Exam On - 4 Jan '26
Read all about XAT 2018 question paper including difficulty level, topic-wise weightage and RC topics. Download free XAT 2018 question paper.
XAT question paper 2018
XAT 2018 question paper has 100 questions in total from Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, General Knowledge and Essay Writing. Until 2018, XAT had Essay Writing as a part of the test. Topic of the essay was – Ethical practices and sustainability: do they co-exist?
Overall, the XAT 2018 question paper is a good mix of tough and easy questions. Verbal questions are tough just like they are in this exam, while Decision Making questions are tricky as usual. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation questions are moderately difficult and so are GK questions. Let’s take a look at the XAT 2018 question paper in detail.
Based on ,MBA
| XAT Question Paper |
Section |
No. of Questions |
Optimal Time in Minutes |
Difficulty Level |
Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 |
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning |
26 |
55 |
Difficult |
17-19 |
| Decision Making |
21 |
45 |
Moderate |
16-17 |
|
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation |
27 |
70 |
Moderate |
18-19 |
|
| Part 1 |
General Knowledge |
25 |
15 |
Moderate |
15-17 |
| Essay writing |
1 |
20 |
- |
|
|
| Total |
100 |
|
Moderate - Difficult |
65-70 |
The Verbal & Logical Ability section of XAT 2018 question paper has a total of 26 questions – 15 from Reading Comprehension and 11 from Verbal Ability and Reasoning.
The Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning questions are reasoning-based – Critical Reasoning and Jumbled Paragraphs. Apart from that, there are three vocabulary and usage-based questions and only one grammar-based question.
Most of the questions in this section are moderate, but some such as the Critical Reasoning question on identifying logical fallacies in arguments, or the Fill in the Blanks question can be challenging.
27 Dec '25 - 28 Dec '25
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In the Reading Comprehension part, there are five passages including one short poem. There are 15 questions distributed among all the five passages. Nearly all the questions are inference based.
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XAT Verbal Ability and Reasoning sectional break up:
| XAT Area/Questions |
No. of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence Correction |
1 |
Moderate |
| Fill in the blanks (4/5 blanks) |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Jumbled Paragraphs |
2 |
1 Easy, 1 Difficult |
| Critical Reasoning |
5 |
1 Easy, 3 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 1 – Poem |
2 |
2 Difficult |
| Passage 2 – Doubts and Beliefs |
4 |
1 Easy, 2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 3 – Why study history? |
3 |
2 Easy, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 4 – Problem of consciousness |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Passage 5 – Labour and capital |
3 |
2 Moderate, 1 Difficul |
Also Read:
The Decision Making section of XAT 2018 question paper consists of 21 questions, out of which three questions (one set) is based on Mathematics while the remaining 18 questions are Non-Mathematical in nature.
The non-mathematical part of Decision Making has eight sets of two to three questions each. Most of the passages are short and easy to read, but some questions are ambiguous in nature. Overall, the questions were of medium level of difficulty. The Mathematical set is very easy.
XAT Decision Making sectional break up
| XAT Decision Making Topics |
No. of Questions |
Question Type |
Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1: Collection officers |
3 |
Ethical nature of questions |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 2: Three company business |
3 |
Ethical nature of questions |
2 Easy, 1 Moderate |
| Case 3: Four neighbouring kingdoms |
3 |
Business decision |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 4: Nephew of CEO |
3 |
Business decisions |
1 Easy, 2 Difficult |
| Case 5: Three people living on one hill |
2 |
Business decisions |
1 Easy, 1 Difficult |
| Case 6: Dead employee's family |
2 |
Ethical decision |
1 Moderate, 1 Difficult |
| Case 7: Apartment lock |
2 |
Ethical decision |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate |
| Case 8: Train timetables and delivery persons |
3 |
Mathematical question |
3 Easy |
The Quantitative Ability-Data Interpretation section of XAT 2018 Question Paper comprises 27 questions – 19 on Quantitative Ability, two on Data Sufficiency and six on Data Interpretation.
The questions on Quantitative Ability are majorly from Geometry, Numbers Systems and Arithmetic. One of the two Data Sufficiency questions has reference to concepts in Statistics.
In the Data Interpretation part, there are two sets with three questions each. One set is a logical Data Interpretation based on a hockey tournament and the other set is based on four graphs with multiple datasets.
XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation sectional break up
| XAT QA-DI Topics |
No. of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Data Sufficiency |
2 |
Easy |
| Question based on Fibonnaci series |
1 |
Moderate |
| Question based on units place of a power |
1 |
Moderate |
| Miscellaneous questions on properties of numbers |
2 |
Easy |
| Time-Speed-Distance |
2 |
1 Easy, 1 Difficult |
| Ratio-Proportions |
1 |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate |
| Percentages |
1 |
Easy |
| Time & Work |
1 |
Easy |
| Quadratic Equations |
1 |
Moderate |
| Inequalities |
1 |
Moderate |
| 2 |
1 Easy, 1 Moderate |
|
| Circles |
1 |
Difficult |
| Quadrilaterals |
1 |
Easy |
| 1 |
Moderate |
|
| Progressions |
1 |
Difficult |
| 1 |
Moderate |
|
| A logical DI set containing Table |
3 |
Difficult |
| An observation-Calculation based DI set containing 4 graphs |
3 |
Difficult |
In the GK section of XAT 2018 question paper, 25 questions include eight Current Affairs and 17 static GK questions. 17 questions are on national topics and eight questions are on international topics. Questions range from History, Geography, Business and Economy, names of political personalities, etc.
Download XAT Previous Year Question Papers
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Free XAT Mock Test
9 Jan '26 | SNAP 2025 result announcement |
20 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 session 3 |
16 Apr '26 - 18 Apr '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam |
9 May '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam 2 |
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26 Nov '25 - 28 Nov '25 | CMAT 2026 form correction |
23 Feb '26 | MAT Feb 2026 PBT Registration ... |
26 Feb '26 | MAT Feb 2026 PBT admit card |
24 Dec '25 | CAT 2025 result announcement |
8 Dec '25 - 10 Dec '25 | CAT 2025 answer key challenge |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
Jan '26 | Publication of TANCET notifica... |
Jan '26 | TANCET registration window |
14 Feb '26 - 22 Feb '26 | IBSAT 2025 Selection Process |
27 Dec '25 - 28 Dec '25 | IBSAT 2025 Exam Date |
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Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
GIBS accepts scores from all major management entrance exams, including:
CAT
XAT
MAT
CMAT
GMAT
ATMA
State CET
This gives students multiple options to apply. Along with entrance exam scores, GIBS also looks at the overall profile, communication skills, and interest in management, which makes the admission pr
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week 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 a week 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
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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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
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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