XAT Exam Pattern 2025 (Revised): Updates, Structure, Marking Scheme

The XAT Exam Pattern 2025 has been released, introducing key changes to the test structure. Notably, the Essay Writing section has been removed, and the number of questions in the General Knowledge section has been reduced. The exam duration has also been shortened from 210 minutes to 180 minutes.

According to the updated XAT Exam Pattern 2025, the exam will be divided into two parts. The first part, lasting 170 minutes, will include sections on Decision-making, Verbal & Logical Ability, and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation. The second part, 10 minutes long, will consist of the General Knowledge section. Candidates with disabilities (PwD) will receive an extra 20 minutes for each part.

Each section of  XAT 2025 will contain 20-28 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), with five answer options for each question. While the score from the General Knowledge section will be considered during the final selection process, it will not contribute to the XAT 2025 result. For more details, read about the XAT Exam Pattern 2025 below.

Latest XAT 2025 Updates

The XAT administration has implemented notable changes to the XAT exam pattern 2025:

1. Reduction in Total Questions: The number of questions has been decreased from 101 to 95, all in a multiple-choice question (MCQ) format.
2. Reduction in GK Questions: The General Knowledge (GK) section now comprises 20 questions, down from 25. This includes 12 questions on current affairs and 8 on static GK, providing a balanced evaluation of candidates' current awareness and foundational knowledge.
3. Changes in Exam Duration: The total exam duration for XAT 2025 has been shortened to 180 minutes, compared to the previous 210 minutes.
4. Exam Structure: The XAT 2025 exam is now divided into two parts. Part 1 is allotted 170 minutes, while Part 2, which focuses solely on the GK section, is allocated 10 minutes.
5. Removal of Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) Test: The AEW section has been removed from XAT 2025. Instead, this component has been integrated into the Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD/PI) stages of the XLRI selection process.
6. GK Score Utilization: The score from the General Knowledge section will be exclusively used by XLRI Jamshedpur during its final selection process.

XAT Exam Pattern 2025: Key Highlights

The following table outlines the key details of the XAT Exam Pattern 2025 for your reference:

XAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section Wise

The XAT entrance exam features a variable distribution of questions across different sections, meaning that some sections contain more questions than others.

The table below shows the section-wise distribution of questions for the XAT exam:

XAT Marking Scheme 2025

The XAT exam 2025 marking scheme has unique aspects that differentiate it from other tests. Notably, there is no negative marking for questions in the General Knowledge section. However, for other sections, there is a penalty of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.

Additionally, if more than eight questions are left unanswered, a penalty of 0.10 marks per question applies. Here's a summary of the marking scheme:

• +1 mark is awarded for each correct answer.
• -0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer.
• -0.10 marks are deducted for each question left unanswered beyond eight.
• No negative marking is applied in the General Knowledge (GK) section.
• The General Knowledge section scores do not contribute to the overall XAT score.

XAT 2025 Exam Duration: Total and Sectional Time Limits

The section-wise exam duration for XAT is outlined below. Understanding the overall and sectional time limits will assist candidates in managing their time effectively for both parts of the exam.

The XAT 2025 exam will have a total duration of 3 hours, with Part I lasting 170 minutes and Part II lasting 10 minutes. In Part I, the VALR, QADI, and DM sections will not have any specific sectional time limits.

Candidates with disabilities (PwD) will be granted an additional 20 minutes per hour. As a result, they will receive 55 extra minutes for Part I and 5 extra minutes for Part II of the XAT exam.

XAT Exam Pattern Over the years

Up until XAT 2021, the exam consisted of four sections: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VA & LR), Decision Making (DM), Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA & DI), and General Knowledge (GK). However, in XAT 2022, a revision to the exam pattern introduced a new section called Analytical Essay Writing (AEW). Following this change, the XAT question paper has remained largely unchanged.

XAT Preparation Tips 2025

• Allocate sufficient time to each exam section and try to follow this approach to answer the most questions accurately.
• Practice as many questions as possible from each topic in every section to thoroughly cover the syllabus.
• Focus on reviewing and practicing the questions you find challenging to improve your understanding.
• Concentrate on the reading comprehension part of the Verbal Ability section, as it's a high-scoring area—practice plenty of RC passages.
• Take sectional mock tests within the given time limits to prepare thoroughly for the exam.
• Consider joining a good coaching institute to strengthen your concepts.
• Aim to take at least two mock tests each week to enhance your speed and accuracy for the exam.