XAT Syllabus 2026: Section-Wise XAT Exam Syllabus, Important Topics and Preparation Tips

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XAT 2026 Syllabus: Key Highlights

The XAT syllabus is as complicated as the CAT syllabus, and candidates must spend some time understanding it to prepare a strategy for the exam. Like CAT, there is no official XAT syllabus, so it is advisable for all the XAT takers to be aware of the XAT Exam Pattern 2026, which has to be carefully looked at.

XAT Exam Syllabus 2026 comprises four main sections that are to be looked at thoroughly:

As mentioned above, the XAT Syllabus has not been explicitly released by XLRI Jamshedpur, which convenes the XAT. However, the previous XAT papers can be used as a guideline for the types of questions asked as well as the topics that are generally tested in the XAT Exam.

Also read: XAT 2026 notification released, registration started at the official website.

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XAT Syllabus 2026 - Overview

Look at the table below providing the complete breakdown of the XAT syllabus 2026 so that you can get a clear understanding of all the XAT sections.

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XAT 2026 Marking Scheme

The marking scheme for XAT 2026 is expected to be on similar lines to XAT 2025, which is as follows:

** GK is scored but does not count toward the percentile or cutoff calculations (for ranking purposes).

To stay updated on all the latest information on XAT 2026, visit XAT 2026 Notifications

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XAT Syllabus 2026: Section-Wise Topics

Having a deep understanding of the XAT exam syllabus would help the candidate in strategising the exam. This allows for effective practice and identifying strong topics during preparation. Here is the section-wise analysis of the XAT syllabus 2026 given below:

• General English
• Analytical and Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative, DI, and Data Sufficiency
• General Knowledge

XAT Syllabus For Verbal & Logical Ability 2026

This section is a combination of multiple sub-sections, making it one of the most challenging yet scoring sections of the XAT exam. It consists of three distinct sections for preparation purposes:

• Verbal ability
• Reading Comprehension
• Logical Reasoning

XAT syllabus for Verbal and Logical Reasoning: Key Highlights

Here are some key highlights for the XAT syllabus 2026 for Verbal and Logical Ability.

• The difficulty level of this section is moderate to high because the RCs are usually abstract or philosophical.
• Accuracy is more important than attempting all questions; 65–70% accuracy is enough to clear the cutoffs.
• Candidates are advised to take around 50-55 minutes to complete this section out of 175 minutes.

XAT Verbal Ability Syllabus

This part of the Verbal & Logical Ability Section is similar to the VA section in CAT Exam. Thus, the topics that are generally tested in the XAT Exam and hence are considered part of the XAT 2026 syllabus are:

XAT Syllabus For Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension holds less weight in the XAT exam than in the VARC section of the CAT exam, but it remains significant. As with CAT, all topics are included in XAT Exam, and passages are constrained by a limited word count. However, this brevity doesn't necessarily make the passages easier to read.

The types of questions asked in the RC section, according to XAT VARC syllabus, are as follows:

XAT Logical Reasoning Syllabus

The Logical Reasoning section in the XAT 2026 Syllabus is mostly covered by the CAT Syllabus. There are generally few questions for this section in the XAT Exam. It also includes some Critical Reasoning Questions, which are generally not asked in the CAT Exam.

The topics generally tested in the Logical Reasoning part, according to the XAT Syllabus 2026, are:

Note: The Logical Reasoning Questions in XAT 2026 Exam could be in the form of sets or individual questions.

XAT Preparation Tips For Verbal and Logical Ability

The verbal and logical ability section of XAT can be easily tackled with the right approach and preparation tips. Read below some XAT prep tips by our top MBA experts to prepare better.

• Strengthen Reading Comprehension:
  RC passages in XAT are different from CAT in the sense that they are more denser and hence require more practice and understanding. Build the habit of reading editorials and journals for better comprehension.
• Time management:
  Questions on logical ability and reasoning sometimes takes a lot of time which needs to be used effectively, so, allocate time from the start to avoid getting stuck.
• Mock Test strategy:
  Solving mocks is the best way to identify the strengths and weaknesses. Solve the XAT mock tests and analyse your strong topics.
• Grammar and Vocabulary:
  Expect error identification, sentence correction, and vocabulary-in-context. So, use apps like vocabulary.com or Word Power Made Easy to strengthen your vocabulary.

XAT Decision Making Syllabus 2026

The Decision Making section is unique to the XAT Exam in comparison to all other MBA Entrance Exams. It tests the candidate on their presence of mind and ability to read the situation so that the candidate's problem-solving/case-solving skills can be tested. The number of questions in this section varies from paper to paper.

