The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) was successfully held on 5th January 2025 in a single shift across the designated XAT exam centres spread in around 75 cities, from 2 PM to 5 PM, in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode and more than 1.3 Lakh aspirants appeared on the exam. According to the initial feedback from candidates, the overall difficulty level of the XAT question paper was moderate.
- Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) was moderate to difficult
- Decision Making (DM) was moderate
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA & LR) was moderate to difficult
- General Knowledge (GK) was moderate
According to the XAT exam pattern, the question paper was split into two parts. Part 1 includes three sections: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI), Decision Making (DM), and Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA & LR). Part 2 has just one section, which is General Knowledge (GK).
“This year, the essay writing section was removed from the XAT 2025 question paper, making the exam less lengthy.”
The memory-based questions for XAT 2025 will be available as the XAT 2025 exam is over. Such questions are compiled based on the feedback and inputs received from students and aspirants who have appeared for the exam.
XAT 2025 Question Paper with Solution PDF
| XAT 2025 Question Paper with Answer Key | Download | Check Solutions |
The XAT 2025 results are expected to be declared in the third week of January 2025.
XAT 2025 Exam Dates
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| Registration start date | July 15, 2024 |
| XAT 2025 Registration Last Date | Dec 10, 2024 |
| Admit Card Issuance | Dec 26, 2024 |
| XAT Exam 2025 Dates | Jan 5, 2025 |
| Answer Key Release and Challenge | Jan 10, 2025 |
| Result Declaration | January 17, 2025 |
What is XAT?
XAT stands for Xavier Aptitude Test. It is a national-level management entrance exam conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur. XLRI has been conducting the exam for 75+ years on behalf of XAMI. It is one of the most sought-after by MBA aspirants as XAT score is accepted in more than 700 colleges across the country including XLRI, 95 XAT Associates, and the 12 XAMI member institutes.
XAT 2025:Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| XAT Full form | Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Exam Conducting Body | XLRI (Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Number of Questions | 100 MCQs carrying 1 mark each + 1 Essay (250 words) |
| Sections in exam |
|
| Exam Duration | 180 minutes (170 minutes for Part 1, and 10 minutes for Part 2) |
| 2025 Official Website | xatonline.in |
XAT 2025 Eligibility
- Graduation: It is mandatory to have a 3 years bachelor's degree or its equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Minimum Marks: There is no minimum aggregate marks criteria in graduation to apply for the exam.
- Age: There is no upper age limit criteria to appear for XAT.
- Final Year Students: Final year students can also apply for the exam provided they complete their graduation by June 12, 2025 and submit their scores to the respective colleges.
- Number of Attempts: There is no limit on the number of times a student can take the exam.
XAT 2025 Registration
Every year around 1 lakh candidates register for the exam. Registration process is completely online and the application forms are released on the official website- xatonline.in. XAT 2025 Application window closes on December 10.
XAT 2025 Application Process and Fee
| Particulars | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| Registration Fee | INR 2200 |
| Indian Candidates applying for GMP through GMAT | INR 2500 |
| NRI/Foreign Candidates applying for one or more programs through GMAT | INR 5000 |
Fill Application Form
Login using the credentials generated in the previous step to fill XAT application form. The application form will have to be filled for the following details:
- Personal Details: Date of Birth, Category, Nationality, Names of Parents, Permanent/ Current Address, Contact details.
- Academic Details: Class 10th marks, class 12th marks, graduation and postgraduation scores, professional degree/ course details.
- Work Experience Details: Full-time work experience details till March 31, 2025.
- XLRI Program Preference: Candidates willing to apply for XLRI programs need to submit their choice of program- Business Management (BM), Human Resource Management (HRM), Fellow Management Program.
- XAT Exam Centers Preference: There are 6 exam centre preferences, candidates can select one.
Upload Documents
Scanned images of the following documents need to be uploaded while filling XAT application form:
- Photograph: Recent photograph in JPG/ JPEG format. File size should be between 20kb to 50kb. The recommended dimension is 200 x 230 pixels.
- Signature: Signature done in black ink on white paper. File size should be between 20kb to 50kb. The recommended dimension is 140 x 60.
