XAT 2022 Decision Making Exam Pattern and Syllabus

Exams Prep Master | Updated On - Feb 25, 2021

XAT 2022 Decision Making is one of the 4 sections of the exam apart from Verbal & Logical Ability, General Knowledge, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. Xavier Aptitude Test is used for admission into the management programs of XLRI Jamshedpur.

XAT DM sectionis similar to the reasoning section of most other management examinations held in India.. Read below to find out more about XAT 2021 Decision Making Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Important Topics, Sample Papers and more.

XAT 2022 Decision Making Highlights

XAT Exam duration is 180 minutes, and the XAT Decision Making Section can be solved within 35 minutes.
XAT Decision Making section will have a total of 25 questions.
There will be a Negative Marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer in the XAT Decision Making section.

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Exam Pattern 2021

XAT 2022 Decision Making Exam Pattern

XAT 2022 Decision Making Exam Pattern is generally the same as the other sections of the XAT Paper except for XAT general knowledge. The XAT DM section consists of 21 questions and the questions generally come from general reasoning topics. Here is the XAT Decision Making Exam Pattern for your reference:

XAT 2021 Decision Making Exam Pattern
Mode	Computer Based Test
Duration	35 minutes
Nature of Questions	Objective (MCQs)
Number of Questions	21
Total Marks	21
Marks Awarded	+1 for every correct answer
Negative Marking	-0.25 for every wrong answer
Medium	English

Section-wise Division

XAT 2022: Sectional Division of Questions & Time Limit

Knowing the sectional time limit for each of the sections of XAT will help you determine how to attempt the paper efficiently. Here is the sectional division of the questions and the time limit for each section of XAT 2021:

Section Name	Max. Questions	Time Limit
Verbal and Logical Ability	26	165 minutes
Decision Making	21
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation	27
General Knowledge	25	15 minutes
Total	100	180 minute

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Syllabus 2022

XAT 2022 Decision Making Syllabus

The decision making section is going to be new for all the candidates because this section is not included by most of the MBA entrance exams. But there is no need to worry as this section is not going to be very difficult. Salient features of Decision Making in XAT are mentioned below:

Syllabus for this section is decision making in a situation, data arrangement tests, etc.
There are 21 questions expected from this section.
Set-based questions are asked.
The difficulty level of the DM section is moderate to tough.
Decision making has negative marking.
Answering 16 – 17 questions is a good attempt.

Read: XAT Decision Making Questions With Solutions, Tips, Pattern.

XAT Decision Making Important Topics

XAT Decision Making Important Topics
Arithmetic	Analytical Reasoning
Situational	Conditions and Grouping Test
Data Arrangement Test	Reading Comprehension
Case lets	Decision Making in a situation

Types of Decision Making Questions for XAT 2022

Candidates can expect two types of questions in the decision making section. It is vital to understand both these types of questions to fare well in the exam.

One is an individual type question where short questions will be given.
The other one is a group type question where you have to solve a question based on a scenario. About 4 - 5 questions will be of this type.

Important Terms for XAT 2022 Decision Making

Candidates must familiarize themselves with the following terms to fare better in this section:

Premise: A previous statement from which another is inferred or an underlying assumption
Assumption: Something which is taken to be true
Fact: A piece of information that has been verified and correct
Proposition: A statement that expressing judgment or an opinion or offered for consideration
Inference: A conclusion made on the basis of evidence and facts
Inductive: Employing mathematical reasoning or characterised by inference of general laws
Deductive: Something that can be proved by deriving conclusions using reason
Reason: A cause, or explanation or justification for an action or an event
Conclusion: Fact drawn from summarization of several incidents

Recommended Books 2022

XAT Decision Making Recommended Books

XAT Decision Making Paper tests the candidates decision making ability in a limited time period. This is one of the most unique papers, as most other competitive management papers go for a traditional reasoning type paper to test the candidates decision making skills. Since this paper is heavily focused, candidates should use the right books to prepare for the exam and always use the right resources. Here are the recommended books for XAT Decision Making:

Name of Book	Publisher/Author
Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers)	RK Jha
Target XAT 2019 (Past papers and mock tests)	Disha Publications
Analytical and Logical Reasoning	Arihant Publications
XAT Supplement	Career Launcher
Wiley's ExamXpert Solved Papers and Practice Tests for XAT	Ashu Jain, M K Jain
Study Package for CAT & other MBA Entrance Exams with 10 Mock Tests 3rd Edition	Multiple Authors
MBA 2019-20 : Study Guide (XAT\|IIFT\|NMAT\|SNAP\|CMAT)	Gautam Puri
XAT 2019 Simplified (14 yrs Past Papers + 5 Mock Tests + General Awareness)	Disha Experts

Also Check: XAT Preparation Books for Each Section

Previous Year Analysis

XAT Decision Making Previous Year Analysis

Year	Decision Making Section Analysis
2020	Questions of moderate level with no singlets which made this section easy. Mathematical or analytical reasoning questions were missing and 16 - 17 would be a good attempt.
2019	18 questions from decision making of moderate difficulty level. 3 questions were similar to that of the previous year.
2018	The mathematical part was on the easier side and the nonmathematical part consisted of 8 sets with 2 - 3 questions from each with medium level of difficulty.
2017	The non mathematical part consisted of mostly lengthy questions of medium level difficulty. Mathematical part was of medium - difficult level.
2016	Decision making section was of a similar difficulty level as 2017. Reading and interpretation passage was however smaller.
2015	Questions from the DM section were hard and difficult to solve.

Tips to Solve XAT 2022 Decision Making: Do’s and Don'ts

This section is important for your future as one might come across a situation where you must take hard decisions in management or similar positions. It is a test of your ability to produce maximum benefit in minimum time.

Here are some best practices or do’s and don’ts while solving Decision Making for XAT:

It is always advisable to opt for the most ethical choice while answering decision making questions.
Decisions which are harmful to others or provide a short term solution are highly likely to be incorrect.
You will often find an option in which the individual does not take any action or make a decision, thereby keeping the situation as it originally was. Such options must be eliminated as it defeats the purpose of decision making.
While solving mock papers, if you come across a problem you could not solve, try to understand why the incorrect options were not the solution to the problem. Doing this will help you eliminate incorrect options faster.
If you are confused between two or more options, choose the one that would provide maximum benefit while causing minimum damage at the same time.
Avoid making personal decisions or options that you might favour over idealistic options. Think from the point of view of the characters. Do not let political, social, or economical views influence your answer.
Never opt for extreme decisions which might result in affecting one or more people negatively, as these decisions show only poor management skills.
Do not opt for decisions that solves an issue partly and does not provide a feasible result to the individuals.
Always make decisions based on logic and reason rather than emotions. Decisions based on emotions reflect poorly on your ability to provide a just solution.
And lastly, solve as many mock questions as possible to familiarize yourself with as many types of problems as possible. Nothing beats the benefits of good old practice!

Suggested Read: XAT Topper Tips by Akash Senapati

Frequently Asked Questions

XAT 2022 Decision Making FAQs

Ques. What is the maximum number of questions asked in XAT Decision Making?

Ans. The maximum number of questions asked in the XAT Decision Making section is 21 questions.

Ques: What is the time limit for the XAT decision making section?

Ans. Sectional time limit for the first 3 sections is 165 mins which includes DM. There is no separate time limit for decision making.

Ques: Are candidates allowed to switch between sections in XAT exam?

Ans. Yes, there is no rule against switching between sections in the XAT exam.

Ques. What is considered a good attempt in the XAT Decision Making section?

Ans. While it varies every year depending on the difficulty of the paper and other sections, generally a good attempt in XAT Decision Making is Attempting 12-14 questions with accuracy.

Ques. Does XLRI follow policy of reservation of seats?

Ans. No, XLRI follows no reservation policy of seats

XAT 2021 : 3 answered questions

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Ques. Which are some good GK apps for IIFT, XAT, SNAP?

