In XAT 2019, candidates with 40+ marks secured a percentile of 99, while candidates with 32+ marks secured around 96 percentile.
- For candidates in the 74 to 80 percentiles range, the raw scores were 7+ in verbal, 8+ in decision-making, and 9+ in quantitative ability.
- In 2019, to clear the cutoffs for premier programs like XLRI’s Business Management, candidates typically needed sectional percentiles of 85-90.
By analysing these previous years’ trends on score and percentile, students get a rough idea about the score they have to target for XAT 2026.
XAT 2019 Question Paper with Solutions PDF
| Question Paper | PDF Link |
|---|---|
| 2019 Question Paper | Check Here |
Also Read:
- Check XAT 2026 Exam Date, Admit Card, Mock Test, and Previous Year Question Papers
- Check XAT 2026 total marks and section-wise marks
Key Summary
- An overall score of 40+ delivered a 99+ percentile, while scores near 32+ typically resulted in 96 percentile performance.
- Scores around 27.5–29 fetched approximately 94 percentile, sufficient for XLRI Business Management program consideration.
- Sectional percentiles of 85–90 were generally required to clear cutoffs for premier institutes like XLRI across all sections.
- Verbal Ability was difficult; even low scores around 6–7 achieved 75–80 percentile due to tough RCs and poems.
- Decision-making focused on ethical caselets, where attempting 16–17 questions usually secured 80+ percentile performance.
- Quantitative Ability and DI were moderate, with scores near 9.5–10 translating to about 88 percentile overall.
XAT 2019 Overview and Difficulty
The XAT 2019 was slightly tougher than XAT 2018, with around 90,000 candidates appearing for the exam, making the competition even fiercer.
- Verbal ability was difficult with tricky reading comprehension and poems.
- The quantitative section had a mix of geometry and data interpretation.
- Decision-making was focused on ethical caselets.
- GK was moderate with topics from the economy, awards, and current affairs.
Expert analysis noted good attempts were around 54-55 for a strong overall percentile.
| Section | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| VA & LR | 16-18 | Difficult | RC, CR, Poem |
| DM | 16-17 | Moderate | Ethical questions |
| QA & DI | 17-18 | Moderate | Geometry, DI Sets |
| GK | 12-14 | Moderate | Economy, current affairs |
Also Read:
- How to prepare for XAT 2026 to score 90 percentile?
- XAT 2022 Question Paper with Solutions PDF Free Download
Ques. How difficult was XAT 2019 compared to previous years?
Ans. XAT 2019 was considered slightly tougher than XAT 2018. The verbal and logical ability section had tricky poems and RCs.
XAT 2019 Score vs Percentile
- Overall scores in 2019, like 27.5-29, fetched a 94+ percentile, which could get the XLRI BM program. While 25.5-27 got 92+ for the HR program at XLRI.
- High scores around 40+ resulted in a 99 percentile, whereas 32+ scores got around 96 percentile.
| Overall score range | Approximate Percentile | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| 40+ | 99+ | Excellent |
| 32+ | 92-96 | Top Calls |
| 27.5-29 | 94+ | XLRI BM |
| 24-26 | 85-90 | Good Performance |
| 20-22 | 75-80 | Can get low-tier B-Schools |
Also Read:
- Check Overall and sectional Score vs Percentile of XAT 2026
- What is the minimum cutoff percentile of XLRI BM Program?
Verbal Ability: XAT 2019 Score vs Percentile
In the Verbal ability section, XAT 2019 had 26 questions, including 12 on reading comprehension and others on critical reasoning.
- A score around 7 was pushed to 85 percentile, which was enough for XIMB, while a score of 10 got around 90+ percentile.
- A score of 6.5 - 7 resulted in 80 percentile, which was considered good performance due to its difficulty level.
- From the analysis, low scores still ranked well if the section was tough overall. For example, 6 marks still resulted in the 75 percentile.
| Raw Score Range | Approximate Percentile | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 13+ | 95+ | Excellent percentile |
| 10 | 90 | Strong performance |
| 7+ | 85 | Good for XIMB |
| 6.5 - 7 | 80 | Good performance |
| 6-6.5 | 78 | XLRI BM estimate cutoff |
| 5.5-6 | 75 | Entry level for some colleges |
Also Read:
Check the section-wise analysis of the XAT 2025 paper
Decision Making: XAT 2019 Score vs Percentile
The decision-making section is XAT’s unique section, with 21 questions on situational ethics in 2019. Scores of 9-10 gave the approximate percentile for 80-90.
Analysis suggests that 16-17 good attempts were enough for a strong score. For XLRI, higher percentiles were needed, like 80+.
| XAT Score Range | Approximate Percentile |
|---|---|
| 11+ | 95+ |
| 10 | 90+ |
| 9 | 80+ |
| 8-8.5 | 77 |
| 7.5-8 | 75 |
Also Read:
Ques. How many questions should I attempt in decision-making in XAT?
Ans. Attempting 16-17 questions was enough to get a high percentile in XAT 2019. Try to attempt 17-18 questions to be on the safer side.
Quantitative Ability: XAT 2019 Score vs Percentile
The QA and DI section had 27 questions, with moderate difficulty. Scores of 9.5 - 10 were linked to 88 percentile, while 5-6 scores got around 70-75 percentile, which were enough for some programs.
Good attempts were 17-18, leading to scores that could reach the 90+ percentile. Compared to previous years, the XAT 2019 score vs percentile was influenced by fewer easy questions.
| Raw Score Range | Approximate Percentile | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 15+ | 95+ | Excellent |
| 12 | 90 | Top Rank |
| 9.5-10 | 88 | Good chance for XLRI BM |
| 6.5-7 | 75 | Good chances for GIM and IMT |
| 5.5-6 | 70-75 | Good chance for XLRI HR |
Also Read:
XAT Quant Topic-wise weightage 2026
Analysing the previous year’s XAT score vs percentile helps candidates to target the right attempts to score high percentile in the exam. This also gives a practical idea of where the candidate may stand in their preparation journey. Use the XAT 2019 score vs percentile as a guiding tool for your XAT 2026 preparation.
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