Admit Card - 20 Dec '25
With the digital transformation of our lives, students prefer studying online for their exams. Here are a few tips that will help you prepare for XAT 2023 online.
The technology has made work from home and study from home easier. Today, most of the students prefer studying online for exam preparation as it cuts travel time and other distractions. The MBA exam season is on, and so it the preparation for various entrance exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP, MAT, etc.
If you are a XAT exam aspirant, you may be even more worried as it is one of the toughest MBA exams. XAT exam is held in January and preparation should have started by now. So, with just about five months left to prepare, should you wait for coaching centres to reopen? No. This is the time you must start XAT preparation.
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If you can't join a coaching institute now, don't worry. You'll find ample study material and guidance online. Here are a few tips that will help you prepare for XAT online.
How to Prepare for XAT Online
XAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
To crack XAT exam first you need to understand the XAT exam pattern and marking scheme. The exam will be conducted in the CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode. The XAT question paper includes four sections:
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.
- Decision Making
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- General Knowledge
- Essay Writing (to be evaluated during PI shortlisting)
The XAT question paper will have about 100 questions in the MCQ and non-MCQ format. The exam has negative marking, hence every question needs to be attempted wisely. Familiarize with the exam pattern, syllabus and marking scheme and plan your preparation strategy around it. Read More: XAT Syllabus
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Also Read: XAT Pattern and Marking Scheme
| XAT sections |
Number of questions |
Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Making |
22 |
+1 for each right answer and -0.25 for each wrong answer. -0.5 marks will be deducted for more than 8 unanswered questions. |
| Verbal & Logical Ability |
26 |
|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
27 |
|
| General Knowledge |
25 |
|
| Total |
100 |
Learn from Experts
The coaching centres are training students via Google/Zoom classrooms. Apart from attending the regular online classes, join online coaching and MBA preparation groups on Facebook and YouTube. Download MBA preparation apps on your smart phone to practice tests and exercises. There are many WhatsApp and Telegram groups, which provide study material for XAT preparation. Join those groups and make the best use of technology.
Students should also watch interviews of XAT toppers where they have shared what strategy they used to ace the exam.
Also Read: How to crack XAT: Tips from experts
Practice Makes a Man Perfect
As the saying goes, it is all about practicing. Practice is the only mantra to success. XAT is a speed based exam and here only accuracy matters. The more you practice, the more accurately you'll solve the question. Go through the previous year XAT question papers which will help you in understanding the exam pattern better and at the same time help you decide how each section should be attempted. Take XAT mock tests regularly. Solving mock tests is the key to ace XAT. If you consult any expert or topper, they will recommend you taking at least 25-30 mocks of all varieties. Practicing mocks will boost your confidence and improve accuracy. Look up for the study material available online that can help you in your preparations.
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.
XAT Mock Test will help you to get an idea about the type of questions asked, the exam pattern and marking scheme. After taking the test, you can immediately check your score. You can also download the Question Paper along with answers and their explanations for Free. Click below to start the free online test now.
Free XAT Mock TestDownload XAT Previous Year Question Papers (2010-2020)
Make the Best Use of Your Time
XAT is a three hour exam with 100 questions to be solved accurately which means you will get 1.8 minutes to solve a question, including reading the question and making calculations. Hence, you have to utilize your time wisely and complete the exam in the given time. Firstly focus on your strengths. Attempt the questions which are easier for you first and then move on to the other. While you are practicing mocks you will be able to discover a lot of tricks to solve the questions easily and quickly with accuracy. Make the most of it. Practicing mock tests and previous year XAT question papers will also increase your speed and also help you determine which areas need more practice are. Hence, time management is of top most priority.
Read Online
To excel in the Reading Comprehension and General Knowledge section you will have to do a lot of online reading. You have to stay updated with all the current affairs and trends for General Knowledge section. Read different e-newspapers so that you do not miss out on any news. This will not only help you in the General Knowledge section but also improve your vocabulary. For Reading Comprehension, make it a poitn to spend about an hour daily reading novels, books and reasearch papers online from various fields. Read More: Tips to score well in GK section.
Use these tips for online XAT preparation and we hope you crack it. All the best!
Read More:
Saumya Jain is an English Literature graduate from the University of Delhi. She has over 8 years of editorial and content writing experience. At Shiksha.com, she has spent more than six years creating research, stud
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 23 hours 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 Yesterday
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 Yesterday
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 Yesterday
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 5 days 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 5 days 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 17
Answered 5 days 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 17
Answered 5 days ago
IMI Bhubaneswar XAT Cutoff 2024 was released for students aiming for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses. The XAT Cutoff 2024 for admission at IMI Bhubaneswar was overall 70 percentile for students belonging to the General category under the All India quota. The institute accepts the XAT Cutoff percen
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Dwarka XAT cutoff 2024 for PGDM admission was 50 percentile in the General category. The institute accepts the XAT entrance exam, followed by a GD and PI round for admission to its PGDM in Mass Communication course.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
In 2024, the IILM Lucknow XAT cutoff 2024 was 50 for the students belonging to the General AI quota.
R
Contributor-Level 10
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.