XAT, the most popular Management Entrance examination after the Common Aptitude Test (CAT), will be conducted on January 6, 2019, with a new and changed exam pattern. The level of difficulty of the examination ranges from medium to high. So, it is high time for XAT 2019 preparation, as only 4 months remaining for the final show. Students should know the XAT 2019 Preparation tips, books to be referred for the good score and the study plan for the remaining exam period.
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national level entrance examination for the aspirants who seek to get admitted to MBA/PGDM courses of XAT affiliated institutes. XAT is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur on the behalf of Xavier Associate Management Institutes (XAMI). XAT 2019 will be conducted on January 6, 2019, from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. The XAT 2019 registration for the examination has started from August 20, 2018. The last date to register for XAT examination is November 30, 2018.
The scores obtained in XAT is used by more than 150 B-schools for admission in MBA/PGDM courses. It is a computer-based online examination for 3 hours with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). The test will be conducted in 49 cities in India. The top institutes which accept XAT scores for the admission are XLRI –Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur; SPJIMR, Mumbai; Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai; TA Pai Management Institute, Manipal; Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad, Prin LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai, etc.
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XAT 2019 Exam Pattern
Before the preparation for an examination, it is important to know about the syllabus and the latest pattern of the XAT exam for an effective preparation. XAT 2019 would have a total of 100 questions divided into 4 sections :
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) and Logical Reasoning (LR)
- Decision Making
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- General Knowledge
Candidates must understand about each section briefly. This will help them to divide their time wisely and will also give a clear cut picture to make a study plan-
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Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning (VARC and LR)
This section tests the vocabulary and critical reasoning of the aspirants. The total number of questions for this section is 26. Each question is for 1 mark. There is also negative marking of -0.25 for every wrong answer. The level of difficulty ranges from medium to very difficult.
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Decision Making
This section is considered to be very a decisive factor for the fate of the aspirants in the examination. The total number of question is 22. There are 7-8 sets of problems based on decision making. Each set has 2-3 questions. Just like VARC and LR, each correct answer fetches 1 mark, and every wrong answer deducts -0.25 mark. The level of difficulty ranges from moderate to difficult. This section checks the analytical skill of the aspirants.
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Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
A total number of question in this section are 27. Questions are based on the aptitude. This section has the same marking rules as the above two sections, ie, every correct answer is of 1 mark, and every wrong answer deducts -.25 mark. This section is considered to be time taking as it involves basic but many calculations.
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General Knowledge
Gk section has a total of 25 sections. This also includes the current affair. The key point to be noted here is that this section carries no negative marking. Also, GK does not add to the percentile but is really important in the final selection process.
NOTE:- Another important point that if more than 12 questions are left unanswered in the sections with negative marking, an additional -0.5 mark will be deducted for every unattempted question.
Also, for XAT 2019 there will be no Essay writing section.
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XAT 2019 Preparation Strategy
After understanding the exam pattern, XAT 2019 preparation must be started. Since approximately only 4 months are left for the examination, much of the hard work and dedication has to be put in by the aspirants. An effective and smart study plan must be followed so as to optimize the time left.
1st Month Preparation Plan:
Dedicate the first month to the VARC and LR section since this has many questions asked in the examination.
Important Topics :
Analogy, Paragraph Jumbles, Paragraph completion, Critical Reasoning; Statements- assumptions, Vocabulary, Grammar, Sentence correction etc.
Recommended Books:
| Topic | Name of the book | Author |
| VARC | Word Power Made Easy Book | Norman Lewis |
| VARC | High School English Grammar & Composition | Wren, Martin |
| VARC | 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary | Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis. |
| LR | Logical Reasoning for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha |
| LR | Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S.Aggarwal |
There might be many new and important words, grammatical rules you will encounter. Make sure to highlight and make a through notes about them.
2nd Month Preparation Plan:
The second month can be fixed for Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. This section carries a lot of weightage in the examination.
Important Topics :
Time & Work, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Equations, Number system, Clocks, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Venn diagram, Tables, Bar diagram, graphs, Permutation and Combination, Data Sufficiency etc.
Recommended Books:
| Topic | Name of the book | Author |
| Quantitative | How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude | Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative | Quant. Aptitude For Competitive Examinations | Abhijit Guha |
| Data Interpretation | Data Interpretation for the CAT | Arun Sharma |
| Data Interpretation | Data Interpretation for the CAT | Nishit K Sinha |
Do not forget to add important formulae, conversion factors, concepts in the notes. Also, highlight the important concepts.
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3rd Month Preparation Plan:
In the 3rd month, start preparing for Decision-Making section to boost up and sharpen your analytical skills.
Important Topics :
Analytical Reasoning, Arithmetic, Situational, Semi-Quantitative topics
Recommended Books:
| Topic | Name of the book | Author/Publication |
| Decision Making | Analytical and Logical Reasoning | Arihant |
| Decision Making | Target XAT | Disha Experts |
| Decision Making | Jabbing the XAT | R.K.Jha |
Other than the above-mentioned books, there are many questions available online and in hard copy to boost up this section.
4th Month Preparation Plan
In the last month, start preparing for GK. Devote 20 days for GK so that you will have rest 15 days for the final revision.
Important Topics:
History, Culture, National Capital, Currency, Important dates, Books, Authors, Current affairs, General Awareness, Sports etc.
Recommended Books:
| Topic | Name of the book | Author |
| GK | General knowledge 2019 | Manohar Pandey |
Other than books, read newspapers and magazines on current affairs to keep yourself updated. These are a great source of information.
Additional Tips for XAT 2019 Preparation:
- Solve mock test papers after completing every section. This will test your preparation and help you to identify the weak sections which need more time to be worked upon.
- Coaching institutes for XAT preparation can also be joined though it is solely optional.
- Make your notes properly about every section. These are very handy during the time of revision. Also, highlight the important sections for revision.
- Keep atleast 1 hours daily for revision for starting 3 months and in last 15 days for the final revision and mock test for an overall complete syllabus. Revise the various notes those were prepared during the time of section-wise preparation.
- There are several tricks available online to solve the questions on quantitative aptitude easily and in a short time. Do check about them once.
- Do not forget to eat healthy and take adequate sleep to be fit and fine.
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!!AfterGraduation Wishes Very Best For XAT 2019 Preparation !!
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