Best Books for XAT 2025 Preparation and Other Study Material

Xavier Aptitude Test 2025 ( XAT )

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Registration: 15 Jul '24 - 10 Dec '24

Vipra
Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
Updated on Sep 10, 2024 17:12 IST

Best books for XAT 2025 preparation includes books by RS Aggarwal, Arun Sharma and Wren & Martin. Aspirants must refer to recommended XAT books only. Check here section-wise list of XAT books for exam preparation.

XAT books

Best books for XAT 2025: Since the XAT is a high difficulty level test, its preparation requires meticulous planning. The most important aspect of a successful preparation plan is selecting the right books for XAT preparation so that you score 99 percentile in the exam. XAT prep material includes books, sample papers, mock test series and previous years’ papers. 

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To choose the best books for XAT preparation 2025, candidates must know the topics included in the exam syllabus. The XAT syllabus comprises subjects like Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, Logical Ability, Data Interpretation, Decision Making and General Knowledge. Candidates must also check expert recommendation for XAT books. Read below to know the best books for preparation of XAT 2025.

Q:   What are some good books for XAT preparation?

A:
Books for XAT Decision Making 1- Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers) by RK Jha 2- Analytical and Logical Reasoning by Arihant Publications 3- Target XAT (Past papers & mock tests) by Odisha Publication Books for XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation 1- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Aggarwal 2- How to prepare for Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma 3- Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha 4- Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha Books for XAT Verbal & Logical Ability 1- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis 2- Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey 3- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal 4- High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin 5- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh 6- Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation by Nishit K Sinha For more information, you may visit the Shiksha XAT exam page. (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/xat-exam-books). I hope this will help you.

Q:   Which are the best books for Decision Making section of XAT 2024?

A:

There are several books available for the Decision Making section of XAT. Here are some of the best books that you can refer to for XAT 2025: 1) XAT Decision Making Simplified by Nishit K. Sinha: This book is written by one of the renowned XAT trainers and provides a comprehensive understanding of the Decision Making section. It includes various examples, case studies, and practice questions. 2)How to Prepare for Decision Making for XAT by IMS Learning Resources: This book provides a detailed analysis of the Decision Making section and includes numerous practice questions with explanations. 3) Koncepts of Logical Reasoning for CAT XAT. And Other MBA Examinations by Gajendra Kumar and Abhishek Banerjee: This book is an excellent resource for developing logical reasoning skills, which are essential for the Decision Making section. 4)Decision Making for MBA Entrance Exams by T. I. M.E: This book provides a conceptual understanding of the Decision Making section and includes practice questions with detailed solutions. 5) Wiley's ExamXpert XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) by Wiley India: This book includes a section on Decision Making and provides practice questions along with detailed solutions. In addition to these books, you can also refer to previous year XAT papers to get a better understanding of the types of questions asked in the Decision Making section.

Q:   Are the Reading Comprehension passages of the XAT exam tough?

A:
The level of difficulty of Reading Comprehension (RC) passages in the XAT exam can vary from year to year. However, in general, the RC passages in the XAT exam are known to be challenging and require a high level of comprehension skills and analytical ability. The passages in the XAT exam are usually taken from diverse fields such as Science, economics, history, philosophy, and literature, and they may be relatively longer than those in other management entrance exams. Additionally, the questions based on the passages are often designed to test the candidate's critical thinking, inference-making, and analytical abilities. To perform well in the RC section of the XAT exam, candidates need to have a good command of the English language, an understanding of the context and tone of the passage, and the ability to quickly and accurately comprehend the information provided. Moreover, candidates need to practice reading and comprehending passages from various fields to improve their RC skills and perform well in the XAT exam.

Best Books for XAT Preparation: Expert Recommendation

Every section of the XAT exam has different weightage and cut-off marks, therefore, for an overall good XAT score, candidates need to perform well in each section. XAT exam 2025 will have four sections. Experts suggest that candidates should apply subject specific strategy to prepare every section of XAT, which should include recommended XAT books. We have listed section-wise best books for XAT preparation (recommended by experts) and other study material below. Read on.

