The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most common and highly preferred MBA entrance exams in India. It is conducted by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis in the month of November every year. So, if you are a CAT aspirant and want to crack this exam with a good score, then you should start your preparation as early as possible.
To prepare well for CAT and secure a seat in the top-most IIMs in the country, candidates must study the best books and solve previous years’ papers compulsorily. CAT Previous Year Papers are the most important study resources that you must solve if you are done with the syllabus. Besides, solving the CAT papers on a regular basis will help you to maintain track of your preparation.
Now, the question is, which books do you prefer to make an effective preparation for the upcoming CAT Exam? Here, in this article, we have listed some books recommended by experts for your ready reference. You can study these books and prepare effectively for all three sections of the CAT Exam: VARC, DILR and QA.
Important CAT Books to Study
Before looking at the list, candidates should understand the tips to select the best books that will help them prepare better. The abundance of books and study materials available online has just added to the confusion. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the top books to help you with the preparation of each section, and thus save time and effort.
- Latest Edition: You can gain a full picture of the complete course by selecting the study materials that are updated. Even though the older editions would still function, they might not reflect the most recent modifications to the exam syllabus.
- Relevant Information: Choose CAT books that include the previous years’ papers, a large number of solved examples, appropriate practice questions, answer keys with various shortcut-solving techniques, and cover the majority of the relevant concepts.
- Reliable Publishers: Always give preferences to the books for CAT, which are published by well-known publishers.
CAT VARC Books
The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of the CAT exam tests candidates’ verbal ability and comprehension skills. To prepare this section with 100% accuracy, you can get the below-listed recommended books for your preparation.
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
- Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT by Ajay Singh
- High School English Grammar by Wren and Martin
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
- English Grammar Books of Class 9th and 10th Standard
CAT DILR Books
The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section of CAT evaluates candidates’ logical and data interpretation skills. This section can be tricky and comprise a wide variety of confusing questions if not prepared well. So, to grab the basic concepts of this section, the candidates can follow the below-listed books during their preparation.
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit Sinha
- How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri
- A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Agarwal
CAT Quants Books
Most candidates spend the maximum time preparing for the CAT Quantitative Ability section. The main explanation for this is that they can use the broad syllabus in the QA portion to organise their preparation. Find below the best books to prepare well for the Quantitative Ability section:
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Sarvesh Verma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Agarwal
- Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit Sinha
The above-listed books are very important to prepare for the CAT Exam and also to practise CAT Previous Years’ Papers. The most recent CAT Books have taken into account the changes in curriculum and exam patterns and incorporated them into the book.
Owing to their correctness and clear explanations, the right books will help you avoid wasting time reading and preparing. An effective list of books for CAT preparation means you’ll be able to pinpoint your areas of weakness and make speedy progress using the tips and tactics the authors share with you.