XAT 2025 Exam Pattern
| Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Making | 21 | 21 |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 26 |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | 28 |
| General Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
XAT 2025 Top Colleges
| College | XAT Cut Off Percentile |
|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur | 94 – 95 |
| SPJIMR, Mumbai | 93.50 – 95 |
| XIM University | 91 – 92 |
| Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar | 90 – 93 |
| Institute of Management Technology(IMT), Ghaziabad | 90 – 92 |
| Great lakes Institute of Management, Chennai | 80 – 85 |
| Goa Institute of Management | 85 – 90 |
| KJ Somaiya | 85 – 90 |
| IMI Delhi | 85 – 90 |
| FORE School of Management | 77 – 87 |
| IRMA Anand | 80 – 85 |
| LIBA Chennai | 80 – 85 |
| TAPMI Institute | 80 – 85 |
| MICA, Ahmedabad | 80 – 85 |
| NIBM Pune | 80 – 84 |
XAT 2025 Syllabus
| Section | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| QA-DI Syllabus | Number System, Work & Time, Probability, Geometry, Mensuration, Modern Maths, Permutation & Combination, Percentage & Ratios, Mixtures & Alligation, Arithmetic, Algebra, Profit and Loss, Speed & Distance, Quadratic Equations, Logarithm, Surds & Indices, Statistics, Trigonometry, DI Graphs, Tables & Charts. |
| Decision Making (DM) Syllabus | Business Decisions, Analytical Reasoning, Ethical Dilemma, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving skills, Prioritization, Situational Conditions, Grouping Test, Data Arrangement Test, Decision Making in a situation. |
| Verbal & Logical Ability Syllabus | Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Vocabulary, Grammar, Error Detection, Sentence Completion, Synonyms & Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Odd One Out, etc. |
| GK Syllabus | Static GK and Current Affairs: Politics, Economics, History, Geography, Sports, Business Affairs, National & International Affairs, and States, etc. |
| Essay Writing | A short essay of 250 words on any topic- current affairs, social & economic issues, abstract, science & technology, business & management-oriented topics, etc. |
Guidelines Shared by a XAT Aspirant
Ques. Do only the 113 colleges mentioned on XAT's site accept XAT scores, or are there more? Have the forms of those 113 colleges also arrived?
Ans. More than 250+ colleges accept XAT scores, including Great Lakes and KJ Somia.
Ques. How much of a non-engineer student's score is required to get into XLRI Jamshedpur?
Ans. If you want to get into XLRI Jamshedpur, you must set a target of 99+ percentiles in the XAT exam.
Ques. Is XAT tougher than CAT?
Ans. It Depends on your command of the verbal. The verbal section is extremely exhausting and unconventional. Decision-making is a deal breaker and, again, highly verbose, where you must read a lot. Quant used to be easy to moderate, but 2025 was an outlier, and even quant was extremely tough. The good thing is you get enough time to showcase your strength in the XAT exam, unlike CAT, where the clock is running out.
Let’s Check the Comparison Between XAT Vs. CAT
| Features | XAT | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body | XLRI, Jamshedpur | IIM |
| Eligibility Criteria | Graduate in any stream from a recognized university | Graduate with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates) from a recognized university |
| Sections | 4 | 3 |
| Exam mode | Online | Online |
| Exam duration | 180 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Difficulty level | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate to Difficult |
| Exam fee | INR 2,200 | INR 2,400 (INR 1,200 for Reserved category students) |
| Registration process | Online | Online |
XAT 2025 Preparation
XAT exam is considered to be even tougher than CAT exam, thus, preparations should begin early to cover the vast and dynamic syllabus. Your focus should now be on the revision of important formulas and short tricks for Quant and DI section, attempting mock test regularly and analyzing it.
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation Preparation
XAT 2025 Question paper will comprise 28 questions from various topics of the QADI syllabus. The major tips to ace XAT QADI preparation are as follows:
- Study and Revise basic concepts and formulas like important formulas
- Make it a habit to practice at least 20 questions every day.
- Focus on your weak areas and practice questions on these daily.
- Practice sectional as well as full-length XAT mock tests and sample papers.
How do I prepare for XAT Verbal & Logical Ability Preparation?
XAT 2025 Verbal & Logical Ability will comprise 26 MCQs- about 4 RC passages, 2-3 poem-based comprehensions, 2-3 para jumbles, 4-5 critical reasoning questions, and miscellaneous grammar and vocabulary-based questions.
- Refer to the book titled’ Word Power Made Easy’ by Norman Lewis and also read at least 1-2 newspaper/ magazine/ online articles.
- To increase the reading speed for RC passages, firstly start reading short passages (300-400 words)
- Solve as many sample papers and online quizzes as possible to be able to practice maximum type of questions.
Decision Making (DM) Preparation
There is no particular study material or method to prepare for XAT DM section. However, candidates preparing for XAT 2025 must keep in mind the following tips to prepare for XAT Decision Making section:
- It is seen that more than 50% of the questions were related to business decision making and the rest were based on ethical dilemmas.
- Do not let your bias affect your answers as you are required to choose the best alternative from the given options.
- To answer questions on ethical dilemmas, first, try to understand the ethics of the given situation and avoid choosing passive options.
GK Preparation
XAT GK forms part 2 of question paper and comprises 25 questions from static general knowledge and current affairs. The most important points to keep in mind while preparing for XAT 2025 are mentioned below for your reference.
- For Static GK, refer to any good book like Lucent’s GK, Manorama Year Book, Arihant’s GK, etc.
