
The Reading Comprehension Questions for XAT 2026 will be objective-type and based on a wide range of topics like Philosophy, Economics, Social Issues, Literature, Psychology, Politics, Abstract or Theoretical Concepts that are complex or abstract. The questions will be inference-based, main idea/theme-based, tone and style-based, fact-based, critical reasoning-based, and contextual vocabulary-based. There are 3-4 RC passages will be there in the Verbal and Logical Ability section, and each passage will be followed by 4 closely related options out of which candidates are required to pick the most appropriate one.
The RC questions in the
XAT 2026 exam
are anticipated to have a difficulty level ranging from moderate to high difficulty, often demanding that the candidates understand the passages that are dense and complex, interpret the nuances, and make accurate inferences. Notably, there is a provision of a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer in the RC section. Students eager to know more about the XAT 2026 Reading Comprehension Questions: Download PDF, can go through the main characteristics of XAT 2026 RC questions, steps to prepare for RC questions effectively, etc.
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Reading Comprehension Questions for XAT 2026 PDF Download
The XAT 2026 exam is scheduled to be conducted on January 5, 2026. Click on the link below to download the sample RC questions for XAT 2026.
Main Characteristics of XAT 2026 RC Questions
Reading Comprehension Questions for XAT 2026 are uniquely challenging to answer and require a strategic approach to excel. The key characteristics of RC questions in XAT have been provided below:
- The RC passages in XAT 2026 can be anticipated to be typically complex and dense with underlying themes and concepts that can be grasped only by careful reading and intense focus. These passages will be based on a wide range of topics, including philosophy, economics, social issues, psychology, and abstract ideas. Subtle differences or distinctions in language, expression, or meaning have also been observed that often challenge the test-takers.
- When compared to CAT, XAT RC passages appear shorter, but the content is typically of a dense nature and stuffed with information, which makes it difficult for the test-takers to interpret them. Therefore, to ace this section, candidates must possess strong comprehension skills and the ability to engage with deep and unfamiliar concepts.
- Candidates may encounter many inference-based questions in the XAT 2026 exam that aim to assess their ability to draw conclusions and make logical deductions from the information provided in the passages. To answer these questions efficiently, they must read between the lines to get a thorough grasp on the implicit meaning rather than just the explicit meaning.
- There will also be a strong critical reasoning element in the Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026 that will evaluate a candidate’s ability to analyse arguments, reason critically, understand the underlying meaning of the passage and understand the author's intent, think analytically, and make rational decisions.
- Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026 require the candidates to identify the main idea and tone of the passage, the relationship between one or more ideas, purpose, intent and assumptions of the authors, the implications of certain statements or paragraphs, and the contextual meanings of specific words or phrases.
- Time Management might become a challenge while answering the RC questions in XAT 2026, owing to the complexity and difficulty of RC passages. Striking a balance between reading the passages exhaustively and answering questions accurately within the limited time frame is crucial to performing effectively in this section.
How to Prepare for RC Questions for XAT 2026
Due to the abstract nature of the passages and the complexity of questions, candidates must possess the following set of skills and qualities to answer them effectively:
- The candidates must practise active reading, which involves summarising a passage in one’s own words after reading it to understand the main ideas and details. Taking short notes will also help the candidates to identify key points, arguments, and the author’s tone, enabling them to quickly revisit important parts while answering questions.
- Candidates must enhance their analytical thinking skills to analyse what is being said and why it is being said in the given passage, break down complex arguments or ideas, and filter out irrelevant information to interpret the meaning of the passages easily.
- Strong critical reasoning skills are crucial to tackle inference-based questions that evaluate the background information; the central idea of the passage; the author's intent, tone, perspective, and views; arguments & assumptions; and recognise the cause of a phenomenon, result or output of an event, and logical flaws or strengths.
- Candidates must also have the ability to draw logical inferences and conclusions based on the information given in the passage and identify the appropriate answer among the multiple close options that are not explicitly stated but implied.
- Solve as many XAT mock tests 2026 and XAT previous year question papers to gain an understanding of the type of RC questions asked in the XAT exam, pattern of the RC questions, and their difficulty level and to analyse your performance and improve your time management skills.
- Read a variety of materials, such as online journals, magazines, books, and newspapers, to enhance your ability to read quickly while still fully understanding the material in the given time constraints and understand words, phrases, or ideas and the context in which they are used within the passage.
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Apart from that, candidates must have high levels of concentration to maintain their focus and attention while reading the dense and sometimes abstract content of the passages. They can increase their focus and reading stamina by practising RC questions under timed conditions to simulate the exam environment. This, in turn, will enhance your time management skills by gradually reducing the time spent on each passage and increasing your reading speed and efficiency. To learn more about Reading Comprehension Questions for XAT 2026, call us at 1800-572-9877 or post your questions in CollegeDekho's Q&A section .
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FAQs
The qualities required to answer the Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026 are analytical thinking, critical reasoning, inference skills, attention to detail, attention & focus, comprehension speed, contextual understanding, logical deduction, etc., among others.
Yes, there is a provision of a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer among the Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026. Additionally, 0.10 per question will be deducted for 8 unattempted questions.
To answer Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026, candidates must understand the meaning of words, follow the organisation of a passage, identify antecedents and references, identify the main thought of a passage, visualize the text, recognize literary devices or propositional structures, and determine the tone of a passage.
The topics for Reading Comprehension questions for XAT 2026 include Philosophy, Economics, Social Issues, Literature, Psychology, Politics, Abstract or Theoretical Concepts, etc.
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