XAT Preparation: Experts Tips Section-wise XAT Exam Preparation & GDPI Preparation

The XAT Exam is a national-level exam conducted by XLRI for admission into MBA/PGDM courses. Candidates who want to join XAMI Institutes and other XAT Colleges can appear for this exam. So, you must have a clear idea about XAT Preparation for all the exam sections. Here are some basic tips for completing all the topics and chapters effectively.

• Solve the question paper to understand the exam pattern and its difficulty level well.
• Analyze your strengths and weaknesses properly to answer the questions accurately.
• Make a XAT Preparation 2024 schedule and divide the time for every exam section.
• Understand XAT Exam Pattern well. Go through the table below to get an overview of the section-wise time allotment of this exam.

XAT Exam Preparation: Section-Wise Tips

In order to prepare for the upcoming exam, the candidates must follow an effective XAT Preparation plan for every section of the exam. Conceptual clarity is highly needed as only knowing the syllabus is not enough to clear XAT Cut Off for your dream institute. To get your query regarding How to Prepare for XAT 2024, you can refer to the below strategies and tips for section-wise preparation.

The candidates must have conceptual clarity to prepare for this section, as all questions have different approaches. Constant practice during XAT Preparation is needed to ace the VALR section with a good score. Below is an expert-recommended preparation plan for this section.

• Work on your vocabulary enhancement at the time of XAT Preparation 2024. It is needed to speed up your comprehension and reading skills.
• Try to identify the connector for jumbled word questions and link them with the meaning of the paragraph.
• Focus on word usage in the sentences. Try to make sentences with the words you have learned during XAT Preparation.
• Read newspapers and articles daily to improve your vocabulary and knowledge of comprehensive passages.

This section contains questions from various business-like situations related to daily life. So, the candidates must follow their logical thinking skills to prepare for this section effectively. You must be able to answer the questions practically if seen from the business management point of view. Know more about XAT Exam Analysis and understand the difficulty level of the exam.

• Avoid making assumptions based on your opinion while solving XAT decision making questions. Rely completely on the given situation.
• Read sample cases from Harvard Business Review's official website.
• Be ethical in following the XAT Preparation plan for this section.
• Avoid choosing options in which the protagonist does not take any action to resolve the problem.

The weightage of this section is the highest of the other sections of the XAT. Besides, the difficulty level is also higher as the questions test the candidates' mathematical aptitude and numerical skills. The candidates must follow the below XAT Preparation Strategy to cover this section properly.

• Revision on Fundamentals Topics - First, go through the basics of QA and DI topics. It is the root level of your XAT Preparation. Practice all kinds of questions related to fundamental topics
• Be Smart at Choosing the Books - Be selective while choosing the books. Do check out the authors like Arun Sharma, R.S. Aggarwal, Nishit Sinha, and many more whose books are quite good and important as well.
• Practice PYQs and mock tests - Once you are done with the basics, start solving PYQs during XAT Preparation. If you're facing problems while solving the questions, then it means you aren't applying the tricks, or your basics are might not prepared well. So work on your basic understanding during preparation.
• Learn shortcut tricks during XAT Preparation - By applying the tricks, your time will be saved. There is a difference between being able to solve the question and solving the same question effortlessly. Solving the questions in a short span of time would only happen if you practised the questions regularly by using tricks.
• Utilize your time - You must have heard of the proverb 'Stitch in time saves nine', which means that if you utilize your time now, then you will not face problems in the future. Try to spend time as much as possible on this section as it carries the most weightage of all sections.
• Work on speed and accuracy at the time of XAT Preparation 2024 - Try to maintain a proper balance between speed and accuracy. Solve the questions by taking time into consideration. Solve the test papers according to the time allotted to this section
• Adhere to negative markings during XAT Preparation - Do not forget the negative marking in XAT. For each wrong answer, 0.25 marks are deducted. So, prepare accordingly so that you can answer the questions correctly.
• Do not stick to one question which is tough to solve. It will create confusion and anxiety, which are not good for the exam.
• Practice is the only key to prepare for the XAT QADI section.

☛ Also Check: XAT Admit Card

In order to grab this section, the candidates must be in constant touch with daily current affairs at the time of XAT Preparation. Additionally, be prepared for static GK questions from History, Geography, Politics, Economics, Science, and Technology.

• Do not leave XAT Preparation for this section until the last minute. It will create pressure as the GK part is vast and does not have a definite syllabus.
• Read news articles daily and notes on every important event with dates and timings during your XAT Exam Preparation days.
• The candidates must have a holistic understanding of GK-Based subjects like Science, Geography, History, Economics, and Technology.

☛ The candidates must check all the details of XAT Registration, including fees, processes, and steps to fill out the application form.

This section is evaluated if the candidates clear the cut-off for the final selection round. It is a newly added section, and the candidates must be prepared well to ace this section. Note the below-mentioned tips for XAT Exam Preparation to prepare the essay writing section.

