Xavier’s Admission Test (XAT)

General Description:

The XAT is a relatively new entrance test introduced by XLRI, Jamshedpur for admission to its associate schools.

Accepting Institutes:

• Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur
• Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
• S P Jain Institute of Management and Research
• Goa Institute of Management
• Alliance Business Academy, Bangalore
• Graduate School of Business & Administration, Ghaziabad
• Indira School of Management Studies, Pune
• Institute for Technology & Management, Mumbai
• Institute of Finance And International Management, Chennai
• Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Harihar
• Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai
• Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Bangalore
• Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi
• Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research
• EMPI Business School
• Mudra Institute of Communication
• International Institute For Special Education (IISE)
• Asia Pacific Institute of Management Studies (AIMS), Delhi
• Bharathidasan Institute of Management (BIM), Trichy
• Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Secudarabad
• Suryadatta Institute of Management & Mass Communication (SIMMC), Pune
• Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi
• GITAM Institute of International Business (GIIB), Vishakapatnam
• Institute of Marketing & Management (IMM), Delhi
• St. Joseph's College of Business Administration (SJCBA), Bangalore
• Institute of Science & Management (ISM), Ranchi
• Integrated Academy of Management and Technology (INMANTEC)
• Mangalmay Institute of Management & Technology (MIMT)
• Training & Advance Studies in Management & Communication Ltd
• Disha Institute of Management and Techno
   

Dates:

The XAT is held on the first Sunday of January every year, across a number of cities in India.

Eligibility:

• A candidate must be a graduate from a recognized university or a deemed university.
• Candidates appearing for the final year of bachelor’s degree and awaiting results can also apply.

Format and Peculiarities:

The XAT is one of the toughest entrance examinations you’ll ever come across. Unlike the CAT, time isn’t the only constraint. Many students come out of the exam hall without understanding a single word in the Verbal section. The level of Quantitative problems is also far higher than that of most entrance exams.

The 120-minute written test which used to be followed by a 20-minute Essay Writing Section will now witness a major change. In the new pattern, the first part has been allotted 140 minutes and is followed by a 40-minute Essay & General Awareness Section. The topic of the Essay, as usual, is not expected to be easily comprehensible.

Negative Marking: 1/4th of the marks allotted for every question

XAT has a variable marking scheme. Marks for different questions normally vary from 1 to 5, and there is proportionate negative marking.

Another peculiarity of XAT is the Decision Making section, where your ‘Managerial Skills’ will be tested.

The essay is usually not marked, but you can definitely be questioned on it during your Interview. Provided, of course, you make it till there.

Tips:

It’s of utmost importance to remember that you are NOT going to be able to solve all the questions, so it makes a lot more sense to concentrate on accuracy rather than just solving many many questions. Since the XAT is a really difficult test, preparation plays a key role. Practicing incomprehensible Reading Comprehensions, and solving complicated Quant problems would go a long way in helping you prepare for XAT. Also, since the marking scheme is so varied, don’t be afraid of devoting extra time to lucrative 5 mark questions, but be vary of wasting too much time on 1 mark questions.