XLRI prescribes the XAT exam pattern which consists of 5 sections. The four important sections of the XAT 2025 exam pattern are- Logical and Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation, General Knowledge, and Decision Making.
The fifth section of the XAT 2025 paper pattern is the essay writing section. The candidates should have a strong grip over exam pattern, so that they can avoid making errors in the exam which makes them lose out on marks. To know more about the XAT 2025 exam pattern refer to the details given below.
XAT 2025 Exam Pattern at a Glance
XAT 2025 is a computer-based test. The XAT 2025 examination will be conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute. XAT is one of the popular B-school entrance examinations which is attempted by around 70,000-75,000 candidates. The highlights of the XAT exam pattern are given below:
XAT Paper Pattern 2025 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam conducted by | XLRI |
| Time frame of the exam | 3 hours and 10 minutes |
| Total score | 100 |
| Number of questions in XAT 2025 | 100 (+1 for essay writing question) |
| Exam Language | English |
| XAT 2025 Exam Date | January 5, 2025 |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Marking scheme of the XAT 2025 Exam | +1 mark is awarded to the candidates for choosing the right answer, – 0.25 for the wrong answers marked by the candidates, – 0.10 for not answering 8 questions consecutively. No negative marking in the GK section |
Breakdown of Various Sections in XAT 2025 Exam Pattern
Below is a thorough analysis and breakdown of the different sections given in the XAT 2025 examination pattern. To fully understand the breakdown of the sections of the XAT pattern, refer to the information given below.
Sectional Breakdown of XAT 2025 Test Pattern
| Sections | Total number of questions |
|---|---|
| Paper 1 – 165 Minutes | 75 Questions |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 |
| Decision Making | 21 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 |
| Paper 2 | 25 Questions |
| General Knowledge – 15 Minutes | 25 |
| Essay – 10 Minutes | 1 |
| Total | 100 Questions |
Total Questions in the XAT Paper
There will be a total of 100 questions in the XAT 2025 exam. The questions are divided among various sections of the exam.
Verbal and logical ability carries a weightage of 26 questions, decision making contains 21 questions, data interpretation and quantitative ability carries 28 questions and 25 questions from the general knowledge section will come in the XAT exam.
Apart from this, there will be a writing section that includes 1 question. This question is evaluated after the candidate is shortlisted in XAT result online.
XAT Total marks
The total marks of XAT exam are 100 marks in aggregate. The XAT paper is divided into four sections, and the marks are distributed amongst them.
The highest weightage has been given to the data interpretation and the quantitative ability section, which consists of 28 marks. After that, the verbal and logical ability section has the second highest weightage, consisting of 26 marks, and the third section with the highest weightage is the general knowledge section, consisting of 25 marks. Lastly, the decision-making section has a weightage of 21 marks.
Negative Marking in XAT 2025 Exam Pattern
The candidates should know that the paper also involves an aspect of negative marking. While attempting the paper, a candidate should know that the answer choices to be filled by him/her are extremely important as for a wrong answer there’s negative marking.
The negative marking for the XAT 2025 exam is -0.25 for the wrong answer. So, for every question, 0.25 marks will be deducted if the answer marked by the candidate is wrong.
Apart from this, -0.10 marks will be deducted if the candidate does not answer 8 questions consecutively. If a candidate wants to score well, he/she should avoid skipping the questions consecutively.
Note: There will be no negative marking in GK section.
Also read
XAT Exam Pattern of Previous Years
To help candidates understand the XAT 2025 exam pattern, given below is a table that consists of the previous year’s paper pattern for the XAT exam.
| Exam Year | Total Number of Questions | Section-wise number of questions | Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| XAT 2022 & 2023 | 100 | VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 Essay: 1 (to be evaluated upon shortlisting) | +1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions |
| XAT 2021 | 100 | VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 | +1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions |
| XAT 2020 | 100 | VARC: 26 DM: 21 QA & DI: 28 GK: 25 | +1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.10 for more than 8 unanswered questions |
| XAT 2019 | 99 | VARC: 26DM: 21QA & DI: 27GK: 25 | +1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer -0.5 for more than 8 unanswered questions |
| XAT 2018 | 97 | VARC: 24DM: 21QA & DI: 27GK: 25One essay topic | +1 for each right answer -0.25 for each wrong answer; -0.5 for more than 12 unanswered questions |
XAT 2025 Mocks and Practice Papers
Candidates should start solving mocks and sample papers for the XAT 2025 exam paper. This is going to help the candidates understand the paper pattern in an efficient way. Candidates should solve previous year’s sample papers and mock tests to understand the paper pattern. The candidates will be able to score good marks if they are consistently solving practice papers and mock tests.
FAQs Related to XAT Paper Pattern 2025
Will the XAT 2025 paper consist of essay writing?
It should be noted that only candidates who have cleared the XAT 2025 examination and have been shortlisted will be required to solve the essay writing section.
What is the duration of the XAT 2025 exam?
The XAT 2025 examination is now of 3 hours and 10 minutes.