XAT 2025 Last Minute Tips and Exam Day Guidelines

XAT Exam Day Guidelines and Last-Minute Tips: This year XLRI Jamshedpur has introduced the facility for candidates to carry scientific calculator for XAT 2025 test. XAT exam is scheduled to be held on January 5, 2025. All the aspirants of XAT 2025 must have prepared adequately and now should be busy with the last mile preparations. Now is the time for all XAT 2025 candidates to focus on revising their strong areas instead of worrying about their weak points. They should mainly focus on how to improve their score with the help of shortcuts and tricks. They should spend time in checking the latest XAT exam pattern and previous years papers. Read this article to get last minute tips and exam day guidelines for XAT 2025.

Latest: XAT Sectionwise Preparation Tips

Suggested: XAT Sample Paper, Topic wise Questions with Solution

Applications Open: Great Lakes PGPM & PGDM 2025 App. Deadline: 3rd January

This Story also Contains

1. Last-Minute Tips for XAT 2025: Overview
2. Points to Keep in Mind for XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips
3. XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips: Exam Day Instruction
4. XAT 2025 Exam Day Guidelines
5. XAT D-Day Instructions 2025
6. XAT 2025 Exam Strategy
7. Section-wise XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips and Exam Day Guidelines
8. XAT Preparation Books

Last-Minute Tips for XAT 2025: Overview

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a competitive MBA admission test in India offered by XLRI Jamshedpur. This article contains last-minute advice and exam-day instructions to assist applicants in enhancing their performance and increasing their chances of success. With these points in mind, This article on XAT 2025 last-minute tips and exam day strategies by Careers360 has compiled a list of the finest methods and strategies to use on exam day in order to improve your score.

Before starting the preparation, let us have a short look at the XAT exam pattern 2025. Some changes have been made to the XAT exam pattern in recent years. The section of essay writing has been brought back as part of the XAT test paper. Now the test will be 3 hours and 30 minutes and have five sections. With these in mind, this article on XAT 2025 last-minute tips and exam day guidelines by Careers360 has curated a list of the best tips and strategies to follow during the XAT exam day in order to score better.

Quick Links -

• XAT Preparation Timetable
• How to start XAT Preparation

Points to Keep in Mind for XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips

As you approach the XAT 2025 exam, keep in mind these last-minute tips to maximize your performance:

• Ensure that you revise: Go through all the important concepts, formulas, and strategies you've studied. Focus on revising key topics and solving a few practice questions to reinforce your understanding.
• Be confident: Believe in your preparation and stay positive. Confidence can significantly impact your performance, helping you tackle questions more effectively.
• Go through the current affairs: Review recent news and major events, as this will be crucial for the General Knowledge section. Stay updated with the latest developments to answer these questions accurately.
• Choose the best XAT exam strategy: Decide on a strategy that suits you best, whether it's answering easier questions first or managing time across sections efficiently. Stick to your plan to ensure a smooth exam experience.
• Always have a backup plan: Be prepared for any unexpected issues, such as technical glitches or time management problems. Having a backup plan will help you stay calm and handle any situation effectively.

XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips: Exam Day Instruction

Check out below what to carry and what not to carry, etc.

1. Do not forget to carry XAT Admit Card

In all entrance exams, candidates must carry a hard copy of their XAT admit cards. In the XAT MBA entrance exam also, XLRI Jamshedpur will ask candidates to carry at least two hard copies of the XAT 2025 admit card. Before reaching the exam centre of XAT 2025, it will be mandatory for candidates to have their admit cards. No candidate will be allowed to get inside the exam centre if he/she does not possess a hard copy of their XAT admit card 2025.

2. Documents to carry

Apart from a hard copy of the XAT admit card 2025, candidates will be required to carry certain other documents for verification purposes as well. Some of the documents that candidates should carry to the exam centre of XAT 2025 are as follows -

• Recent passport-size photograph
• Original Identity card like PAN, Aadhaar, Voter ID, Passport, Driving License
• Stationery items

As per the exam pattern of XAT 2025, the exam will be conducted in computer-based mode. Hence, candidates are not required to carry anything. A rough sheet will be provided along with a pen if required by candidates.

3. Check the Location of Exam Centre Beforehand

Once candidates download their admit card of XAT 2025, the exam centre allotted to them is mentioned there. As one of the practical pieces of advice on XAT last-minute tips and exam day guidelines, candidates are requested to visit the exam centre a few days before the exam to avoid hindrances on exam day.

