XAT is an exam known for its formidable Quantitative aptitude and calculative Data Interpretation Sets. As a non-engineer myself, I faced the same situation and to be honest, XAT seemed like the most difficult exam to crack but it’s not that engineers are not intimidated by the exam. Verbal and Decision Making puts them in a difficult situation as well. It’s only the strategy for attempting every section that will create the difference. Here are my 2 cents as to how to approach each section -:
Quantitative Ability
XAT clubs Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation sections under one head. 2 Data Interpretation sets are characteristic to XAT with 3-4 questions in each set.XAT checks you on your concepts with quant questions and not just on the basis of formulae. For a non-engineer- 1 set of DI is generally doable. Going to the set with graphs will be preferable. Your primary focus should be on arithmetic and geometry to clear the cutoff of the section as these 2 form the major chunk of questions. Then comes algebra. Since 2012, XAT has lowered down the difficulty level of this section to accommodate non-engineers. As such, you should read every question and mark the easy laddoo questions and attempt them first. XAT ‘s geometry forces you to visualize the figure and find the answer rather than just applying formulas. Options should be used here as 2 out of 4 options can be eliminated on the basis of logic formed from the question. You can take an educated guess out of the 2 available options but do not make wild guesses as it will lead to negative marking.
For an Engineer- This section is generally the best to score for engineers. The major chunk Is the same but topics like number system and logarithm can create a difference in the score and percentile. Engineers should try to maximize their score.
Pro tip- It is generally less time consuming to put the options and solve the question rather than solving the question completely.
Decision Making
This section generally acts as a make or break in the exam. This section tests you more on your ethics rather than aptitude. Sometimes, an option might look like non-profitable but ethical and vice versa. You should focus on being ethical rather than being profitable. Both engineers and non-engineers are on equal footing in this section. Right strategy and ethics can lead to a great score (14+) in this section itself.
Let’s take an actual XAT question to understand how to go about it-
You are the HR manager of your organisation. There is a hard-working employee, Sanjeev, in your organisation. In terms of behaviour, effort and diligence, Sanjeev is one of the topmost employees in the company. The issue is that the company is a call-centre for a US-based company and the Sanjeev’s communication skills are not up to the level. Even after being given training, Sanjeev has not been able to improve his communication skills.
What should you do in the given scenario?
- Ask Sanjeev to leave.
- Provide another training to Sanjeev.
- Find another job for Sanjeev
- Change the job role of Sanjeev.
- Both 1 and 3
Our approach should be to eliminate wrong options rather than looking for the right one.
1st option can be eliminated as it will lead to loss of a diligent employee.
2nd option can be eliminated as earlier training has not shown any significant changes.
3rd option can be eliminated as that is not the job of an HR.
4th option is correct as it makes sure the best use of Sanjeev’s skills. Both the interests of Sanjeev and the company are served.
Hence, we go with option elimination to get our correct answer.
The best source to practice decision making is XAT old papers. This will help you streamline your thoughts as per the thinking of the checker.
Pro tip-: Refer to official XAT answer key as coaching institutes like IMS or TIME might end up confusing you with contradictory options.IMS Decision making Book can be used for extra practice
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
XAT VARC is characterized by difficult RCs on topics like psychology and biology. The RCs need to be read thoroughly and sometimes need to be read twice to be understood. The questions are difficult and the best way to go about is to eliminate options after referring to the passage again for that question. Here, the questions are more inference-based (as against CAT which has fact-based questions) and require you to use your common sense. Reading speed is secondary here. Focus on understanding the RCs.
A poem has become a regular in XAT RC and generally, 1-2 questions are doable.
XAT Verbal ability is relatively on the easier side. Para-Jumbles have options and one can easily achieve 100% accuracy there. Engineers should focus on these questions to clear the cut-off. Non-engineers can score well in this section as they have an edge over engineers (no offence to engineers ;))
If you have a good vocabulary, it will be a big plus as you will be able to attempt the vocabulary questions along with understanding the RCs easily.
Sentence completion and Critical Reasoning questions can be attempted accurately after in-depth reading and should not be left. Practice as many CR questions as you can. GMAT CR can be a really good source.
Pro-tip: Read articles from the Guardian and the Economic times to gauge the types of articles coming in XAT. Solve at least 4-5 past year XAT papers to gain accuracy. Refer to Norman Lewis for furnishing your vocabulary.
General Knowledge
Score in this section will not affect your overall percentile but XLRI considers this section for final selection. Questions range from History to current affairs. Best way to go about this will be to focus on current affairs. 2-3 questions can be found on Independence struggle as well. 9-10 questions can be done on the basis of current affairs and form a fair attempt. Any coaching Institute’s GK compendium would be sufficient to cover this.
Nikita Tayal, XAT 99.139 percentiler and XLRI-HRM convert
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Comments
abhishek kumar
Ndjjdndidn
If you could give date for nitie Mumbai for management course it will be very helpful
18 Dec 2019, 10.46 PM
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Team InsideIIM
We are the team behind your favourite platform.
Hi Abhishek! We will soon come out with the report for NITIE and other top business schools. :)
19 Dec 2019, 09.02 AM |
V. Mourya
Why are you scaring us. Just don't kill our confidence. Keep your data and predictions to yourself
19 Dec 2019, 12.39 PMEdited
Atul Dighe
What is the average percentile of students in SPJIMR?
