some key tips for Decision Making and General Knowledge preparation:
- General Knowledge: For GK section, stay updated with current affairs. Read news around International affairs, politics, economy, sports, trade as well as science, sociology etc. daily. If you were not preparing for this section thoroughly or on a monthly basis then it is better to catch up with major events and achievements in the last one month before XAT 2026. Give preference to annual or bi-annual business magazines or GK year books. In XAT exam, GK section is the easiest of all and least time taking. It carries 20 questions and not more than 8-10 minutes should be allotted to attempt this section. Aim for attempting at least three questions or more in a minute.
- Decision Making: This section is based on business situations and logical reasoning. To score maximum marks in this section, it is advised to put all the data in the most logical and ethical manner, including CSR, transparency, legal and other aspects of corporate principles. To excel in XAT Decision Making, take up business case studies and previous years' XAT questions papers. The Decision Making section comprises 22 questions based on paragraphs and passages with multiple options and candidates have to decide the correct answer based on the situation. The closest correct option usually is the one which is in favour of the larger good/group - the bedrock of a good business decision. Study all about business terms, types of markets as well as about business authors, corporate books, theories and practices to ace this section.
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Revision and XAT Mock Tests
The last one month of XAT preparation should be utilised on revisions, XAT mock tests and working on strengths and weaknesses. Just because Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Logical Ability are common sections in all MBA entrance exams, candidates must not risk losing marks in these sections due to lack of practice. The more you practice sample questions and mock tests, more the chances of developing speed and accuracy. Maximise your scoring in all four sections to achieve a good overall XAT percentile. Taking XAT mock tests regularly will help in understanding and interpreting complex questions of Decision Making, Data Interpretation and Logical Ability effortlessly. With XAT mock tests, candidates will learn tricks to attempt questions, evaluate the time spent on each section. They will gain confidence when XAT mock test scores will show improvement. It is a way to get real-time exam experience.
Shiksha XAT Mock Test (Free)
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Helpful Tips to Prepare for XAT 2025 Exam
- Remain calm and stress-free because if you put yourself under any stress due to lack of practice or competition then it can hamper your self-esteem and test-taking skills.
- It is best if you practice all previous years’ XAT questions papers to sharpen your skills for each section.
- Time management is the key and you can focus on managing time for each section and also, consider not falling in the trap of tricky questions and ending up wasting time. If any question takes more than the ideal time then skip the question even during mock test (only then you’ll actually be preparing for XAT 2026). There will be a deduction of 0.05 marks for eight consecutive unanswered questions, therefore do not risk your valuable time for tricky questions.
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Ideally, XAT preparation takes six to nine months, but if candidates have prepared for CAT too, XAT preparation can be done in lesser time as one will have to only work on Decision Making and General Knowledge topics. Those who are weak in English Comprehension must start reading practice early on. The ideal time to start XAT preparation is May, so you can cover the whole syllabus by October and dedicate two months to mock test practice.
If you start studying for XAT late, by July or so, make sure you complete the syllabus by October only. Remember that XAT syllabus is tough, so you’ll need to study at least 6-8 hours daily from start until the end. Give ample time to yourself to complete the XAT syllabus.
XAT 2025 exam was of moderate difficulty level. The students who had appeared for the exam last year, said the XAT 2025 question paper was not much different. Section wise, Quantitative Aptitude questions were on the tougher side, Verbal Ability and Decision Making were easy to moderate and GK was easy.
There was one poem for RC as always. Quantitative Aptitude section was dominated by Arithmetic and GK had questions on very recent events.
Ideally, candidates should start preparing for XAT from March onwards so that they have ample time to cover the syllabus and practicea good number of mock tests. However, starting preparation in June-July is also fine. About a minimum of six are required to prepare well for the XAT exam as it is one of the tougher MBA entrance tests. Candidates can also opt for coaching classes for XAT as per their convenience. Candidates must study for about six to eight hours daily to be able to cover the syllabus and have enough time for practicing mock tests. Yes, they will need to strike a balance between exam coverage and mock test practice.
However, the capacity of every student is different so, they must decide upon hours of study according to their own capacity and their control over the main topics of XAT. Making a workable plan is very important for XAT preparation, no matter when they start it.
