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XAT Exam 2022: Exam Dates,Registration, Eligibility, Preparation, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Result and Counselling

Subho As Waytoadmissions Team
Subho As

Content Curator

Updated On - Aug 20,2022

XAT 2023 exam date has been announced by XLRI Jamshedpur along with the registration dates and fees. XAT 2023 will be conducted on Jan 8, 2023, in online mode. XAT 2023 Official website is xatonline.in. XAT Registration process has started on August 10, 2022 on the official website. This year, XLRI has increased XAT Registration fees from INR 1800 to INR 2000. Read the article to get all the details of XAT 2023 exam dates, registration process and fees, exam pattern, syllabus, preparation, analysis, cut off, and more.

XAT 2023 exam date is January 8, 2023. XAT exam is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur every year for admission to MBA/ PGDM courses. The last date to apply for XAT 2023 is November 30, 2022.

  • To appear for XAT 2023, candidates must have a 3 yr bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Also, there is no upper age limit to take XAT exam.

  • Foreign candidates are also eligible to apply for XLRI admissions based on their GMAT scores.

To begin preparation for XAT 2023, candidates are advised to download and solve XAT previous year question papers to get familiar with the pattern and get an idea of the difficulty level and type of questions asked.

No change is notified in XAT exam pattern and syllabus. XAT 2023 exam will have 101 questions:

100 MCQs from 4 sections of XAT 2023 Syllabus-

  1. Decision making (21),
  2. Verbal & Logical Ability (26),
  3. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (28),
  4. General Knowledge (25),
  • 1 subjective-type question in the essay writing section. The duration of the exam will be 190 minutes.
  • As per the marking scheme, 1 mark will be awarded for the correct answer and 0.25 marks will be deducted for wrong answers.

  • Also, 0.10 mark per question will be deducted after 8 unattempted questions.

XAT 2023 Cut off will be released by XLRI after the declaration of results. Last year, XAT Cut off for the PGDM BM program was 93 and 90 percentile for male and female candidates respectively. For the PGDM HRM program, the cut off was between 87-92 percentile.

What is XAT Exam?

XAT stands for Xavier Aptitude Test. XAT is a national-level management entrance exam conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur to provide admission to MBA/ PGDM courses. XLRI has been conducting XAT exam for 70+ years on behalf of XAMI. XAT exam 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 2023 Exam Dates

Events Important Dates
Releasing of official notification August 8, 2022
XAT Registration Begins August 10, 2022
XAT Registration Last Date (Without Late Fee) November 30, 2022
XAT 2022 Admit Card Release Date December 20, 2022
Release of official XAT Mock Test Last week of December 2022
Last Date to Download XAT Admit Card January 8, 2023
XAT Exam Date January 8, 2023
Validity of GMAT/ GRE Score December 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022
XAT Response Sheet Second week of January 2023
XAT Answer Key Second week of January 2023
Declaration of XAT result Fourth week of January 2023

XAT 2023 Highlights

Particulars Details
XAT Full form Xavier Aptitude Test
XAT Exam Conducting Body XLRI (Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur)
XAT Exam Level National
XAT Exam Mode Online
Number of Questions 100 MCQs carrying 1 mark each + 1 Essay (250 words)
Number of Sections in XAT exam 5 (3 in Part 1 and 2 in Part 2)
XAT Exam Syllabus

Part 1: Verbal and Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Decision Making

Part 2: General Awareness/ Knowledge, Essay Writing

XAT Exam Duration 190 minutes (165 minutes for Part 1 and 25 minutes for Part 2)
Mode of XAT Application Form Online only
XAT Application Fee

INR 2000 (without late charges) + INR 200 for every XLRI program.

XAT Minimum Eligibility Criteria 3 year’s bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university
Courses Offered MBA/PGDM/Executive Diploma
Total Intake in XLRI Jamshedpur 180 seats each for PGDM BM & HRM programs
Number of Attempts No Restriction
XAT 2023 Official Website xatonline.in
Helpline +91 6576653203, +91 6576653204, [email protected]

XAT 2023 Eligibility Criteria

To fill XAT Application forms, candidates need to fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility criteria defined by XLRI.