• First of all, understand the given topic, including what the topic is about and the requirements of this topic.
• Brainstorm your ideas by critically thinking of the facts that you can include to write an essay properly.
• Focus on writing practice during XAT Preparation to enhance your thinking ability and writing speed.
• Make a draft in your mind and follow this while writing your essay.
• Be focused on what you are writing, as the flow of paragraphs is needed to write a good essay.
• Note that there are grammatical and structural errors.

XAT GDPI is the last section round, conducted by XLRI and other XAMI institutes, for the candidates who will clear the cutoffs. It is an important round, and here, the candidates are judged with respect to their communication, leadership, decision-making, and analytical reasoning. So, it is important to make prior XAT Preparation for GD and PI to crack this round with a good score.

In the GD round, the candidates are divided into several groups based on the number of shortlisted candidates. Each group is allotted a topic, which they have to discuss within a stipulated time. However, PI is the personality activity round and evaluates candidates’ interpersonal skills, aptitude, and problem-solving skills. Note the table below to get a list of study materials for the GDPI round, which you can refer to at the time of XAT Preparation.

• Newspapers like The Hindu, The Economist, TOI, Competition Success, and Wal Street Journal
• XAT Preparation books like Manorama Year Books, Business Related Magazines, Marketing Chronicles: A Compendium of Global and Local Marketing Insights, Group Discussion on Current Topics, and Universal Interview & Group Discussion Book.

Topics can be Studied during XAT GDPI Preparation

Note the table below to get an idea of the topics you may face at the time of the XAT GD round.

The candidates who start XAT Exam Preparation in advance, especially with 6 months in hand. It is necessary to be well-prepared and well-versed with the entire XAT Syllabus within the scheduled exam date for the upcoming exam. It is always recommended that you analyze their position, strengths, and weakness first, and then start XAT Preparation for all the exam sections.

• First, understand the exam pattern to know the topics you need to study during XAT Preparation.
• Solve the previous year's XAT Question Paper as soon as you complete the syllabus or one chapter. It will help you to gain knowledge of the question types and the depth of difficulty.
• After completing one chapter while XAT Preparation, try to solve the exercises at the end of that chapter. It will help you to develop confidence in that particular topic.
• Spend more time on your weakness. However, don't ignore your strengths, as it will boost your confidence.
• Make a time-bound XAT Exam Preparation and dedicate 8-9 hours to study to cover the entire syllabus within a short period of time.

What to Study during XAT 2024 Preparation?

The candidates must not worry about thinking about How to Prepare for XAT. This is the most common question for every MBA Aspirant who ate preparing for any of the MBA exams in India. You just need to be focused and follow the Best Books for XAT Exam Preparation to have conceptual clarity for the topics covered. Note the table below to get some highly-rated books for XAT Preparation.

XAT Preparation in 1 month is not such an easy task. Lots of dedication and sincerity are needed to cover all the chapters in one month. You can clear the cut-off if you are completely devoted to your study. Below are some XAT Exam Preparation tips and strategies for the candidates who want to ace this exam with only 1-month of preparation.

• Be focused on completing the topics which have the highest weightage during XAT Preparation.
• Attempt BYJU'S Exam Prep XAT Online Test and sample papers to get a hold of the paper pattern. It will help you develop time-management skills to answer the questions with accuracy.
• Make a weekly timeline to plan XAT Preparation in 1 Month in a better way.
• Revise all the notes for GK and be focused more on Current Affairs.
• Practice Reading Comprehension more to improve the verbal ability section for XAT.
• Follow vocabulary books by Norman Lewis for practising vocabulary-based questions at the time of XAT Preparation.
• Utilize your free time by revising the formulas and note that you have prepared already.
• Study NCERT Books (9-10) for basic clarity for mathematical formulas.

☛ Also Check: XAT Answer Key

During the last few weeks of the XAT Exam, the candidates need to put extra effort into their XAT Preparation 2024. You need to be completely focused on what you have prepared. Never start anything new in these last few days, as this will create confusion. Below are some of the expert-recommended XAT Exam Preparation tips in the last hours.

• Revise all the important topics that you have prepared.
• Do not start anything new.
• Revise all the important formulas for the Quants and Data Interpretation section.
• Practice full-length XAT Sample Paper, and analyze your performance.

As per expert opinion, self-study is very important for XAT 2024 Preparation. The initial stage of preparation is self-analysis so that you can understand your position. It helps you to become more focused on the topics covered in this exam. Below are some tips and strategies for XAT Preparation through self-study.

• Conceptual clarity is important to comprehend basic concepts. Analyze the exam pattern and syllabus first to understand the areas to be covered during XAT Exam Preparation.
• Solve the previous year's question paper to identify the question types and difficulty levels.
• Study GK in your free time, as this section has no definite syllabus. Prepare for daily current affairs and static GK during XAT Preparation 2024.