XAT Decision Making is a unique section of Xavier's Aptitude Test. This section checks whether the candidate can adopt a manager's mindset. Different cases are given, and the managerial understanding of the situation is tested. Practicing numerous XAT decision making questions will help you to familiarize yourself with this section.
Also Read: XAT Admit Card
There is no official XAT syllabus. Analysis of past year patterns and trends helps you know the essential topics asked in XAT every year.
Arrangement | Ethical Dilemmas | Grouping | Complex Arrangement |
Financial Issues | Case-lets | Data Arrangement | Conditions |
Managerial Issues | Analytical Reasoning | Situational Analysis | Assumptions |
Read more: XAT Decision Making Syllabus 2025
Special Crash Course for XAT 2025
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Know what kind of problem. The problem can be any one of the following:
Step 2: Identify all the Stakeholders and Know their Requirements.
Case: Two colleagues of a company are having disputes about work distribution. The stakeholders of the context are:
Step 3: Identify the Ideal Results State.
Find a solution where all the teams work in peace and are willing to work hard to achieve the company's goals. Choose options that best answer the situation.
Case: Let's say you plan a flexible working week in your company.
So, the best option is the one that satisfies better than the rest.
XAT decision making section essentially tests four basic types of questions. Four types of scenarios are given and the aspirant has to choose a situation that is best suitable for that situation.
Type 1: HR Policy Based Questions
Type 2: Behaviour Based Questions
Type 3: Organisational Policy Based Questions
Type 4: Quant Based DM Questions
Newspaper test: This test is the litmus test to take before deciding. It checks if you can defend your decision if it comes in the next day's newspaper.For instance, check if you can defend if you fired someone from the company.If your decision does not pass scrutiny, then that decision should not be chosen.
You need to understand what information is required to tackle this kind of set. Understand the extent of the opportunity and evaluate the opportunity.
Think of all these verticals to consider which strategy to take up or to consider a business proposal
Single Question Prompts
Here, a single paragraph is followed by a single question. Questions like these must be answered as they don't take much time. These sections require critical reasoning skills.
Two to Three Questions per Prompt
A longer case-let is given, followed by 2 or 3 questions. Moving whenever you find yourself stuck between two options is advisable.
Four to Five Questions per Prompt
These formats are the longest ones among the three. A long case-let is given, followed by 4 to 5 questions. This section requires reading comprehension skills as they are long.
One must learn to move to the next question whenever one gets stuck between the two options.
For instance, a CEO/CXO can not suddenly cut down perks on the sales executive of a company. This decision will cause an imbalance in the company because their budgets will be allocated personally based on the company's policies.
XAT Decision Making effectively tests managerial solutions for ethical dilemmas. Students usually think that the decision-making section requires prior work experience to understand the section. But, this section can also be cracked with diligence and practice.
Do Not Allow Personal Opinion
An aspirant must be able to look at the situation from a third-person perspective and make a decision that satisfies multiple stakeholders involved. Do not allow your personal opinion to get in between. View the scenario from the third-person perspective.
Essential Things That Are Tested
DM section tests candidates' short-term and long-term analysis skills. The candidate must be able to consider all the short-term and long-term possibilities that are prone to happen if a decision is made.
DM also tests candidates' core beliefs, ethics, and value systems.
How to Arrive At the Right Answer
In more typical scenarios, the candidate can eliminate the two. But he gets stuck with the remaining two options. The ability to pick the right option is developed by practising more and more questions.
Also, another way out is focusing on eliminating the wrong ones rather than trying to pick out the right ones.
Consider All the Stakeholders Involved
Also, consider how it affects each stakeholder, quantify it, and make decisions effectively.
Also, consider how a single decision will affect all the stakeholders involved. Quantify the effect and make informed decisions.
Do not Pick Extreme Options
In most cases, extreme options aren't the right ones to choose.
An extreme option, for instance, is firing an employee from a firm because of the damage he/she has incurred to the company. In most cases, the solution for this situation is not to fire the responsible employee.
Reading in Between Lines and Extracting Implicit Information
The candidate should also be able to read between the lines and extract the implicit information mentioned indirectly. To be able to do so, the candidate has to be with a calm mind.
XAT Cut-offs keep changing every year. It depends on the level of difficulty of paper. An easier exam would have a higher cut-off and a tougher exam would fetch lower cut-off.
Year | Cut-Off |
---|---|
2024 (Expected) | 75% ile |
2023 | 75% ile |
2022 | 74% ile |
2021 | 70% ile |
2020 | 78% ile |
2019 | 80% ile |
Also Check: Free GK Mock Tests
Decision Making is a unique section of XAT that test students’ decision skills. It is of moderate difficulty.
Twenty-one questions are being asked in the XAT exam every year. The type of questions asked are HR / Organisational Policy, Behavioural / Personal Decisions, Strategy and Operations, and Quant Based.
DM Section tests the managerial acumen of the candidate. He should be able to consider all the short and long-term possibilities of a decision. Also, he should be able to include all the shareholders involved before making a decision.
XAT Exam will be held on the first Sunday of January every year. XAT 2024 is going to be held on January 7th, 2024.
The Cut-Off for the XAT DM Section is usually six marks for clearing the sectional cut-off. It might fluctuate a bit, year on year.