XAT Syllabus 2020 : Exam Pattern, Date, Selection Process

XAT Syllabus 2020 : The Xavier Aptitude Test shortly called as XAT for the year 2020 is planned to be held by the XLRI Jamshedpur on the 5^th of January 2020. XLRI will conduct the XAT this year on behalf of XAMI. This year similar to the past two years, the test will be conducted as a computer-based test. Until 2018, the test was conducted as a paper-based test. When talking about the exam pattern, there was a small change in the pattern from the year 2019. When it comes to the syllabus, a small change was brought in 2019 as compared to the previous years. Candidates should be completely aware of the XAT exam pattern and syllabus to plan their preparation for XAT 2020 accordingly.

XAT Exam Important Dates

Here is a table to show the important dates that candidates will have to remember after they submit their application:

XAT Exam Pattern 2020

Brief Structure

XAT 2020 will be conducted as a computer-based test. There will be 99 questions in total in the question paper and all questions will be in multiple-choice format. Each question will have five options from which the test-takers will have to choose the correct one. They will get one mark for every correct answer and there will be a negative marking of 0.25 for question numbers 1-74. There will not be any negative marking for questions 75-99, which are General Knowledge Questions. The time allowed for the entire test is three hours. To calculate the percentile of test-takers only the first three sections are considered and the GK section answers are not considered for percentile calculation.

Detailed View

Here is a table to show the pattern of XAT 2020:

When compared to the year 2018, for 2019 and 2020, the time limit was reduced from three-and-half hours to three hours. In the same way, the number of sections was 5 earlier and now it is 4. Similarly, the question paper had subjective type questions earlier, but now the test will have only objective type questions. In addition to all these things, earlier, the total number of questions in both parts together was 100 and now it is 99. The essential change is the omission of the essay writing part. Even though there is no sectional time limit, candidates will be allowed to move to part 2 only after they complete part 1.

• XAT Admit Card 2020
• MAT Exam
• MAT Syllabus

XAT Syllabus 2020

Here is an overview of the topics covered under each section to help candidates get an idea when they prepare for XAT 2020

Verbal and Logical Ability

• Poem
• Cloze Test
• Paragraph Formation Questions
• Pronunciation
• Reading Comprehensions
• Grammar
• Sentence Correction
• Vocabulary
• Para Completion
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical interference/Reasoning
• Para Jumble
• Fill in the blanks
• Analogue-based on vocabulary
• Statements-Assumptions

The questions in this section will be moderate to difficult based on the previous year.

Decision Making

The questions in this section will be moderate to difficult as per the past trend. This section will have around 7-8 sets of decision-making problems followed by around two to three questions in each set. The total number of questions in this section will be 21 and the questions will be asked from:

• Situational problems
• Analytical Reasoning
• Arithmetic

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

• Arithmetic

1. Time & Distance
2. Profit & Loss
3. Percentage
4. Equations
5. Time & Work

• Algebra

1. Permutation & Combination
2. Functions & Graphs
3. Mensuration
4. Geometry
5. Probability
6. Numbers
7. Progressions
8. Trigonometry
9. Polynomials
10. Venn Diagram

• Data Analysis & Interpretation

1. Bar Charts
2. Scatter Plots
3. Table
4. Data Sufficiency
5. Graphs

This section will have 27 questions from moderate to difficult level as the level of difficulty.

General Knowledge

The questions in this section will be from General knowledge and Current affairs. Candidates can expect the questions from the following chapters:

General Knowledge

• Science
• History
• Business
• Personality
• Geography
• Important Dates
• Films
• Books & Authors
• Currency
• Culture
• National Capital

Current Affairs

• National Issues
• Economics
• Ecosystem & Diversity
• Film & Television
• Sports
• Politics

The marks that candidates secure in this section will not be considered for percentile calculation. However, it is better to keep updated to score well in this section.

XAT Exam Date

Candidates can expect the application process to begin from the third week of August 2019 for the XAT 2020 that is planned to be held on the 5^th of January 2020.

Date of XAT 2020: 5^th January 2020

XAT Selection Process

• It is expected that the results for the XAT 2020, which is to be held on the 5^th of January 2020 will be released in the third week of January 2020.
• After this, the XLRI Jamshedpur will start shortlisting candidates for the final selection round by shortlisting them from the marks they secure in the computer-based XAT 2020.
• Candidates shortlisted from the online test will have to get through Group Discussion – Personal Interview – Written Ability Test or PI & WAT or GD-PI. Otherwise, the selection process can have different components as well.
• For candidates, who cannot attend these rounds due to their living in a foreign country, they are allowed to take up these rounds online.
• After these rounds, it is expected that XLRI will release the final list of selected candidates.