How to crack XAT Decision Making – Part I

How to crack XAT Decision Making- One of the most challenging and difficult sections in management entrance tests is Decision Making, and it has proven to be a difficult task for many XAT aspirants. There are several reasons why DM is considered to be the biggest stumbling block on the XAT. One of the major reasons is the lack of preparation time devoted to DM compared to other sections. Additionally, many aspirants may dislike reading and find the subjective nature of DM questions to be challenging. These factors combined make DM the deal-breaker for many XAT test-takers.

It’s important to understand that Decision Making is not like Reading Comprehension (RC). While RC may be tedious and boring, DM requires a different approach. To successfully crack a DM question, you need to understand the type of thinking it requires and approach it accordingly. You need to go beyond the standard approach used for RC and be open to different strategies.

The first challenge in DM is choosing the right set of questions to attempt. Unlike Data Interpretation (DI) or Logical Reasoning (LR), you cannot choose a DM set based on a pattern. There are broadly three types of cases in DM: number-based decision-making, information-based decision-making, and analytical reasoning. However, each set within these categories is unique and has its own level of difficulty. It is only after reading the question and options that you can assess the difficulty level of a set. How to crack XAT Decision Making- Each question within a set can vary in difficulty, so it’s important to approach each question individually, just like you would do with individual Quant questions.

The second challenge in DM is that you cannot be on auto-pilot. You need to concentrate harder and be fully engaged throughout the entire process of solving a DM question. Unlike other sections where you may rely on previous knowledge or concepts, every DM question is unique and requires your full attention. This can be mentally exhausting and time-consuming.

To approach DM effectively, it is helpful to analyze and dissect different sets to understand how to approach them at both the question-level and section-level. For the best results, it is recommended to practice a DM section from a past XAT paper and then return to this post.

For example, let’s analyze two sets:

Set 1: Analytical Reasoning

This set involves selecting elective courses at Bright Engineering College. The set requires understanding the different categories of electives and their intersections. This set cannot be cracked using equations or precise answers, as there are many possibilities. It is a pure Analytical Reasoning set and can be classified as a B-level difficulty question.

Set 2: Decision Making – HR Set

This set involves a scenario where an IT professional receives an email from his boss about the need for improvement in his behavior. The question requires understanding the reasons behind the professional’s decision to focus on his job despite the distraction. The correct option would be related to his work or any relevant factors affecting his performance.

In conclusion, cracking XAT Decision Making requires a different approach compared to other sections. It is important to devote sufficient time and effort to understand the unique nature of DM questions and practice accordingly.