XAT Preparation Tips 2024: Steps To Crack XAT Easily?

Individuals seeking to embark on their XAT 2024 preparation journey should note that XLRI stands as a pinnacle among management institutions, coveted by aspirants nationwide. Given that XAT scores are a pivotal factor for admission into XLRI and various other esteemed B-schools, it’s imperative to acknowledge that the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) poses a considerable challenge, demanding meticulous planning, effective strategies and dedicated effort.

This guide comprehensively assists those wondering how to initiate their XAT 2024 preparation. It furnishes invaluable insights on essential steps, pitfalls to avoid, optimal resources for preparation, and more.

Beyond XLRI, aspirants with XAT scores can also pursue admission to prestigious institutions like SPJIMR, IMT, XIMB, TAPMI, XIME, BIMTECH, and others. An initial stride in XAT preparation entails familiarizing oneself with the exam’s pattern and syllabus. This foundational understanding facilitates the formulation of a tailored plan and strategy to excel in XAT 2024, securing a commendable percentile. Therefore, before delving into the specifics of commencing XAT 2024 preparation, it’s imperative to grasp the exam’s structure and sectional composition.

XAT Preparation Tips 2024

How to Begin XAT Preparation: Familiarize Yourself with the Exam Pattern

XAT 2024 serves as the gateway for aspirants aiming to secure admission in MBA/ PGDM programs offered by XLRI institutions. Understanding the exam pattern is crucial for effective preparation. Here’s an overview of the XAT exam pattern, covering aspects such as the medium of the exam, number of questions, marking scheme, topics, and duration.

XAT Exam Pattern 2024

Conducting Body: XLRI Jamshedpur

Mode of Exam: Computer-based test

Duration: Three hours

Type of Questions: Multiple-choice questions

Number of Questions: 100 MCQs + 1 Descriptive question

Marking Scheme:

  • 1 Mark for every correct answer
  • 0.25 deducted for every incorrect answer (except for general awareness)
  • 0.10 marks deduction for more than 8 un-attempted questions
  • No negative marking in general awareness

Number of Sections: Five sections

  1. Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
  2. Verbal and Logical Ability
  3. Decision Making
  4. General Knowledge
  5. Essay Writing

XAT 2024 Sectional Breakdown

The XAT entrance exam features a variable distribution of questions across its sections, where some sections may contain more questions than others. Alongside multiple-choice questions (MCQs), candidates must complete an essay writing task during the test. Below is the sectional composition of the XAT 2024 question paper:

XAT Sections Number of Questions Total Marks
Decision Making 22 22
Verbal and Logical Ability 26 26
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation 28 28
General Knowledge 25 25
Essay (250 words) 1 (candidates can choose 1 topic from 3 options) To be evaluated upon shortlisting

Preparation Tips

The candidates must follow the below-given tips to prepare for the XAT:

1. Study Plan

  • Create your timetable for XAT Exam and followed it correctly.
  • Analyze the subject-wise topics and collect the syllabus.
  • Collect information about the complete XAT Syllabus and divide them equally as per your time so that every minor topic should get covered in your study plans.
  • Gather the mock papers and previous question papers and solved it.
  • Complete all basic concepts.

2. Time Management

  • Students must give equal weightage to all the subjects and prepare for them as per your prepared timetable.
  • Include short breaks of 15 minutes between long hours of study.
  • Maintaining a proper schedule for every task can lead you to success.
  • Divide the time for all subjects (Verbal and Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, Decision Making and Analytical Reasoning, Essay Writing, and General Knowledge).

3. Maintain Health

It plays a vital role in the preparation for XAT Exam. Before starting preparation, you must create a timetable covering all your subjects/topics.

  • During preparation, never ignore your health, so maintain your health.
  • Take fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid junk food and a heavy diet.
  • At the time of preparation do yoga and meditation, it will help you to calm your mind, increasing inner peace, confidence, and power of concentration.
  • Never over-stress yourself and try to get sleep for at least six to eight hours.

