Overview: “Yet a treacherous weapon is ever a danger to the hand.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien! The most lethal weapons for the students preparing for an examination like XAT are the XAT books they choose to prepare from and the tutor they decide to follow. Hence, it becomes very important for them to choose them wisely.

This article provides a list of section-wise best books for XAT Exam preparation.

Download Free Study Material for XAT Exam 2025 by SuperGrads

Read More: Top 10 colleges of XAT

Table of Contents

What is the XAT exam?

XAT Exam Pattern

XAT Books: The Best XAT Decision Making Books

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for General Knowledge

What is the XAT exam?

• The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is an all-India level management entrance examination to get into the prestigious Xavier School of Management (XLRI) and various other associated management institutes.
• For more than 74 years XLRI has conducted the XAT exam at all India level to select the most appropriate candidate for management education.
• The XAT exam is conducted every year in January by XLRI on behalf of XLRI Associate Member Institutes (XAMI).
• More than 160 institutes are using XAT exam scores for admission.

Read More: What is the XAT exam?

XAT Exam Pattern

• The Xavier Aptitude test (XAT) is one of the most challenging & unique exams; utilizing the most advanced technology and modern testing methods, to comprehensively evaluate potential business management candidates on their decision-making skills.
• Therefore, before delving into the selection of the XAT books, it is very important to make yourself aware of the XAT Exam Pattern and XAT Exam Syllabus. This will help you better understand the reason for selecting the particular XAT book for the preparation.

The official XAT 2024 Exam pattern & Syllabus released by XAT management also encompasses the essence of the exam in brief as shown below.

XAT Exam Pattern: 2024
Part 1			Part 2	Part 3
Sections	VA & LR	DM	QA & DI	Mock Keyboard Testing	GK*	Analytical Essay Writing (AEW)*
Duration	175 Minutes			5 Minutes	30 Minutes
Number of Questions	About 26	About 22	About 28	NA	About 25	1
Question Types	The XAT exam syllabus for the VA&LR section will encompass critical & analytical reasoning, reading comprehension (including poems & passages), vocabulary, English grammar, and other related exercises such as para jumbles, cloze tests, etc.	The XAT exam syllabus for the DM section will present scenarios drawn from both personal and professional lives. Candidates will be required to apply critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and prioritization to make informed decisions.	In the XAT exam syllabus for this section, the questions are designed to assess the quantitative aptitude of candidates who possess a foundational understanding of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, modern maths, etc. The questions on DI are about clear interpretation, summarization, and insightful analysis of the data.	To test the keyboard, candidates will be requested to type--The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.	In the XAT exam syllabus for the GK section, 10 questions will focus on static GK, while the remaining 15 will delve into current affairs.	The XAT exam syllabus for the AEW section will offer three topics, of which candidates will select one. Essays should be approximately 250 words in length and must demonstrate coherence, logical consistency, and strong argumentation, serving as an assessment of the student's analytical abilities.
Marking Scheme	For Part 1: For each correct answer: +1 mark For each incorrect answer: -0.25 marks  Negative marks awarded for each unattempted question after 8 unattempted questions: -0.10 marks			NA	For Part 3: In the GK section, for each correct answer: +1 mark  General Knowledge (GK) questions are EXEMPT from negative marking.  The essay will be evaluated if a candidate is shortlisted for the GD-PI processes at XLRI.

KINDLY NOTE

• *The scores from the General Knowledge (GK) and Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) sections will be EXCLUSIVELY utilized by XLRI for its final selection process.
• PwD candidates will be granted an additional 20 minutes for every hour.

Read More: Is CAT preparation enough for XAT?

Read More: XAT Admission Details

XAT Books: The Best XAT Decision Making Books

• The XAT Decision Making section is unique to the XAT and hence also the section that can make or break your percentile as many candidates often come prepared only with the syllabus common to other entrance examinations.
• The XAT Decision Making books should help students increase their ability to analyze complex situations and make sound judgments.
• XAT Decision Making Books should cover scenarios like:
  • Ethical dilemmas
  • Business decisions
  • Situational analyses
• The best XAT Decision Making Books to prepare for the above topics are listed below:

XAT Decision Making Books	Author	Features of the XAT Decision Making Books
Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers)	RK Jha	This XAT Decision Making Book: Has Easily understandable Content Includes solved papers of the last 15 years Has Content curated in a way that keeps the specific requirements of students in mind
Target XAT (Past papers and mock tests)	Disha Publications	This XAT Decision Making Book: Includes solved papers of the last 15 years Has Content curated by 30 experts working in this field
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Arihant Publications	This XAT Decision Making Book has: Been divided into 3 parts: Verbal, Analytical, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. 2 difficulty levels 2000+ Previous Years’ Questions

Read More: How to prepare for Decision Making in XAT?

