How to Prepare for XAT? Section-wise Strategy for XAT 2026
Xavier Aptitude Test 2026 ( XAT )
Registration - 10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25
XAT 2026 exam preparation - Check out best section-wise XAT preparation strategy for Decision Making, Quantitative Ability, Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation and VARC.
XAT 2026 preparation - The final leg of XAT exam preparation will start soon. So, candidates who have been preparing for it, must gear up for the most rigorous phase. This is time of mock test practice and self assessment. Conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur, XAT is a gateway to over 800 B-schools in India and taken by around 50 thousand candidates every year. The number of questions is distributed fairly between the four sections, with the Quantitative Ability section having the largest portion of the pie. Check below, key preparation tips for XAT 2026.
The duration of XAT exam 2026 will be 180 minutes with sectional time limit. The good part about the sectional time-limit of XAT is that one will get 170 minutes to solve Verbal Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation sections, whereas 10 minutes have been allotted to the General Awareness.
The time distribution in XAT makes it easy to handle as its Reading Comprehension section has lengthy passages and a poem. A lot of time goes in Decision Making also as it requires deep logical reasoning. Read below, section-wise preparation strategy for XAT 2026 which will be held on January 4, 2026.
The distribution of questions in XAT 2025 question paper will be as follows:
| XAT Sections |
Number Of Questions |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability |
26 |
| Decision Making |
22 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
27 |
| General Awareness |
20 |
Click here for complete XAT exam pattern and XAT syllabus
XAT has sectional cut-offs which is determined on the basis of marks scored by all the students in the previous years and the difficulty level of the questions in the current year exam. Last year, the XAT cut off for XLRI admission was between 92-94 percentile. The difficulty level of XAT exam is always at least a few notches higher than that of other MBA entrance exams.
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- XAT Marking Scheme
- Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Quantitative Ability
- Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Decision Making
- Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Verbal Ability
- Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: General Awareness
- Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
XAT Marking Scheme
Each XAT question carries one mark for correct attempt and a penalty of 0.25 in case of incorrect answer. It must be noted that there is no negative marking in GK section. There is no differential marking in XAT so it is easier to make the choice of questions. However, 0.10 marks will be deducted if you skip 8 consecutive questions. For excellent scores, read below preparation strategy for XAT 2026:
Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Quantitative Ability
For cracking the Quantitative Ability (QA) section of XAT which is regarded as one of the toughest quants sections of any MBA entrance exam, it is absolutely vital for you to get familiar with the kind of questions asked in this section.
In the QA section of XAT, sitters are rare, and the margin for error is little. You need to pick your questions wisely because unlike other examinations where it is imperative to attempt maximum questions, XAT requires you to attempt only those questions which you can solve with 100 per cent accuracy. Same is the case with the Decision Making and the Verbal Ability sections.
Since the questions are many and time is less (you have to solve Data Interpretation questions too), not to mention the hiked difficulty levels, someone completely oblivious to the XAT exam pattern might be caught unawares. So, it is very important that you rigorously solve the actual XAT question papers at least from the previous five years (one paper in every three days including proper analysis of the same) and online XAT mock tests.
This will improve your ability to adapt to 'XAT type of questions'. Moreover, it will help you in timing yourself better in the actual exam. It will also help you gauge the level to which the time constraint multiplies the difficulty, enabling you to make changes in your approach, if required.
Also Read: XAT Preparation 2026 - How to Crack QA-DI Section
Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Decision Making
Another way to ensure that you do well in XAT 2025 is to lay stress on the Decision Making, a section which is unique to XAT. It carries sectional cut-off which can be useful in improving the overall score. Apart from practicing Decision Making questions from the previous years’ XAT question papers, read sample cases to enhance your knowledge and also to arch your thinking in a way to facilitate better reasoning ability.
Also Read: XAT Preparation 2026- All About Decision Making – Tips and Tricks
Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: Verbal Ability
The Verbal Ability section is the first section of XAT question paper and is divided into two sections – English Usage and Reading Comprehension. Since, XAT’s English section requires a lot of reading, you must practice reading fast. Read at least two Reading Comprehension passages a day. If your grammar and vocabulary are weak, take help from recommended books, read journals and newspapers and solve XAT sample papers. Cracking verbal section depends on how well you understand and use English language.
Also Read: XAT Preparation 2026-Tips to Crack Verbal Ability
Preparation strategy for XAT 2026: General Awareness
Though the General Knowledge section of XAT 2026 will not be included in determining the XAT percentiles and the XAT cut-offs in the first stage of the selection process, it is still an important section. Keeping abreast with the latest happenings in the business world will help your chances of scoring big in this section of XAT exam.
Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
Shiksha has created a free XAT mock test for candidates to practice and evaluate their performance level. These free XAT mock tests are based on official XAT question papers of previous years.
| XAT_Mock_Test_Questions_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_Solutions_1 |
| XAT_Mock_Test_Question_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_Solution_2 |
| Free VARC Questions with Answers for Practice | Free DILR Questions with Answers for Practice | Free Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers for Practice |
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XAT is one of the tougher MBA entrance exams. The difficulty level of the XAT question paper is usually moderate to high. The XAT 2024 question paper was of moderate difficulty level. The Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section is usually tougher than other sections. Verbal and Logical Reasoning section is usually moderate. However, some candidates find the Verbal Ability section tough as it has questions based on Reading Comprehension passages and poem. Decision Making and General Knowledge sections are moderate to easy.
Out of 100 questions, about 70-75 attempts with 70 to 80 per cent accuracy is considered a good attempt in the XAT exam. The test takers must strive to attempt 2/3 rd of the total questions in each section for a decent overall score. If a candidate scores 95 percentile, they will be in a position to get a good college.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
GIBS Business School, therefore, accepts 'all national-level entrance examination' scores that include the major management exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, GMAT, and in some cases State CET exams for admissions to PGDM and MBA programs. These scores will determine a candidate's eligibility for
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
XLRI Jamshedpur considers XAT scores for admission to PGDM programmes. Those who are seeking admission in PGDM BM, PGDM HRM and Double Masters Degree in Supply Chain Management and logistics (PGDM & MS) requires XAT scores. Aspirants can also apply for admission to General Management programme (PGDM
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates who are applying for XAT have to pay an application fee. Aspirants have to pay INR 2,200 to apply for XAT. Candidates can pay the fee via any of the online payment modes. Aspirants have to pay INR 200 each for every additional programme of XLRI.
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered 2 months ago
XLRI Delhi accepts XAT scores for admission to PGDM programme. Aspirants seeking admission in PGDM Business Management are offered seat only via their XAT scores. For PGDM IEV, candidates can also take admission without XAT based on their scores in CAT, MAT, GMAT, etc. Candidates have to register on
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered 2 months ago
No, you cannot use the score of XAT 2025 for admission to 2026 batch at XLRI as the validity of exam score is one year only. Thus, you will have to appear for XAT 2026 exam if you plan to pursue MBA from XLRI in 2026. The registration process for XAT 2026 is open and the last date to apply is Decemb
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
The total course fee of full time MBA at XLRI is INR 28 Lacs according to Shiksha. The fee is to be paid semester wise. The first installment is to be paid at the time of admission. The XLRI course fee includes tuition fees, hostel and mess charges, caution money, library chargers and other miscella
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
There is no process of applying for multiple XAT accepting colleges through one form because there is no common counselling for XAT. Candidates have to apply to the colleges of their choice individually. They must keep in mind the application last date so they don't miss out on it. Also, they must c
A
Contributor-Level 6
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.