XAT 2023 Preparation Tips

XAT 2023 exam will be held on January 8, 2023. It will be a computer-based test with 101 questions that will last 3 hours and 10 minutes from 9.30 a.m. to 12.40 p.m. A well-planned XAT 2023 Preparation for the XAT exam will help you gain admission to famous B-schools such as XLRI, IMI, IMT, LBSIM, XIMB, TAPMI, XIME, and BIMTECH. The updated XAT exam format should be followed when preparing for the XAT 2023 exam.

How to Prepare for XAT 2023?

First step to start preparing is having an understanding of the pattern and syllabus of the exam. 

The pattern for XAT exam of 2023 is divided into 5 sections:

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

Now let's have a look at the Marking scheme for the 3 hour 10 minutes XAT exam which consists of 100 MCQs questions and 1 descriptive question. 

• 1 Mark for every correct answer
• 0.25 for every incorrect answer (except general awareness)
• 0.10 marks deduction for more than 8 unattempted questions
• No negative marking in general awareness

The preparation for XAT should start at least 3-4 months before the exam date in order to cover the entire course with as little time and effort as possible. XAT 2023's test preparation strategy should be based on updated test templates and courses to ensure systematic and thorough test preparation. The weight of the Quant & DI part is the highest-28%, so the preparation of XAT 2023 should be allocated the longest time.

XAT is one of the most difficult entrance exams in the country, so a well-organized XAT 2023 exam preparation plan is required to pass the exam. Applicants should consult the best books and resources to ensure thorough learning.

XAT Preparation Tips

Some experts believe that XAT is one of the most difficult entrance exams in India, even more difficult than CAT, CMAT, and SNAP. CAT preparation is not suitable to crack XAT Exam. Students who wish to apply for XAT 2023 should focus on preparing these parts according to their own strengths and weaknesses. It will also be very helpful to review the XAT performance analysis of the previous year.

Applicants must adhere to a planned approach, including time management, speed and accuracy, and understand the following facts:

• Students appearing in XAT 2023 will not be able to use the on-screen calculator function.
• Applicants can solve questions in any order, and there is no time limit for each part of the question paper.
• 8 questions can remain unanswered, and for every question not attempted afterwards, you will get a negative score of 0.10.
• The test time for Part 1 is 165 minutes, and the test time for Part 2 is 25 minutes.
• Unlike other competitive management exams, additional parts such as general knowledge and decision making have been added to XAT.

XAT 2023 Sectional Composition 

Structured Approach for XAT Preparation

Applicants must follow a structured approach that includes time management, speed, and accuracy, as well as be aware of the following facts:

• The on-screen calculator function will not be available to students taking the XAT 2023 exam.
• Applicants can answer questions in whatever order they want, and each component of the question paper has no time limit.
• You have the option of leaving 8 questions unanswered, and for each question not attempted beyond that, you will receive a negative score of 0.10.
• Part 1 takes 165 minutes to complete, whereas Part 2 takes only 25 minutes.
• Unlike other competitive management tests, XAT includes additional sections such as general knowledge and decision-making.

XAT Exam Sectional Preparation Strategy 

Only when you are aware of the XAT test 2023 preparation topics that you need to study for XAT 2023 preparation can you collect the best preparation material, preparation books, and study material. The XAT exam Syllabus provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the XAT exam preparation topics, allowing you to prioritize and pick topics for XAT exam 2023 preparation.

How to prepare for XAT 2023 Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

• Recommended books :
  • How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
  • ‘How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT' - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
• Because time management is so important in the exam, you should start with the easy questions. Here are some preparation recommendations for this part that you can use.
• Remember that unlike the CAT, there is no on-screen calculator in the XAT. So, if the computation is time-consuming, you'll only be able to master the portion if you've done a lot of practice with it.
• Arithmetic, algebra, permutation and combinations, number system, probability, functions, time and work, data interpretations, and geometry are commonly asked questions.
• Expertise necessitates a significant amount of time and practice. This section requires you to improve your calculation and approximation skills.
• Line graphs, pie charts, tabular graphs, and bar graphs are all good to practice.
• Most of the problems will require you to understand the notion of sequential percentages as well as fraction numbers up to 30.
• While practicing questions, do mental computations and acquire shortcut strategies.
• DI sets can range in difficulty from easy to severe and need a lot of calculations. So, as part of your everyday routine, try to solve as many DI sets as possible.

