Students’ Speak: Changes in XAT 2020 you must know of
Xavier Aptitude Test 2027 ( XAT )
XAT 2027 Registration
15 Jul '26 - 6 Dec '26
By: Abdullah Salman
Xavier's Aptitude Test (XAT 2020) will be conducted on January 5 next year by XLRI on behalf of XAMI. A national-level management exam conducted from the past six decades, XAT score is widely accepted by over 150 management colleges in the country.
The exam is considered to be tougher than Common Admission Test (CAT), therefore, the level of preparation becomes rigorous. To be able to prepare smart, here is some exam-related information that could be helpful for you.
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Exam Structure
Time allocation:
- Verbal and Logical Ability: 40 minutes
- Decision Making: 50 minutes
- Quantitative Ability: 60 minutes
- General Knowledge: 30 minutes
Change in XAT exam pattern:
The conducting body of XAT, apart from this, has also introduced some more changes that you must know before appearing for the exam. The conducting time for XAT 2020 exam has changed from earlier 10 am-1 pm to 9.30 am-12.30 pm now.
In XAT 2020, one of the major changes in the pattern is the removal of essay writing. So, students can skip preparing for this section. This year, for XAT 2020, all the questions will be multiple-choice-questions (MCQ) type. A new category in the form of Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions will be available in the XAT Exam 2020. Other than this, the score obtained in the GK section will not be included in the final calculation of score and the incorrect responses for questions from this section will not be considered for percentile calculation. You can move on to Part-II of the GK section only after the completion of Part-I of the XAT 2020 Exam. So, taking all these changes into consideration you should start preparing for the exam.
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XAT Syllabus 2020
XAT 2020 is an objective-type paper. An indicative list of topics covered in these sections is given below:
| Section Name |
Max. Questions |
Time Limit (in minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
165 |
| Decision Making |
21 |
|
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
27 |
|
| General Knowledge |
25 |
15 |
| Total |
99 |
180 |
Some important topics, which you could undergo before a week to exam based on your strength and weakness are:
- Quants & DI: P&L, Time Speed & Distance, Tables, Graph, Arithmetic, Clocks.
- Verbal & Logical: RC, Para based, Grammar, Vocabs.
- Decision-Making: Case lets, Analytical Based, Situational, Data Sets.
- General Knowledge: Business, International Relations, Economics, History, National & State wise.
About the Author:
Abdullah Salman M. is currently pursuing an MBA in General Management from TSM, Madurai. He has 15 months of work experience as a Network Engineer. He hails from Vellore, Tamil Nadu and has previously completed BE (ECE), from Anna University, Chennai.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
XAT syllabus is considered extensive and challenging. It is often viewed as more comprehensive than other management exams. Sections like Decision Making and an Essay is also included in the XAT exam syllabus.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Candidates can apply by selecting the course and campus option while filling out the XAT application form. There is no separate application form for XLRI courses.
E
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
No, the XAT application form cannot be filled offline. Candidates must submit their application and pay the required exam fees online through the official website.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Candidates holding a bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognised university can apply for XAT exam. Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
The last date to fill the XAT application form 2027 is December 6, 2027. Candidates must complete registration and fee payment before this deadline.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The time required for XAT Verbal Ability depends on candidate's current level. A daily combination of reading, vocabulary revision and question practice can help build consistency.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
XAT VALR section has around 26 questions. Based on previous year trends, around 9 to 11 questions can be from Verbal Ability, although exact breakup can change in exam.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes. RC is an important part of XAT VALR section. It has contributed a significant number of questions in previous years. Candidates should practise factual, analytical, philosophical and abstract passages.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The important topics for XAT Verbal Ability include Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Grammar, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Fill in the Blanks and Sentence Correction.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
XLRI Xavier school of managment XAT cutoff 2026 has been released. The cutoff for overall section was a score of 95 percentile that was minimum requirement for a candidate to be eligible for admissio.
R
Contributor-Level 6
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