The XAT, CAT and NMAT are arguably the biggest MBA Entrances in our country. Leveraging the momentum of your preparation from one exam to the other can ensure a sense of continuity and provide you with an edge against the exams. The XAT is fast approaching, and plenty of reeling CAT 2020 Candidates are looking to regain their equilibrium on the path to pursuing an MBA from an excellent B-School. We decided to delve into previous year XAT Papers, in order to discern a pattern with respect to the questions from various Quant topics. Here’s what we learned about the XAT QADI Pattern.
The Rationale Behind Mapping Previous Papers
The XAT varies from the CAT in quite a few significant ways. The BDM Section stands out in this aspect. The presence of a ‘Logical Ability’ section in the XAT (quite similar to GMAT’s ‘Critical Reasoning’) is yet another difference between the XAT and the CAT.
Bridging these gaps is obviously vital for acing the XAT. Most of these differences are already known to a fresh XAT candidate. To learn how to ace the BDM Section, click here. To gain an insight into a potential overall XAT 2021 Strategy, click here.
What are the factors that CAT candidates can optimize and leverage without additional preparation? The Quant topics within the XAT and the CAT are more or less the same, and RCs are RCs both within the XAT and the CAT. Perhaps these would be those optimal factors?
What are these Quant topics and how many questions have appeared from each topic in the past 3 years? How dynamic is the QA part of the QADI Section? These details can provide for an optimal strategy to an XAT 2021 Candidate, if discernable 😛
This is what we found.
XAT QADI Pattern | 2018, 2019 and 2020
The topics have been tabularized with the previous 3 years as a framework to work with. These are the number of questions from each topic that appeared in the past 3 XAT Papers.
The caveat is that some questions would contain more than one topic. For example, a Data Sufficiency question based on Permutations and Combinations would be counted on both fronts. So, do not confuse yourself, counting the number of questions and getting surprised if they do not add up to 27/28 questions.
Based on the last three years’ QADI section, it can be seen that more than one-fifth of the QADI section is occupied by Arithmetic (6 questions). Geometry (comprising Triangles, Circles, Quadrilaterals, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry and Mensuration) comes neck-to-neck with 6-7 questions. Further, there are Data Interpretation sets that occupy 6 questions (2 sets of 3 questions each, as per the observations from the last three years).
Number Theory, Algebra (Linear and Quadratic Equations, and Inequalities), Sequences and Series and Progressions, and Permutation and Combinations and Probability form the remaining parts of the QADI section, bringing in anywhere between 0 and 2 questions from each of them.
There are 2 questions on Data Sufficiency, and the topics on which these questions are based on have been varying year-on-year. There could be DS questions based on Permutations and Combinations, Algebra or Number Theory, or pretty much any topic.
Preparing for Arithmetic and Geometry doesn’t differ between the XAT and the CAT. Your preparation for the DILR Section of the CAT should also enable you to score well in the DI Section of the XAT.
For acing Geometry, read this article. For a fresh XAT candidate, we recommend watching this wonderful video on Arithmetic Preparation.
A Final Note
Do utilize this pattern to shape your Quant Strategy for XAT 2021. If in doubt, always err on the side of preparing for all relevant topics. Remember, this XAT QADI Pattern is but a mapping of previous year XAT Papers and not the definitive XAT 2021 QADI Pattern. Use it as a framework if you must. I hope you enjoyed this read!
For everything you need to know about XAT, click here. For NMAT Retakers’ Strategy, click here.
Stay Safe and Best Wishes for XAT!
Written by Saahil R Bhatt and Giridharan Raghuraman.
Leave a Reply