XAT GK 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Recommended Books, Previous Year Paper Analysis, Preparation Tips, Mock Test & Sample Papers
Content Writer | Updated On - Jul 26, 2025
XAT 2026 registration starts on July 10, 2025, and the entrance is to be held on January 4, 2026.
- Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national-level management entrance examination conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur for admission into MBA/PGDM courses.
- XAT 2026 GK section will consist of 25 questions.
- In XAT 2026 Marking scheme candidates will be rewarded 1 mark for correct answers and no marks will be rewarded for wrong answers.
- It is expected that 60-70% of the questions in the GK account will be static GK while the rest will be based on current affairs.
- Thus, willing candidates who have a target to secure a good percentile in XAT 2026 must have good knowledge of current affairs, economy, business, and key national and international developments.
XAT 2026 GK Highlights
Tabulated below are the important information related to XAT 2026 GK highlights for aspirants’ reference:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) |
| Exam Conducting Body | Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur (XLRI) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Duration of Exam | 30 minutes for GK and essay |
| Nature of Question | Multiple Choice Type (MCQ) |
| Number of Question | 25 |
| Total no of marks | 25 |
| Number of Sections | Part 3: General Awareness/ Knowledge, Essay Writing |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for every correct answer No Negative Marking for GK section |
| Courses Offered | MBA/ PGDM/ Executive Diploma |
| XAT 2026 Official Website | xatonline.in |
XAT 2026 GK Exam Pattern
Some changes have been introduced in the XAT 2026 exam pattern once the essay writing has been incorporated into it. The complete distribution of questions along with the time limit as per each section is tabulated below:
| Section Name | Max. Question | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 175 minutes |
| Decision Making | 22 | |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 27 | |
| General Knowledge | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Essay | 1 |
XAT 2026 GK Syllabus & Weightage
As already mentioned in the introductory section, candidates targeting to score good percentile in XAT 2026 examination must have a good score in the GK section and put emphasis on gaining knowledge on current affairs, economy, business, and key national and international developments. Some important points related to the XAT GK section are listed below:
- Major topics to be covered in this section are current affairs (national and international), business, economy, politics, history, author names, etc.
- The Part-3 of the paper consists of GK and essay writing with 30 minutes duration provided to the GK portion.
- Usually 60-70% of the questions in GK account for static GK while the rest are based on current affairs in the last 4-6 months.
| GK Syllabus | Weightage in GK Section | Important Topics for Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Static GK | 60-70% | Indian Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Important Organizations, and their headquarters, Capitals & Currencies, Firsts in India |
| Current Affairs | 30-40% | Current Events of National Importance, International Affairs, Business & Economic Developments, Awards & Recognitions, Personalities in News, Government schemes like PMJDY, Swachh Bharat, Make in India, Sports, Books in News |
XAT 2026 GK Important Topics
Important topics related to XAT 2026 GK are tabulated below for aspirants’ reference:
| General Knowledge Important Topics | |
| Politics | Nation and States |
| History | Literature |
| Sports | Awards and Recognitions |
| Business | Economics |
| International Relations | Society |
| Merger & Acquisitions | Civics |
| Science | Static General Knowledge |
| Business | Parliament |
| Literature | Banking |
XAT 2026 Recommended Books for GK
As already mentioned, since the GK section has no negative marking aspirants are advised to give special importance to this section to score high and thus start consulting books, reading newspapers, magazines, etc. A few relevant books for the GK section are tabulated below:
| Name of Book | Publisher/ Author |
|---|---|
| Manorama Yearbook | Mammen Mathew |
| Current Affairs Yearly | Arihant |
| General Knowledge: Latest Current Affairs & Who's Who | RPH Editorial Board |
| Pearson General Knowledge Manual | Pearson |
| Pratiyogita Darpan | Upkar Prakashan |
| The Mega Yearbook | Disha Experts |
| Target XAT (Past Papers + 5 Mock Tests) | Disha Experts |
| XAT Solved Papers | Career Launcher |
| Jabbing the XAT | RK Jha |
| Objective General Knowledge | Lucent |
XAT 2026 GK Recommended Magazines & Newspapers
A Few of the popular magazines and newspapers that will be beneficial for XAT 2026 GK preparation are listed below:
- Business World
