Explore: XAT hub · Syllabus & pattern
Answer first
We tagged all 849 questions in 9 official XAT papers (2016–2024) by topic. In Verbal and Logical Ability, Reading Comprehension leads with 115 questions. In Decision Making, Decision-Making Caselets leads with 175 questions. In Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, Data Interpretation leads with 68 questions. In General Knowledge, Static GK leads with 104 questions. Use the tables to see how often each topic appears each year, then open a topic for every question it has had.
Verbal and Logical Ability
All Verbal and Logical Ability topics on one page: XAT Verbal and Logical Ability PYQs. Verbal and Logical Ability topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 9 papers.
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 13 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 115 |
| Critical Reasoning and Para-jumbles | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 61 |
| Vocabulary and Grammar | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 38 |
| Poems and Literary Passages | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18 |
Most-asked Verbal and Logical Ability topics: Reading Comprehension (115), Critical Reasoning and Para-jumbles (61), Vocabulary and Grammar (38), Poems and Literary Passages (18).
Decision Making
Decision Making topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 9 papers.
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision-Making Caselets | 21 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 175 |
| Analytical and Arrangement Sets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 17 |
Most-asked Decision Making topics: Decision-Making Caselets (175), Analytical and Arrangement Sets (17).
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
All Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation topics on one page: XAT Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation PYQs. Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 9 papers.
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 47 |
| Algebra | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 38 |
| Geometry and Mensuration | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 49 |
| Number System | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 29 |
| Permutations, Probability and Sets | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 19 |
| Data Interpretation | 6 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 68 |
Most-asked Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation topics: Data Interpretation (68), Geometry and Mensuration (49), Arithmetic (47), Algebra (38), Number System (29).
General Knowledge
General Knowledge topics by questions in each year. The last column is the total across all 9 papers.
Most-asked General Knowledge topics: Static GK (104), Current Affairs (71).
How we tagged the papers
- Source: only official XAT papers published by the conducting body and hosted on our year pages. 2024: XAT · 2023: XAT · 2022: XAT · 2021: XAT · 2020: XAT · 2019: XAT · 2018: XAT · 2017: XAT · 2016: XAT.
- Topics: one topic per question within the XAT sections.
- Answers: shown only where an official key is hosted.
- Summaries are ours, so you can scan a topic quickly. Open the official PDF for the full question.
Not included:
- 2025: no official question paper is hosted for these years (or its text could not be read reliably), so there are no questions to tag.
FAQ
Which XAT topics have the most questions?
Verbal and Logical Ability: Reading Comprehension (115), Critical Reasoning and Para-jumbles (61), Vocabulary and Grammar (38). Decision Making: Decision-Making Caselets (175), Analytical and Arrangement Sets (17). Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation: Data Interpretation (68), Geometry and Mensuration (49), Arithmetic (47). General Knowledge: Static GK (104), Current Affairs (71). Counts are totals across the 9 official XAT papers tagged here.
Which XAT papers are included?
Only official papers that the conducting body published and that we host: 2024: XAT · 2023: XAT · 2022: XAT · 2021: XAT · 2020: XAT · 2019: XAT · 2018: XAT · 2017: XAT · 2016: XAT. Years without an official paper, or whose text could not be read reliably, are left out and listed in the method section.
Are the answers official?
No. XLRI does not publish an answer key with these papers, so no answers are shown.