4. Revision

  • Make sure you revise every topic thoroughly and prepare well for every topic by revising time and again.
  • Try to complete the syllabus in time so that you will get enough time for revision.
  • Keep a check on your performance; it is compulsory to jump directly upon the previous XAT question on the topic you just finished. You can try to solve some examples in model papers also.
  • Do not start a new topic in the last stage of preparation.
  • Allot the last two days of examination for the preparation of important topics.
  • Prepare a separate revision plan for last-minute preparations.
  • At last revised all primary topics.

XAT Preparation Tips [Subject-Wise]

XAT Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

Preparation tips for Verbal Ability

      • Try to attempt the Reading Comprehension at the beginning and quickly.
      • To increase your vocabulary, you should read more and more books and a dictionary.
      • Read newspapers, magazines, and articles daily.
      • Candidates should work on improving their grammar part and practice reading a lot.
      • Collect Mock papers and solve them.
      • Practice at least 20-30 comprehension passages every day.
      • Read English newspapers and watch English news channels daily for English Language Preparation.
      • Vocabulary- Daily search for new words and check the meaning and make the sentences with the antonym. You can also read some of the best vocabulary books.
      • Vocabulary-based questions like synonyms and antonyms are knowledge-based questions and can be answered correctly if and only if the meaning of the words is known.

Preparation Tips for Logical Reasoning

      • It is a logic-based question, and no formula can be used.
      • Give some seconds over a question and read it carefully.
      • Regular practice is the most important for XAT Exam and improves your speed.
      • Apply common sense and understand the subjects and logic questions.
      • The candidate should try to solve 4-50 questions on each topic and more practice for reasoning questions and apply your logic.
      • The candidate needs to pay special attention to words like ALL, SOME, NONE, OTHER THAN, UNLESS or ONLY. These words can lead to a false assumption.

Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

Preparation tips for Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

      • Clearing the basic concepts is the first step in preparing for the QA & DI section of XAT.
      • Quantitative aptitude is the most time-consuming section of the exam.
      • Data Interpretation is an essential part and should be your preference.
      • Try to learn shortcut tricks to save time in bulky calculations.
      • Focus on important topics only.
      • Spend more time with these topics- Simplification, interest, percentages, ratio and proportion, and age problems. These are easy topics and good scoring topics.
      • Some topics are scoring but take more time to solve: Profit and loss, number series, mensuration, number systems, speed, distance, etc.
      • Learn all the essential formulas and time yourself while practicing.

XAT Decision-Making & Analytical Reasoning

Preparation tips for Decision Making and Analytical Reasoning

  • Decision-making is different from logical ability.
  • Candidates need to follow a logical approach for solving the questions asked in the decision-making section.
  • This section can be divided into two parts – single-question passages and multiple-question passages.
  • Single questions passages are more comfortable to solve and are straightforward.

XAT Easy Writing

Preparation tips for Essay Writing

  • Structure
      • Candidates must make sure that the essay has a proper structure.
      • It should start with an introduction, must have a body and should end with a conclusion.
      • Try to learn shortcut tricks to save time.
      • Highlights the main points in the essay writing.
  • Using the Right Words and Facts:
      • Read General Awareness Pratiyogita Darpan or any other current affairs magazine like CST, Chronicle or Wizard.
      • Read the newspaper on a daily basis.
      • The correct usage of words can leave a positive impression in the mind of the examiner and help the candidate to gain higher marks in the XAT exam.

XAT General Knowledge

Preparation tips for General Knowledge

  • Read General Awareness Pratiyogita Darpan or any other current affairs magazine like CST, Chronicle or Wizard.
  • Candidates must follow a national newspaper in order to keep themselves updated about world events because general awareness plays a very important part in the exam.
  • General Awareness is a very scoring section, and it is less time-consuming.
  • Candidates should read newspapers or e-papers so they can increase their general knowledge.
  • Concentrate on topics like Current Affairs (National and International), Major Financial/ Economic News, Budget and Five Year Plans, Who is who?, Sports, Book, and Authors, Awards and Honors, Science – Inventions and Discoveries, Abbreviations & Important Days, etc.

Conclusion

If you want to clear the XAT exam, you need to prepare well for the exam. If you have decided to study from home, ensure proper guidance for the XAT Exam. You need to take all the measures you can to clear the exam.

In this post, we have explained the best XAT preparation tips to help you clear the exam with good grades.

All the best for your exams!

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