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning

• This XAT section assesses a candidate's proficiency in English language Grammar, Reading Comprehension, and logical reasoning.
• A comprehensive understanding of grammar rules and logical reasoning principles is imperative to excel in the XAT VA&LR syllabus and hence the XAT books that help students prepare for this are required.
• Key topics include:
  • Reading comprehension
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • Critical Reasoning
  • Inference-based questions
• The best XAT Books for Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning are listed below.

XAT Books for VA & LR	Author	Features of the XAT Books for VA & LR
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis	This XAT Book for VA & LR: Helps in improving your vocabulary and understanding of the English language through various tests and word exercises. Has been curated with a student-friendly approach
A New Approach to Reasoning: Verbal & Non-Verbal (Arihant)	B S Sijwali	This XAT Book for VA & LR: Has Content that can be easily understood by students Has enough no. of Practice Questions included
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	Ajay Singh	This XAT Book for VA & LR: Guides Students from a basic to advanced level in English Includes Mock Papers covering the latest syllabus
High School English Grammar & Composition	Wren & Martin	This XAT Book for VA & LR:  Covers the entire syllabus of English Grammar Includes Practice sessions at the end of each lesson for self-assessment
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning	R.S. Aggarwal	This XAT Book for VA & LR: Includes Smarter and Shorter methods for solving questions Full explanation of each solved example to help students understand concepts in depth Fully solved papers for all competitive exams
Analytical Reasoning	MK Pandey	This XAT Book for VA & LR: Detailed Explanation of Concepts Focus on New Question Types Comprehensive Coverage of all major topics Detailed Explanation of Concepts Vast Array of Practice Questions

Read More: XAT Previous Year Papers

Read More: XAT Exam Eligibility

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

• Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation form the bedrock of analytical prowess in the XAT exam.
• XAT Books increasing proficiency in mathematical concepts and adeptness in data interpretation are indispensable for excelling in this section.
• Some of the important topics that XAT Books for this section should encompass:
  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Set Theory
  • Probability
  • Charts & Data Analysis
  • Data interpretation & Data sufficiency
• To conquer the Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation section, practice is crucial.
• The following XAT books are highly recommended:

XAT Books for QA & DI	Author	Features of the XAT Books for QA & DI
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams	R.S. Aggarwal	This XAT Book for QA & DI: Is Ideal for all management and engineering competitive exams Has Comprehensive coverage of all important topics of the XAT syllabus Has Chapter-wise questions with detailed explanations.
Data Interpretation for the CAT	Nishit K. Sinha	This XAT Book for QA & DI: Focuses on strong concept building Helps with the application of problems Includes difficulty level of each topic to help students learn gradually
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation	Arun Sharma	This XAT Book for QA & DI: Covers all types of DI questions Self-sufficient in itself for preparation
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations	Abhijit Guha	This XAT Book for QA & DI: Covers a wide range of topics Revised chapters as per the latest pattern Huge no. of solved examples, practice papers, exam-level test papers

Read More: XAT Exam Registration

XAT Books: The Best Books for XAT for General Knowledge

• The General Knowledge section of the XAT exam has 2 parts: Static GK and Dynamic GK.
• Dynamic GK evaluates a candidate's awareness of current affairs, business, economics, politics, and other pertinent topics.
• There are very less XAT Books that can cover this in huge depth as there are new developments daily and hence other than XAT Books, regular reading of newspapers, magazines, and online resources is crucial for staying abreast of recent developments.
• Static GK refers to the topics that hold separate importance in the world. XAT Books for this section should be highlighting topics like:
  • Business, Finance, and Economics
  • The Indian Constitution and Laws
  • Famous Personalities
  • Current Affairs of National and International Importance
  • Books and Authors
  • Awards and Winners
  • History and Geography
• Some XAT books that can help prepare for this section of XAT are:

XAT Books for GK	Author	Features of the XAT Books for GK
Objective General Knowledge (Lucent's)	Sanjiv Kumar	This XAT Book for GK: Articulates all important events taking place Has General knowledge points structured lucidly to make learning easier.
General Knowledge 2024	Manohar Pandey	This XAT Book for GK: Has All current events given in a compact way Has been divided according to sections with a separate section for current events Is Useful for all management and other government exams.
Manorama Year Book	Malayala Manorama Group	This XAT Book for GK: Covers a wide range of topics Has a dedicated section for Current Affairs Updated Data and Statistics of the country Content curated with a focus on the Civil Services Examination Separate section for Global Happenings

Read More: XAT Exam Pattern 2024 Analysis