How to prepare for XAT 2023 Verbal and Logical Ability Section?

• Recommended books :
  • ‘How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT' - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
  • How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT'- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
• The grammar, vocabulary, and reasoning-based questions in the Verbal Ability/Verbal Reasoning and Logical Ability sections offer a good mix (Critical Reasoning and Jumbled Paragraphs). This portion has always been dominated by the Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension categories.
• It will help you if you have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of grammar. The following are some excellent strategies:
• Maintain a delicate balance between speed reading and comprehension.
• At least four RCs should be practiced per day. Start with short RCs to avoid boredom during the early stages of your preparation. Try reading a single line of a passage in a single sitting. If you solve a number of different types of RCs, this will take a lot of practice.
• Learn all the tones of passages because the tone of the author is the most frequently asked question in tests. Acerbic, hilarious, sarcastic, fiery, dogmatic, ironic, nostalgic, and other tones are possible.
• Subscribing to daily alerts of one word of vocabulary online can help you improve your vocabulary and grammar. Discover its antonyms and synonyms. You will learn all of the different meanings of the word this way.
• Learn the meanings of prefixes and suffixes; they'll come in handy while answering vocabulary problems.

How to prepare for Decision Making?

Recommended books :

This section features queries and concerns arising from a variety of business and everyday circumstances. In these cases, it's difficult to know what to do. These dilemmas represent problem solutions, and the candidate must select the best choice. XAT's decision-making component raises 21 MCQs out of 100.

• Issues may involve ethical dilemmas, issues related to sales and other financial conditions, company revenue, various management issues, scenarios and overall direction. This will affect your choice.
• Avoid assumptions and completely believe the information provided.
• You can practice the questions in the articles from previous years and read the case studies on the Harvard Business Review website.
• If you answered incorrectly after solving last year's question, please try to understand the logic of the official answer.
• Tips for choosing the right option: Your decision must be ethical and benefit most of your stakeholders.
• Avoid choosing options where the protagonist does not take action.

How to prepare for XAT General Awareness?

• More emphasis will be placed on economic and business awareness news in this section. So reading the newspaper everyday will help in cracking this section of the exam.
• Reading the newspaper every day will also help the aspirants to stay current on national and international events.
• Focus on awards, books and authors, and geography in the static GK portion. 
• You need to have a comprehensive understanding of related topics such as history and geography.

NOTE : 

• There is no negative score in this section, so candidates should not leave any unanswered questions during the exam.
• There are 25 questions in this section but the scores in this section are not included in the total score.

How to Work on Time Management for Cracking XAT 2023 ?

• Instead of utilizing paper and pencil, start practicing more mental calculations.
• Practice as many mock tests and sample papers as you can, as this will aid you in recognising your weak areas and preventing you from wasting time on them. This will also help you with elimination practice.
• Mark more quickly, but with greater precision. This can only be accomplished by everyday practice beginning with the initial phase and not just before the exam begins one month later.
• Don't become trapped on a problem you can't figure out. Leave the perplexing thinking puzzles behind and go on to the next question.

From the moment you begin studying for the exam, practise in such a way that you have allotted a specific amount of time for each segment. Keep in mind that there is no sectional time. So don't get too caught up in your favourite section and waste too much time there.

XAT Preparation Summary to Score High Percentile 

A methodical study programme is required for the four sections of the XAT exam. Given the level of difficulty and surprise features that surface in XAT each year, cracking XAT 2023 will necessitate a full preparation period of 4-5 months.

• XAT requires you need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score
• The ideal method to prepare for the XAT 2023 exam, according to experts and toppers, is to identify your strengths and shortcomings and begin working on them right now.
• Despite the numerous adjustments made to the XAT over the last five years, the exam's fundamentals have remained unchanged.
• It should be remembered that if half of the total questions in the XAT exam are answered correctly, you can achieve a percentile of 98-99. The goal should be to maximize your successful attempts while minimizing your unsuccessful ones.

