XAT, or the Xavier Aptitude Test, is an all-India exam which is conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur every year. XAT is one of the most popular common entrance exams for admission to management programs. More than 150 B-Schools in India accept the XAT score for admission to management courses.
If you are a working professional who wants to pursue an MBA, then you can sit for the XAT exam. Before you consider sitting for the XAT exam, you should check the XAT exam pattern. XAT is a pen and paper based exam which is conducted in examination centers across India. The duration of the exam is three and a half hours. With an in-depth understanding of the XAT exam pattern, aspirants will get an understanding about the exam pattern, duration, questions, marking criteria, etc.
Here are a few tips to help you prepare for XAT when you are working:
- Understand the exam
Before you start to prepare for the XAT exam, you must be thorough with all details about the exam, including the syllabus, exam pattern, marking pattern, past cutoffs, etc. Having a thorough understanding about the exam should be your first step for preparation.
- Make a study schedule
Once you have gone through the syllabus, you need to start planning your studying strategy. Divide the syllabus into study hours across the time you have for preparation. ‘Well begun is half done’- so before you start your studies for the entrance exams, you need to prepare a study strategy. When you are working, finding time out for study every day might be a little difficult. So, you can plan your study hours according to your free time.
- Maximize on time in the morning
When you are working, it is but obvious that you’ll be tired after a long’s day work at the office. And studying after office can be a tough task for you. Therefore, early morning study schedules are always better for those who are working. Sleep on time and try to wake up early in the morning. Early morning study time is also preferable, as in the morning, the mind is fresh and you will be able to concentrate better.
- Leverage weekends and holidays
A working professional will have to make time for study. Finding time to study during the week can be little tough, as you are working. So, it is best to maximize on weekends and holidays. Hence, you can make the most of the free time on weekends and dedicate it for entrance exam preparations.
- Enroll in a preparatory course
The ideal way to prepare for MBA entrance exams is to enroll in a preparatory course. As during an MBA preparatory course you’ll be taught the entire syllabus and will also have to sit for mock tests. But, when you are working, it is obvious that you won’t be able to make time during the week to go for the coaching classes. So, you can enroll in a weekend course or an early morning or late night class, whichever suits you best. And if no coaching time suits your schedule, you can buy the study material for MBA preparation and utilize your time in self-study. Besides study, you should also practice questions from previous year’s question papers and sit for mock tests for MBA entrances to check your knowledge and aptitude.
Here’s some information about the XAT Exam Pattern:
- The total time for XAT is 3.5 hours. Therefore, to qualify, you will have to manage your time well.
- The exam is divided into two categories:
- Paper one (170 min) – Decision Making, Verbal and Logical Ability, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
- Paper two (35 min) – General Knowledge and Essay Writing
Besides the XAT Exam Pattern, you also need to be familiar with the type of questions asked in the paper and how to manage your time well, to perform your best.