  • Nationality: Indian citizens can apply for XAT 2023. Also, foreign nationals can apply for admissions based on their GMAT scores.
  • 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 XAT 2023 exam.
  • Age: There is no upper age limit criteria to appear for XAT 2023.
  • Final Year Students: Final year students can also apply for the exam provided they complete their graduation by June 2022 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 2023 Registration Process, Fees, and Documents Required

Every year around 1 lakh candidates register for XAT exam. XAT Registration is the first step in seeking admission to PGDM/ MBA courses offered by more than 160 XAT Score Accepting Colleges like XLRI, XIME, XIMA, XIMB, etc.

  • XAT 2023 Registration process is completely online and the application forms have been released on the official website- xatonline.in.
  • XAT 2023 Application window is open for about 4 months from August 10, 2022 till November 30, 2022.
XAT 2023 Application Process and Fee

Knowing XAT 2023 registration process is essential to ensure zero-error completion of the application process. The steps to register for XAT 2023 are given below for your reference:

New Candidate Registration: Generate User ID and Password

Candidates need to create their login credentials- XAT ID and Password on the official website- xatonline.in by following the below-mentioned steps:

  • Visit the official website and click on the ‘Register’ tab.
  • Enter the basic details- email, name, contact number, etc., and submit the form.
  • Your XAT ID and Password will be displayed on the screen. Note it down for all future correspondence.
Fill XAT Application Form

Login using the credentials generated in the previous step to fill XAT application form 2023. 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, 2022.
  • 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 City Preference: Candidates can select 2 XAT exam cities from the drop-down list based on their convenience.
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.
Pay XAT Application Fee

XAT Application Fee needs to be paid online via Debit card, Credit card, UPI, Net banking, online payment wallets.

Particulars XAT Application Fee
XAT Registration Fee (increased) INR 2000 (+200 for candidates interested in XLRI programs)
Indian Candidates applying for GMP through GMAT INR 2500
NRI/Foreign Candidates applying for one or more programs through GMAT INR 5000

XAT 2023 Exam Pattern

As per XAT Exam Pattern 2023, the question paper will be divided into 2 parts having a total of 101 questions. It is extremely important to go through the detailed XAT exam pattern to develop a sound preparation strategy.

  • Mode of Exam: XAT is conducted in online CBT mode at test centers located across 70+ major cities of India.
  • Medium of XAT Exam: The test is conducted only in English.
  • XAT Exam Duration: 190 minutes (3 hours 10 minutes)- 165 minutes for Part 1 and 25 minutes for Part 2
  • Number of Questions: 100 MCQs and 1 essay question.
  • Number of Sections: 5 sections divided into 2 parts. Part 1 comprises 3 sections- Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation. Part 2 comprises 2 sections- General Knowledge and Essay Writing.
  • XAT Marking Scheme: 1 mark awarded for every right answer and 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer.
  • Sectional Division of Questions:
Parts Section of XAT Exam No. of Questions XAT Time Duration
Part 1 XAT Decision Making 21 165 minutes
XAT Verbal & Logical Ability 26
XAT Quant 28
Part 2 XAT GK 25 25 minutes
XAT Essay Writing 1
Total - 101 190 minutes
XAT 2023 Marking Scheme

XAT Marking scheme has not undergone any major changes in the past 2 years. It is recommended to take note of the important points regarding XAT 2023 Marking Scheme:

  • Each MCQ carries 1 mark. For every incorrect response, 0.25 marks are deducted.
  • A unique feature of XAT exam marking pattern is the deduction of 0.10 marks for every unattempted question after 8 unattended questions.
  • The Essay is evaluated only for the candidates shortlisted for the PI round.
  • There is no negative marking for the GK section. GK scores are not considered while calculating the final XAT scores.

XAT 2023 Syllabus

Section Syllabus
XAT QA-DI Syllabus Number System, Work & Time, Probability, Geometry, Mensuration, Permutation & Combination, Percentage & Ratios, Mixtures & Alligation, Algebra, Profit and Loss, Speed & Distance, Quadratic Equations, Logarithm, Surds & Indices, Statistics, Trigonometry, DI Graphs, Tables & Charts.
XAT Decision Making (DM) Syllabus Business Decisions, Analytical Reasoning, Ethical Dilemma, Situational Conditions, Grouping Test, Data Arrangement Test, Decision Making in a situation
XAT Verbal & Logical Ability Syllabus Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Vocabulary, Grammar, Error Detection, Sentence Completion, Synonyms & Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Odd One Out, etc.
XAT GK Syllabus Static GK and Current Affairs: Politics, Economics, History, Geography, Sports, Business Affairs, National & International Affairs, and States, etc.
XAT Essay Writing A short essay of 250 words on any topic- current affairs, social & economic issues, abstract, science & technology, business & management-oriented topics, etc.

