XAT 2026 General Knowledge Questions: Sample Paper, Syllabus, Topics & Preparation Guide

XAT General Knowledge 2026: Overview & Importance

The XAT 2026 GK question paper will test the students' knowledge of traditional historical, geographical, or scientific knowledge, as well as their awareness of current events happening around the world.

Why GK is Crucial for XAT 2026?

Every year in the XAT exam, 25 questions feature from the GK section. But from XAT 2025, the number of questions has reduced to 20 from 25. This includes 8 questions from static GK and 12 from current affairs. While the XAT GK section would not be considered for the overall XAT marking, it plays a significant role during further selection rounds for the candidate. Hence, overlooking the GK section during the candidate's XAT preparation can be fatal.

Also Read: XAT Question Paper with Answer

Key Areas Covered in XAT 2026 GK Section

Identifying the important topics from where the most number of XAT GK questions will be asked is essential before preparing for the exam.

Important topics in the GK section for the XAT 2026 exam are:

• Current affairs

• Business

• Politics

• Economics

• Indian Constitution and laws

• Books and authors

• Famous personalities

• History and Geography

• Awards and Winners

• Miscellaneous

XAT 2026 General Knowledge Syllabus Breakdown

The General Knowledge syllabus for XAT 2026 covers detailed information regarding important topics designed to assess candidates' overall awareness and knowledge. The syllabus covers traditional subjects, such as history and geography, alongside contemporary issues and recent events. Candidates must prepare across multiple domains to perform well in this comprehensive knowledge assessment.

Important Topics for XAT 2026 GK

General knowledge topics can be divided into two parts.

1. Static GK

2. Current Affairs

Static GK parts cover topics like:

• History

• Geography

• Polity

• Economics

• Science and technology

• Sports

• Important Organizations

• Books and Authors

• Awards and Winners

The current affairs section covers topics like:

• Recent national and international events

• Recent deaths of famous personalities

• Recent events

• Recent scientific breakthroughs

• Recent awards and winners

• Recent Summits and Conferences

Static GK vs Current Affairs in XAT

After analyzing the previous year's questions, we see the trend that more questions come from the Static GK section than from Current Affairs. But to achieve good marks in the exam, we have to give the same focus to both sections.

Static GK refers to the sections that can not be changed and have happened in the past.

Current affairs cover the recent important national and international events and developments. Generally, questions from this section come from events that happened in the last 1 or 2 years. So, prepare accordingly to get familiar with the topics and questions.

Best Resources for XAT General Knowledge Preparation

Preparing for the Static GK part is easier than the current affairs section.

Static GK covers history, geography, science, economics, and politics. Before studying objective-type questions, read subjective books on these topics. After building the basic foundation for these topics, try objective-type questions.

Some of the objective-type XAT GK questions and answers books are:

• Lucent’s GK book

• Arihant’s GK book

To follow current affairs, read daily newspapers like The Hindu, Times of India, and The Indian Express. Follow journals and monthly magazines like the Manorama yearbook. You can also check online about the important events around the world. Some top sites to follow current events are GKToday, AffairsCloud, and Jagran Josh. Note the events that you think are important to memorize later. To sum up, referring to highly esteemed XAT preparation books is essential for XAT success. Apart from the famous books, you should also refer to the preparation tips shared by the toppers.

Tips for Daily GK Preparation for XAT

The GK section is very vast as per the syllabus, daily XAT preparation for this section is mandatory for success. Always focus on key sections like important national and international news, recent awards and appointments, important sports news, economics, and science.

Attempt the GK quizzes and mocks to test your knowledge and identify your weaker areas.

Top XAT 2026 General Knowledge Topics to Focus On

For good grades in the GK section, students have to focus on both Static GK and current affairs.

Key Static GK Topics for XAT 2026

Current Affairs You Must Know for XAT 2026

In the current affairs section for the XAT 2026 exam, follow important events from 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Some of the key current affairs topics are:

• Important summits and conferences (2023-24)

• Olympics, the Last FIFA World Cup, the Cricket World Cup, and other major sports tournaments from 2023-24

• Important appointments like Indian ambassadors in different countries and various brand ambassadors

• Recent global disasters, environmental issue,s and international conflicts

• Publication of recent books by famous personalities

• Recent deaths between 2023-24 of famous persons and their working field

• Recent GI tag items, national parks, dams, tunnels, national highways, bridges

• Recent space missions, technological innovations

• Recent schemes and applications

XAT General Awareness Section: Preparation Strategy for 2026

Good knowledge and performance in the General Awareness section in the XAT exam increase your chances of being admitted to the top B-schools like XLRI.

