XAT Exam Pattern 2025: Updated Details, Marking Scheme & Duration

The XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) 2025, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, comes with a revised exam pattern. The test is computer-based and evaluates candidates on various skills like verbal ability, logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude, decision-making, data interpretation, and general knowledge.

Key Highlights of XAT Exam 2025:

• Mode: Computer-Based Test
• Exam Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)
• Total Questions: 95
• Marking Scheme:
  • 1 mark for each correct answer
  • 0.25 mark deducted for each incorrect answer
  • 0.10 mark deducted for each unattempted question if more than 8 questions are left unanswered

Sections in XAT Exam 2025:

The XAT exam consists of three main sections:

1. Verbal and Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, and Decision-Making
2. General Knowledge
3. Essay Writing (conducted during the Group Discussion and Personal Interview round, not in the main exam)

XAT Exam 2025: Section-wise Details

Here’s a breakdown of the sections, number of questions, and marks:

Section	Number of Questions	Total Marks
Decision Making	21	21
Verbal and Logical Ability	26	26
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation	28	28
General Knowledge	20	20

Total | 95 | 95

Important Changes in XAT 2025 Exam Pattern:

1. Time Duration: The exam duration has been reduced from 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours (180 minutes).
2. Number of Questions: The total number of questions has been reduced to 95 from 105 in previous years.
3. General Knowledge Section: The number of questions in General Knowledge has been reduced to 20 from 25. The time for this section has also been shortened to 10 minutes.
4. Essay Writing: Previously part of the exam, the essay writing section has now been moved to the Group Discussion and Personal Interview stage.

Marking Scheme:

• 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer.
• 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer.
• If there are more than 8 unattempted questions, 0.10 marks will be deducted for each unanswered question.

Note: The General Knowledge section is considered only for final selection and does not count towards shortlisting candidates for the Group Discussion and Interview rounds.

XAT 2025 Syllabus Overview:

Here’s a quick look at what each section of the XAT exam covers:

1. Verbal and Logical Ability:
   • Reading Comprehension
   • Grammar
   • Vocabulary
   • Critical Reasoning
   • Analogy
2. Decision Making:
   • Situational Analysis
   • Assumptions and Conclusions
3. Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation:
   • Arithmetic
   • Algebra
   • Geometry
   • Mensuration
   • Data Interpretation (Bar Diagrams, Tables, Pie Charts)
4. General Knowledge:
   • Politics, Government, Constitution of India
   • Business, Science, Awards, Sports
   • Static GK