XAT 2023 Preparation Strategy and Books

XAT 2022 exam will be held on January 8, 2023, hence there is ample time for XAT 2023 aspirants to prepare well for the exam. XAT exam is considered to be even tougher than CAT exam, thus, preparations should begin early to cover the vast and dynamic syllabus. Given below are the section-wise preparation tips and strategies for XAT 2023 along with some of the most recommended books for XAT preparation.

XAT 2023 Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation Preparation

XAT 2023 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 ratio-percentage conversion ratios, quadratic equations, squares and square roots, cubes and cube roots, divisibility rules, remainder theorem, permutations, and combinations, and probability.
  • Make it a habit to practice at least 20 questions every day to ensure consistency and build retention power.
  • Refer to online study platforms like Unacademy, BYJUs, T.I.M.E, Career Launcher, IMS Learning, etc. to study regularly, to clear doubts, and to learn short tricks and formulas
  • Choose any good Quant & DI book for XAT preparation by Arun Sharma, NK Sinha, RS Aggarwal. Focus on your weak areas and practice questions on these daily.
  • Practice sectional as well as full-length XAT mock tests and sample papers.
  • For XAT DI preparation, solve at least 2-3 DI sets every week from different types of data sets including, pie charts, bar graphs, line graphs, tabular data, and caselets. To overcome the problem of time management in solving DI questions, it is extremely important to be aware of the important ratio-percentage conversions.
XAT 2023 Verbal & Logical Ability Preparation

XAT 2023 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.

The most important tips to keep in mind for XAT VALR preparation are given below:

  • To increase vocabulary, refer to the book titled’ Word Power Made Easy’ by Norman Lewis and also read at least 1-2 newspaper/ magazine/ online articles.
  • To learn grammar concepts and practice questions on error detection, para jumbles, fill in the blanks, refer to some of the most recommended VA books like VARC by Ajay Singh, How to Prepare for VARC by Arun Sharma, and Objective English by SP Bakshi.
  • To increase the reading speed for RC passages, firstly start reading short passages (300-400 words) from reference books and gradually increase the length of the passages.
  • Also, to decipher the core idea of the RC passages, it is extremely important to understand the tone of the passage. The most commonly asked tones are: argumentativedidactic, narrative, informative, cynical, satirical, technical, etc.
  • Solve as many sample papers and online quizzes as possible to be able to practice maximum type of questions.
XAT 2023 Decision Making (DM) Preparation

There is no particular study material or method to prepare for XAT DM section. However, candidates preparing for XAT 2023 must keep in mind the following tips to prepare for XAT Decision Making section:

  • The best way to prepare for this section is to solve XAT previous year question papers. What is more important is to analyze your answers and the correct answer to figure out the approach for answering such questions accurately.
  • Based on the analysis of previous year papers, it is seen that more than 50% of the questions were related to business decision making and the rest were based on ethical dilemmas. So, it is important to solve previous year papers to get an idea of what to expect in XAT 2023.
  • 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.
XAT 2023 GK Preparation

XAT GK forms part 2 of XAT 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 2023 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 (The Hindu, Indian Express, Economic Times), Magazines (Frontline, Business Line, Yojana), and online news articles to stay updated with the current events of national and international importance.
  • The most important step is to take notes of daily current affairs to ease last-minute revision.
XAT 2023 Preparation Books

The list of section-wise best books for XAT 2023 preparation is given below:

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
XAT 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
XAT 2023 Preparation: Online Coachings and Resources

Preparing online for competitive exams has become the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are plenty of resources available online to prepare for MBA exams, especially XAT and CAT.

  • Online education platforms like Unacademy, Gradeup, and BYJUs provide excellent courses, live lectures, and study materials.
  • Top MBA coaching centers like T.I.M.E, Career Launcher, IMS Learning also provide online preparation courses with mock tests and sample papers.
  • Many Youtube channels are there for practicing GK questions and revising daily current affairs.

