In how many months can I prepare for the XAT syllabus?

Completing XAT syllabus requires 3 to 6 months, with 6-8 months for thorough preparation, including mock test analysis and practise using previous year XAT question papers.

What are the important topics for the XAT Quantitative Aptitude section?

Important topics from XAT quantitative aptitude section include Arithmetic (Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time-Speed-Distance, Averages), Geometry & Mensuration, Algebra (Equations, Progressions), Number Systems, and Modern Math (Probability, P&C).

Does the XAT syllabus change every year?

Sections in the XAT exam, including Decision Making, Verbal & Logical Ability, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation remain consistent. However, the exam pattern, question count, and structure may change annually.

What is the best study material to cover the XAT syllabus?

The best study materials to prepare for XAT exam include a mix of books, previous years' papers, and mock test. Some books focused at XAT preparation are tabulated below: Best Books Author Jabbing the XAT RK Jha Analytical & Logical Reasoning Arihant Publications Target XAT Disha Publications

How many hours should I study daily for the XAT exam?

One will need 3-4 hours of preparation if they are planning to complete XAT syllabus in 6 months.

What is the duration of the XAT exam?

XAT exam was held for 3 hours and 30 minutes. However, with the revision of exam pattern, it was held for 3 hours in 2025. There is sectional time-limit in the test. 170 minutes are allotted to Part 1 comprising Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability. Part 2 has General Knowledge section to be solved in 10 minutes. No bio-break is allowed during the exam. Candidates have to finish the test in the given time limit only. The test screen will move from part 1 to part 2 the moment 170 minutes get over and once the 10 minutes of part 2 will be over, the test window will be locked. Candidates must keep saving their entries after every attempt as there is no provision in XAT to go back and review your answers once the time limit for that part is over.

Is solving XAT question paper helpful in exam preparation?

Yes, solving XAT question paper is of immense help in exam preparation as one can get an idea of the exam pattern, difficulty level of the questions, and learn time management. The XAT question papers of previous years also give you an idea of what type of questions (Reading Comprehension passages and poem) are asked in XAT. In fact, preparation of Decision Making section is totally dependent on XAT question papers. XAT question papers of previous years also act as practice test providing you with the opportunity to master speed and time management. Candidates must solve previous years’ XAT questions paper of at least last five years, so that they are aware of the latest type of questions especially poem, RC passages and Decision Making passages.

Is there any negative marking in the XAT exam?

Yes, the XAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking but if there are 8 consecutive unanswered questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted. Thus, the candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the XAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately. The XAT exam has sectional time limit too, so you may not want to waste time on a question that you cannot solve accurately. You stand to lose both time and marks. So be careful in selecting questions in the XAT exam. The sectional cut off for XAT is usually 80 percent accuracy. Practice a lot of mock tests to develop this skill.

What type of Reading Comprehension passages are there in XAT?

In XAT, Reading Comprehension passages are usually taken from Philosophy, Psychology, History, Art, research articles. Sometime, the XAT RC section also has poems. These areas are chosen to test the candidates, who are largely Science, Commerce and Engineering graduates, on their ability to come out of their comfort zone and adapt to unfamiliar situations. Out of 26 questions, about 14-16 questions are based on RC passages or a poem. Candidates must target solving about 10 questions accurately to score well. XAT has negative marking so do not mark an option as your answer if you are not 100 percent sure of it.

Are there non-MCQs in XAT?

There are no non-MCQs in XAT. All the questions are in MCQ format with four options to choose the correct answer from. There are neither Type in the Answer and nor subjective answer type questions. Earlier, there used to be essay writing which required candidates to type a short essay on screen.

Can XAT preparation be done with CAT study material?

Candidates can take reference of subjects and topics from CAT study material for Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude, but XAT preparation has to be exam specific and must include exam specific study material. Aspirants can use CAT sample questions too for practice purpose, but that is not enough. They need to practice XAT sample questions and XAT mock tests too, as the nature of questions in XAT is different from CAT.

What was the difficulty level of XAT 2025 exam?

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.

What type of Reading Comprehension passages are there in XAT?

In XAT, Reading Comprehension passages are usually taken from Philosophy, Psychology, History, Art, research articles. Sometime, the XAT RC section also has poems. These areas are chosen to test the candidates, who are largely Science, Commerce and Engineering graduates, on their ability to come out of their comfort zone and adapt to unfamiliar situations. Out of 26 questions, about 14-16 questions are based on RC passages or a poem. Candidates must target solving about 10 questions accurately to score well. XAT has negative marking so do not mark an option as your answer if you are not 100 percent sure of it.

Which are the most important topics to focus for XAT preparation?

Some of the important topics for XAT preparation include: Decision Making: Managerial/ethical dilemmas Quantitative Ability: Arithmetic, geometry, and algebra Verbal Ability: Reading comprehension, often with poetic passages.

When should I start studying for the XAT exam?

One must start preparing for XAT around six to eight months in advance. This timeline allows sufficient time to cover syllabus and practice using mock tests before the exam.

What is the XAT syllabus?

