Is there sectional timings enforced in XAT?

There are no sectional timings enforced in XAT. Students are free to spend as much time on a section, as they want to.

Does institute give a lot of importance to work experience?

Actually work experience comes into play during the personal interview of the student. Also the number of years of work experience doesn't matter but the quality of work experience matters. One place where it would matter before the personal interview is SP Jain.

Is test marks added to GD/PI marks for overall selection?

Every institute gives some weightage to each of the parameters: test, PI, essay to arrive at a composite score. The final selection will be based on the composite score of students.

What to do in the last stage of preparation?

Focus on fine tuning in the last few days. Emphasize on revision of strong areas, take some sectional tests for practice and speed and try and reduce the number of errors. Also do relax and remain positive and confident.

What is the best way to increase speed?

Spend sometime before starting the test in selecting the right questions to answer. Speed is sometimes a factor of the wrong questions being selected.

What should be the sequence of attempting various sections?

This depends on the strength areas of individuals. Start with the strongest section and end with the second strongest section. Keep the weakest section in the middle of the test.

How to prepare for essay section in XAT?

 Read a lot of good articles on social and economics concern to get ideas flowing. Start the essay with a proper introduction and always try and have a conclusion. The let the essay coomunicate your thought cripsly and coherently. Before writing on the subject try and analyse the subject to the best of your ability. Also practice writing an essay every day in the last one month to XAT. For more on essay writing tips please take a look at the following link:
Essay Writing Tips for XAT

Does XAT have negative marking?

Yes XAT exam has progressive negative marking meaning for the first 6 wrongs in any section you get
-0.25 and for every mistake thence, -0.5.

Is there sectional cut off for XAT?

XAT has sectional cutoff for XLRI and XIMB. The cutoff of different sections last year for XLRI was:

QA & DI - 8
AR & Decision Making - 8
Verbal & LR - 12

What is the weightage given to different sections in XAT?

In 2008 the weightages given are :

Analytical Ability - 38
Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability - 44
Verbal ablity and Logical Ability - 38

What is the pattern for the essay section in XAT?

The essay part is to be covered after 2 hours of the multiple choice questions. There is 20 minutes allocated to write the essay and there is no choice given. Economic and social issues predominate the essay section.
Some of the topics that have been asked are:

More than one billion Indians, a problem or an opportunity?
Indian Economy in the post WTO era
Economic Growth woithout env. damage - mirage or reality
Consequences of Gender Imbalances - The Third world war
Ships are safe in the harbour but they are not meant to be there

What is the Pattern for XAT exam?

XAT exam is for approximately 120 marks excluding the essay. There paper is divided into three sections plus an essay. Each of the section has objective type question with multiple choices. The exam has progressive negative marking meaning for the first 6 wrongs in any section you get -0.25 and for every mistake thence, -0.5. The maximum marks that is usually obtained is around 50.
The three sections are:

• Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation - Functions, Quadratics, Number Systems, Probability, Geometry, Mensuration, Permutation & Combination etc
  
• Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability - Data Arrangement with 2/3 parameters, Reading comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Fill in the Blanks and Parajumbles
  
• Analytical Ability and Decision Making
  
• Essay - Essay will not be considered for Percentile calculation but will be have subjective weightage by individual institutes.Topics that can be expected for essays are social, economic or simply interpretational one (e.g Ships are safe in the harbour but they are not meant to be there
  

How to register for XAT?

The candidate has to visit the website www.xlri.edu and go to XAT Registration. Here he/she has to fill in the online XAT form. The information to be provided includes XAT Bulletin No, Date, AXIS Bank branch name and Personal Details. After online submission the candidate will immediately get his/her XAT ID and password.

Once the candidate provides the application details for XAT associate institute he/she can proceed to take printout of XAT Payment Advice cum Photo Form (XAT PP Form).

The candidate has to paste his/her recent photograph and put full signature in the designated space provided on the XAT PP Form. The candidate has to enclose the third copy of the bank (XAT) pay-in-slip along with the completed XAT PP Form in the special envelope provided in the XAT Bulletin and send it by registered post / speed post / courier within a week of obtaining the XAT Bulletin. The candidate needs to mention the XAT ID and name on the reverse of the Bank pay-in-slip. The last date for receiving the XAT PP Form at XAT office, XLRI Jamshedpur is December 05, 2009.

The candidate has to keep a copy of the printout of XAT ID and password for any modifications to personal details, taking a printout of XAT 2010 Admit Card and for any correspondence with the XAT Office.

How to obtain XAT bulletin?

A candidate can obtain XAT Bulletin from select branches of AXIS Bank. The cost of the XLRI Prospectus 2010 depends on number of programme(s) applied for.
For General candidates:
Rs 900/- for one programme or Rs 1500/- for more than one and maximum of three programme.
For SC/ST candidates:
Rs 600/- for one programme or Rs 1100/- for more than one and maximum of three programmeson payment of Rs. 800/- (Rupees eight hundred only).

Canditate can also obtain XAT Prospectus from the Admissions Office, XLRI Jamshedpur by drawing DD in favour of "XLRI Jamshedpur A/c Prospectus", payable at Jamshedpur.

For General candidates:
A demand draft of Rs 950/- is to be made for one programme or for Rs 1550/- if applying for more than one but maximum of three programmes.
For SC/ST candidates
A demand draft of Rs 650/- is to be made for one programme or for Rs 1150/- if applying for more than one but maximum of three programmes.

What is the Eligibility for XAT?

A bachelors degree under 10+2+3 system recognized by a university or a deemed university is the eligibility criteria. Less than 50% in graduation are also eligible to apply for XAT 2010. Students who will complete your final year examination by June 10, 2010 are also eligible to apply. Other XAT Members Institutes may have a different date regarding the completion of the final examination.