XAT GK Syllabus 2026: Section Wise Important Topics [Download PDF]

Static GK Topics

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

Current Affairs Topics

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

Indian History

Ancient India

• Indus Valley Civilization
• Vedic Period
• Mahajanapadas
• Mauryan Empire
• Gupta Empire
• Post-Gupta Period (Harsha, Pallavas, Chalukyas).

Medieval India

• Delhi Sultanate (Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, Lodi dynasties)
• Mughal Empire (Babur to Aurangzeb, architecture, administration)
• Bhakti and Sufi Movements
• Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms
• Maratha Empire.

Modern India

• Arrival of Europeans,
• British East India Company
• Revolts of 1857
• Socio-Religious Reform Movements
• Indian National Congress
• Gandhian Era, various independence movements (Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India), Partition of India, Post-Independence consolidation.

Indian Geography

Physical Features:

• Himalayas
• Northern Plains
• Peninsular Plateau
• Coastal Plains
• Indian Desert
• Islands (Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep).

Rivers & Lakes:

• Major river systems (Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus, Godavari, Krishna, Narmada, Tapi)
• important lakes (freshwater, saltwater).

Climate & Vegetation

• Monsoon climate
• major forest types (tropical evergreen, deciduous, thorn, mangrove)
• national parks
• wildlife sanctuaries
• Biosphere reserves.

Soils & Agriculture:

• Major soil types (alluvial, black, red, laterite), principal crops (food grains, cash crops), and irrigation systems.

Minerals & Industries:

• Distribution of major minerals (coal, iron ore, bauxite), important industrial centers and types of industries.

Indian Polity & Constitution

Constitutional Framework

• Making of the Constitution, Preamble, Salient Features, Sources of the Constitution.

Parts of the Constitution

• Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Duties.

Union Government

• President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Parliament (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha), Supreme Court. State Government: Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, State Legislature (Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Parishad),

Constitutional Bodies

• High Court. Local Self-Government: Panchayati Raj, Municipalities.
• Election Commission
• UPSC
• CAG
• Finance Commission
• National Commissions (SC, ST, OBC).

• Important Constitutional Amendments, Schedules of the Constitution.

Indian Economy

Basic Concepts

• National Income (GDP, GNP, NNP), Inflation, Poverty, Unemployment, Economic Planning (Five-Year Plans).

Sectors of the Economy

• Primary (Agriculture), Secondary (Industry), Tertiary (Services).

Banking & Finance

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Commercial Banks, Public Sector Banks, Private Banks, Financial Markets (Money Market, Capital Market). Budget & Taxation: Union Budget, types of taxes (direct, indirect).

International Organizations

• WTO, IMF, World Bank (brief overview of India's role).

Government Schemes

• Major social and economic welfare schemes.

Art & Culture of India

Classical Dances:

• Bharatanatyam, Kathak
• Kathakali, Kuchipudi
• Odissi
• Mohiniyattam
• Manipuri
• Sattriya (origin, features, prominent exponents)

Folk Dances:

• Various regional folk dances
• Bhangra
• Garba
• Lavani
• Ghoomar
• Bihu

Classical Music:

• Hindustani Classical Music (gharanas, ragas, talas), Carnatic Classical Music (composers, kritis).

Folk Music:

• Regional folk music forms. Architecture: Ancient (temple architecture - Nagara
• Dravidian
• Vesara
• Stupas
• Chaityas
• Viharas
• Medieval (Mughal, Sultanate architecture), Modern.

Paintings:

• Mural
• Miniature
• Folk art forms like Madhubani
• Warli

Festivals:

• Major national
• Religious and regional festivals
• Handicrafts & Textiles
• Famous handicrafts and textile traditions of different states.

General Science

Physics

• Units & Measurements
• Mechanics (motion, force, work, energy)
• Heat
• Light
• Sound
• Electricity & Magnetism
• Modern Physics (atoms, nuclei)

Chemistry

• States of Matter
• Atomic Structure
• Chemical Bonding
• Acids, Bases & Salts
• Metals & Non-metals
• Organic Chemistry basics
• Everyday Chemistry.

Biology

• Cell Biology
• Human Body Systems (Digestive, Respiratory, Circulatory, Nervous, Excretory
• Reproductive, Endocrine)
• Nutrition, Diseases (types, causes, prevention)
• Plant Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom
• Ecology & Environment basics

Sports

Major Sports

• Cricket
• Football
• Hockey
•  Tennis
•  Badminton
• Olympics
• Commonwealth Games
•  Asian Games (rules, terminology
•  prominent players
•  major tournaments, trophies).

Indian Sports Personalities

• Famous Indian sportspersons and their achievements.

Awards & Honours

• Arjuna Award
• Dronacharya Award
• Khel Ratna, etc.

Sports Venues

• Important stadiums and sporting venues in India and worldwide

Books & Authors

Classical Literature

• Ancient Indian texts, the Vedas
• Upanishads
• Epics - Ramayana, Mahabharata
• Kalidasa's works, etc.).

Modern Indian Authors

• Prominent authors and their famous works (both in English and regional languages).

International Authors

• Renowned international authors and their popular books.

Literary Awards:

• Nobel Prize in Literature, Booker Prize, Sahitya Akademi Award, Jnanpith Award

Important Days & Dates

• National & International Days
• Republic Day, Independence Day
• Gandhi Jayanti
• World Environment Day
• International Yoga Day
• World Health Day

Awards & Honors (National & International)

• National Awards
• Bharat Ratna
• Padma Awards
• Padma Vibhushan
• Padma Bhushan
• Padma Shri, 
• Gallantry Awards (Param Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra)
• National Film Awards.
• International Awards: 
• Nobel Prizes 
• Magsaysay Award, Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Awards, Oscar Awards.