- The Week
- India Today
- Competition Success
- Business Line by The Hindu Group
- Newspapers- The Indian Express, The Hindu, Economic Times, Hindustan Times
XAT 2026 GK Previous Year Paper Analysis
XAT previous years GK paper analysis will help aspirants gain knowledge on the important areas and the type of questions asked in the exam. The same is given below for the past two years:
XAT GK 2022 Paper Analysis
| Type of GK Question | Number of Question | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Affairs | 13 | Difficult | 5-6 |
| Static GK | 12 | Moderate-Difficult | 3-4 |
XAT GK 2021 Paper Analysis
| Aspect | Number of Question | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| History | 1 | Moderate |
| Geography | 4 | Moderate |
| Economy | 7 | Easy |
| Current Affairs | 2 | Easy |
| Personality and Awards | 3 | Moderate |
| Science and Technology | 2 | Moderate |
| Polity | 2 | Easy |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | Difficult |
| Sports | 2 | Moderate |
XAT 2026 GK Previous Year Question Samples
Question for General Knowledge in XAT are generally not repeated and can be asked from any topic as mentioned above. However, aspirants are advised to go through the XAT previous years’ question papers to gain an understanding of the type of questions usually asked. Some of the questions as asked in previous years are given below for aspirants’ reference’:
- In which Indian state did President Ram Nath Kovind serve as Governor?
- What does the “Earth Overshoot Day” indicate?
- What is Article 356 of the Indian Constitution?
- The prestigious Horlicks brand of GlaxoSmithKline has been recently brought over by another mega FMCG brand. Name the buyer company.
- According to the World Bank, which country is the highest recipient of remittances?
- Which Indian bank was the first to issue “Green Bonds” for financing renewable and clean energy projects?
XAT 2026 GK Preparation Tips
As already mentioned in the introductory section, the general knowledge section of XAT is the most dynamic and scoring section among all sections. To score well in this section candidates are advised to follow the below preparation tips:
- Regularly read popular newspapers viz. The Indian Express, The Hindu, Economic Times, and Hindustan Times to stay updated with the relevant current affairs.
- For static GK, candidates are advised to read and consult the recommended books as mentioned above.
- In addition, time management plays an important role in scoring good marks in GK as candidates have to attempt a total of 25 questions in about 30 minutes along with the essay. Thus practicing mock tests is helpful.
XAT 2026 Mock Test & Sample Papers
As already mentioned in the previous section, candidates are always advised to attempt mock tests and practice previous years’ question papers to gain an understanding of the major areas he/ she needs to focus on. Though questions in GK are never repeated, candidates get a fair idea about what needs to be studied and what can be avoided.
XAT 2026 GK FAQs
Ques. What is considered a good score in the XAT 2026 GK section?
Ans. There is no definite good score for the GK section in XAT 2026. It all depends on the difficulty level of the paper and the number of candidates attempting the entrance examination. As per the previous trend, for a moderate-high difficulty level paper attempting 12-15 questions with 90% accuracy is considered to be a good score.
Ques. Is there any negative marking in the GK section of XAT?
Ans. No, There is no negative marking for the incorrect attempt. Candidates can attempt all 25 questions without worrying about marks deduction.
Ques. What are the key areas of the XAT 2026 GK section?
Ans. The key areas of the XAT 2026 GK section are given below:
- Business and Economic Policies
- International Affairs and Events
- Current Affairs
- Global Summits
- Books and Authors
- Constitution of India and amendments
- Question based on History Geography and General Science
- Important Days: National and International
- Awards and Honours
Ques. Is there any sectional limit for the XAT 2026 GK section?
Ans. A total of 30 minutes is allotted for the GK section along with essay writing.
Ques. Is the sectional cut-off for the XAT 2026 GK section considered for XAT percentile calculation?
Ans. No, The GK sectional cut-off is not considered for XAT 2026 percentile calculation but it plays an important role in the XLRI admission process.
Ques. What was the difficulty level of the XAT 2026 GK section of previous years?
Ans. The difficulty level of the GK section of XAT varies from one year to another. Tabulated below is the GK section analysis of XAT previous year's question paper:
| XAT Exam Year | XAT GK Question Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2021 | Moderate |
| 2020 | Moderate |
| 2019 | easy, moderate, and difficult |
| 2018 | Moderate to difficult |
| 2017 | Easy to Moderate |
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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