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Shiksha brings you a three-month SET exam preparation strategy including best books, prep tips and important topics to score well. Read the article below to know more.
SET exam 2026 3 month preparation: If one wants to score well in the SET exam 2026, they must start their exam preparations at least three months before the SET exam. Preparing for the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) in only three months can be challenging, but it is achievable with a structured plan and consistent effort. Begin by making an effective preparation schedule, understanding the exam pattern and SET syllabus 2026, and gathering the essential and right set of study materials and SET preparation books.
Students can begin by focusing on the SET syllabus in the first month. In the second month, students can focus on solving questions of higher difficulty levels and then take sectional practice tests. In the last month, students should completely shift their preparation to revision. They should take full-length SET mock tests and check ways to improve their time management skills. Regular practice, performance analysis, and maintaining a calm mindset will significantly enhance their chances of success in the SET exam. SET 2026 will be conducted on May 2, 2026, and May 10, 2026.
Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is an online BBA entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International (Deemed University). One can score well in the SET exam 2026 with a good preparation strategy. SET is a gateway to admission into undergraduate courses such as BBA and BCA to the prestigious Symbiosis International (Deemed University). In this article, Shiksha brings you a detailed strategy on how to prepare for SET in three months.
Also Read:
- How to Prepare for SET Exam 2026 in 3 Months: Phase-wise Preparation Strategy
- Phase I: Preparation Strategy
- Phase II: Know the SET Exam Syllabus
- Phase III: Practice and Revision
How to Prepare for SET Exam 2026 in 3 Months: Phase-wise Preparation Strategy
Read below to know the three-month phase-wise preparation strategy for the SET exam 2026.
Commonly asked questions
Aspirants should start preparing for the SET exam at least six months before the test date. SET preparation requires planning thus one must start early. They can also join coaching institutes for focused preparation. Starting early will also help you assess that whether you need to join a coaching institute or not. Divide your preparation into three phases - 1. Covering the syllabus 2. Practicing mock tests, sample questions and 3. Revision.
The SET syllabus includes the following topics:
General English: Parajumbles, Sentence Completion, Grammar, Comprehension Passages, Synonyms and Antonyms, etc.
Logical Reasoning: Tables, Graphs, Pie Charts, Blood Relation, Seating Arrangement, Strong and Weak Arguments, and Syllogism
Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, Algebra Number System Arithmetic, Mensuration etc.
General Awareness: Companies and Founders, Awards, Books and Authors, Sports, Politics, Current Affairs, etc.
You can read the following SET books for exam preparation:
- A New Approach to Reasoning by BS Sijawali
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
- Multi-Dimensional Reasoning by Mishra Kumar and Dr Lal
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
- Class 9 and Class 10 NCERT Mathematics books
- Quantitative Aptitude by R. S Aggarwal
- Manorama Year Book
SET is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to various undergraduate courses. SET 2026 will be conducted in the computer-based test mode. The difficulty level of the SET exam is usually easy to moderate. But, a few questions might trick your mind and can be time-consuming.
General Knowledge and Analytical and Logical Reasoning are easier than the Quantitative Aptitude section. In 2025, according to the students who appeared for the SET session 1 exam, the SET exam was moderate. The General English section was the easiest of all four sections. The Quantitative Aptitude section was the toughest, and the other two sections were moderate to easy. The overall difficulty level of the SET question paper was moderate. Students who appeared for the SET 2025 session 2 exam said that the overall difficulty level was easy. Again, the General English section was the easiest. In this session, the Analytical and Logical Reasoning section was also easy to moderate. The Quant section was easy to moderate, and the General Knowledge section was difficult.
Common mistakes to avoid in SET exam include:
- Poor Time Management
- Neglecting Planning
- Procrastination
- Lack of Conceptual Clarity
- Overlooking Sectional Preparation
- Ignoring Previous Years' SET Question Papers
Phase I: Preparation Strategy
As mentioned above, it is very important to have a strong and effective preparation strategy to score well in any exam. And to make an effective strategy, it is very important to know your strengths and weaknesses. Time management is a key player here. SET exam is a time-based exam and candidates will not be given any extra time to complete the exam. Hence, candidates appearing for the SET 2026 exam must give enough time to each topic and divide them accordingly. SET exam 2026 will have four sections namely General English, Quantitative, General Awareness and Analytical & Logical Reasoning. Make a schedule that covers all the sections and religiously follow the same.