How General Awareness Differs from General Knowledge in XAT

General knowledge and General awareness are both almost the same terms used interchangeably.

General knowledge focuses mainly on the static GK parts, where facts can not be changed. But using the General awareness term, we focus mostly on current events like events of national and international importance, economy, environment, sports, etc, and some of the static GK.

In the XAT exam 2026, static GK and current affairs hold the same importance.

Best Sources for XAT General Awareness Preparation

Some of the best sources to stay updated on the General awareness portions are:

• Daily newspapers

• Monthly magazines

• YouTube channels

• Online educational and news sites

• Books

XAT 2026 GK Preparation: Dos and Don’ts

Common Mistakes to Avoid in XAT GK Section

Some of the common mistakes students make in the GK section are:

• Focusing too much on the static GK part and neglecting the current affairs. Preparing for both is essential to achieve high marks in the exam.

• Students often do not read regular newspapers. Daily newspapers keep us updated with national and international events.

• Lack of attempting mock tests in the GK part often plays a dividend role during the preparation. Mock tests are set as per the exam’s syllabus, covering diverse topics. Attempting those will help you to learn new things as well as identify the areas in which you need more practice.

• Students often ignore the mock test results. After checking the mock test number, most of the students do not check the correct answers to the wrongly attempted questions. Make a note of new questions that you learn during those tests.

Proven Strategies to Score High in XAT General Knowledge

Consistent practice and learning news are the keys to success in the GK Part of the XAT 2026 exam. The syllabus of the GK portion is enormous, and memorizing all the current events is almost impossible.

So frequent revision of the important chapters is very necessary. Note important events and study them from time to time to remember them. Also, attempt 3 to 4 mock tests every week. Make a weekly routine allocating important chapters at a specific time, then follow that routine.

XAT 2026 General Knowledge Sample Questions

At the beginning of the preparation, go through the previous year's sample paper and check the answer keys. It will help you to understand the important topics, the difficulty level of the questions, and answer techniques.

Some of the questions asked in the previous XAT exams are:

Q1. Which of the following Indian states does the River Ganges not flow through?

1. Bihar

2. Jharkhand

3. Uttar Pradesh

4. Haryana (Correct answer)

5. Uttarakhand

Q2. Which of the following years is NOT a leap year?

1. 1900 (Correct answer)

2. 2000

3. 1924

4. 1896

5. 2024

Q3. What is X-37B?

1. The U.S. military plane that has gone into space. (Correct answer)

2. The name of India's Jupiter mission.

3. The new electric vehicle is to be launched by Tesla.

4. The name of the youngest kid of Elon Musk.

5. None of the above.

Q4. What is the common terminology used to describe the following applications: ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Chatsonic?

1. News Aggregators

2. Dating Tools

3. Generative AI Tools (Correct answer)

4. UPI Applications

5. Gaming Applications

Q5. Which rocket was used to launch Aditya-L1?

1. LVM3 -M4

2. GSLV-F12

3. PSLV-C57 (Correct answer)

4. NGLV

5. TERLS

Commonly Asked GK Questions in XAT

1. Name the largest freshwater lake in India.
   Answer: Wular Lake

2. Who is the first Indian to get the Nobel Prize, and in which category?
   Answer: Rabindranath Tagore in 1913 for "Geetanjali"

3. What is the currency of Japan?
   Answer: Yen

4. Which indigenous computational software was developed by ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) for computational fluid dynamics (CFD)?
   Answer: PraVaHa (Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis)

5. Which countries became the newest members of BRICS in 2024?
   Answer: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates

6. Credit cards are known as:
   Answer: Plastic money

7. Which film won the Best Picture award at the 96th Oscar ceremony?
   Answer: Oppenheimer

8. What is "Bachpan Bachao Andolan"?
   Answer: A movement in India protecting the rights of children.

9. Who has been declared the new Chief Minister of Assam?
   Answer: Sarbananda Sonowal

10. The 'Bandipur National Park', established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, is located in the Indian state of _______
    Answer: Karnataka

Practice XAT General Knowledge Questions for 2026

Practice some XAT 2026 General Knowledge sample questions with solutions and review them. It will enhance your answering techniques. Additionally, you will gain insight into important topics and the difficulty level of the questions.

