XAT Syllabus 2025

XAT Exam Syllabus, XAT Exam Timeline, XAT Section-Wise Syllabus, XAT Preparation Tips, XAT Best Books

Updated on 1st October 2024 | 10:17 am | #XATSyllabus2025

The XAT syllabus 2025 is usually set by XLRI Jamshedpur, which does not contain any fixed number of topics, nor do they typically release any fixed XAT syllabus every year. However, based on previous year trends, it has been observed that the XAT 2025 syllabus contains four major areas, namely:

  • Verbal & Logical Ability
  • Decision Making
  • Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
  • General Knowledge.

XAT has one unique section, i.e. Decision Making, for which candidates must prepare separately. The XAT exam syllabus 2025 has not changed this year, but the pattern has been revised; the essay writing section has been removed from the XAT 2025 exam, and General Knowledge will have only 20 questions. The XAT 2025 question paper will have 95 questions. The exam will last only 180 minutes, and to score a good percentile in the XAT exam, candidates must cover every topic covered under XAT exam syllabus.

Aspiring To Take XAT 2025?

XAT Syllabus 2025 - Overview

XAT Syllabus is just as extensive as the CAT Syllabus, and similar to CAT, it does not have an official XAT 2025 syllabus which gives the convening body some flexibility while setting the paper. Before covering XAT exam syllabus, it is advisable for all XAT takers to be aware of the XAT Exam Pattern 2025, which has to be carefully looked at.

XAT Exam Syllabus 2025 is comprised of four main sections that are to be looked at thoroughly:

As mentioned above, the XAT Syllabus is not explicitly released by XLRI Jamshedpur, which convenes the XAT. However, the previous XAT papers can be used as a guideline for the types of questions asked as well as the topics that are generally tested in the XAT Exam. To prepare according to the XAT Syllabus, we need to look at the syllabus according to the sections.

Here is the breakdown of the XAT syllabus 2025 for your reference:

XAT Exam Syllabus

Relevant Topics

Verbal and Logical Ability

Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Parajumble, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Fill in the Blanks, etc.

Decision Making

Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc.

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc.

General Knowledge

Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.

The XAT marking scheme for the XAT 2025 is expected to be:

Due to this rule of not leaving more than 8 questions unattempted, the candidates must be extremely strategic in the questions they decide to leave.


XAT Syllabus 2025 - Exam Timeline

XAT Exam Application Dates 2025

XAT 2025 Registraion Start Date

15th July 2024

XAT Registration Last Date

30th November 2024

XAT 2025 Application Form Correction Window

The last week of November to the first week of December 2024

XAT Admit Card 2023 Download

Third week of December (Tentatively)

XAT 2025 Exam Date

5th January 2025

XAT Response Sheet + XAT Answer Key

January – Week 2 (Tentatively)

XAT Exam Result Date

Last week of January (Tentatively)

Don't miss out on any latest updates on XAT 2025 exam; visit XAT Notifications 2025.


XAT Syllabus 2025: Section-Wise Topics

Understanding the XAT exam syllabus is crucial for effective preparation. Similar to other management entrance tests, the XAT syllabus 2025 comprises four main sections:

This understanding allows candidates to practice effectively for the exam. Here is the section-wise analysis of the XAT syllabus 2025 given below:

XAT Syllabus For Verbal & Logical Ability 2025

This section is a combination of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) & Logical Reasoning. It consists of three distinct sections for preparation purposes:

XAT Syllabus For Verbal Ability

This part of the Verbal & Logical Ability Section is similar to the VA section in the CAT Exam. Thus the topics that are generally tested in the XAT Exam and hence are considered part of the XAT Syllabus are:

XAT Syllabus For Reading Comprehension

In the XAT exam, Reading Comprehension holds less weight than in the VARC section of the CAT Exam, but it remains significant. As with CAT, all topics are included in the XAT Exam, and passages are constrained by a limited word count. However, this brevity doesn't necessarily make the passages easier to read.

The types of questions asked in the RC section according to the XAT Syllabus are:

XAT Syllabus For Logical Reasoning

The Logical Reasoning section in the XAT 2025 Syllabus is mostly covered by the CAT Syllabus. There are generally few questions for this section in the XAT Exam. It also includes some Critical Reasoning Questions which are generally not asked in the CAT Exam.

The topics generally tested in the Logical Reasoning part according to the XAT Syllabus 2025 are:

The Logical Reasoning Questions in the XAT Exam could be in the form of sets or individual questions.