XAT 2023: Previous Year Exam Analysis

The difficulty level of XAT 2022 was higher than other MBA exams like CAT and NMAT. XAT Exam Analysis has been provided for XAT 2023 aspirants to help them get an idea of the important topics, difficulty level of questions, and the type of questions that they can expect. This will help in devising a clear and strategic plan of preparation.

Section Name No of Questions Distribution Of Questions Difficulty Level Good Attempts
Verbal and Logical Ability 26
  • 4 RC Passages and 2 Poems with 3 MCQs each
  • 2 para jumbles
  • 2 fill in the blanks
  • 3 grammar-based MCQs
  • 4 critical reasoning MCQs
Easy-Moderate 18-22
Decision Making 21 7 DM passages with 3 MCQs each Moderate 16-18
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation 28
  • 4 DI sets with 3 MCQs each
  • 2 MCQs on Arithmetic
  • 7 Questions from Numbers
  • 4 MCQs from Algebra
  • 2 Geometry-based questions
  • 1 MCQ on Probability
Difficult 15-17
General Knowledge 25 Mixed Questions on Static GK and Current Affairs Difficult 10-11
Essay 1 Any 1 of the given 2 topics had to be attempted:
  • Candidates with a stellar academic record are preferred by B-schools for admission but they make average managers
  • Capitalism and democracy follow different logics
- -
Overall 101 - Moderate-Difficult 59-68

XAT 2023 Admit Card

XAT 2023 Admit Card will be released by the exam conducting authority on December 20, 2022. It will be available for download on the official website- xatonline.in.

  • XAT 2023 Admit Card/ Hall Ticket will be issued to successfully registered candidates only.
  • XAT Admit card will contain all important information related to the exam center, exam time, reporting time, and exam day instructions.
  • Without a printed copy of the admit card, candidates will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.
How to Download XAT Admit Card 2023?
  • Visit the official XAT website and log in using your XAT login ID and password generated at the time of registration.
  • Click on the Download Admit Card link.
  • Your Admit Card will be downloaded and displayed on the screen.
  • Take the printout of the admit card and save it for future reference.
XAT 2023 Cut off: Expected and Previous Year Cut offs for XLRI and Other Top Colleges

XAT Cut off is the minimum XAT percentile score required to participate in the PGDM/ MBA selection process of XLRI and other XAT score accepting colleges. XAT Cut Off varies for different colleges depending on various factors- seat intake, number of eligible candidates, preferred field of study, and the difficulty level of XAT exam. Given below is the expected XAT 2023 Cut off for XLRI and other colleges along with the previous year cut offs.

XAT 2023 Cut off for XLRI (Expected)

XAT Cut Off for XLRI Jamshedpur ranges between 91 to 95 for BM and HRM programs. Also, the cutoff is different for male and female candidates.

XLRI XAT Cut off 2023 for HRM Program

XAT 2023 Sections
XLRI XAT 2023 Expected Cut off for HRM
Male Engineering Male Non-Engineering Female Engineering Female Non-Engineering
VALR 78-85 70-80 75-80 72-82
DM 75-80 78-85 65-72 65-73
QA 75-80 75-80 69-75 65-75
Overall XAT Cut off 91-95 89-92 90-93 85-90
XLRI XAT Cut off 2023 for BM Program
XAT 2023 Section XLRI XAT 2023 Expected Cut off for BM
Male Female
Overall 93-95 91-93
VALR 74-79 72-74
DM 73-78 68-74
QA 75-85 70-75
XAT 2023 Cut off for Other Colleges (Expected)
XAT College Expected XAT Cut Off Percentile
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar 90+
SPJIMR, Mumbai 90+
Institute of Management Technology(IMT), Ghaziabad 90+
Great lakes Institute of Management, Chennai 80+
Goa Institute of Management 85+
KJ Somaiya 85+
FORE School of Management 85+
IRMA Anand 80+
LIBA Chennai 80+
TAPMI Institute 80+
Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida 75+
XIME, Bangalore 75+
MICA, Ahmedabad 80+
Welingkar, Mumbai 75+
XAT Previous Year Cut off

Going through XAT previous year cut offs is essential to get an idea of what can be expected this year. Given below is XAT cut off 2022 & 2021 for XLRI BM and HRM courses.

