Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT conducted by XLRI is one of the top management tests conducted in India. Aspirants appear for XAT for admission to XLRI and other XAMI Member Institutes for its flagship MBA and PGDM Programs. Its MBA-HR Program is regarded as the top program all over Asia. In this article, we will go through the detailed XAT Syllabus, XAT Section-wise Syllabus analysis, and XAT Exam Pattern for 2025.
XAT is also considered one of the toughest management exams in India. The XAT exam Syllabus and Exam Pattern are vast and scoring and XAT requires you to have a detailed analysis of all the topics and pattern.
XAT Exam Pattern 2025
Before you get into the detailed XAT Syllabus, let us first understand the XAT Exam Pattern. The Exam Pattern for XAT has been updated from the past years where the whole XAT Exam is divided into three parts inclusive of five sections in total.
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| Section | XAT Subjects | No. of Questions | XAT Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part- I | Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 175 Minutes |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | ||
| Decision Making | 22 | ||
| Part- II | Mock Keyboard Testing | – | 5 Minutes |
| Part- III | General Knowledge | 25 | 30 Minutes |
| Essay Writing (250-300 words) | – |
- XAT is a Computer-Based Test comprising 105 Questions to be covered within 210 Minutes.
- +1 Mark for every correct answer, -0.25 for every incorrect answer
- Additionally, -0.10 marks will be deducted for 8 consecutive or more unattempted questions. ‘
- All the questions in the XAT Exam would be MCQ type except the Essay Writing Section.
Also Read: XAT 2025 Preparation Strategy
XAT Exam Syllabus 2025
The XAT Syllabus is somewhat similar to CAT but is not officially released by XLRI. Before diving into the XAT exam syllabus, getting a fair idea of the Exam Pattern is important. The XAT Exam broadly consists of 5 sections:
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation
- Decision Making
- General Knowledge
- Essay Writing
Out of these 5 sections, the first three sections’ scores are considered while computing the XAT Percentile. The marks for Essay Writing will be analyzed only when you are shortlisted for further XAT Interview Rounds.
Let us check the detailed XAT Syllabus 2025 Section Wise:
Aspirants can register for the XAT 2025 Exam at XAT’s Official Website
XAT Syllabus For Verbal And Logical Ability
This section is the combination of Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Logical Reasoning. The total number of questions under this section in XAT 2025 is 26 MCQ-type Questions. The topics are categorized into three components in this section:
| Verbal Ability | Reading Comprehension | Logical Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | RC Passages based on Abstract topics, Literature, Social and Economic Issues; Science and Culture, Fiction and History | Analogy |
| Fill in the Blanks with Correct Words | Author’s View type of question | Binary Logic |
| Synonyms/ Antonyms | True/False Statements based on the Passage | Facts and Judgement |
| Contextual Usage | Explanation of Words/Phrases in the Passage | Inference |
| Jumbled Paragraphs | Logical Sequence | |
| Completion of Paragraphs | ||
| Completion of Sentences | ||
| Correction of Errors | ||
| Correct use of words |
Check out the XAT 2025 Selection Process.
XAT Syllabus For Quantitative Aptitude And Data Interpretation
QADI Section in XAT includes two broad sections of CAT: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation. The total number of questions under this section in XAT 2025 is 28 MCQ-type Questions. The XAT syllabus topics are categorised into two components in this section; Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation.
| Arithmetic | Algebra | Modern Maths | Number System/ Theory | Data Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time and Work | Logarithms | Probability | LCM & HCF | Analysis of Comparative Data Tables |
| Interest (Simple & Compound) | Quadratic Equations | Permutation and Combinations | Factors & Multiples | Bar Diagrams |
| Ratio & Proportion | Linear Equations | Set Theory | Remainders | Data Analysis and Comparison |
| Percentages | Inequalities | Divisibility Rules | Data Charts | |
| Averages | Surds and Indices | Unit/ Last two Digits | Pie Charts | |
| Speed, Time and Distance | Functions | Tabular Graphs | ||
| Partnerships | AP/GP | Mixed Combinations | ||
| Profit and Loss |
XAT Syllabus For Decision-Making
The decision-making section is the most unique section in XAT and aspirants need to solve some very situational sets for which you need adaptive thinking. The total number of questions under this section in XAT 2025 is 22 MCQ-type Questions. The possible topics in the Decision Making section include:
| Decision-Making in a Situation | Data Arrangement Sets | Complex Data Arrangement |
| Conditions and Grouping | Case lets | Assumptions |
| Premises | Conclusions |
XAT Syllabus For General Knowledge
The GK Section in XAT is extremely vast as it covers a wide range of topics. Although, the scores of this section are not taken into consideration while calculating the XAT Percentile. You must have a regular update on the important events and activities in the country to ace the GK Section in XAT 2025. Some of the topics include:
| National & International Current Affairs | Capitals & Currencies | Indian Constitution and Laws |
| Famous Personalities | Books & Authors | Different Economic Policies & Agendas |
| Conventional GK | Organizations & their Headquarters |
XAT Syllabus For Essay Writing
The Essay Writing Section was reintroduced in the XAT Exam Pattern after 2018 in XAT 2022. This is the only Descriptive Section in the XAT Exam. Out of 3 questions, you are required to choose 1 question and write a short essay which should not be more than 300 words.
This section would require one to provide definitive thoughts and creative ideas. The Essay Writing Section is evaluated only when a candidate is shortlisted for the further XAT admission process.
Some of the Previous Year Topics of XAT were:
| Year | XAT Essay Topics |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Capitalism and Democracy cannot co-exist |
| 2018 | Ethical Practices and Sustainability: Do they co-exist? |
| 2017 | Globalization and Jingoism always coexist |
| 2016 | Technology and Nature are natural enemies |
XAT Score Vs. Percentile
The XAT Exam is one of the toughest Management Exams in India. Also, the score for XAT is quite low because of its unique Exam Pattern and Scoring. Let us look into the scores and their percentiles.
| Raw XAT Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 39- 40.5 | 99 |
| 33- 34 | 95 |
| 31- 32 | 93 |
| 29- 30 | 90 |
| 27- 28 | 89 |
Top Colleges To Target With XAT 2025
Apart from the XAMI Member Institutes, over 160 B-Schools in India accept the XAT Score. After discussing the XAT exam syllabus, here’s a list of some of the top B-Schools that you can target with the XAT 2025 Score:
| Colleges Name | Fees (in lakhs) | Average Pkg. | XAT Cut-off %ile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur | 27 | 30.7 LPA | 93 to 95+ |
| Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneshwar (XIMB) | 20 | 17.54 LPA | 90+ |
| Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA), Ahmedabad | 21 | 19 LPA | 86 to 90+ |
| Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad | 19.5 | 17.35 LPA | 88 to 90+ |
| International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi | 21.3 | 15.48 LPA | 87 to 90+ |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Chennai | 18.75 | 12.5 LPA | 85 to 90+ |
| Institute of Rural Management (IRMA), Anand | 11.7 | 14.33 LPA | 82 to 86+ |
| FORE School of Management, New Delhi | 16.9 | 14.04 LPA | 82 to 85+ |
Where To Prepare For XAT 2025?
The correct approach to ace XAT 2025 requires consistent preparation and regular practice. Know the right strategy and preparation guide by iQuanta.
Check out the iQuanta XAT Course.
