Explore Courses
Top University
Komal
18 October, 2025
Table of Contents
The CAT exam is one of the most demanding and prestigious entrance exams for MBA aspirants at IIMs in India. You must have strategic planning and the appropriate resources to ace the exam. If you want to crack the CAT exam and get a good percentile, you should refer to the best CAT exam preparation books and thoroughly understand the CAT exam pattern and syllabus. Selecting the best books to prepare for the CAT and adopting a proper preparation strategy can have a significant impact on your readiness, as it helps you create a solid foundation of knowledge and develop efficient problem-solving techniques. You can maximise your potential by improving your abilities, managing your time effectively, and approaching the CAT 2025 exam with confidence if you follow the proper preparation advice and use top-notch study materials.
The CAT 2025 exam dates are out! Do you also aspire to get admission into top B-schools? Of course, you can with the right CAT exam preparation book. Read the blog further to learn about the preparation strategy for CAT and the best study materials, such as books and resources.
The IIM CAT entrance exam is your entry ticket to the MBA programme. It is conducted once a year by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis. The resources are limited, and achieving a top percentile score on the CAT exam is a challenging task. Find and study some of the top CAT preparation books, which address each part independently. You must refer to multiple sources to ensure that your preparation is on track.
Once you have a proper study plan and preparation strategy, you can focus on finding suitable study resources as per the syllabus.
Your preparation should have a systematic study plan with chapter-wise practice modules and regular assessment. Keep one thing in mind that you have to maintain a good balance between theory and practical questions.
The CAT exam consists of three sections: Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The table below outlines the key topics covered in each section.
| Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus | |
|---|---|
| Surds and Indices | Profit & Loss |
| Trigonometry | In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations |
| Number System | Geometry |
| Mensuration | Time-Speed-Distance |
| Partnership (Accounts) | Algebra |
| Ratios and Proportions | Geometric Progression |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Syllabus | |
|---|---|
| Clocks and Calendars | Series |
| Syllogism | Statements |
| Blood Relations | Venn Diagram |
| Data Arrangement | Proposition |
| Data Structures | Family Tree |
| Direction Sense | Tables |
| Binary Logic | Coding-Decoding |
| Pie Charts | Seating Arrangement |
| Assumptions | Data Sufficiency |
| Sets & Caselets | Puzzles |
| Bars & Line Graphs | – |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Syllabus | |
|---|---|
| Grammar | One-word substitution |
| Verbal reasoning | Sentence completion |
| Idioms | Syllogisms |
| Fill in the blanks | Preposition |
| Parts of speech | English Usage |
| One word substitution | Phrases modifiers |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | Vocabulary |
| Types of clauses | Subject-verb agreement |
| Jumbled paragraphs | Articles usage |
| Foreign language words used in English | Sentence correction |
| Errors in tenses | Analogies |
| Verbal logic | Para jumbles |
Choosing your study materials wisely before starting the CAT exam preparation process, especially the CAT preparation books, is important. These books significantly impact how you prepare for this extremely competitive management admission exam and how well you score. You should consider the following points:
We have compiled a list of some good books to help you study for the CAT 2025 exam. Let’s have a look:
First are some popular books covering the verbal ability and reading comprehension section.
The book includes practice tasks and comprehensive explanations for every topic about verbal ability and reading comprehension.
Prioritise understanding of the fundamental ideas and consistently practise the question papers. Make use of the reading comprehension passages to increase your accuracy and speed.
This is the best book to prepare for the CAT. It covers vocabulary and many reading exercises that will help you score good marks with regular practice. It will help you develop vocabulary skills and present words with their pronunciations and definitions, and you can use them in sentences.
You can divide each chapter according to your time. This is the best book for vocabulary.
This is the best book on Grammar. It covers simple steps to enhance vocabulary and basic rules of comprehensive grammar and composition techniques.
Use this book to strengthen your knowledge of grammar. Use the exercises as practice and the guidelines in your everyday writing and speaking.
The book contains 6 parts to practise verbal ability. It also contains more than 1500 solved practice questions. You can practise both verbal ability and logical reasoning with this book.
You can dedicate time to this book according to your study schedule. You can divide the book into sections and read one topic at a time, which will help you enhance the concepts.
Both verbal and nonverbal reasoning concepts are covered in great detail in this book.
Prioritise the verbal reasoning sections by consistently practising and evaluating your performance on the practice exams.
The book covers various practice exercises and comprehensive data interpretation methods.
Gradually advance to more complex DI sets by starting with the simpler ones. Practice daily according to the exam pattern, then evaluate your results.
This CAT preparation book covers practice questions, provides thorough solutions, and provides a thorough understanding of logical reasoning and data interpretation issues.
Methodically review the parts, practising various questions to increase your proficiency and speed.
The book emphasises the interpretation of data and its sufficiency using a variety of exercise sets.
To lay a solid foundation, start with data sufficiency and work up to data interpretation through frequent practice.
This book provides logical reasoning techniques and practice questions for data interpretation.
You should ensure regular practice, review, and divide your study sessions between logical reasoning and data interpretation.
It covers practice questions and a wide range of logical reasoning topics.
Logical Reasoning is important for the CAT exam. So, to improve this section, concentrate on solving reasoning problems of a single kind at a time, practising the previous year’s questions for better understanding.
Book Name: How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT
Practice tasks and a thorough explanation of issues related to quantitative ability.
Begin with the fundamentals and work up to more complex subjects, consistently practising and reviewing your solutions.
Detailed explanations for quantitative concepts and many practice questions.
Proceed methodically through each subject, reviewing the explanations and working through the exercises.
The book covers comprehensive instruction on numerical ability combined with challenging practice questions.
Prioritise mastering the fundamental ideas before moving on to more complex problems, ensuring you comprehend the guiding ideas.
This book has techniques and practice questions for numerical aptitude. It contains a lot of practice questions.
You can divide the chapters, practise them regularly for better scores, and evaluate your advancement. Do an in-depth analysis of results and make a separate note for last-minute revision of formulas.
Detailed explanation of quantitative topics with an emphasis on CAT-specific questions. You can find separate solutions for each topic.
Practise 10-20 questions daily and evaluate them for better results.
In summary, choosing the best books to prepare for CAT is essential to pass the exam. Selecting reputed books from well-known writers and publishers can help ensure your study covers all the material and follows the most recent exam format. Use tools that provide many practice questions, mock exams, and thorough explanations to improve your ability to solve problems and prepare for exams. To help you make judgments, consider the advice and evaluations of knowledgeable individuals and successful CAT aspirants. Using the correct study resources, you can improve your confidence and performance on the CAT exam by properly preparing for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
You can start preparing for the CAT by learning the syllabus and format of the CAT exam first. Make a study plan and follow it religiously. Start with fundamental ideas and work your way up to more complex subjects. To evaluate your progress and improve time management, take practice exams frequently.
The best books to prepare for CAT are study guides from reputable publishers such as Pearson, Arihant, and TMH. Excellent study materials are also available from internet sources. Practice using official CAT preparation books and previous year’s exam questions.
You need to study 6–7 hours a day. You should divide at least 2 hours for each subject. Ensure your study time is productive by comprehending ideas and resolving issues.
“How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude” by Arun Sharma, “Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension” by Meenakshi Upadhyay and Arun Sharma, and “Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT” by Nishit Sinha are some of the best CAT preparation books.
CAT is a very tough exam, so scoring 70–80 percentile is considered moderate. Although you are already above average, getting admission to IIMs might be difficult.
Our team of experts, or experienced individuals, will answer it over online meet. Book your slot now!
Book Free Online Counselling
Get Free Career Guidance