Also Read:
Phase II: Know the SET Exam Syllabus
Choosing the right study material which covers all the important topics of the SET exam is very important. Refer to the study material and books available online as well as offline, general BBA preparation, as well as SET-specific books. Do not waste time collecting loads of material, but choose the best and most relevant ones. Start with the topic that you find the toughest. Study all the topics under that section. Topics such as Algebra, Probability, Profit and Loss, Interest, Discount, Time and Work, Percentage, Number Systems, etc., for the Quantitative Section should be prepared. Brush up on your calculations and theorems to ace this section. Revise all the grammar topics and improve your vocabulary to handle the General English section. To score well in the Analytical and Logical Reasoning section, an applicant must have a deep understanding of the patterns. Be thorough with formulae and theories. Ace the General Awareness section by making the newspaper your best friend for these three months. Be updated with the latest trends, news, awards, abbreviations, etc. For static GK, you can refer to Manorama Year Book.
Also Read:
| How to prepare for the Quantitative Aptitude section of SET exam | How to ace the General English section of SET exam 2026 | Tips to score well in the SET Logical Reasoning section |
Commonly asked questions
To crack SET exam in first attempt, students should have a preparation plan for 3 to 6 months bifurcated according to topics, strengths and knowledge of students. Students should consistently practice to fetch good SET scores.
Yes, 36 is a good score in SET exam. General category usually faces a competitive SET cut off. The SET 2026 cut off will likely be between 34 to 42 marks.
Previously, the SET exam had 150 questions. They were reduced to 60 multiple-choice questions in the year 2021, and the duration of the exam was also reduced proportionally. Check out the table below to know what can be considered a good score in SET exam according to the previous years' analysis:
| Section | Total Marks | Good Score |
|---|---|---|
| General English | 16 | 12-14 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 16 | 10-12 |
| General Awareness | 16 | 11-12 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 12 | 9-10 |
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Phase III: Practice and Revision
This is the last and one of the most important elements in a three-month preparation plan for the SET exam 2026. SET exam preparation is incomplete without practicing SET previous years’ question papers and mock tests. As the saying goes, “practice makes the man perfect”, no preparation can be complete without practicing what you have studied. Give at least 15 days to revise and practice the syllabus that you have covered. This will help candidates know their strengths and weaknesses and they can work on them accordingly. It will improve their speed and accuracy and at the same time help them tackle all kinds of questions.
All the best!
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
Yes, students should begin their SET exam preparation at least 6 months before exam date. SET exam is easy to moderate. Students should spend time on practice and mock test to score well.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
SET syllabus includes important topics of subjects that are relevant for business and general aptitude. For SET exam, candidates have to study, English Quantitative Aptitude General Knowledge and Analytical Reasoning.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
If student has a good study plan, they can study at home for SET exam. The exam is conducted annually and is easier than other BBA exams.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
IPMAT is usually considered a bit more difficult than SET, as IPMAT exam has advanced mathematics and is calculation intensive. The exam also have a sectional time limit. But, SET is easier in terms of difficulty, does not have negative marking or sectional timings.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Students must report to the SET exam centre at least an hour before the exam. SET exam will take place at 9 AM at many test centres. Students must reach the exam centre the latest by 7:30 AM.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Yes, one can fill the SET application form on one day and pay the fee on another day as it is not mandatory to register for SET exam and fill the application form or pay the fee in one go.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Application fee for SET exam is INR 2250 for one session. Candidates also need to pay institution fee of INR 1000 per institute.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The SET BBA question paper is divided into four sections, I. e. General English Quantitative Aptitude Logical Reasoning and General Awareness. SET exam is conducted for one hour in CBT mode. Going through the past year question papers will give an idea about what to expect and an insight into the di
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Candidates will know their allotted SET exam centre only from SET admit card. SIU allots SET centre to aspirantsin city of their first preference usually. So, candidates can at least be assured that they will get a test centre in the city they had chosen as first preference in the SET application fo
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
There are 16 MCQs in the General English section of SET exam. Overall there are 60 MCQs.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Saumya Jain is an English Literature graduate from the University of Delhi. She has over 8 years of editorial and content writing experience. At Shiksha.com, she has spent more than six years creating research, stud
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