● Top Answer By Aditi Arun on 02 Feb 21

Ans. Here are some apps which will help you prepare GK for IIFT, XAT, SNAP, exams. Knappily It is one of the best news apps, basically, a knowledge app that updates you with all the important events happening around the world. It covers sections from Politics, Tech, Sports, Entertainment, Business, Law, Environment, Literature, etc. It also has its desktop version. Knappily in 2 minutes give in-depth information on What, Why, When, Who, and How. Inshorts Inshorts is one of the best news apps you will come across. In 30 seconds it covers all the major events happening around the world. As it summarizes in only 60 words, it will be a helpful app if time is running low for exam preparation. You can also select relevant issues of your interest on the app, as there are 100% of news flooded on the app. Also, avoid unnecessary use of different applications at once. This will only confuse and distract you. It is better that you use only two of the best news apps for preparation.Read more

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Ques. Who can rate CAT, XAT, SNAP, IIFT, MICAT, TISS, or NMAT in terms of difficulty level?

● Top Answer By Janvi Bhambri on 01 Feb 21

Ans. Among all these examinations, XAT is most difficult, followed by CAT. The difficulty level of the exams, in descending order (most difficult to easy) is XAT> CAT> IIFT> SNAP> TISS> NMAT. Now, let us dive into a detailed analysis behind the assigned ranks and the difficulty level. IIFT- The questions asked in IIFT are a mixture of moderate and difficult. The struggle lies in the attainment of marks within the cut-off range, both total cut-off and individual section cut-off. Therefore, the students have no option but to perform exceedingly well in all sections, GK included. The acceptance rate of IIFT is comparably low, only 400 students get admitted out of 50000 students. SNAP – The entrance exam is easy but the tough part is to score marks that will be eligible for admission into Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, or SCHMID branch. These are the branches which are of good quality, unlike the rest of them. TISS- The exam pattern of TISS is easy but the GK section is the most dangerous part among them. The questions asked in the GK section comprise both general knowledge and current affairs, therefore the portions are cover is endless. NMAT- NMAT exam can be successfully cleared with proper preparation. The questions asked are conceptually based. No negative marks are given for wrong answers, hence the students are free to attempt all the questions fearlessly. MICAT is pretty easy. If you want a career in brand marketing and advertising it is necessary. Therefore, from the above discussion, you can estimate the logic behind ranking the difficulty level of exams.Read more

1 Answer

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Ques. What is the order of difficulty mode of entrances exam among these CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA and other exams conducted by deemed universities?

● Top Answer By Sahil Sachdeva on 18 Jan 21

Ans. The order of difficulty is definitely related to various factors but the prominent ones are candidates appearing & its composition. Keeping these in mind; the list is as follows: Common Aptitude Test(CAT) The exam is conducted by IIMs and accepted by most of the management institutes across the country. The test duration is around 3 hours and comprises 100 questions. A nice level of preparation is required to crack it as colleges look up to candidates holding more than 90 percentile. Xavier’s Aptitude Test (XAT) This examination is organised by Xavier Institute Of Management situated in Jamshedpur. It also qualifies as a prominent score for management courses across various colleges. The paper has sections similar to CAT but reasoning and general knowledge are the cracking points in the paper. Common Management Aptitude Test (CMAT) It is conducted by All India Council Of Technical Education(AICTE) having a moderate level of difficulty. It takes general knowledge scores into consideration. It is a 3 hour exam with 100 questions. Management Aptitude Test (MAT) This examination is conducted 4 times a year in February, May, September and December by All India Management Association (AIMA). It is the easiest of all management exams and is accepted by 55-60% colleges across the country. It is a 2.5 hour paper including 200 questions. The percentile awarded is not inclusive of general knowledge score. The details regarding exams can be summed up in the table as follows: PAPER Number of questions Time duration (hours) Number of times paper conducted CAT 100 3 Once in a year (29 November 2020) XAT 100; 2 parts 3 Once in a year ( 3 January 2021) CMAT 100 3 Once in a year ( January 2021 ; registration open) MAT 200 2.5 4 times a year (February, May, September and December) The other prominent exams that are institute specific are : NMAT- Narsee Monjee Institute Of Management Studies -Management Aptitude Test SNAP- Symbiosis College – Symbiosis National Aptitude Test IIFT- Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade The aforesaid examinations are followed by GD/PI with a comprehensive evaluation of the entire academic cycle of candidate. Mere qualification of percentile is not a sure shot entry to top institutes.Read more

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*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.