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XAT General Knowledge Syllabus
Every chapter and topic of General Knowledge examined in XAT — 3 chapters, 10 topics and 20 sub-topics, plus 50 flashcards written against it.
General Knowledge syllabus — full chapter and topic list
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Knowledge in XAT, not a summary of it.
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Static General Knowledge
4 topics- History and Polity
- Indian freedom struggle and modern history
- Constitution and governance fundamentals
- Geography
- Indian and world physical geography
- Capitals, currencies and landmarks
- Science and Technology
- Basic scientific facts and discoveries
- Technology terms and inventions
- Static Business and Economy
- Banking and financial institutions
- Economic terms and indices
- History and Polity
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Current Affairs
3 topics- National and International Events
- Major events of the past year
- Summits, treaties and agreements
- Awards and Honours
- National and international awards
- Sports achievements and records
- Persons and Appointments
- Key appointments and resignations
- Notable personalities in the news
- National and International Events
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Business and Corporate Awareness
3 topics- Companies and Brands
- Founders, CEOs and headquarters
- Logos, taglines and mergers
- Economy and Markets
- Budget and economic policy highlights
- Stock market and corporate news
- International Organisations
- UN, WTO, IMF and World Bank
- Regional blocs and groupings
- Companies and Brands
General Knowledge flashcards for XAT
20 of 50 cards from the General Knowledge deck — real questions with worked answers.
Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability?
Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form, making it a punishable offence.
What is the difference between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution?
Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12-35) are justiciable and enforceable in court, whereas Directive Principles (Part IV, Articles 36-51) are non-justiciable guidelines for the State to frame policy.
Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
Lord Mountbatten served as the first Governor-General of independent India (1947-48), followed by C. Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian to hold the post.
In which year and by which session of Congress was the demand for 'Purna Swaraj' (complete independence) adopted?
It was adopted at the 1929 Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru; 26 January 1930 was observed as the first Independence Day.
Which amendment added the words 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 added the words 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble.
What is the Tropic of Cancer and which approximate latitude does it lie on, passing through India?
The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost latitude (about 23.5 degrees N) where the Sun is directly overhead at noon (on the June solstice); it passes through eight Indian states including Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
Which is the longest river in India and which is the longest river entirely within India?
The Ganga is the longest river in India (about 2,525 km); the Godavari is the longest river flowing entirely within India (about 1,465 km).
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the short-term, day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a place; climate is the average weather conditions of a region measured over a long period, typically 30 years or more.
Which mountain pass connects India and China through Sikkim and was reopened for border trade in 2006?
The Nathu La pass connects Sikkim (India) with the Tibet region of China; it lies on an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route.
What are the three main types of rocks classified by their mode of formation?
Igneous rocks (formed from cooled magma/lava), Sedimentary rocks (formed by deposition and compaction of sediments), and Metamorphic rocks (formed when existing rocks are changed by heat and pressure).
What is Newton's Second Law of Motion and its formula?
The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and occurs in the direction of the force; expressed as Force = mass x acceleration (F = ma).
What does the unit 'pH' measure and what is the pH of a neutral solution?
pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale of 0 to 14; a neutral solution such as pure water has a pH of 7, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is basic.
What is the difference between speed and velocity in physics?
Speed is a scalar quantity measuring how fast an object moves (only magnitude); velocity is a vector quantity measuring speed in a specific direction (magnitude and direction).
What is the chemical formula for photosynthesis, and what are its raw materials and products?
6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy -> C6H12O6 + 6O2. Plants use carbon dioxide and water with sunlight (captured by chlorophyll) to produce glucose and release oxygen.
What does the acronym 'LASER' stand for?
LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
What is the difference between RAM and ROM in a computer?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile temporary memory that loses data when power is off and is used for active processing; ROM (Read Only Memory) is non-volatile permanent memory that retains data and stores boot/firmware instructions.
What is GDP and how does it differ from GNP?
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders; GNP (Gross National Product) is GDP plus net factor income earned by residents from abroad.
What is the difference between fiscal policy and monetary policy?
Fiscal policy is managed by the government and uses taxation and public spending to influence the economy; monetary policy is managed by the central bank (RBI in India) and uses interest rates and money supply controls.
What is the difference between the repo rate and the reverse repo rate set by the RBI?
The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks; the reverse repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows money from commercial banks (absorbing liquidity).
What is inflation, and what is the difference between demand-pull and cost-push inflation?
Inflation is a sustained rise in the general price level. Demand-pull inflation occurs when aggregate demand exceeds supply; cost-push inflation occurs when rising input costs (wages, raw materials) push prices up.
Planning General Knowledge for XAT
General Knowledge is about 13% of the XAT syllabus by topic count — 10 of 78 topics, spread over 3 chapters. At roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, a first pass runs to about 10 hours.
The heaviest chapters are Static General Knowledge (4 topics), Current Affairs (3 topics), Business and Corporate Awareness (3 topics) . Front-load those while your energy is high; the short chapters are better revision filler later.
Work top-down: read the chapter, then tick topics off individually rather than marking the whole chapter done. Sub-topics are where silent gaps hide.
General Knowledge (XAT) FAQ
What is in the XAT General Knowledge syllabus?
General Knowledge is split into 3 chapters — Static General Knowledge, Current Affairs and Business and Corporate Awareness, containing 10 topics and 20 sub-topics in total.
How many chapters are there in General Knowledge for XAT?
3 chapters. General Knowledge accounts for about 13% of the topics in the whole XAT syllabus (10 of 78).
How long should I spend on General Knowledge for XAT?
Budget around 10 hours for a first pass through General Knowledge — about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic across its 10 topics. Add revision cycles on top.
Are there flashcards for XAT General Knowledge?
Yes — a 50-card General Knowledge deck. Sample cards are printed on this page, and the full deck is free in the Examius app with spaced repetition scheduling.