XAT Exam Syllabus 2026 can be divided into four sections: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge. MBAUniverse.com has compiled the syllabus for each section, based on official information from XLRI Jamshedpur and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams. Check complete details in this article. Link for XAT Syllabus PDF Download is also given below. XAT 2026 will be held on January 4, 2026.
XAT exam pattern is designed to assess a candidate’s decision-making/ analytical-thinking, language skills, quantitative aptitude, and general knowledge. The XAT 2026 exam pattern comprises a total of 95 questions spread across four key sections. These include Decision Making (21 questions), Verbal and Logical Ability (26 questions), Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (28 questions), and General Knowledge (20 questions). Each question carries one mark, making the total to 95 marks. Check details in table below.
XAT Exam Pattern 2026
After understanding XAT exam pattern, check important syllabus topics from XAT 2026 exam syllabus for each section. This will give you and overview of XAT syllabus. These topics are based on XAT previous year question papers.
Continue reading for more details on each of these sections.
XAT 2026 syllabus prepared by MBAUniverse.com is based on official information from XLRI Jamshedpur and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams. Check these details for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section below.
XAT Official Syllabus for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
“The VA&LR section will encompass critical & analytical reasoning, reading comprehensions (including poems & passages), vocabulary, basic English grammar, and other related exercises such as para jumbles and cloze tests.”
XAT 2025 Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning Question Types
In XAT 2025 exam, there were 17 Reading Comprehension questions and 9 Verbal Ability/Reasoning questions. Check break up in the table below.
XAT 2025 Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
XAT Syllabus 2025 for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
After understanding official information from XLRI Jamshedpur and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams, check XAT VALR section below.
| Topics | ||
| Vocabulary Based Questions | Fill in the blanks | Synonyms/Antonyms |
| Contextual Meaning of Words | Jumbled Paragraphs | Correction of Errors in Sentences |
| Correct Usage of Words | Completion of Sentences/Paragraph | Critical Reasoning |
| Cloze Test | Poem | Grammar Section |
XAT Syllabus 2025 for Reading Comprehensions
| Topics | ||
| RC Passages on various topics | Main Idea & Purpose based Questions | Inference Based Questions |
| Author’s View type of Questions | Explanation of Words/Phrases | Inference Based Questions |
| Area/Questions | No. of Qs. | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Grammatically correct sentence | 2 | Medium |
| Fill in the blanks (4 blanks) | 1 | Medium |
| Jumbled Paragraphs (5 statements) | 2 | Medium |
| Critical Reasoning | 3 | Medium |
| Main idea/message of the given image | 1 | Medium |
| RC Passages – 5 (300-450 words) | 15 | Difficult |
| Poem-based passage | 2 | Difficult |
Decision Making (DM) is a unique section in XAT exam. It tests your ability to holistically view a situation and propose a solution to a problem. DM also tests you on your ethical standing. Check how XLRI defines syllabus for this section, and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams.
XAT Official Syllabus for Decision Making
“The DM section will present scenarios drawn from both personal and professional lives. Candidates will be required to apply critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and prioritization to make informed decisions”
XAT 2025 Decision Making Section: Type of Questions
This section consisted of 21 questions. The section consisted of 7 sets of 3 questions each. Some questions were ambiguity with no clear “correct answer”. XAT 2024 DM Section break up is also given below.
XAT 2024 Decision Making Section: Type of Questions
While XAT DM section does not have any specific syllabus, based on past papers, this can be considered as XAT DM syllabus.
Analytical Reasoning Decision Making
a) Analytical Reasoning Decision Making: Focuses on evaluating and interpreting data, identifying patterns, and solving logical dilemmas.
Key Topics:
b) HR-Related Decision Making: Tests understanding of organizational behavior, employee management, and workplace dynamics.
Key Topics:
c) Ethical Issues Decision Making: Assesses ability to make morally sound choices in ambiguous or high-stakes situations.
Key Topics:
Example: Choosing between reporting a colleague’s misconduct vs. team loyalty.
d) Mixed Issues (Analytical + HR + Ethical): These scenarios combine multiple dimensions, requiring integrated thinking and balanced judgment.
Key Topics:
Example: A team lead must balance employee morale, project deadline, and compliance with a new corporate directive.
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caselet-1 | Problem Based on Human Resources | Experience Credentials of Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-2 | Problem Based on ABC Business School | Disciplined School with High Placements but less learning | 3 |
| Caselet-3 | Problem Based on Taxis | Competition among Taxi Drivers | 3 |
| Caselet-4 | Problem Based on Sales & Marketing | SUV Sales Target Met but recovery of loss a concern due to extended warranty | 3 |
| Caselet-5 | Problem Based on Household help | Wrongful Termination of Domestic Help | 3 |
| Caselet-6 | Problem Based on Human Resources at IT Firm Symbolis | Distribution of Performance Bonus to the Best Employees | 3 |
| Caselet-7 | Problem Based on Gas Extraction Company Deep Sea c | Releasing the Natural Gas Pressure and Safety Arrangements | 3 |
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QADI) section has high (28%) weight in XAT exam. QADI questions in XAT are designed to assess the quantitative aptitude of candidates. Check how XLRI officially defines syllabus for this section, and type of questions that have appeared in past exams.