XAT Syllabus For Decision Making 2025

The Decision Making section is unique to the XAT Exam in comparison to all other MBA Entrance Exams. It tests the candidate on their presence of mind and ability to read the situation so that the candidate's problem-solving/case-solving skills can be tested. The number of questions in this section varies from paper to paper.

The topics which are generally tested in this section according to the XAT Syllabus 2025 are:

To prepare for the Decision Making Section of the XAT Exam Syllabus, the candidates are encouraged to solve as many XAT Exam Papers of the Past as possible. This will ensure that the candidates are familiar with not only the topics of the section but also the language of the XAT Exam.

XAT Syllabus For Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation 2025

This section is a combination of two sections of CAT: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation. This is basically to check your analytical and problem-solving skills.

XAT Syllabus For Quantitative Ability

The XAT Syllabus for the Quantitative Ability section is similar to that of the CAT Syllabus. According to the previous XAT Papers which determine the XAT Syllabus, the topics generally tested are:

Given the extensive nature of the XAT Exam Syllabus in the Quantitative section, it is important to start the preparation as soon as possible. The level of difficulty of the XAT Questions is tougher than that of the CAT Questions due to which knowing the basics is not enough.

Candidates would benefit if they study for the Quantitative Ability section with XAT in mind rather than CAT so that they can get accustomed to that level of difficulty.

XAT Syllabus For Data Interpretation

The XAT Syllabus for the Data Interpretation section consists of:

The Questions are generally in the form of sets, like in CAT, however individual questions may also be asked on occasion.

XAT Syllabus for General Knowledge (GK)

This is another section that CAT does not test. However, despite the presence of the section, the XAT percentiles are calculated based on the first 3 sections.

The XAT Syllabus in this section is extremely vast with current affairs as well as conventional GK (trivia). The topics which are regularly asked in this section include:


XAT 2025 Preparation Tips

Preparing for XAT 2025 isn't a piece of cake; it will require proper time and commitment. Although there aren't any hard and fast rules for acing any exam, it totally depends on the capability of the test taker. However, in order to enhance and expedite your XAT preparation 2025, we have curated a few tips suggested by top CAT experts, as follows:


Best Books for XAT Preparation 2025

Books can indeed be invaluable companions, especially when preparing for an entrance test with no specific syllabus. Finding the right books is crucial for effective preparation in such cases.

Therefore, here are some of the books that you can refer to for your XAT 2025 preparation:

Book

Author

High School English Grammar

Wren and Martin

A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning

R.S. Aggarwal

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

Ajay Singh

9th and 10th Grammar Books

A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning

R.S. Aggarwal

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

Gautam Puri

Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations

RS Aggarwal

Quantitative Aptitude for All Competitive Examinations

Abhijit Guha


Conclusion

The XAT Exam is recognized as one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams due to its high difficulty level. This difficulty can benefit candidates in preparing for other MBA entrance exams. The first three sections carry the most weight in terms of pattern and percentile calculation. All sections are equally important due to their similar numbers of questions and sectional cutoffs. Many candidates consider the Decision Making section to be crucial as its preparation is quite challenging. Therefore, thorough preparation according to the XAT syllabus is vital for clearing the XAT cutoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

The key topics covered in the XAT syllabus are:

  • Verbal and Logical Ability
  • Decision Making
  • Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
  • General Knowledge
  • Essay Writing

The best strategies to prepare for the Decision Making section are as follows:

  • Practice decision-making questions every day to familiarize yourself with the types of questions.
  • Review past year's papers to understand the types of questions that appear in the exam.
  • Avoid making your conclusions or judgments regarding the question, only answer based on the facts provided.
  • Pick the answers that minimize the damage and maximize the benefits in the given scenario.

The mathematical section of XAT is vast, much like CAT. However, here are some of the major areas that you must focus on when preparing for the exam:

  • Algebra
  • Number Systems
  • LCM and HCF
  • Arithmetic
  • Profit and Loss
  • Geometry

If you are also preparing for CAT while preparing for XAT, except the Decision Making section of XAT your preparation strategy will remain the same.

  • Focus on establishing the basics
  • Practise mock tests regularly
  • Review the past years’ papers
  • Stay updated on current affairs

Suggested Readings

XAT Eligibility 2025 XAT Colleges XAT Online Classes Free resources for XAT preparation XAT Test Series