Despite being a preferred management entrance test in India XAT is different from CAT in many ways. Candidates preparing for XAT 2014 Exam, have to understand the key differences and proceed accordingly in their preparation strategy.

1. XAT 2014:
How
different
from CAT

2. Despite being a preferred management entrance test
in India XAT is different from CAT in many ways.
Candidates preparing for XAT 2014 Exam, have to
understand the key differences and proceed
accordingly in their preparation strategy.
1. Test PatternCAT is a computer based on line test whereas XAT is
based on conventional paper pencil mode. Candidates
have to mark their answers with ball point pen on
OMR sheet.
XAT remains pen-paper based to ensure that
candidates of all backgrounds are at par, so that
those who have pre-familiarity of operating
computers, specially coming from privileged
background.

3. 2. Duration:–
 XAT is conducted on a single day all across
the country and in a single session
whereas CAT has a window of 20-25 days
with two sessions each day.
 Both have time duration of 140 minutes to
solve those questions in examination
which are taken into account to calculate
the percentile. XAT however, may change
its number of questions and time duration
in any of their examinations.

4. 3. Number of questions and marking system: Since 2011, while CAT has been placing 60
questions divided in its two sections with equal
weightage of marking.
 There has been variation in number of questions
and weightage in XAT during past three years.
4. Penalty for wrong answer :–
Negative marking in XAT is less than that of CAT.
XAT penalises by one fourth mark whereas CAT
penalises by one third. For example – if one mark is
awarded for every correct answer, 1/3 and 1/4 will
be deducted by CAT and XAT for every wrong
answer, respectively.

5. 5. General Awareness and Essay
writing :–
 There are two more sections, In addition to above three,
which comprise questions on General Awareness and
descriptive essay writing test. 20 minutes each are
awarded to solve these two parts. Thirty questions on
General Awareness are not counted to calculate the
percentile and the writing skill is assessed with essay
writing test. A few institutes take into account the score
of General Awareness while finalizing their admission
process.

6. 6. Sectional division of questions:–
 In contrast to CAT, which has two sections namely
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Verbal
Ability and Logical Reasoning with 30 questions and 70
minutes for each section.
 XAT-2013 had following question pattern – Section-A
Verbal and logical Ability -30 questions; section-B
Decision making – 25 questions; section-C Quantitative
Ability -31 questions. Section-D General awareness -30
questions to be solved in another 20 minutes. In part
two, there was an Essay Topic ‘Corruption is the root
cause of economic slowdown in India’.

7. 7. Calculation of Percentile : CAT and XAT both have sectional cut-offs. The
difference, however, lies in acceptance of lower marks in
some section by the institutes associated to XAT. CAT
has individual daily session wise cut-off percentile
calculation.
8. Role of General Awareness and Essay
Writing Test :XAT scores, despite having sectional cut-off leave its
General Awareness and Essay Writing Part.
XAT tests the thought process and writing skill of a candidate
with Essay writing along with their written objective
examination, while institutions associated to CAT, puts the
candidate to Writing Ability Test (WAT) before the final
selection round with the same objective in mind.

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