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Best Books for XAT Preparation 2025: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Quantitative Ability (QA) and Data Interpretation (DI) questions are grouped in a single section in XAT as they are based on arithmetical problems. Since, the topics of XAT syllabus is same as CAT syllabus, you can refer CAT books for preparation. Given below is the list of XAT books for Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation preparation.

XAT Books for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Author Name

Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations

RS Aggarwal

How to prepare for Data Interpretation

Arun Sharma

Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations

Abhijit Guha

Data Interpretation for the CAT

Nishit K Sinha

Best Books for XAT Preparation 2025: Decision Making

Since Decision Making section is unique to XAT, the best source of preparation are previous years' XAT question papers and sample papers. You can also take up secondary reading material. Listed below are sample papers and books for XAT Decision Making.

Q:   Are Arun Sharma's books enough to prepare for XAT?

A:
Yes, author Arun Sharma's books on Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude are recommended for all Master of Business Administration entrance exams including the Xavier Aptitude Test. The applicants can refer to his books. The applicants must also refer to Xavier Aptitude Test Preparation by Arun Sharma for practice. Practice and mock tests are key to scoring well in the Xavier Aptitude Test exam. For more details, you may visit the Shiksha Xavier Aptitude Test exam Book page. (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/xat-exam-books). I hope this will help you.

XAT Books for Decision Making

Author Name

Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers)

RK Jha

Analytical and Logical Reasoning

Arihant Publications

Target XAT (Past papers & mock tests)

Disha Publication

Best Books for XAT Preparation 2025: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

Candidates need to develop reading speed to score well in this section of XAT exam. The XAT VARC section includes tough Reading Comprehension passages as well as a poem, so it is important that candidates have a good control over the language. Additionally, English grammar and vocabulary need focussed preparation. It is best to prepare with the recommended XAT books given below:

XAT Books for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

Author Name

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

Analytical Reasoning

MK Pandey

A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning

RS Aggarwal

High School English Grammar & Composition

Wren & Martin

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Ajay Singh

XAT Preparation 2025: Best Study Material for General Knowledge

Newspapers and Magazines such as  Economic Times, Financial Express, Hindu Business Line, Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Business Today, Business World, and Competition Success Review are the best source of increasing general knowledge. This section of XAT mainly has current affairs questions which you can prepare/memories towards the end of the preparation phase.

XAT Study Material: Previous Year XAT Question Papers

Candidates must practice previous years XAT question papers to know the trend of types of questions asked, weightage of topic-wise questions and difficulty level. Shiksha has a repository of XAT question papers of last 10 years which you can download for free. Click here to download XAT question papers

Candidates must start practicing XAT previous year question papers, mock tests and sample papers two months prior to the exam. The strategy must include practicing variety of questions on each topic of XAT 2025 syllabus. This will help candidates in grasping the core knowledge of each concept and one can solve questions with ease on the exam day.

XAT Mock Tests

As XAT is a computer based test, it is best that candidates practice online mock tests. This will not only help them in familiarising themselves with the actual exam atmosphere but also help them in improving speed, accuracy and time management skill. Candidates must practice at least 30-40 XAT mock tests for best results. The mock tests should be of various difficulty levels too, so that one is prepared for any type of XAT exam - easy, moderate or tough. Shiksha has created free XAT mock test for aspirants. Click on the links below for Shiksha's free XAT mock test.

XAT_Mock_Test_1 XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions
XAT_Mock_Test_2 XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions

XAT Syllabus 2025

When selecting XAT books, do check whether they have comprehensive chapters on the topics of XAT syllabus or not. Listed below are some important topics of XAT syllabus:

XAT sections

Important topics

Verbal and Logical Ability

Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary, Analogy based on vocabulary, Para Jumble, Grammar, Critical Reasoning and Inference, Para Completion, etc.

