XLRI is responsible for finalizing the XAT 2022 exam pattern. The exam will be held online, as a computer-based test. The duration of the test will be 3 hours (180 minutes). It is very important for the candidates to go through the XAT exam pattern 2021 prior to starting to prepare for the same as it will also help them understand the distribution of questions throughout the question paper and the marking scheme.
XAT 2022 Exam Pattern Highlights
The exam pattern of XAT 2021 is given below for your reference. If XLRI makes any changes to the pattern of XAT 2022 question paper, it will be updated it in this section.
- Number of questions: The total number of questions has increased to 100 from 99.
- Numerical Answer Type Questions: XLRI has introduced Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
- No marks will be deducted for these questions.
- To answer the NAT questions candidates have to use the virtual keypad appearing on the computer screen and enter the numerical answer.
- There will be no essay writing test in XAT 2022.
- MCQ specifications: Each MCQ will have five options. One of those options will be the correct answer.
- Deduction of marks for unattempted questions: Candidates must remember that they can only leave 8 questions un-attempted. After that, a negative marking penalty of 0.10 will be applied for each unattempted question (except the General Knowledge section).
- Sectional Time Limit: NA
- XAT negative marking will not be applicable for the General Knowledge section. This section will not be counted for percentile evaluation either.
- Extra Time: For visually impaired candidates, XLRI shall offer extra 25 minutes to complete Part 1 of the question paper. No extra time will be given to any candidate to solve the GK section.
Section-wise XAT 2022 Exam Pattern
The section-wise XAT exam pattern is tabulated below. Candidates can check the number of questions that will be asked from each section, the time allotted for those sections and the XAT marks per question. There are two sections overall. Part 1 contains subjects such as Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, whereas, Part 2 contains questions from General Knowledge. Candidates must remember that there will be no sectional time allotted for these subjects.
| Sections | XAT Question Pattern | Overall Time Duration |
| Part-1 | 75 (Multiple-choice Questions) | 165 Minutes |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | No Sectional Time Limit |
| Decision Making | 21 | |
| Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation | 28 | |
| Part-2 | 25 (Multiple-choice Questions) | 15 Minutes |
| General Knowledge | 25 | |
| Total questions (Part 1 + Part 2) | 100 | 180 Minutes |
Important Note:
XAT Exam 2022 is a Computer-based test (CBT). There is a negative marking for every incorrectly answered question. The candidate can leave 8 questions unanswered, after which 0.10 marks will be deducted for each unanswered question.
XAT 2022 Exam Pattern Detailed Information
Knowing the XAT question paper pattern will help the candidates devise an effective strategy for the exam day. By understanding the marking scheme, the candidates will be able to restrict their guess-work to where it is very necessary. The exam pattern for each section of XAT 2022 is as follows:
| Name of the Section | XAT Exam Pattern 2021 Details |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension & Logical Reasoning |
|
| Decision Making |
|
| Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation |
|
| General Knowledge |
|
XAT 2022 Marking Scheme
The candidates must familiarize themselves with the XAT marking scheme. The conducting authorities have set a limit on the maximum number of questions which the candidates can leave unattempted. Candidates will also end up losing certain marks for answering the questions incorrectly. The details of the XAT scoring pattern are given below:
| XAT Marking Scheme 2022 |
| For every correct answer, 1 mark will be awarded |
| Candidates can leave 8 questions unattempted, after which, 0.10 mark will be deducted for every unattempted question |
| 1/4 marks will be deducted for wrong answers |
| No negative marking will be there for GK section (part-2) |
XAT 2021 Exam Pattern Vs Last Years XAT Pattern
The table below represents the XAT exam pattern 2021 compared with the previous year's question paper patterns. Apart from removing the essay writing test, a new type of NAT question pattern has also been introduced in XAT.
| XAT Exam year | XAT 2021 | XAT 2020 | XAT 2019 |
| Test Duration | 3 Hours | 3 Hours | 3 Hours |
| Number of Sections | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Subjective Answer Question | No | No | No |
| XAT Total marks | 100 | 99 | 99 |
| Key Change | No Essay Writing Test | No Essay Writing Test | No Essay Writing Test |
XAT Syllabus
As far as preparation is concerned, one can practice mock tests and previous year papers. This will ideally help them to get familiar with the XAT exam pattern. The question paper is divided into four different sections. The essay writing section is removed. So the other sections are Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, and General Knowledge (GK). There is no strict curriculum for the GK section. Students ought to be thorough with the current affairs to score well in this section. The other three subjects are taken into consideration for calculating the percentile. Some of the important topics for the XAT exam pattern are mentioned below.
Verbal and Logical Ability
- Para jumbled
- Grammar
- Paragraph completion
- Vocabulary
- Reading comprehension
Decision making
- Situational events
- Case studies
- Data arrangement
- Analytical reasoning
Data Interpretation and Quantitative Ability
- Tables, Graphs
- Geometry
- Statistics
- Profit and Loss
- Speed and Distance
- Clocks
General Knowledge
- News
- History
- Politics
- Sports
- Economics
- International Relations
- Society updates
XAT Exam Pattern 2021 FAQs
- Do we have to answer all the questions in the order in which they are asked, or is there an option to leave a difficult question for later?
Solving the questions in the same order in which they are asked is not necessary. Candidates can move to an easier question, and keep the difficult or time-consuming one for later. The candidates should however keep in mind that the General Knowledge section will only get unlocked after they are done with the other three sections.
- How much time do the candidates have to solve the first three sections?
Candidates will get 165 minutes to solve the first three sections. The 25 questions from the General Knowledge section have to be attempted in 15 minutes.
- Can the candidates use the on-screen calculator?
No, candidates will not be allowed to use such aids during the exam.
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