Solving XAT Decision Making
The most important quality of any manager is his decision-making ability. Several entrance exams happen all over India to test the mental and verbal ability, personality and analytical skills of a candidate but testing the decision taking ability is something unique to XAT.
Xavier’s Admission Test or popularly known as XAT are an exclusive set of exams with an impeccable pattern and question set. Coming back to where we left, XAT exams have an exclusive question bank for decision making.
What are decision-making problems?
It consists of a mix of behavioral, managerial and mathematical questions. Decision Making is not really a test of theoretical knowledge but challenges the basic assumptions of your thinking and whether you are able to understand real-world problems that are presented as cases in these questions. To put in layman’s language, decision-making problems are a combination of reading comprehension and logical reasoning since it tests both of them.
Usually, what is same or relative in XAT and other exams is the sub division of decision-making problems. Often Data interpretation and Logical Reasoning questions are considered to be a branch of decision-making problems. But the actual challenge is the behavioral and managerial decision making questions.
Question Pattern
Typically the questions are framed keeping in mind a person on which the situation is framed. The person/protagonist has to choose the best possible option to come out of the problem. The background of the questions is kept very generic like manufacturing, IT, family, politics, food etc.
Now the question is on how to attempt the question? There is one sure shot ways to get scores in this section and that is going with the most “ethical choice”. Yes. Firstly use the elimination method and come to a threshold where you have to choose between just two options. One of the options would be practical and profit oriented while the other option will be ethical and most likely the right one. It does not count if you have experience pertaining to that field or question, what matters is that which is the option which does justice. Also take note that there would be an option which would say that the person is doing nothing. Strike that option without any doubt and you shall be a step closer to your right choice.
Question Frame
Except for the basic question pattern, the question for DM can be formed in various ways which are further classified in three broad categories.
Single question: These are first tier question with moderate to easy level of difficulty.
In this, a short paragraph is followed by single question. To ace them, solve more and more questions as they are not expected much in exams these days but can definitely come once in a blue moon.
Two to three question: Usually, XAT puts forth an actual DM problem to student where they have to decide whether to do the question or not. The problem is that XAT provides a lengthy caselets as the base to which comes two or maybe three questions. The catch is that the students have to decide if it’s worth investing time this since it’s lengthy and usually tough.
Three to five: These are higher difficulty level question with a higher level of case study. A long paragraph is followed by three to five twisted long questions in MCQ form.
Another ways on which decision making questions are classified are Pure logic, managerial issue and ethical issues. The hierarchy to attempt the question is simple. First go for the financial and pure logic question. These question are confusing and of moderate difficulty level. So one should take a try at them though it is not mandatory that you will get the right answer. Next comes the managerial and ethical questions. They are the most important questions since they have a good difficulty level. These questions are twisted and indirect so require a lot of thinking. It is advised o practice these questions at top most priority since they carry the maximum weightage and question mass.
Pointers:
Take note of all the people involved in the question.
Analyze the problem from the point of view of every person in the question.
DM problems require an answer which gives maximum profit. So maximizing profit my also mean an option which is totally risk-free. Think both ways.
No personal opinions. Think what god would have done if he was in your place.
Choose the ethical option ONLY.
Most of the options may have concealed opinions. Study them wisely.
So this was al you need to know about how to prepare for XAT. Make sure to study well as most student tend to leave this section in freight or of over confidence. XAT does not only test your mental ability but your attitude too.
Choose wisely and remember there is no alternative for hardwork.
BY Arushi Tyagi
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