Here are some important questions with solutions that have come in recent years.

Q1. Malfunction of which of the following organs is the MOST common cause of vertigo?

1. Heart

2. Kidney

3. Stomach

4. Lung

5. Ear

Q2. Which Indian state enjoys special provisions under Article 371(D)?

1. Jharkhand

2. Meghalaya

3. Tripura

4. Andhra Pradesh

5. Arunachal Pradesh

Q3. In which Indian state is Sriharikota located?

1. Tamil Nadu

2. Andhra Pradesh

3. Odisha

4. Kerala

5. Telangana

Q4. Which is the largest landlocked saltwater lake in India?

1. Chilika Lake

2. Chital Lake

3. Vembanad Lake

4. Pulicat Lake

5. Sambhar Lake

Q5. Which of the following rivers does not cross international borders?

1. Tapi

2. Ravi

3. Brahmaputra

4. Ganga

5. Teesta

Q6. What is a grey market?

1. The trade of a commodity for which the country of origin is not mentioned

2. The trade of a commodity through distribution channels not authorised by the manufacturer

3. The trade of a commodity that is recognised as a counterfeit product

4. The trade of a commodity for which the taxes are evaded

5. The trade of a commodity that is unbranded

Q7. Who is the first Field Marshal of independent India?

1. A.S. Vaidya

2. Bipin Rawat

3. KM Cariappa

4. Krishnaswamy Sundarji

5. Sam Manekshaw

Q8. From the following options, choose the one that arranges the given queen's ascension to the throne in chronological order.

1. Razia Sultana, Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai, Rudrama Devi

2. Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Lakshmi Bai

3. Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, Lakshmi Bai

4. Rudrama Devi, Razia Sultana, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai, Ahilyabai Holkar

5. Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai

Q9. Omuamua is:

1. A character in the TV series "Star Trek"

2. A Buddhist chant

3. An interstellar object

4. A small primate

5. NASA's spaceship to Pluto

Q10. Which Indian state has different capitals in summer and winter?

1. Gujarat

2. Mizoram

3. Maharashtra

4. Uttarakhand

5. Sikkim

Step-by-Step Guide to Solve XAT 2026 GK Sample Papers

Regular practice of XAT GK sample papers will enhance your knowledge and improve your answer techniques.

• First, scan through the paper and answer the questions that are familiar to you. This will boost your confidence.

• When you are unsure of a question, handle it wisely.

• Though there is no negative marking in the GK part of the XAT exam, if you can correctly guess the answer, then it will help you score high marks.

• Eliminate the extreme options and make an educated guess among the remaining options.

• After attempting all the questions, revise once if time permits.

Answer Key for XAT GK Sample Paper 2026

After solving the XAT 2026 exam sample GK questions, review the answer key thoroughly and note the areas from which the questions are coming more frequently. Also, try to identify the area where you are making the most mistakes and revise those chapters urgently. These will help you to increase your accuracy.

Here are the answer keys to the above questions.

• Q1. Option E: Ear

• Q2. Option D: Andhra Pradesh

• Q3. Option B: Andhra Pradesh

• Q4. Option E: Sambhar Lake

• Q5. Option A: Tapi

• Q6. Option B: The trade of a commodity through distribution channels not authorised by the manufacturer

• Q7. Option E: Sam Manekshaw

• Q8. Option C: Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, Lakshmi Bai

• Q9. Option C: An interstellar object

• Q10. Option C: Maharashtra

Time Management Tips for XAT 2026 GK Section

Time management skills are very important in the XAT exam. Here are some tips to manage time while answering the GK section in the XAT exam.

• As we know, the GK section of the XAT exam has no negative marking, so allot 10-15 minutes in the end to do this section.

• Do not overthink easier questions. Trust your instinct and answer the next question.

• Attempt the ones that are familiar to you first to boost your confidence level. Then try those questions that you are unsure of. This can be very essential for you to score better in your first XAT attempt.

• Eliminate the incorrect options and make an educated guess to solve those questions.

• Do not spend too much time on one question; move on to the next and return later.

• At the end of the exam, if there is time left, then take a revision and check if all the answers you gave in the GK section look correct to you.