XAT Official Syllabus for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
“The questions in the QA section are primarily formulated around 10th standard Mathematics. Notably, the emphasis is on application-oriented problems. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization and insightful analysis of the data.”
XAT 2025 Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation Section: Type of Questions & Difficulty Level
In XAT 2025 exam, out of the 28 questions in the section, 16 questions were on Quantitative Ability and 12 questions were on Data Interpretation. In Quantitative Ability section there were questions from Arithmetic, Geometry, Modern maths, Algebra and Numbers. Check break up below. There were four sets of Data Interpretation with 3 questions in each set.
XAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Section Type of Questions
XAT 2025 Data Interpretation Section Type of Questions
XAT Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude Section
To do well in this section, you should have a foundational understanding of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths. Check syllabus below.
| Percentages | Algebra | Number System |
| Geometry | Profit and Loss | Simple and Compound Interest |
| Speed, Time and Distance | Averages | Time and Work |
| Ratio and Proportion | Mensuration | Linear Equations |
| Logarithm | Venn Diagrams | Progressions |
| Binomial Theorem | Inequalities | Trigonometry |
| Probability Functions | Permutation and Combination | Surds and Indices |
XAT Syllabus for Data Interpretation Section
The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization, and insightful analysis of the data. Check syllabus for this section below.
| Bar Diagrams | Pie Charts |
| Data Analysis and Comparison | Graphs |
| Data Charts | Data Tables |
| Type of Questions | No of Questions |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 3 |
| Geometry | 5 |
| Modern Math | 3 |
| Algebra | 3 |
| Numbers | 2 |
| Total | 16 |
| Type of Questions | No of Questions |
|---|---|
| Scatter Plot / Line Graph (observation) based set | 3 |
| Arithmetic based set | 3 |
| Average based set | 3 |
| Number-matrix based set | 3 |
| Total | 12 |
The General Knowledge section in XAT exam has 20 questions. Out of this, 12 questions are on current affairs and 8 questions are from static GK. This mix allows for a balanced evaluation of candidates' awareness of both ongoing events and foundational knowledge. It is important to note that scores from the General Knowledge section are not considered while calculating the XAT percentile. However, XLRI Jamshedpur uses GK scores during its final selection process. Check type of questions that have appeared in past exams.
XAT 2024 General Knowledge Section Type of Questions
| Sub-section/ Topic | Type of Questions | Description | No of Questions |
| Static GK | History | Historical capital cities of India; Famous battles; Doctrine of lapse | 3 |
| Static GK & Changes | Geography | National capitals of countries; Flow of River Ganges | 2 |
| Static & Current | Economics & Business | Brics | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Personality & Awards | Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy, Matthew Perry | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Science & Technology | Aditya L-1; X 37B | 2 |
| Current Affairs | Sports | Womens Premier League, Asian Games | 2 |
| Static & Current | Books & Authors | Match the authors of the books | 1 |
| Current Affairs | Latest National & International | Country pulling out of Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe; Air Indias AI; Ghol as the state fish; City illuminating 22.23 lakh earthen lamps; Earthquake in Japan | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | Companies, people, work, action | Leap Year calculation; Dedicated air cargo service in India; ChatGPT, Google Bard, Chatsonic | 3 |
| Current Affairs | Nobel Prize | Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in Economics | 2 |
| Static & Current | Culture & Entertainment | Movie Oppenheimer, Nabanno harvest festival of Bengal and Bangladesh | 2 |
| Total | 25 |
| XAT Static GK Syllabus | ||
| Business, Finance and Economics | The Indian Constitution and Laws | History and Geography |
| Famous Personalities | Awards and Winners | Books and Authors |
| Science and Technology | Important Dates & Events | Art & Culture |
| XAT Current Affairs Syllabus | ||
| National Current Affairs | International Current Affairs | Political Developments |
| Business and Economic News | Environmental Issues | New Government Schemes |
| Awards and Achievements | Sports News | Science and Tech Updates |
You can download XAT Syllabus PDF with all the above information. Click on XAT Syllabus PDF Download link below. This XAT Syllabus Pdf 2025 contains syllabus, pattern and preparation tips for XAT 2025.
In conclusion, XAT Syllabus 2026 can be divided into four sections: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge. MBAUniverse.com has compiled the syllabus for each section, based on official information from XLRI Jamshedpur and type of questions that have appeared in past XAT exams. Check complete details in above article. Also read complete details about XAT Exam Pattern and XAT Exam Preparation.