March 14, 2024
Overview: The XAT 2024 exam was recently held on January 7, 2024, Sunday. In this blog, we will delve into a comprehensive XAT exam analysis 2024. This includes an overview of this year's paper pattern, the overall difficulty level, sectional difficulty levels, and the expected cut-off marks.
For more than 72 years XLRI (Xavier School of Management or formerly Xavier Labour Relations Institute)) is conducting XAT at all India level to select the most appropriate students for management education. The XAT score is being used by more than 160 institutes for the admission.
XAT, one of the oldest competitive examinations in the country, has always kept pace with the cutting edge testing methodology. XAT’s multidimensional testing framework, is designed to meaningfully asses the aptitude of candidates for future business success.
Regarded as one of the most challenging MBA entrance exams, XAT entrance exam is distinctive for its comprehensive evaluation of quantitative, verbal, logical and decision-making skills.
To proceed with the XAT exam analysis 2024, let's first examine this year's paper pattern. XAT 2024 follows the previous year's pattern, maintaining its online format and is divided into three parts:
The total exam duration is 210 minutes, adding complexity to the test-taking strategy.
Part A questions carry one mark for each correct answer and a negative marking of –0.25 for each incorrect response. Additionally, there is a penalty of -0.1 mark for every un-attempted question beyond the first 8 un-attempted questions.
Section | No. of Questions | Total marks | Good Attempts |
PART – A (175 minutes) No Sectional Timing within Part – A | |||
Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 26 | 14-15 |
Decision Making | 21 | 21 | 12-13 |
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 | 28 | 19-20 |
Total | 75 | ||
PART – B (5 minutes) Keyboard check | |||
PART – C (30 minutes) No Negative Marks | |||
General Awareness | 25 | 25 | |
Essay | The essay will be counted only when the candidate is shortlisted for the interview. |
Read more: Importance of GK in MBA Entrance Exam CAT
This section included various types of questions like error correction, fill-in-the-blanks, para jumbles, and critical reasoning. Let's see the key highlights in this section:
The detailed breakdown is as follows:
Question Topics | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
Error Correction | 1 | Difficult |
Grammatically Correct | 2 | Moderate |
Fill in the Blanks | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
Para Jumbles | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
Critical Reasoning | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
Poem based | 2 | Difficult |
Reading Comprehensions 1 (Beauty) | 2 | Difficult |
Reading Comprehensions 2 (The problem of unrecognized ignorance) |
3 | Moderate |
Reading Comprehensions 3 (Simplified moral frames) |
3 | Moderate |
Reading Comprehensions 4 (Mass vaccination and herd immunity) |
3 | Moderate |
Reading Comprehensions 5 (Reductive instinct and realist storytelling) |
2 | Difficult |
This section primarily focused on ethics & dilemmas, and business decisions. Let's see the key highlights in this section:
The detailed breakdown is as follows:
Question Topics | Question Type | Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
ABC Business School policies | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
HR Caselet – ‘Symbolics’ IT firm | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
HR Caselet – Experience credentials | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
Deep Sea Natural Gas Extraction | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
Competition between taxi drivers | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
Car sales | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
Wrongful termination of domestic help | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate |
Know more: Decision Making For XAT: Concepts & Preparation Strategy
This section covered various topics, including arithmetic, geometry, and data interpretation sets. Let's see the key highlights in this section:
The detailed breakdown is as follows:
Quant DI Topics | Total Questions | Difficulty Level |
Arithmetic | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
Geometry | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
Modern Math | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
Algebra | 5 | Easy to Moderate |
Number System | 2 | Moderate to Difficult |
Statistics Based Sets | 3 | Easy |
Average based set | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
Algebra | 5 | Moderate |
Set theory | 2 | Easy |
Know more: Idioms and Phrases for Management Entrance Exam
The XAT exam analysis over the years reveals a trend towards moderate to difficult levels. This has significant implications for the scoring strategy.
This table presents XAT exam analysis, focusing on changes in the exam pattern from 2020 to 2023.
XAT Exam Analysis Previous Years
Particulars | XAT 2023 | XAT 2022 | XAT 2021 | XAT 2020 |
Test Duration | 3 Hours 30 Minutes | 3 Hours 10 Minutes | 3 Hours | 3 Hours |
Test Timing | 2 PM to 5.30 PM | 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM | 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM | 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM |
Total Number of Questions | 102 | 101 | 100 | 99 |
Difficulty Level | Expected- Moderate to Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | Very Difficult |
Type of Questions | MCQS-100: Descriptive-1 | MCQS-100: Descriptive-1 | MCQS | MCQS |
Number of Sections | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Maximum Marks | 100 (Essay Evaluation after shortlisting by XLRI) | 100 (Essay Evaluation after shortlisting by XLRI) | 100 | 99 |
Marking Scheme | For each correct answer +1 For each wrong answer -0.25 | For each correct answer +1 For each wrong answer -0.25 | For each correct answer +1 For each wrong answer -0.25 | For each correct answer +1 For each wrong answer -0.25 |
Penalty for Un-attempted Questions | 0.10 negative marks after 8 un-attempted questions | 0.10 negative marks after 8 un-attempted questions | NA | 0.10 negative marks after 7 un-attempted questions |
Check: Management Courses After 12th Class
After having a fair understanding of XAT 2024 analysis, let's have look into the expected cut-off:
Institute | Expected XAT Score | |
Male | Female | |
XLRI Jamshedpur - BM | 30-32 | 28-30 |
XLRI Jamshedpur - HRM | 29-31 (Engineers) | 27-29 (Engineers) |
27-29 (Non- Engineers) | 26- 28 (Non- Engineers) |
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Absolutely, evaluating the XAT 2024 exam analysis is crucial. It enables you to gauge your performance in the XAT and identify areas for improvement. The XAT exam analysis offers a glimpse into the test's overall challenge, the nature of the questions posed, and the score distribution.
This data can be instrumental in tailoring your study strategy for subsequent tests, allowing you to concentrate on areas where you're lacking.
If we look at the overall XAT exam analysis 2024, the overall good attempts should be between 45-50 questions out of the total 75 questions.
The XAT cutoff is the essential score that applicants must achieve to be considered for further selection stages in XAT-participating institutes.
The official XAT cutoff will be published on the website following the/ announcement of the XAT results. Factors influencing the XAT cutoff include the total number of test-takers, the difficulty level of the exam, and the available MBA admission seats.
Learn more: How to Start MBA Preparation For CAT 2024?
In conclusion, the XAT 2024 exam continues to be a pivotal gateway for MBA aspirants, with its evolving structure and challenging content reflecting the dynamic needs of top business schools. Candidates must adapt to these changes, focusing on comprehensive preparation across all sections.
Understanding the exam's complexity by doing proper XAT exam analysis 2024 along with strategic preparation and awareness of expected cutoffs, will be key to success. As XAT maintains its reputation as a rigorous test, it offers a unique opportunity for aspirants to demonstrate their aptitude and readiness for the demanding world of management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How has the XAT exam format changed in 2024?
What are the expected difficulty levels of different sections in XAT 2024?
How is the essay section evaluated in XAT 2024?
What strategies should I adopt for XAT based on the exam analysis?
What is the significance of understanding the XAT exam analysis?
What are the expected cutoffs for top institutes like XLRI in XAT 2024?
Is XAT more challenging than other MBA entrance exams?