First in India & the World

• First Indian: First President
• Prime Minister
• Woman PM
• Cosmonaut
• Nobel Laureate, etc.
• First in the World
• First person on the moon
• First Woman To Climb Mt. Everest
• Oldest Civilization
• Largest Desert
• Highest Peak
• Deepest Ocean Trench, Etc.

Superlatives (India & World)

• India: Largest, Smallest, Highest, Longest, Deepest, Oldest 
• World: Largest, Smallest, Highest, Longest, Deepest, Oldest 

United Nations & Other International Organizations

• UN & its Organs: General Assembly, Security Council, ICJ, ECOSOC, Secretariat (functions, headquarters, current members).
• Specialized Agencies: UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, ILO, FAO, IMF, World Bank, WTO 
• Other Major International Bodies: SAARC, ASEAN, BRICS, G7, G20, NATO, European Union (including objectives, member countries, and headquarters).

Countries, Capitals & Currencies

• List of major countries, their capitals, and their respective currencies.

Important Personalities

• Indian Personalities: Freedom fighters, social reformers, scientists, artists, and political leaders.
• International Personalities: World leaders, scientists, artists, philosophers, and historical figures.

Government Schemes & Policies

• Major schemes launched by the Indian government related to social welfare, economic development, education, health, rural development, etc. 

Indian States & Union Territories

• States: Capitals, Chief Ministers, Governors, major festivals, folk dances, geographical features, and important historical sites.
• Union Territories: Capitals, Administrators/Lt. Governors have unique features.

Topic

Pointers

Post-General Election Government

A new cabinet has been formed, with key ministers appointed.

Important Judicial Rulings

Supreme Court judgments on major cases.

New Government Schemes

Any new initiatives for youth, women, farmers, or infrastructure

Key Appointments

New heads for RBI, PSUs, or other important bodies.

Parliamentary Session

Major bills passed or debated.

"Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" Campaign

The government's drive to plant 140 crore trees.

Topic

Pointers

Union Budget 2025-26

Key highlights for the economy, taxes, and social sectors.

Economic Growth

India's GDP growth rate (6.5% for 2024-25, fastest major economy).

Inflation Control

Consumer price inflation is falling to its lowest levels (2.82% in May 2025).

Exports & Trade

Record high total exports (over $824 billion in 2024-25).

FDI Trends

Major sectors receiving Foreign Direct Investment.

Startup Scene

Growth of new unicorns, funding trends.

RBI Decisions

Updates on interest rates or banking policies.

Topic

Pointers

Ongoing Conflicts

Updates on Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine.

Major Summits

Outcomes of G20, G7, BRICS meetings (if any in early 2025).

India's Diplomatic Engagements

PM Modi's visits abroad, foreign leaders visiting India. (Example: PM Modi received top civilian honours from Namibia and Brazil in July 2025).

International Organizations

India elected to the UN ECOSOC for the 2026-2028 term. India as Chairman of the Asian Productivity Organization for 2025-26.

Global Economy

Discussions on global inflation, potential recession risks.

Other Key World Events

France granted more autonomy to New Caledonia (July 2025).

Topic

Pointers

Indian Space Missions

Shubhanshu Shukla: First Indian astronaut to visit ISS, safely returned (July 2025). Updates on the Gaganyaan mission. Recent ISRO satellite launches (PSLV, GSAT, SSLV).

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI Appreciation Day: India observes it on July 16, recognizing AI growth. Discussions on AI ethics and applications.

Defense Tech

Indian Army successfully tested Akash Prime Air Defence System in Ladakh (July 2025). DRDO's new innovations (e.g., carbon fiber foot prosthesis).

Digital Initiatives

India launched the World's First Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (July 2025). India's First Digital Nomad Village opened in Sikkim (July 2025).

Infrastructure

First section of bullet train's undersea tunnel opened in Maharashtra.

Topic

Pointers

Climate Change Efforts

Progress on India's emission targets. Discussions on "Just Transition" in Climate Strategies (UN Report, July 2025).

Environmental Policies

New "Eco-mark Rules 2024" (Sept 2024) for eco-friendly products. Progress on the "MISHTI" (mangrove restoration) initiative.

Pollution Control

Efforts to combat plastic pollution (World Environment Day 2025 focus).

Natural Disasters

Major heatwaves, floods, and landslides in various parts of India (early-mid 2025).

Global Environmental Concerns

The oldest and largest iceberg, A23a, ran aground (March 2025).

Topic

Pointers

National Awards

Recent Padma Awards recipients. Deepika Sehrawat: First Indian to win Poligras Magic Skill Award in hockey (July 2025). Telangana won the National Award for Battery Manufacturing (July 2025).

International Awards

Nobel Prizes 2024: Winners (to be known by Oct 2024). 

Varsha Deshpande: Won 2025 UN Population Award (July 2025). 

Alex Ovechkin: Won 2025 ESPY Award for breaking NHL goal record (July 2025). Banu Mushtaq: Won International Booker Prize (June 2025).

Prominent Personalities

Sanjog Gupta: Appointed new CEO of the International Cricket Council (July 2025). Sanjay Kaul: Appointed CEO of GIFT City (July 2025). 

Jennifer Simons: First woman President of Suriname (July 2025). 

Deepika Padukone: Got Hollywood Walk of Fame Star (July 2025).

Exam Sections

Number of questions

Overall Time Duration

Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning

26

No Sectional Time Limit

Decision Making

21

No Sectional Time Limit

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

28

No Sectional Time Limit

Total

75 Questions

170 Minutes

Exam Section

Number of Questions

Overall Time Duration

General Knowledge

About 20

10 Minutes