XAT Preparation Tips for Self-Study

Well said, nothing can replace self-study. The first step in preparing for any exam is introspection, and candidates are encouraged to study on their own. Here are some general tips to help you prepare for the XAT 2023 exam:

• Make the concepts clear: It is important to clarify the basic concepts. Candidates can do this by understanding the exam plan and design in detail, highlighting errors and areas that require additional work.
• Answer last year's question papers and practice papers. The benefits of taking last year's XAT and mock exams are:
• Get the habit of sitting down three hours before the exam.
• Understand the structure and procedures of the exam
• Identify the different types of questions that will be asked in the XAT exam.
• Make a daily plan-a plan/plan that must be strictly followed. Spend at least 3-4 hours a day preparing for XAT 2023.

Applicants with a technical background can have advantages in the quants and DI fields, so they should focus on the oral and decision-making parts. For candidates without a technical background, the situation is just the opposite—focus on improving your math and analysis skills.

You can prepare the general knowledge part by reading newspapers, magazines, and other resources in your spare time. This saves time by spending separate time preparing the XAT GK part.

In addition, simulation helps to increase speed, and analysis of analytical articles improves accuracy. XAT requires less than 1 minute of accuracy to solve the problem.

XAT Preparation Plan for the Last 6 Months

• Make timetables for your daily, weekly, and monthly classes and stick to it.
• It's best to start in areas where you are weak. Most students find the quantitative part more difficult, so we recommend starting with it.
• For GK: Read newspapers and magazines every day.
• Research your basic concepts and statements. To do this, use 9th and 10th grade books.
• Online study groups, blogs and videos are very useful for learning.

Section Wise Preparation Strategy of XAT Exam

Once you understand the sample questions, you must analyze the XAT program in detail, and collect textbooks and links on this basis. One of the main changes in the XAT exam is the removal of the writing section.

• Up to four-fifths, the total number of questions in each section has changed.
• Decision-making questions are crucial because no other exam in the country provides such a wide range of assessments for candidates.
• XLRI focuses on the candidate's language and interpretation skills, so the procedure should be interpreted in this way.
• The general knowledge part is important, but grades are not included in the calculation of XAT or percentile values.
• Applicants who can solve Arun Sharma difficulty level 3.

The number of questions from each section of XAT Question Paper has been given below:

Know more about XAT Syllabus

The main objective of the XAT Examination has been to test the comprehension skills of the candidate, logical reasoning and also the capacity to make the right decisions. XAT Examination would be conducted in an online mode. The total duration of the examination for a total of 215 minutes. (3 hours and 35 minutes). XAT Examination would be divided into 2 parts – Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Paper 1 comprises of 3 sections namely:

• Verbal and Logical Ability
• Decision Making
• Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability

Paper 2, on contrary, consists of one section:

• General Knowledge

In Paper 1, only Multiple Choice based questions are asked while every question carries 1 mark. For every wrong answer, 0.25 marks shall be deducted.

XAT Preparation Tips for Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation

The quantitative power and data interpretation (QA & DI) weights assigned to XAT are usually the highest in XAT. The total number of questions in this section is estimated to be 28. The level of difficulty is high, including questions that test candidates' math skills. Compared with quantitative skills, data interpretation is relatively easier to prepare. These questions are presented in sets.

• Clarity is the key to mastering this part.
• Develop a template to answer various questions. This became possible after getting enough practice by taking quizzes and tests in the past year.
• After the template is established, its effectiveness is analyzed by solving higher-level problems related to the difficulty level.
• Learn abbreviations and calculation skills. Constant practice is the only key to perfecting your problem-solving skills.
• Study the continuous values of percentages and scores up to a certain point to avoid calculations in the research space.
• Look at the various charts. For example, when testing your answers after solving a problem, try to understand the logic behind it.
• You can read analytical articles in newspapers and magazines to gain effective interpretation skills.
• Never make assumptions about the DI part and strictly follow the facts in the question.