20 Dec 2019, 02.12 AM
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Debayan Purkayastha
Hi Atul, Along with the percentile, SPJIMR focuses a lot on academic background and profile when it releases the interview shortlist. Someone with a decent percentile and an outstanding academic background profile can expect an interview shortlist.
21 Dec 2019, 02.14 PM |
Anirban Sen
MBA aspirant.Capable of CAT.
Can you please tell that if the percentage here is board percentage(best of 5) or percentage on aggregate of all subjects.
20 Dec 2019, 08.12 PM
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Debayan Purkayastha
Hi Anirban, B-Schools generally consider the aggregate percentage of all subjects for your 10th and 12th.
21 Dec 2019, 02.12 PM |
Pranav Parashar
An absolute bull shit data and useless research. Kindly keep it to yourself. Based on your data people who wants to do something in life cannot quit anything. Hope you got it.
14 Apr 2020, 01.51 AM
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Team InsideIIM
We are the team behind your favourite platform.
Hey Pranav, The data has been made using academic profiles of students studying at these B-Schools. If you have any data that points towards this not being true, we'd be happy to hear that. Also, our data never mentioned people who want to do something cannot quit. Thanks.
14 Apr 2020, 05.18 PM |
Pranav Parashar
To be honest I am not convinced with data of MDI and XLRI, the way it is written that chances are diminished. There are good number of people who have their either 10th or 12th in between 70-80 and they have converted and doing good. Me had 85.5 in 10th and 74 in 12th so I guess based on this article my chances are "significantly" diminished and I should stop studying now if I want to target XL or MDI right? My motive is not to criticize anyone. You have done your job good in the same way CL MBA profilizier does. Based on that software many people have searched their chances and "90+ wale Ko throughout IIM A hi dikhata hoga usse neeche nahi" but the reality could be something different. I hope you got my point. To be honest I am just debating over XL and MDI mentioned in this article. If this article was written solely on SPJ or old IIMs I would have accepted and appreciated the same.
14 Apr 2020, 05.31 PM |
Team InsideIIM
We are the team behind your favourite platform.
Of course, there are people who study at these B-Schools with average or not so good academic profiles. But the percentage of such people is pretty low. For example, less than 1.5% students at MDI Gurgaon and <1% students at XLRI Jamshedpur have scored between 50-59% in their graduation. The data is from the students and have been checked/cross-checked multiple times before publishing. There's nothing wrong with the data is what we can assure you.
14 Apr 2020, 05.45 PM |
Pranav Parashar
Does MDI include Graduation score? You are justifying by using the range 50-59. Have I mentioned these low figures in my reply?? If I would have got these figures I would have never logged in to inside iim or read this article. I was mentioning about 70+ figures. Anyways no issues you do your job I will do mine. All the best.
14 Apr 2020, 05.55 PM |
Team InsideIIM
We are the team behind your favourite platform.
Please check the second point under Observations for MDI Gurgaon. - "Graduation scores are not included in MDI Gurgaon's selection criteria, and this reflects in the table above. More than 60% of the batch has graduation scores in the 60-79.9% range, and over 15% of the batch has scored less than 70% marks in graduation. On the other end, nearly 40% of the batch has scored above 80+% marks in graduation." We're not justifying, we're just trying to hep you understand - and clearly we have failed at it. Anyway, good luck with your preparation.
14 Apr 2020, 06.02 PM |
Pranav Parashar
I understood your point. You haven't failed after all you have worked so hard in collecting data. That's why I said that you have done your job by putting up the data now let others do by "interpreting" it. Only God and you know what you want to make people understand. Anyways good luck. No issues ✌️
14 Apr 2020, 06.11 PM |
Shantanu Girmaji
Please do this for jbims also
11 May 2020, 06.28 PM
Lord Snow
Very immature article an important element you failed to understand is statistically how many average performers are even able to make cutoff score for interview rounds? I can understand about old iims but these colleges are the only hope for average past record holders who are willing to work hard and try to overcome their failures either the writer is a recently selected candidate living in the sky or a frustrated mba aspirant either way there is a fine line between stating the facts and demotivating someone telling a 6 year old kid why to work on his skills as he will surely die someday and his body will rot under the ground eaten by worms is not stating facts it's highest level of Narcissism
6 Oct 2020, 10.37 AM
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Sandeep Gedala
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......my minds not working
20 Apr 2024, 11.16 PM |
Poor Boy
This is an illogical analysis
24 Nov 2020, 09.17 PM
Poor Boy
Next time add cities name.... maybe my chances of getting into one of them will decrease as i am from northeast ???good job done making a time waste article
24 Nov 2020, 09.22 PMEdited
mansi kalra
I am worried whether I will be able to convert or not.My credentials are 66.5% 10th, 70% in 12th and 56% in grad.24 months work exp till 31stjuly 2021 .I am a non engineer female.Plz reply
20 Jun 2021, 02.27 AM
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Rishad Cp
Only tier 2 possible.
9 May 2024, 11.23 AM |
Arpan Mahapatra
My 10th 78 12th 88 grad 6(commerce male general) target b.school FMS Calcutta lucknow Kozhikode. What %ile I aim cat 25 aspirant
16 Feb 2025, 12.24 PM