If you are planning to prepare for XAT exam by self study, you need to start early. At least six months before. XAT exam is conducted on the first Sunday of January every year. So, if you start preparing for the XAT in June or July, you will have good six months to prepare. Make a preparation plan that includes XAT syllabus coverage, problem solving sessions, mock tests and revision. Get hold of best books for XAT. Consult mentors or previous year toppers for selecting the best books for preparation. Join online study groups where you can get the help of mentors and peers for problem solving and clearing of doubts in topics. Work in tough topics first and then move to easier topics.
Solve a large number and variety of XAT mock tests to master the syllabus. You will need to do a rigorous work on XAT mock tests as for candidates who opt for self study, have to rely on practice.
Candidates can take reference of subjects and topics from CAT study material for Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude, but XAT preparation has to be exam specific and must include exam specific study material. Aspirants can use CAT sample questions too for practice purpose, but that is not enough. They need to practice XAT sample questions and XAT mock tests too, as the nature of questions in XAT is different from CAT.
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
Yes, apart from CAT/XAT/MAT/CMAT/ATMA, PIBM conducts its own entrance exam called PMAT (PIBM's Online Aptitude Test). Shortlisted candidates from PMAT then appear for the Written Test, Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) as part of the selection process.
R
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, if you have secured an 82nd percentile in XAT, you can get the scholarships for pursuing an MBA course at FOSSTIMA Business School. The concessions on fees that the school provides are:
- A scholarship of INR 3 Lacs for a percentile holder from 80 to 85.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No. Scores in CAT/XAT/GMAT is not mandatory for admission into BITS Pilani MBA in Business Analytics. However, those who have appeared for these entrance exams will get their score considered in the selection criteria. Appearing for BAAT exam is mandatory for MBA Business Analytics admission.
D
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a week ago
The XAT Cutoff 2025 was released for admission to the MBA/ PGDM programme for Gender-Neutral candidates belonging to the All India quota. The Rajagiri Business School XAT Cutoff 2025 was 15 percentile for admission to the PGDM course. Candidates needed to secure at least 15 percentile to avail admis
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
XAT VARC is moderately tough and requires adequate practice. This section has about 27 questions and some are based on RC passages including a poem. To be able to understand and attempt RC questions, good control on English comprehension is required. Verbal Ability, Grammar and Vocabulary questions
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
There is no change in the XAT exam pattern 2026. The structure of XAT 2026 question paper will be same as XAT 2025 question paper. There will be no essay writing this year. Candidates will get 180 minutes to solve about 95 questions in MCQ format.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Rajagiri Business School XAT Cutoff 2025 was released for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses. In 2024, the XAT cutoff was 70 percentile for admission to the Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) course for the General category candidates under the All India quota.
As in the case for the OBC AI c
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The IMI Kolkata XAT Cutoff 2024 was released for admission to the MBA/PGDM course for all categories under the All India quota. The XAT Cutoff 2024 was overall 70 percentile for the General category candidates from the All India quota. This cutoff was for students to avail a seat at the Post Graduat
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Hi.
For PGDM and MBA admissions at GIBS Business School, Bangalore, the following entrance exams are accepted:
Accepted Entrance Exams
| Exam | Type / Level |
|---|---|
| CAT – Common Admission Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| XAT – Xavier Aptitude Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| MAT – Management Aptitude Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| CMAT – Common Management Admission Test | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test | International / National-level MBA entrance exam |
| ATMA – AIMS Test for Management Admissions | National-level MBA entrance exam |
| State CET (e.g., Karnataka PGCET) | State-level MBA entrance exam for Karnataka candidates |
h
Scholar-Level 18
Answered a week ago
Hi.
GIBS considers any one valid score from these exams for shortlisting candidates.
Some exams (like CAT, XAT, CMAT) are preferred for national-level merit-based selection, but State CET scores are also accepted for Karnataka domicile candidates.
Along with the entrance score, academics, work experien
h
Scholar-Level 18
Yes, XAT is slightly tougher for candidates with non-Engineering background as the Quantitative Aptitude section is of higher difficulty level. However, they can crack it if they work on the fundamentals of Math and practice questions of all difficulty levels. It will take time but they will be able to crack XAT's quant section if they dedicate extra hours to it. Aspirants can find XAT study material online in various online study groups. Students’ groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. share study material with each other. One can also download MBA exam preparation apps to get relevant and useful study material.
The good part about XAT is that, it has different cut offs for candidates belonging to different academic backgrounds. As part of its commitment to academic diversity, the institute has lower cut offs for candidates from non-engineering background than candidates from engineering background.