XAT Preparation Tips for Verbal and Logical Ability

This part is divided into 3 parts: oral skills, reading comprehension and reasoning. As the courses are different, candidates can prepare each part separately. The total number of XAT oral skills problems and causes in this section is estimated to be 26.

• Some people find that reading the questions first helps save time and find these strategies for themselves.
• In case of word confusion, first try to define the connection and link according to the paragraph.
• Expand your vocabulary. It will help you improve and improve your vocabulary. Improve your reading and reading comprehension skills.
• In addition to meaning, also pay attention to the use of words.
• Get in the habit of learning at least 3 words a day.
• Read the newspaper to continue preparing the VA and GK sections at the same time.
• Logical thinking questions mostly appear in the form of sentences.
• One of the most important issues is critical thinking. There are not many textbooks to prepare, so you can only rely on practice.

XAT Preparation Tips for Decision Making

This section contains questions and concerns from various business and day-to-day situations. These situations create dilemmas about what to do. These dilemmas constitute options for the problem, and the candidate must choose the best solution. The decision-making section of XAT raises 21.

• Issues may involve ethical dilemmas, issues related to sales and other financial conditions, company revenue, various management issues, scenarios and overall direction. This will affect your choice.
• Completely believe in the information provided. Avoid assumptions.
• You can practice the questions in the articles from previous years and read the case studies on the Harvard Business Review website.
• If you answered incorrectly after solving last year's question, please try to understand the logic of the official answer.
• Tips for choosing the right option: Your decision must be ethical and benefit most of your stakeholders.
• Avoid choosing options where the protagonist does not take action.

XAT Preparation Tips for General Knowledge

In order to prepare for this part, candidates must be in regular contact with current events. In addition to current events, problems in history, geography, science, politics, and technology may arise. There are 25 questions in this section.

• A little dedication to the GK zone will greatly reduce stress and help hide information.
• If you don't have time on certain days, you can watch a video summarizing the day's activities.
• Current events can be found on the Internet. Read news articles about topics that interest you the most compared to other topics.
• If you hate reading, check the news channel more often.
• You need to have a comprehensive understanding of related topics such as history and geography.
• There is no negative score in this section, so candidates should not leave any unanswered questions during the exam.
• In addition, the scores in this section are not included in the total score.

Know more about XAT Exam Pattern

Other Tips for XAT Preparation

In this section, candidates would be tested on their numerical ability. The questions would be asked from topics like – Probability, Statistics, Graphs, Speed and Distance.  The useful tips are some of them are as listed below:

Beginning with the basics

• For competence in the QA and DI section, the candidates should be sound in the basic concepts for the XAT examination.
• Prior to moving to advanced questions, basic and simple questions are required to be practiced by them.

Consistent Practice

• Consistent Practice is what always works in the case of sections involving numbers.
• The candidate gets more familiar and comfortable with solving questions pertaining to numerous concepts and also improves his comprehending ability in the event of facing lengthy questions.

Shortcut Formulae

• By learning shortcut formulae or subjects like Vedic Maths, a candidate essentially becomes more rapid at calculations that can save a significant amount of time in attempting the paper and increase his rate of attempts.
• People good at numbers over a longer period of time owing to exposure and practice always have that competitive advantage.

Logic

• While Logical Ability is purely centered on applying practical logic, true to its name, Decision making differs in the context of making a candidate apply logic in a given circumstance.
• The information should be logically interpreted by candidates to arrive at a good decision.

Question Type

• The questions in the section can be passages with single or multiple questions.
• A keen student doing this section would ideally be looking through the sets and identifying the one he is most familiar with.
• He would then start working on the same with immediate effect.

Previous Year Question Papers

• Practice of mock and previous year question papers always improve the ability of the candidates to understand the pattern of the exam in a better way and attempt the same.
• The thinking approach required for the Decision-making section can be bettered only by constant practice.

Best Books to Prepare for XAT Exam 2023

Below mentioned is the list of important books for each section of XAT Question Paper:

Verbal and Logical Ability

Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

Decision Making

General Knowledge