Lakhs of aspirants have been preparing since the start of the year and with a few months left students have geared up the preparations strategies and plans to ace XAT 2021. Despite all the stress that is there, every year we see students getting great results and coming out with flying colors. Toppers of an exam like XAT are bound to get the most attention. Through their interviews, we get to know what exactly is their recipe for acing such a difficult exam.

One of such toppers is Isha Parasramka who topped the XAT 2018 exam. She has cracked this exam along with the other B-school exams, so getting a little insight through her is much needed for the aspiring students.

While sharing her views, she mentioned a few tips that would be very useful for XAT 2020 aspirants.

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What was Isha’s preparation strategy?

• Whether it’s during the exam or during the preparation time, knowing what is on the priority list and what needs more time is important.
• There is obviously a lot to cover, so it’s best to plan in advance and manage to go through everything thoroughly, she says.
• The best way, as suggested by Isha is to divide each day into slots and allot different tasks for these slots.
• Having a strategy to cover the entire syllabus is what she suggests.
• She herself covered certain parts for each section daily, like two comprehensions of English, XAT mocks and past year papers for decision making etc.

Coaching or self-study, what helped her more?

Isha was asked about joining a coaching center for preparation for her XAT exam to which she replied that self-study and joining a coaching center both hold their own pros and cons. According to her, one should be able to decide what’s best for himself/herself. Self-study requires a lot of dedication and coaching centers give you a different platform altogether to clear doubts. The time given to studying is still on the student in both cases, so it’s for the candidate to decide.

Check XAT Topper Tips By Arya Balial

When did she start her preparation?

Isha started her preparation early on as most students do. She suggests to concentrate on learning basic concepts six months before the exam. Around a month before, revision should be done thoroughly. It's best not to delay the set goals and accomplish what has been decided for the day.

What is the one thing she would suggest to every student?

According to her, making a schedule and sticking to it is the most important part. One should make the schedules as per one’s strengths and weaknesses. If followed well, then the entire process can be handled very smoothly. 

Check XAT Topper Tips by Akash Senapati

What are the best study materials according to her?

Enrolling oneself for mock tests is necessary to get the hang of how the exam actually is. Online materials and mocks should be taken in as many numbers as possible. She says that the book ‘Word Power Made Easy’ is a good investment for improving vocabulary. For a subject like General Knowledge, newspapers, editorials, etc. are a good source of knowledge.

Must Read: XAT Section Wise Best Books for Preparation with Benefits

What was her exam day strategy?

She says she was well aware of the sectional cut-offs and took the test accordingly. Also, she attempted first what she was confident in. She spent twenty minutes answering each section to make sure every section was secured and she got good marks in each. Solving what takes the most time with a fresh mind, worked really well for her.

Study Material Suggested by Isha