XAT syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge.

Is the syllabus for XAT and CAT same?

Major topics under XAT and CAT syllabus are similar. Common sections include Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Verbal Ability. While the sections are same the syllabus is not identical. XAT also includes unique sections, namely Decision Making and General Knowledge.

What is XAT syllabus?

XAT syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. You can check below subject wise important topics included in the XAT syllabus. Majority of the questions are asked from these topics. XAT Verbal and Logical Ability syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Antonym/Synonym, Parajumble, Para Completion, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Series Completion, Fill in the Blanks, etc. XAT Decision Making syllabus: Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc. XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation syllabus: Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc. XAT General Knowledge syllabus: Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.

Is there any negative marking in the XAT exam?

Yes, the XAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking but if there are 8 consecutive unanswered questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted. Thus, the candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the XAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately. The XAT exam has sectional time limit too, so you may not want to waste time on a question that you cannot solve accurately. You stand to lose both time and marks. So be careful in selecting questions in the XAT exam. The sectional cut off for XAT is usually 80 percent accuracy. Practice a lot of mock tests to develop this skill.

Is the XAT syllabus lengthy?

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.

In how many months can I prepare for XAT?

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.

Where can I find study material for Decision Making syllabus for XAT?

Since Decision Making section is unique to XAT, study material for the same in not readily available. Thus the best source of preparation material for Decision Making section is XAT previous years’ question papers. This section has passages related to business situations. Candidates have to select the closest solution to the given situation from the list of four options. You have to make an informed decision regarding the decision which has be in favour of the larger good. This section essentially tests your ability to take objective decisions regarding various business situations and activities. Candidates can practice Decision Making questions from XAT question papers of previous years to know the types and difficulty level. In a way, this section is similar to Reading Comprehension and requires same skills as that.

Which books are recommended to cover the XAT syllabus?

Some of the top books to cover XAT syllabus include Book Author Jabbing the XAT RK Jha Word Power Made Easy Norman Lewis QA/LR books Arun Sharma or RS Aggarwal For Decision Making, candidates can refer to past papers for XAT preparation

Is solving XAT question paper helpful in exam preparation?

Yes, solving XAT question paper is of immense help in exam preparation as one can get an idea of the exam pattern, difficulty level of the questions, and learn time management. The XAT question papers of previous years also give you an idea of what type of questions (Reading Comprehension passages and poem) are asked in XAT. In fact, preparation of Decision Making section is totally dependent on XAT question papers. XAT question papers of previous years also act as practice test providing you with the opportunity to master speed and time management. Candidates must solve previous years’ XAT questions paper of at least last five years, so that they are aware of the latest type of questions especially poem, RC passages and Decision Making passages.

How was XAT 2025 different from XAT 2024?

XAT 2025 exam had only 2 sections in the question paper, Part 1 had Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making and Verbal Ability. Part 2 consisted of General Knowledge section. Essay Writing has been removed from the entrance test. It is a part of XLRI PI selection process. The total time duration of XAT exam now is 180 minutes. Part 1 is for170 minutes and Part 2 is for 10 minutes. There is no sectional time limit within the section. XAT 2024 had Essay Writing and the exam duration was 3.5 hours. Essay Writing was clubbed with GK.

What is the XAT exam duration and slot?

XAT exam duration is 180 minutes in a single slot. Part 1 of XAT exam is conducted for 170 minutes, while Part 2 is held in last 10 minutes.

When should I start practicing XAT mock tests?

Aspirants should start practicing XAT mock tests after completing the syllabus. Ideal time duration to solve XAT mock tests is October to December. Official mock test is released a week before the exam, so candidates must attempt it at least once before the exam.

Is XAT tough for candidates from non-Engineering background?

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.

What is the syllabus of XAT for the Decision Making section?

The XAT Decision Making section consists of approximately 21-22 case-based questions designed to evaluate the ability to analyse complex, real-life, and professional scenarios.

XAT Question Paper 2026 (Unofficial): Download PDFs with Solutions

1.6K Students Q&A

Exam On - 3 Jan '27

Updated on Feb 19, 2026 15:18 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Assistant Manager – Editorial Content

XAT question paper 2026 was of moderate difficulty level. There were 95 questions, all in MCQ format. The sectional composition of XAT 2026 question paper was same as XAT 2025 question paper. XAT 2026 exam was held on January 4, 2026. The exam was held in a single session. XLRI will release XAT 2026 question paper PDF soon. Get here XAT question papers of previous years.

Table of contents

Previous Years XAT Question Papers PDFs Download
XAT 2026 Question Paper
XAT 2025 Question Paper
XAT Questions Papers PDFs
XAT Preparation Guides
Why Solve XAT Question Papers?
XAT Mock Test and Preparation Tips
Previous Year XAT Question Papers (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
FAQs on XAT Question Papers

Previous Years XAT Question Papers PDFs Download

XAT 2026 Question Paper

XAT 2025 Question Paper

Download previous year XAT question papers and sample papers. Use them for practice and improve your speed and accuracy. You can download XAT previous year question papers and the preparation guides for free.