XAT Cut off 2022 for XLRI’s PGDM-BM Program
XAT Section XAT Cut off for Male Candidates XAT Cut off for Female Candidates
Overall 93 90
VALR 75 72
DM 72 72
QA 80 75
XAT Cut off 2022 for XLRI’s PGDM-HRM Program
Category of Candidate XAT VALR Cut off XAT DM Cut off XAT QA Cut off Overall XAT Cut off
Male Engineering 80 70 75 92
Male Non-Engineering 80 70 70 90
Female Engineering 80 70 64 90
Female Non-Engineering 80 70 60 87
XAT Cut off 2021 for XLRI’s PGDM-BM Program
XAT Section XAT Cut off for Male Candidates XAT Cut off for Female Candidates
Overall 95 93
VALR 74 72
DM 78 74
QA 85 75
XAT Cut off 2021 for XLRI’s PGDM-HRM Program
Category of Candidate XAT VALR Cut off XAT DM Cut off XAT QA Cut off Overall XAT Cut off
Male Engineering 79 73 75 93
Female Engineering 74 68 70 91
Male Non-Engineering 78 73 70 90
Female Non-Engineering 73 68 65 88
SC 55 55 55 65
ST 50 50 50 55
XAT 2023: XLRI Courses, Fees, and Seat 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 -

XAT 2023 Result

XAT 2023 Result will be released in a scorecard format by XLRI Jamshedpur in the third week of January 2023.

  • To download XAT result from the official website, candidates would need to enter their XAT ID and Password on the official website- xatonline.in.
  • XAT Result will be valid for 1 year from the date of its release.
  • XAT Scorecard will mention the personal details of the candidate along with the overall and sectional scores.
  • It must be noted that XAT 2023 scores of the GK section will not be considered for the calculation of the final XAT Cut off percentile. It will be of value only during the final selection rounds.

XAT 2023 Selection Process

XAT 2023 Selection Process will begin after the declaration of result. XLRI does not carry out a centralized selection process, hence, every XAT score accepting institute follows its own selection process and criteria.

  • XLRI XAT selection process will include GD-PI rounds. Only candidates shortlisted on the basis of XAT cut offs will be called for GD-PI rounds.
  • Post the conclusion of the PI round, XLRI will prepare the final merit list based on various parameters: XAT 2023 score, XAT GD-PI scores, work experience, past academic scores, and GK & Essay section scores.
  • The weightage assigned to XAT score & GD/PI scores in the preparation of the final merit list will be 60% & 25% respectively.

Other Institutes may either follow a similar or a distinct selection process depending on their seat intake and allotment criteria.

XLRI Jamshedpur Placement Statistics

XLRI has completed the placements for the 2022 batch for PGDM BM and PGDM HRM programs with a 100% placement record. Here is a brief summary of the placement statistics in XLRI Jamshedpur for the 2022 batch: 

  • Consulting firms made offers to 24% of the candidates.
  • Gaming & Online Services, ITES, E-Commerce constituted 27% of the roles offered to the students.
  • Sales & Marketing accounted for 25% of the offers made. 
  • Amazon, PayTM, ITC, BCG, Accenture Strategy, and Microsoft made the highest number of offers.
Category Details
Total Recruiters 99
New Recruiters 23
Total Students 427
Percentage of Students who received Pre-placement Offers 40.28%
Median Salary INR 29 LPA
Average Salary INR 30.73 LPA
Highest Domestic Offer INR 60+ LPA (BFSI Domain)
Highest International Offer INR 58.5 LPA (S & M Domain)
Top 10th Percentile Average Salary INR 48.42 LPA
Top 25th Percentile Average Salary INR 41.2 LPA
Top Recruiters ITC, Paytm, Accenture, Freshworks, Microsoft, American Express, Amazon, Swiggy, PWC
XAT 2023: Top Score Accepting MBA/ PGDM Colleges

Find below the list of top XAT 2023 Score Accepting MBA Colleges.