The topics which are generally tested in this section, according to the XAT Syllabus 2026, are:

• Conditioning and Grouping Tests
• Data Arrangement Test
• Complex Arrangement
• Decision-making in a situation
• Caselets

To prepare for the Decision Making Section of the XAT Exam Syllabus, the candidates are encouraged to solve as many XAT previous year questions as they can. This will ensure that the candidates are familiar with not only the topics of the section but also the language of the XAT Exam.

XAT Preparation Tips For Decision Making

For the reason that this section is unique to XAT, decision-making becomes important to prepare to score better in the exam. Here are some pro tips by experts to help you out.

• Focus on Trade-off Questions:
  DM often tests situations where profits vs ethics or short-term vs long-term are in conflict, so train yourself to prefer solutions that ensure long-term sustainability over short-term gains.
• Use elimination smartly:
  Out of 5 options, usually 2 are extreme, 1 is impractical, leaving 2 close contenders. So choose wisely!
• Improve Reading Speed:
  DM caselets are long and wordy, sometimes like mini-RCs. If your reading is slow, you’ll run out of time. Practice summarising each case in 2–3 sentences before looking at options.
• Solve previous year DM caselets:
  XAT reuses the previous year’s themes repeatedly; hence, it becomes significant to solve as many XAT previous year’s papers as possible to get the idea of the questions and their answers.

Also read: How to approach decision-making section of the XAT 2026 to increase your chances of cracking the exam.

XAT 2026 Syllabus - Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation

This section is a combination of two sections of CAT: Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation. This is basically to check your analytical and problem-solving skills and is considered the heaviest section.

XAT Syllabus For Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation: Key Highlights

We have curated XAT QA and DI syllabus highlights, including the sectional composition for the exam, to help you strategise during preparation.

• Candidates are advised to attempt 14-16 solid questions, maintaining 70% accuracy to cross the cut-off safely.
• Ideal time allocation recommended by our experts is 55-60 minutes in this section.
• Unlike CAT, the XAT quantitative aptitude syllabus gives heavier emphasis on geometry and arithmetic, and DI is logic-based.

XAT Quantitative Ability Syllabus

The XAT Syllabus for the Quantitative Ability section is similar to that of the CAT Syllabus. According to the previous XAT Papers, which determine the XAT Syllabus, the topics generally tested are:

Given the extensive nature of the XAT Exam Syllabus in the Quantitative section, it is important to start the preparation as soon as possible. The level of difficulty of the XAT questions is tougher than that of the CAT questions, which is why knowing the basics is not enough.

It is suggested that candidates must practice a little differently for the quantitative ability section in XAT to get accustomed to the difficulty level of the XAT exam.

XAT Syllabus For Data Interpretation

The Data Interpretation section of the XAT syllabus is an essential part of the exam. This assesses the candidate's ability to understand, analyse, and interpret data presented in various forms. Below mentioned is the XAT Syllabus for the Data Interpretation section, which generally consists of the following:

The Questions are generally in the form of sets, like in CAT; however, individual questions may also be asked on occasion.

XAT Preparation Tips For Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation

Since QA and DI make up the heaviest section, the importance of XAT preparation tips for qualitative aptitude becomes necessary.

• Prioritise High-weighted Topics:
  Create a formula cheat sheet and review it daily to learn the formulas for handling high-weighted topics in QA.
• Target Attempts and Accuracy:
  Maintaining accuracy is the first step to clear the section, so attempt the question you are confident in to reach the right answer.
• Practice with XAT-level material
  Most of the candidates prepare with only CAT-level material for XAT QA preparation, which affects the chances of the candidates because XAT QA is heavier and lengthier.
• Master DI caselets with Elimination:
  XAT DI is logic + calculation-heavy, not just number crunching. Many caselets are designed to waste time. Practice spotting “unsolvable till the end” type sets and skip fast, so eliminate the options wisely.

XAT Syllabus For General Knowledge (GK)

This is another section that CAT does not test. However, despite the presence of the section, the XAT percentiles are calculated based on the first 3 sections. The XAT syllabus in this section is extremely vast, including current affairs and conventional GK (trivia). The topics which are regularly asked in this section include:

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Best Books For XAT Preparation 2026

Books can indeed be invaluable companions, especially when preparing for an entrance test with no specific syllabus. Finding the right books is crucial for effective preparation in such cases.

Therefore, here are some of the books that you can refer to for your XAT 2026 preparation:

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Conclusion

The XAT Exam is recognised as one of the toughest MBA Entrance Exams due to its high difficulty level. This difficulty can benefit candidates in preparing for other MBA entrance exams. The first three sections carry the most weight in terms of pattern and percentile calculation. All sections are equally important due to their similar numbers of questions and sectional cutoffs. Many candidates consider the decision-making section to be crucial as its preparation is quite challenging. Therefore, thorough preparation according to the XAT syllabus is vital for clearing the XAT cutoff.