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XAT 2025 exam maintained its reputation for being challenging, with varying difficulty across sections. The Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR) section was moderate, featuring complex reading comprehension and poem-based questions. Decision-Making (DM) focused on ethical dilemmas and business scenarios, with some tricky caselets. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) was time-consuming but manageable, covering arithmetic, algebra, and statistics.
The General Knowledge (GK) section balanced static and current affairs, with moderate difficulty. Candidates aiming for XLRI Jamshedpur can expect cutoffs between 27-32 marks, depending on the program. This analysis also includes a paper-wise review of the past four years? trends (2021-2024), and expected XAT 2025 cutoffs to help aspirants assess their performance.
XAT 2025 exam maintained its reputation for being challenging, with varying difficulty levels across sections. Here is a breakdown of each section:
| Section | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level | Key Highlights |
| Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning | 26 | Moderate | Included reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and critical reasoning; overall manageable. |
| Decision- Making | 21 | Moderate to Difficult | Presented analytical scenarios with complex problems requiring critical thinking. |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | Moderate to Difficult | Covered arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and lengthy data interpretation sets. |
| General Knowledge | 20 | Easy to Moderate | Featured a mix of static GK and current affairs; relatively straightforward for most candidates. |
The XAT 2025 exam remained rigorous, testing candidates across various skill sets. The Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section was the most accessible, while Decision-Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation required strong problem-solving abilities. The General Knowledge section was easier, with a blend of static and current affairs-based questions.
The Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VALR) section in XAT 2025 featured a mix of reading comprehension, grammar, and logical reasoning questions. The section was moderately challenging, with a focus on inference-based questions and critical thinking.
| Question Topics | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
| Error Correction | 1 | Difficult |
| Grammatically Correct | 2 | Moderate |
| Fill in the Blanks | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Para Jumbles | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Critical Reasoning | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
| Poem-Based | 2 | Difficult |
| Reading Comprehension 1 | 2 | Difficult |
| Reading Comprehension 2 | 3 | Moderate |
| Reading Comprehension 3 | 3 | Moderate |
| Reading Comprehension 4 | 3 | Moderate |
The VALR section in XAT 2025 was moderate in difficulty, with some challenging critical reasoning and poem-based questions. Reading comprehension required careful analysis, and grammar questions tested specific concepts like prepositions.
The Decision-Making (DM) section in XAT 2025 primarily tested candidates on ethical dilemmas and business decisions through situation-based case studies. While the section was time-consuming, most questions were relatively easier compared to the previous year?s exam.
| Question Topics | Question Type | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
| ABC Business School policies | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
| HR Caselet ? ?Symbolics? IT firm | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
| HR Caselet ? Experience credentials | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Deep Sea Natural Gas Extraction | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
| Competition between taxi drivers | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
| Car sales | Business Decisions | 3 | Moderate |
| Wrongful termination of domestic help | Ethical Dilemma | 3 | Moderate |
The Decision-Making section in XAT 2025 required logical reasoning, ethical judgment, and business acumen. While some sets were challenging, most questions were manageable with proper analysis.
The Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) section in XAT 2025 covered a broad range of topics, including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and statistics. The section was moderate in difficulty but proved time-consuming due to lengthy questions and paragraph-based problem statements.
| Quant/DI Topics | Total Questions | Difficulty Level |
| Arithmetic | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Geometry | 2 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Modern Math | 1 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Algebra | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Number System | 1 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Time, Speed, and Distance (TSD) Based Set | 3 | Moderate |
| Coordinate Geometry | 2 | Easy |
| Average-Based Set | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
| Logarithms | 1 | Easy |
The QA & DI section in XAT 2025 was moderate but demanding due to longer problem statements and data-heavy DI sets. Candidates with strong conceptual understanding and time management skills found this section manageable.
XAT 2025 GK questions in XAT 2025 tested candidates on a balanced mix of current affairs and static topics. Here?s a detailed breakdown of the section to help understand the question distribution and difficulty level:
| Question Topics | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
| Current Affairs (National & International) | 8 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Static GK (History, Geography, Polity) | 6 | Easy to Moderate |
| Economy & Business | 4 | Moderate |
| Sports | 2 | Easy |
XAT exam has undergone several changes over the years, including variations in test duration, difficulty level, and marking schemes. Below is a detailed comparison of the XAT exam pattern from 2021 to 2024.
