By: Akila Narayanan
Here’s a lowdown of Xavier’s Aptitude Test’s (XAT) past two years question papers had. Read more to get an analysis of the paper.
XAT Question Paper Break-up:
| Sections in XAT 2019 |
Number of Questions |
Overall Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Part-1 |
74 Total MCQs |
165 Minutes |
| Verbal and Logical Ability |
26 |
|
| Decision Making |
21 |
|
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation |
27 |
|
| Part-2 |
25 Total MCQs |
15 Minutes |
| General Knowledge |
25 |
- |
| Total |
99 |
- |
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
In this section, we have to concentrate much on easy and moderate levels. So that it will be easy to beat the section-wise cut-offs. Antonyms and Poem Comprehension was quite easy when compared to other topics. The paragraph jumbling questions will consume time so that we can have an attempt at that at the last minute if possible instead of wasting the time. In reading comprehension, it’s difficult if we fail to understand the paragraph given. We will not be able to understand the questions asked without reading the paragraph.
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| Topic |
Number of Questions |
Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
12(4 passages containing 3 questions each) |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Critical Reasoning |
5 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Poem Comprehension |
2 |
Easy |
| Analogy |
1 |
Difficult |
| Antonym |
1 |
Easy |
| Para-Jumble – 5 sentence |
2 |
Moderate |
| FIB-3 blanks |
3 |
Difficult |
| Total |
26 |
Difficult |
Decision Making & Analytical Reasoning
The decision making part was a difficult one when compared to the previous year questions. There will be case lets given you will be asked to decide what to do and you will be asked to imagine as someone and the decision should be taken. Good creative thinkers can crack this section easily.
| Topic |
Number of Questions |
Difficulty |
| Situational |
21 |
Moderate |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretations
Always this quantitative ability section will be tricky when compared to other sections because it includes all the numerical and mathematical knowledge. This is the area where students lose their focus when they don’t get the expected answer and the time consuming will also be more which will lead them to complete this section in a hurry. It’s a piece of advice that students should do this section correctly because everyone will lose marks in quantitative ability and so there total percentile will get decreased. Even if you have 10 questions do that 10 questions correctly with full confidence.
| Topic |
Number of Questions |
Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic |
4 |
Easy |
| Algebra |
7 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Co-Ordinate Geometry + Trigonometry |
4 |
Moderate |
| Geometry |
4 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Data Sufficiency |
2 |
Moderate |
| Data Interpretation (Time limits) |
3 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Data Interpretation (Mixed Graph) |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Data Interpretation (Mixed Graph) |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
General Knowledge
The level of general knowledge questions was moderate when compared to previous year question papers. We will be able to answer these questions only if we read newspapers daily. We have to know what is happening in and around the world in a day-to-day aspect. Then we can crack this section easily.
| Topics |
Number of Questions |
Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| History |
1 |
Moderate |
| Geography |
4 |
Difficult |
| Economy & Business |
7 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Current Affairs |
2 |
Easy |
| Personality & Awards |
3 |
Moderate |
| Science & Tech |
2 |
Moderate |
| Polity |
2 |
Easy |
| Miscellaneous |
2 |
Difficult |
| Sports |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Total |
25 |
Moderate |
Institute Cutoffs
These were the expected cut-offs of top institutions in the year 2019 for XAT-2019 exam.
| Institute |
Expected XAT cutoff percentiles |
|---|---|
| XLRI |
94+ |
| SP Jain Institute Management and Research, Mumbai |
85+ |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai |
93+ |
| Goa Institute of Management, Goa |
85+ |
| Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad |
90+ |
| Management Development Institute, Gurgaon |
80+ |
About the Author:
Akila Narayanan is pursuing MBA from Thiagarajar School of Management, Madurai, with an interest in Marketing and Finance. She has completed her graduation from Velammal College of Engineering and Technology, Madurai. Her hobbies include playing guitar, badminton and reading books. She has also been awarded the first prize for a social welfare project titled “The Life Saving Block Detector”.
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Student Forum
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

