General Knowledge - both dynamic and static - is a very commonly tested and highly dreaded concept in various competitive MBA entrance exams, including XAT. It is not uncommon for XAT test-takers to ace the rest of the paper but miss out on scoring well enough in the GK section, due to the vast variety of topics that questions appear from. In this article, we review the type of GK questions that have appeared in previous XAT papers, and what you can expect in the XAT 2020 GK section!
XAT 2020 General Knowledge Section - What To Expect
Based on patterns observed in previous years' papers, the following is a summary of what XAT 2020 aspirants can expect in the General Knowledge section:
- In the GK section of nearly every XAT paper in the past 5 years, the most important topics have been based on Geography, Business, Trade and Economy, as well as Indian and Global History. There is a good mix of static and dynamic general knowledge, though questions are more inclined towards static GK.
- Some other important topics that candidates can prepare for are sports and important sporting events in the past year. Another recurring topic observed in the past 5 years' papers has been Science and Technology, with multiple questions appearing from the advancements and breakthroughs in the world of science; especially space exploration.
- Even though this section is not used to shortlist candidates for further rounds at XLRI, in the past two years, attempting 11-15 questions from an average of 25 questions with 80% accuracy was considered to be a good number of attempts. The GK section plays a role in the final selection of candidates for business schools that accept XAT scores.
Looking for resources to prepare for the GK section of XAT? Here's a list of free resources to prepare for the XAT 2020 GK section.
The following is a review of the types of GK questions asked in the XAT exam over the past 5 years, along with the frequency of questions from such topics.
XAT 2019 - General Knowledge Sectional Review
| XAT 2019 General Knowledge Section Review | ||
| Topic | Number of Questions | Example |
| Geography | 2 | Which of the following countries does not border the Mediterranean sea? (Portugal) |
| Indian Law & Governance | 2 | What is article 356 of the Indian constitution? (Imposition of President's Rule) |
| Business and Trade Current Affairs | 4 | Which of the following countries is the largest source of imports to India as of the end of FY 2017-2018? (China) |
| Famous Authors | 1 | Who wrote the 'Autobiography of A Yogi'? (Paramhansa Yogananda) |
| Sports | 1 | Which of the following is very similar to Ice Hockey and is considered to be the national sport of Russia? (Bandy) |
| Indian and Global History | 4 | Name the Russian leader whose name is synonymous with the two reforms of Glasnost and Perestroika? (Mikhael Gorbachev) |
| Multi-lateral Organisations GK | 3 | Which UN member country does not recognize Armenia as a member of the UN? (Pakistan) |
| Technology Current Affairs | 1 | Which mobile service provider will launch GigaFiber broadband? (Jio) |
| Chemistry | 2 | What is the name of HCl and Nitric Acid that can dissolve metals? (Aqua Regia) |
| Indian Culture | 2 | What is the name of the Rajasthani folk dance which mimics the movement of snakes? (Kalbelia dance) |
| International Pacts & Treaties | 3 | What does the 1997 Kyoto Protocol focus on? (Climate Change) |
XAT 2018 - General Knowledge Sectional Review
| XAT 2018 General Knowledge Section Review | ||
| Topic | Number of Questions | Example |
| Geography, Locations, Capitals | 4 | Which of the following is not a French overseas territory? |
| Business and Trade Current Affairs | 4 | Which of the following mobile manufacturing companies does not have its headquarters in China? |
| Miscellaneous | 4 | What is showrooming? |
| Awards & Accolades | 3 | Who was Time magazine's POTY in 2017? |
| Indian Law & Governance | 2 | What is Article 35(A) of the Indian constitution? |
| Sports | 2 | Which independent athlete won a gold medal in 2016 Summer Olympics? |
| Famous Personalities, Heads of States | 1 | Match the surnames of heads of states (former or current) to their country. |
| Indian and Global History | 1 | Match the following Indus Valley sites to their states. |
| Technology Current Affairs | 1 | Which of the following is not a cryptocurrency? |
| Indian Culture | 1 | Match the music festivals to their states |
| Brands | 1 | Match the product brands with their respective companies |
XAT 2017 - General Knowledge Sectional Review
| XAT 2017 General Knowledge Section Review | ||
| Topic | Number of Questions | Example |
| Geography, Locations, Capitals | 5 | The International Court of Justice is located in? |
| Business and Trade Current Affairs | 4 | Which of the following brands is not owned by an Indian company? |
| Miscellaneous | 4 | What is the Barak 8? |
| Awards, Accolades, Recipients | 1 | Which author recently won the Booker Prize? |
| Famous Personalities, Heads of States | 2 | Match the following inventors with their inventions. |
| Indian and Global History | 1 | |
| Science & Technology Current Affairs | 1 | Which animal was categorized from "endangered" to "vulnerable" recently? |
| Indian Culture | 2 | The words 'Satyamev Jayate', inscribed on Indian currency, are taken from? |
| Brands, Films, Entertainment | 2 | Who directed the Oscar winning film "Gandhi"? |
| International Pacts and Treaties | 1 | Which of the following countries is not a member of SAARC? |
| Important Dates, Events | 1 | In India, February 28th is celebrated as? |
| Currencies | 1 | Which of the following currencies does not match with its respective country? |
XAT 2016 - General Knowledge Sectional Review
| XAT 2016 General Knowledge Section Review | ||
| Topic | Number of Questions | Example |
| Geography, Locations, Capitals | 6 | Which Indian state has the highest percentage of forest cover? |
| Business and Trade Current Affairs | 5 | Which of the following is not a conglomerate? |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | What does 'New Horizon' refer to? |
| Indian Law and Governance | 1 | Which of the following true about the Budget estimates of 2015-2016? |
| Famous Personalities, Heads of States | 5 | Who is Perumal Murugan? |
| Science & Technology Current Affairs | 3 | Plasmodium Vivax is the root cause for which of the following diseases? |
XAT 2015 - General Knowledge Sectional Review
| XAT 2015 General Knowledge Section Review | ||
| Topic | Number of Questions | Example |
| Geography, Locations, Capitals | 8 | Which of the following are well-known industrial belts in India? |
| Business, Trade, and Economy | 2 | Which of the following statements about India's labour workforce is correct? |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | What is Qualified Institutional Placement? |
| Indian Law and Governance | 4 | Which of the following statements is true about the Union Budget of 2014? |
| Famous Personalities, Heads of States | 2 | Which of the following dignitaries visited India in 2014? |
| Science & Technology Current Affairs | 2 | Which of the following are Android operating systems? |
| Awards, Accolades and Recipients | 2 | Which of the following authors has not been awarded the Pulitzer Prize? |
| Films & Entertainment | 1 | Which Indian film was not nominated for 'Academy Award' in the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category? |
| Sports | 3 | Arrange the following cricketers in order of test wickets taken. |
| Indian and Global History | 1 | Arrange the following dynasties in chronological sequence. |
If you're preparing for XAT 2020, you may also be interested in reading about what you can expect from the QA section of XAT 2020. Also take a look at this guide for the Decision Making section of XAT 2020.
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