The General Knowledge (GK) section in XAT often creates confusion among aspirants. Unlike Quant or Decision Making, it doesn’t contribute to your percentile score but is considered in the later stages (GD/PI shortlisting, essay evaluation). Many candidates either ignore it completely or waste too much time cramming everything. The smart strategy is to know what to focus on  and what to skip.

XAT GK Section Basics

• about 25 questions (MCQ).

• No negative marking.

• Mix of Static GK + Current Affairs.

• Weightage is moderate but can boost your overall profile.

What to Read

🔹 Current Affairs (Most Important)

• Business & Economy (M&As, trade deals, RBI/SEBI updates).

• National & International Events (summits, treaties, government schemes).

• Global Organizations (WTO, IMF, UN, BRICS, G20).

• Awards & Recognitions (Nobel, Booker, Sports awards).

• Sports (major tournaments, winners, world cups).

• Reports & Indices (HDI, Ease of Doing Business, Global Hunger Index).

🔹 Static GK (Selective)

• Capitals, Currencies, Country Leaders.

• Important organizations & their HQs.

• Indian Geography basics (rivers, dams, national parks).

• Major historical events (freedom struggle, world wars major ones).

• Business GK (brand taglines, CEOs, founders).

What to Ignore

• Very deep history (ancient dynasties, rulers, dates).

• Niche science & technology facts (chemical reactions, inventions in detail).

• Overly detailed polity (articles, amendments  unless in current news).

• Random trivia (movie release years, who won Miss World in 1980s, etc.).

Best Sources for GK in XAT

• Daily: Newspapers (The Hindu, Economic Times, Business Standard).

• Monthly: GK capsules (AffairsCloud, GKToday, coaching PDFs).

• Static GK: Lucent GK (skim for basics), Manorama Yearbook (selectively).

• Business GK: MBAUniverse / InsideIIM GK compilations.

• Practice: Previous XAT GK sections.

How to Prepare Smartly

1. Spend 15 to 20 minutes daily on news updates.

2. Make a weekly revision sheet for important events.

3. Focus on business + economy + current world affairs more than static trivia.

4. Don’t panic if you can’t answer all GK questions, even 8 to 10 correct is a good score.

Final Word

GK in XAT is not about mugging everything under the sun. It’s about being aware of current events and key business/economy updates. Read smart, revise consistently, and aim for accuracy, not quantity. This way, GK will become a value booster in your overall XAT journey without eating up your core prep time.