- Read newspapers such as The Hindu, Indian Express, Economic Times and Magazines Frontline, Business Line, Yojana.
- The most important step is to take notes of daily current affairs to ease last-minute revision.
Read more GK Preparation Strategy
Previous Year Question Papers
| Features | XAT | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body | XLRI, Jamshedpur | IIM |
| Eligibility Criteria | Graduate in any stream from a recognized university | Graduate with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates) from a recognized university |
| Sections | 4 | 3 |
| Exam mode | Online | Online |
| Exam duration | 180 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Exam Date | Question Paper PDF | Solution PDF |
|---|---|---|
| January 7, 2024 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| January 8, 2023 | Check Here | Download PDF |
| January 2, 2022 | Check Here | Download PDF |
XAT 2025: Important Books
| Section | Name of the Book | Author/ Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| QADI | Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R S Aggarwal |
| How to Prepare for QA for CAT | Arun Sharma | |
| Data Interpretation for CAT | Nishit K Sinha | |
| Quantum CAT | S K Verma | |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Ajay Singh |
| Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis | |
| How to Prepare for VARC for CAT | Arun Sharma | |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R S Aggarwal | |
| Decision Making | Jabbing the XAT | R K Jha |
| Solved Papers | Gautam Puri | |
| Target XAT Simplified Edition | Disha Experts | |
| GK | Manorama Year Book | Mammen Mathew |
| Lucent’s Objective GK | Lucent Publications | |
| General Knowledge | Manohar Pandey |
Previous Year XAT Exam Analysis
Given below is the detailed section-wise paper analysis of last year’s XAT exam for your reference.
| Section Name | No of Questions | Distribution Of Questions | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 |
| Easy-Moderate | 17-18 |
| Decision Making | 21 |
| Moderate | 16-18 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 |
| Difficult | 15-17 |
| General Knowledge | 20 | Mixed Questions on Static GK and Current Affairs | Difficult | 10-11 |
| Overall | 95 | - | Moderate-Difficult | 59-68 |
XAT 2025 Cutoff
| Sections | Male Engineering | Male Non-Engineering | Female Engineering | Female Non-Engineering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALR | 90 | 90 | 85 | 85 |
| DM | 85 | 85 | 78 | 78 |
| QA | 80 | 75 | 73 | 68 |
| Overall XAT Cut off | 95 | 93 | 90 | 88 |
XAT Cut off for XLRI BM Program
| Sections | Male Engineering | Male Non-Engineering | Female Engineering | Female Non-Engineering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALR | 83 | 83 | 80 | 80 |
| DM | 85 | 86 | 80 | 81 |
| QA | 86 | 85 | 81 | 80 |
| Overall Cut off | 96 | 95 | 91 | 90 |
XAT 2025 Seats Intake
| XLRI Program | Program Fee (in INR lakhs) | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years Full-Time Flagship PGDM (Business Management) | 23.6 | 180 |
| 2 years Full-Time PGDM (Human Resource Management) | 23.6 | 180 |
| PGDM (GMP) | 20.95 | 120 |
| Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) | - | 15 |
| Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EXEC-FPM) | 10.18 | 30 |
| Part-time & VIL(Virtual Interactive Learning) (Certificate Program) | 1.60 | - |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. How many candidates take XAT exam every year?
Ans. On an average, the exam is taken by 75000-80000 candidates every year. In 2025, around 80000 candidates appeared for the test while in 2023, about 90000 candidates appeared. However, in the previous years (2021-2019), not more than 80000 candidates have appeared for the test.
Ques. How much time will be sufficient to prepare for the XAT? Will I be able to make it to XLRI, if I start my preparation now?
Ans. The difficulty level of XAT is higher than that of CAT. However, the cut off for XAT is low.You will need a preparation of 6-12 months to ace the exam. So, it is the right time to start your preparation.
Ques. What is the XAT 2025 exam date?
Ans. XAT 2025 will be held on the first Sunday of January 2025, which is January 5. The exam date will be officially announced by XLRI Jamshedpur in the month of July 2025. The announcement will be made at the XATONLINE website. The exam will be held in 100+ cities from 2 pm to 5:30 pm. In 2023, the exam timing was increased this year by 20 minutes.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
Comments
Found 3 Comments
The exam day for the XAT 2024 is set for Sunday, January 7, 2024. XLRI conducts XAT on behalf of XAMI. To choose the best candidates for management education, XLRI has been conducting XAT at the all-India level for more than 72 years. More than 160 institutes use the XAT score as a prerequisite for admission. On the official XAT website, you can register for the exam and find out additional information.
XAT is a competitive exam but you can ace this examination if you have invested right amount of time and dedication in the prepration. There are various tips and tricks that can be employed in your preparation strategy. Please check these tips and tricks from XAT Preparation Tips.
There is no minimum mark requirement to take XAT. Students in their final year of graduation registering for XAT can mentioned their expected CGPA/percentage.