Decision Making

Decision Making, Analogy, Seating Arrangement, Logical Sequence, Assumption, Premise, Conclusion, etc.

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Tables and Caselets, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, etc. 

General Knowledge

Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government Policies, Constitution of India, etc

Also  Read:

XAT Exam Pattern 2025

The XAT question paper 2025 will have five sections - Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, General Knowledge and Essay Writing. The essay writing too of 250 words will be assessed upon candidate's selection for PI round of XLRI Jamshedpur. Given below is the brief overview of XAT exam pattern 2025:

XAT Exam Features

Details

Test mode

Computer Based Test

Duration of exam

3 hours

Total questions

100 questions

Type of questions

Multiple choice questions

Sections

Four

Number of questions per section

Decision Making

21 questions

Verbal and Logical Ability

26 questions

Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

28 questions

General Knowledge

25 questions

Marking Scheme

  • Each question carry one mark
  • Negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong attempt except for General Knowledge section
  • Deduction of 0.10 marks if 8 or more question left unanswered/unlocked.

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The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
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Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 8 hours ago

Hii, The difficulty of XAT, CAT, or CMAT depends on individual aptitude and preparation, but generally:

  1. CAT: Considered the toughest, with high competition and emphasis on VARC, DILR, and Quant.
  2. XAT: Moderate, with an additional Decision-Making section and essay writing, testing analytical thinking.
  3. CM

...more

A

Ankit kumar

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

No, a college ID card is not considered valid for identity verification in the XAT 2025 exam. Acceptable documents typically include a government-issued photo ID such as an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, passport, or driving license. Ensure your ID is original, valid, and matches the name on your

...more

R

Rupesh Katariya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade) admits students through XAT and GMAT scores other than the CAT scores for their MBA (International Business) program. Here are the respective :-

XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test):

The candidate using XAT can apply at IIFT for the MBA (IB). XAT is one of the tests

...more

A

Arindam Modak

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

Sandip University accepts various national-level exams for MBA admissions, including XAT. The XAT 2025 dates have been released. As per that, the exam is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2025. Moreover, the applications for the same are expected to be released in the middle of December 2024.

S

Shailja Rawat

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, candidates can apply for SAGE University MBA through the XAT exam. The registrations for the exam are open and will go on till Nov 30, 2024. The exam will take place on 5 Jan 2024. Candidates can apply and appear for the exam to get a seat in the university's MBA programme.

In addition to that,

...more

A

Aayush Sharma

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

SNU Noida accepts a wide range of national-level entrance tests for admissions to its MBA programme, including XAT. Those who wish to get admission via XAT, must register and appear for the exam. As per the official website, XAT 2025 is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2024. 

Note: The above-mentioned

...more

S

Shailja Rawat

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

XAT is one of the selection criteria for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme at DES Pune University. Other selection criteria include:

CAT, NMAT, GMAT, PERA, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, DES PU Entrance Exam, Group Discussion (GD), and Extempore. 

 

To be eligible for the MBA program, candidat

...more

S

SUJITH S

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 3 weeks ago

As per the latest XAT schedule, the exam is scheduled to be held on Jan 5, 2025. This paper generally consists of three sections, namely Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. The tentative last date to register for this exam is Nov 30, 2024.

...more

S

Shailja Rawat

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

If we compare the entrance exams required for admission to DY Patil Talegaon, SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM, we will see that only DY Patil Talegaon does not conduct admissions through XAT score and only uses the MAHCET score for admission.

SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM conduc

...more

A

Aayush Sharma

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

There are no specific factors considered when calculating the XAT cutoff. However, to qualify for admission into the PGDM, PGDM Business Analytics, and MBA programmes at Globsyn Business School, prospective students need to hold a Bachelor’s degree (10+2+3) or equivalent from a recognised university

...more

S

Swastika Sarkar

Contributor-Level 7