XAT 2025 Exam Day Guidelines

• Be on Reporting Time - Candidates should be at the exam centre of XAT at least one hour before the exam time. The reporting time is also mentioned on the admit card and candidates are required to adhere to the time. No candidate will be allowed to go inside if they are late than the reporting time.
• No Electronic Gadgets Allowed- To ensure fulfilment of security requirements and avoid any kind of hassle, candidates are advised to not bring any kind of electronic gadgets like mobile phones, digital watches, calculators, etc., Candidates who during checking are found with any such gadgets will not be allowed to continue with their XAT exam and will be debarred.
• Double Check Answers - As per the XAT 2025 exam pattern, there will be negative markings in the XAT question paper. Hence, after answering candidates should ensure that they have revisited and re-checked their answers to avoid negative markings in wrong answers. If you are unsure, then do not attempt the question at all.

XAT D-Day Instructions 2025

• Five options per question will be visible to candidates.
• One question at a time will be there on the screen. Candidates will be able to switch between questions using the next and previous question tab.
• On the top-right corner of the screen, a timer will be visible. XAT question paper will disappear once the timer gets to zero.
• If candidates are unsatisfied with marked answers, they can choose to unmark the same by clicking the 'Erase' button given at the bottom.
• There will be no sectional timing, hence, questions can be answered in any time frame.
• The option to bookmark a question is also available in case the candidate wishes to review it. This can be done by clicking on the 'Tag' button.

Status of Questions in XAT 2025

• In case the candidate completes the paper within the stipulated time period, he/she can end the test by clicking the 'Preview Submit' button. Note that candidates will not be allowed to leave the exam hall before three hours i.e. the time duration of XAT 2025 is complete.

• Even if the candidates do not click on the 'Preview Submit' button, the result will be saved automatically.

XAT 2025 Exam Strategy

Keeping in view the XAT previous year question paper, there are no fixed no. of questions that the candidates need to answer. Given below is a list of questions from each section along with a marking scheme that can be checked by candidates.

XAT Exam Pattern 2025

XAT Marking Scheme 2025 - Highlights

• For each correct answer, one mark will be awarded
• For each incorrect answer, a 0.25 mark will be deducted
• A Total of 0.10 mark will be deducted for every eight unattempted questions
• For the General Knowledge section 20 questions will be asked instead of 25. This would include 12 questions from current affairs and 8 questions from static GK, there will be no negative marking

Also Read- How to prepare for XAT while working?

Section-wise XAT 2025 Last-Minute Tips and Exam Day Guidelines

For Verbal and Logical Ability

• Topics like Critical Reasoning : Decision making conclusion derivation and theme detection , Sentence Correction, Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion (multiple blanks), Reading Comprehension, etc., will form major questions in this section.

• The length of Reading Comprehensions and other passages in this section will not be very long but the English used will be difficult to read. Hence, candidates are advised to focus on strengthening their vocabulary for this section.

• To save time, it is advisable to attempt the questions related to Sentence Completion, Para Jumbles, Cloze test, Vocabulary, etc., and then move on to the difficult and time-consuming questions related to Reasoning, RC, and Correction. In XAT 2025, candidates can expect an equal number of inferential as well as specific detail-based questions.

For General Knowledge

• There will be no negative marking in this section, hence candidates tend to waste their time on General Knowledge.

• It is suggested that candidates should answer only those questions which they can answer quickly and accurately.

For Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

• In XAT 2025 this section will possibly justify your preparation & hard work. Questions from Arithmetic, Number System, Geometry, Algebra, Base System, and Mathematical Reasoning will be the mainstay in this section.

• For practice, use your CAT preparation material but don't go beyond the Advanced Level problems. DI sets are usually simple and do not create any problems in terms of reaching the solution.

• If QADI is strong then you should target almost all questions. Average candidates should target not more than 15-20 questions. The SQC techniques, as well as the three-round approach, will work here.

For Decision Making

• This section includes Behavioral and Mathematical decision-making questions. In behavioural questions, the situation is described and the protagonist in the passage needs to make a decision and solve his/her dilemma. Candidates are required to suggest the right course of action and mark the correct answer.

• Eliminate the choices based on the parameters of legality, fairness, and the desired result.

Candidates must thoroughly go through XAT previous year papers and practice as many XAT mock test as they can to strengthen their XAT preparation 2025.

XAT Preparation Books

Choosing the right XAT preparation books is essential because they provide structured and comprehensive coverage of the exam syllabus, ensuring you don't miss any critical topics. These books are often updated with the latest exam patterns and include a variety of practice questions that reflect the types of questions you'll face in the actual exam, helping you become familiar with the format and difficulty level.

Best XAT Books: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Best XAT Books: Decision Making

Best XAT Books: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

Best XAT Books: General Knowledge