XAT 2024 exam maintained its pattern from previous years, with a moderate to difficult difficulty level. Below is a detailed breakdown of the exam structure.
| Particulars | XAT 2024 |
| Test Duration | 3 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Test Timing | 2 PM to 5:30 PM |
| Total Number of Questions | 101 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult |
| Type of Questions | MCQs - 100, Descriptive - 1 |
| Number of Sections | 5 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 (Essay evaluated after shortlisting) |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect |
| Penalty for Unattempted Questions | -0.10 after 8 unattempted |
XAT 2023 exam followed a similar structure to XAT 2024, with minor variations in the number of questions.
| Particulars | XAT 2023 |
| Test Duration | 3 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Test Timing | 2 PM to 5:30 PM |
| Total Number of Questions | 102 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult |
| Type of Questions | MCQs - 100, Descriptive - 1 |
| Number of Sections | 5 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 (Essay evaluated after shortlisting) |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect |
| Penalty for Unattempted Questions | -0.10 after 8 unattempted |
XAT 2022 paper remained challenging, keeping 4 sections with MCQs and an essay. It was difficult overall, especially the quantitative section.
| Particulars | XAT 2022 |
| Test Duration | 3 Hours 10 Minutes |
| Test Timing | 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Total Number of Questions | 101 |
| Difficulty Level | Difficult |
| Type of Questions | MCQs - 100, Descriptive - 1 |
| Number of Sections | 4 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 (Essay evaluated after shortlisting) |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect |
| Penalty for Unattempted Questions | -0.10 after 8 unattempted |
XAT 2021 exam was notoriously difficult, with a 4-section structure. However, no penalty was imposed for unattempted questions, which gave candidates some relief.
| Particulars | XAT 2021 |
| Test Duration | 3 Hours |
| Test Timing | 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Total Number of Questions | 100 |
| Difficulty Level | Difficult |
| Type of Questions | MCQs |
| Number of Sections | 4 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect |
| Penalty for Unattempted Questions | NA |
This detailed breakdown highlights the evolution of the XAT exam pattern over the years, showing how the difficulty level, duration, and marking scheme have varied.
Get previous year XAT question papers and sample papers to boost your preparation. Practice with these papers to enhance your speed and accuracy. You can download XAT past papers and preparation guides for free.
| Year | Download Link |
| XAT 2024 | Download XAT 2024 Question Paper |
| XAT 2023 | Download XAT 2023 Question Paper |
| XAT 2022 | Download XAT 2022 Question Paper |
| XAT 2021 | Download XAT 2021 Question Paper |
Based on past trends and difficulty levels, here are the expected cutoff scores for XAT 2025 for XLRI Jamshedpur:
| Institute | Expected XAT Score (Male) | Expected XAT Score (Female) |
| XLRI Jamshedpur - BM | 30-32 | 28-30 |
| XLRI Jamshedpur - HRM (Engineers) | 29-31 | 27-29 |
| XLRI Jamshedpur - HRM (Non-Engineers) | 27-29 | 26-28 |
Ans: XAT 2025 General Knowledge section was considered the easiest, consisting of a balanced mix of current affairs (sports, politics, economics) and static GK (history, geography, science). However, since GK doesn’t affect the percentile directly, it didn’t contribute to boosting the overall score.
Ans: XAT 2025 followed the same format as previous years, with four main sections:
Ans: A "good attempt" is about balancing accuracy and speed:
If you aim for XLRI or top B-schools, targeting 36+ raw marks is safer
Ans: It depends on your learning style. Coaching offers structure, peer learning, and expert guidance, but self-study can work too.
Ans: To analyze your XAT scoreboard, start by reviewing your overall percentile and sectional percentiles. Identify which sections you performed well in and where you lagged. Pay attention to your accuracy — check how many questions you attempted versus how many were correct. Analyze time spent on each section to see if poor time management affected your score. If your Decision-Making or Verbal Ability scores are low, focus on improving logical reasoning and reading comprehension. Compare your scores with previous mock tests to track progress and adjust your strategy for weaker sections while maintaining strengths for a balanced performance.
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