XAT 2023 Score Accepting Colleges
IMT Ghaziabad MICA Ahmedabad
Great Lakes Institute of Management TAPMI Manipal
SPJIMR Mumbai Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Bengaluru
ITM Navi Mumbai IPE Hyderabad
GIM Goa KJ Somaiya Mumbai
FORE New Delhi IRMA
IFMR XIME Bangalore
SFIMR Mumbai Xavier Business School (XBS), St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata
LIBA Chennai XISS Ranchi

XAT Overview FAQs

Ques. Is XAT exam tougher than CAT?

Yes, XAT is tougher than CAT. As per students and experts alike, the difficulty level of the questions asked in XAT Quant, DI, and Verbal Ability are tougher than those asked in CAT. Furthermore, XAT has two sections, namely GK and Decision Making, which are not a part of CAT syllabus and this adds to the difficulty level of XAT.

Ques. How many candidates take XAT exam every year?

On an average, XAT exam is taken by 75000-80000 candidates every year. In 2022, around 90000 candidates appeared for the test as many missed their chance in 2021 due to the pandemic. However, in the previous years (2021-2019), not more than 80000 candidates have appeared for the test.

Ques. Does XLRI also offer MBA courses apart from its PGDM programs? Are the PGDM programs offered by XLRI at par with MBA?

No, XLRI does not offer MBA programs. It only offers 2 years full time AICTE approved PGDM programs in Business Management (BM) and Human Resource Management (HRM). However, these are duly recognized as MBA equivalent by the AIU. Apart from these, XLRI also offers a 15 months full time PGDM (General Management) program.

Ques. How much is XAT 2023 application fee?

XAT Application fee has been increased from INR 1800 to INR 2000 (+200 for every XLRI program). Also, XAT application fee is the same for all candidates irrespective of their gender, caste, and category.

Ques. Is there any sectional time limit in XAT exam?

XAT Question Paper comprises 101 questions divided into 2 parts . For the 3 sections in Part 1 (75 questions)- Decision Making, Verbal & Logical ability, and QADI, 165 minutes are given in total. There is no division of time between these 3 sections in Part 1. For attempting the GK and Essay Writing sections in Part 2, 25 minutes are provided.

Ques. Will IIMs accept XAT 2023 scores?

No, IIMs will not grant admission on the basis of XAT 2023 exam scores. IIMs will only accept CAT scores for admission. However, XAT 2023 score will be accepted by other top management schools across the country like XLRI Jamshedpur, XLRI Delhi, XIM Bangalore, SPJIMR Mumbai, GIM Goa, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, XIME Bangalore, TAPMI Manipal, XISS Ranchi, etc.

Ques. Is there any restriction on the number of attempts for XAT?

No, there is no restriction on the number of times you can attempt XAT exam. XAT is conducted once every year. Hence, candidates can take XAT every year provided they fulfill the other minimum eligibility criteria mentioned in the article above.

Ques. Does XLRI release different XAT cut offs for BM and HRM programs?

Yes, XAT cut off varies depending on the XLRI programs- BM and HRM. Also, the cut off for these programs differs for males and females, engineers and non-engineers. The cut off for XLRI programs usually ranges between 91-95 depending on the above categories of candidates.

Ques. Are there sectional cut offs for XLRI admission through XAT?

Yes, XLRI releases sectional XAT cutoffs. Candidates need to secure the minimum marks in each of the sections along with the overall cutoff. If candidates are unable to meet the sectional XAT cut offs, they are ineligible for admission to PGDM-BM/ HRM courses offered by XLRI.

Ques. Which are the 12 XAMI Member Institutes that accept XAT scores for admission?

The 12 XAT Associate XAMI Member Institutes that accept XAT score for admission are tabulated below for your reference:

XAT Associate XAMI Member Institutes Location
Loyola Institute of Business Administration Chennai
Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago Chicago
St. Francis Institute of Management and Research (SFIMR) Mumbai
St. Joseph's Institute of Management Bengaluru
St.Aloysius Institute of Management and Information Technology Mangalore
Xavier Business School (XBS), St.Xavier's University ,Kolkata Kolkata
Xavier Institute of Management, Xavier University Bhubaneswar
Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship Bengaluru
Xavier Institute of Management & Research Mumbai
Xavier Institute of Development Action and Sciences (XIDAS) Jabalpur (M.P)
XLRI Xavier School of Management Jamshedpur
Xavier Institute of Social Service Ranchi

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