XAT Syllabus: XLRI Jamshedpur prescribes the XAT exam syllabus. To achieve success in the entrance exam, aspirants must adhere to the latest syllabus and strategise their preparation accordingly. There is no fixed pattern assigned by the exam conducting body for which questions will be asked in the exam. So, the students must prepare themselves in a way that allows them to handle any questions appearing in the exam. Past statistics have found that the number of questions in the XAT typically fluctuates within a range of 100-105, providing a detailed assessment of your aptitude. Scroll down the page to get the direct link to download the XAT syllabus for all the subjects along with exam patterns, strategies and best books.
XAT Syllabus 2026
XLRI conducts the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) on behalf of the XAMI. XAT is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted every year to select the most appropriate candidates for management education. Also, the XAT exam score is being used by more than 100 institutes for admission. As XAT applications surge annually, securing a seat at top programs becomes increasingly challenging.
The XAT exam syllabus is divided into various subjects such as Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. Thus, candidates must keep the syllabus and exam pattern handy when preparing for the exam. Read on to learn more about the XAT subject-wise syllabus and other crucial exam details.
XAT Syllabus 2026 PDF Download
The XAT exam syllabus PDF comprises important topics for all the subjects from which questions can be asked in the exam. As per XLRI Jamshedpur, the XAT exam syllabus has section-wise weightage. You can download the XAT Syllabus PDF from the link shared below and begin your preparation right away to score high marks in the exam.
XAT Exam Pattern 2026
Before understanding the XAT syllabus, aspirants must go through the XAT exam pattern to get an idea of the format and the requirements of the entrance exam. This will help them select the best books and other resources for the preparation. Here is the latest XAT question paper pattern shared below for the ease of the candidates.
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The XAT exam comprises objective-type questions.
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Each question carries 1 mark.
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There shall be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer and a negative marking of 0.10 marks shall be awarded for each unattempted question after 8 unattempted questions. However, the General Knowledge section is exempt from negative markings.
| Part | Subject | Duration | Number of Questions |
| 1 | Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VA & LR) | 170 minutes | About 26 |
| Decision Making (DM) | About 21 | ||
| 2 | Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) | About 28 | |
| 3 | General Knowledge (GK) | 10 minutes | About 20 |
XAT Syllabus Section-Wise
Typically, the XAT syllabus is divided into two time-bound parts. Part I covers Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VA & LR), and Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) subjects. On the other hand, Part II covers General Knowledge (GK). Each section usually contains between 28 to 20 questions.
Knowledge of the XAT section-wise syllabus helps aspirants to prepare a robust strategy as per the weightage of the topics asked in the entrance exam. It allows them to identify topics that need to be prioritised in the preparation. Here is the detailed XAT 2025 syllabus shared below for the reference of the candidates.
| Subject | Important Topics |
| Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation | Percentage Tables and Caselets Linear and Quadratic Equations Critical Path Inequalities Variation Averages and Partnerships Logarithms Profit and Loss Probability Surds and Indices Ratio and Proportion LCM and HCF Simple and Compound Interest Geometry Pure Maths Venn Diagram Time and Work Alligations and Mixtures Numbers Time, Speed and Distance Algebra Mensuration Graphs Pie Charts Trigonometry Data Tables Data Charts Bar Diagrams Data Analysis |
| Verbal & Logical Ability | Reading Comprehension Antonyms/Synonyms Jumbled Paragraphs Contextual Usage of Vocabulary Fill in the Blanks Word Usage Sentence Completion Correction of Errors in Sentence Paragraph Completion |
| Decision Making | Analytical Reasoning Complex Arrangement Data Arrangement Caselets Logical Reasoning Assumptions Conditions and Grouping Situations Decision Making |
| General Knowledge (GK) | Awards and winners Static GK Business and Politics History and Geography Government and Economy World Events Constitution of India Personalities Current Affairs |
How to Cover the XAT Syllabus
Acing the XAT exam is no cakewalk as it requires immense dedication, hard work and top-notch strategy. Therefore, aspirants must first cover the entire XAT syllabus and then proceed ahead with solving the mock tests and previous year's papers to master the concepts. Here are tips and tricks to ace the XAT 2025 exam with flying colours.
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The first and foremost tip is to analyse the XAT section-wise syllabus and then allocate time to every topic based on the weightage and frequency of being asked over the past years.
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Choose the best books to learn the fundamentals and advanced-level topics.
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Practice unlimited questions from mock tests and previous year's papers to improve your time management and problem-solving skills.
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Revise all the topics studied so far to retain concepts for a long time.
Best Books to Cover XAT Syllabus
There are a plethora of books and study notes available in the market for the preparation of the XAT 2025 exam. However, aspirants must get their hands on the XAT books that are based on the latest XAT syllabus and trends to excel in the entrance exam. Here are the subject-wise XAT exam books tabulated below for reference purposes.
| Subject | Book Name with Author |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) & Data Interpretation (DI) | How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency by Ananta Ashisha/Arihant |
| Verbal Ability | Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis Objective General English by Dr RS Agarwal and Vikas Agarwal |
| Decision Making | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha |
| General Knowledge | The Hindu Economic Times Financial Express Hindu Business Line |
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