There are no specified XAT books recommended by XLRI for the preparation of the XAT exam. However, candidates can refer to certain XAT preparation books before giving the exam, as it is tough to crack without sufficient practice. These XAT books are just suggestions and it completely depends on the candidates' interest whether they buy or refer to them or not. The students who are preparing for this exam can refer to the below-mentioned XAT preparation books for guidance. They will get a clear idea about the topics and can easily learn and remember the concepts better with the help of these XAT books. We've compiled this list of XAT books as per the recommendation of various toppers of the exam.
Best Books for XAT 2021 Preparation
There is a wide-ranging variety of XAT preparation books online. The candidates must also refer to such study material from which the candidates can learn and prepare for the exam. The XAT books and materials for preparation are mentioned and elaborated in the table below. The difficulty level of questions asked in a management exam is generally high, so students using the XAT books can crack other entrance examinations as well.
BOOK NAME | PUBLICATION/ AUTHOR | COVER PAGE |
How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude | Arun Sharma | ![]() |
How to Prepare for Logical Interpretation | Arun Sharma | ![]() |
Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis | ![]() |
How to prepare for Verbal Ability | Arun Sharma & Upadhyay | ![]() |
How to prepare for Data Interpretation | Arun Sharma | ![]() |
More XAT Preparation Books 2021
- MBA (XAT, IIFT, NMAT, SNAP, CMAT) by Gautam Puri
- Quantitative Aptitude Simplified for XAT by Deepak Agarwal
- Concepts of Numbers for XAT and Other Aptitude exams (Old Edition) by Gajendra Kumar
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT/XAT/IIFT/CMAT/MAT (Box Set) by Gajendra Kumar.
XAT Books for Practice
- XAT (Solved Papers 2008-2018) by Gautam Puri
- Jabbing the XAT Mock Tests and solved Papers - Arihant Publications
- Target 2018 by Disha Experts
Section-wise XAT Books: Experts' Recommendation
Internet is swarmed with lists of XAT books, which are available online for candidate's exam preparation. Candidates often get confused about which XAT exam books to buy for their exam preparation. As per the expert's guide, there are some XAT books which the candidates can refer to for exam preparation. Here are some section-wise XAT exam books and the study material related to them. Candidates can also refer to some of the XAT books available online for preparation.
XAT Books - Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation are totally based on arithmetical problems. Candidates can refer the best books for XAT preparation in Quants and Data Interpretation listed in the table below:
XAT Books | 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 |
XAT Decision Making Books for 2021
Decision Making is a unique section. Apart from referring to the XAT books for decision making, the candidates are advised to solve the previous year sample papers of XAT to get an idea of the kind of questions asked in this section. Candidates can refer the table below for the best sample papers and XAT decision making books for 2021.
XAT Books | Author/Publisher |
Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers) | RK Jha |
Analytical and Logical Reasoning | Arihant Publications |
Target XAT 2020 (Past papers & mock tests) | Disha Publication |
XAT Books for Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning Preparation
Candidates must develop reading speed to score well in the XAT exam. For verbal ability, grammar and vocabulary section, candidates should be focused more. Some of the best books for XAT preparation of Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning sections are tabulated below.
XAT Books | 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 Books for General Knowledge Preparation 2021
For the preparation of General Knowledge candidates should refer to newspapers and magazines, such as The Hindu, Economic Times, Financial Express, Hindu Business Line, Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Business Today, Business World, and Competition Success Review etc.
Recommended Newspapers and Magazines for XAT 2021 Preparation
The XAT 2021 preparation also includes magazines and newspapers. The major reliable magazines and newspapers are mentioned below in a table for the candidates to prepare for the exam well.
Newspaper | Cover Page |
The Hindu | |
Frontline | ![]() |
The Statesman | ![]() |
Business Line | ![]() |
Using these materials and XAT books adds leverage to one's preparation. Any aspirant can easily master the fundamental concepts in Mathematics, English and General Knowledge with these XAT preparation books, as they deal with concepts from the basics in a proper way.
XAT Syllabus 2021
To prepare for the XAT 2021, candidates should have in-depth knowledge of the XAT syllabus 2021. Candidates can also take a look at the previous year question papers to know the kind of questions asked in the XAT exam. Any changes in the syllabus would be updated by the examination authority on their official website. As far as XAT syllabus PDF is concerned, XLRI does not release an official document for it. But generally, XAT entrance exam syllabus involves 4 major sections namely: Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation; Decision Making; Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning & General Knowledge. Candidates can refer to the XAT books as well for better preparation. For more details regarding the syllabus, candidates can visit the XAT Syllabus section.
XAT Preparation Tips
Before starting the preparation for XAT 2021 exam candidates must make sure all of the relevant material will be useful for them. There are numerous study materials and reference XAT books out there. Out of them, candidates need to select the right ones that they think would actually help them in their preparation for XAT. Along with the best books for XAT, candidates can also refer to the XAT previous year papers. Gathering all of this will give them a clear picture of how much they have to complete over the period they have allotted themselves. The preparation strategy for XAT 2021 are:
- Candidates must go through the eligibility criteria of the qualifying examination.
- Understanding the exam pattern is one of the tips.
- Candidates must be aware of the XAT Syllabus.
- Must have a conceptual knowledge of each & every topic.
- Candidates must refer to the XAT books for the better understanding of the syllabus.
- Solve the previous year papers given in XAT books to get an idea of what type of questions are being asked. These papers can also be found online.
- Refer to the study materials such as XAT preparation books for better guidance of the subjects.
- Must focus on the preparation strategies.
Apart from preparation through XAT books, candidates must also look into the previous year papers of XAT exam. Practising with all the study materials will boost the confidence of the candidates to crack the exam. Candidates must keep themselves updated with the latest updates.