SET BCA Books 2026: Check best books for exam preparation

Symbiosis Entrance Test 2026 ( SET )

DeskCalelnderRegistration - 15 Apr '26

This exam is conducted for courses given below:
Saumya Jain
Updated on Dec 26, 2025 14:54 IST

By Saumya Jain, Assistant Manager- Content

SET books 2026: Students interested in taking the SET exam 2026 should get hold of the best and recommended SET books to score well in the exam. The best way to prepare for the SET exam is through studying with the right set of books and study materials. Various SET books also have SET practice question papers based on the concepts studied in the SET book. 

SET is a gateway to the Symbiosis Institutes for admission into the BBA programme. Symbiosis International (Deemed) University will conduct the SET 2026 exam in about 80 cities across India. Choosing the right preparation books is an integral part of any entrance exam preparation. Shiksha brings you a compilation of best books for SET exam 2026. 

Table of contents
  • Best Books for SET Exam 2026
  • How to Choose the Best Books for SET Exam 2026
  • Section-wise Best Books for SET 2026
  • SET Exam 2026 Important Topics
  • FAQs on SET Exam Preparation Books
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Best Books for SET Exam 2026

It is very important to have a good set of SET exam books and study material to ace the entrance test. Candidates must know that choosing the best books for SET exam 2026 is an imperative part of SET exam preparation. In order to have a stronghold over the SET syllabus 2026, having the best books for SET and study material is also very crucial. Read below to know the section-wise best books for SET.

Also Read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Are Class 12th Maths questions asked in SET exam?
A: 

Questions on mathematics in the SET exam are based on Class 10 and Class 12 levels. The SET entrance is a popular BBA exam that the students can take after Class 12. The difficulty level of the SET exam is usually easy. The SET question paper is divided into four sections, i.e. General English, Quantitative Aptitude, General Knowledge and Logical Reasoning. The QA (Maths) is an important section of the SET exam and usually of a moderate difficulty level. The exam is a test of your speed and ability to pick and solve the right questions. Class 10 and Class 12 Maths dominate the exam. To score well in the SET exam, students must be very clear with the concepts of NCERT Mathematics. 

Subject

Questions

Marks

General English

16

16

Quantitative

16

16

General Awareness

16

16

Analytical and Logical Reasoning

12

12

Total

60

60

Q:   What are the common mistakes to avoid in SET?
A: 

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
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How to Choose the Best Books for SET Exam 2026

Take a look at the factors which must be kept in mind before choosing the best books for SET.

How to Choose Best Books for SET

How to Choose the Best Books for SET

  • SET syllabus: When choosing the study material for the SET exam, one must keep in mind that the books that they choose must cover entire SET syllabus. It must cover all the important topics which can be asked in the SET question paper.
  • Edition: The books that students choose should be of most recent edition which must contain the latest topics and syllabus
  • Solved Sample Papers: A book with solved SET sample papers will be of great help. Sample papers give an insight intoSET exam pattern, type of questions and at the same time help in analysing progress. 

Also Read: Is IPMAT tougher than SET?

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the ideal time to prepare for SET exam?
A: 

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
Q:   Which are the best books for the General English section of the SET question paper?
A: 

General English section of SET exam important books are:

Name of the BookAuthor/ Publication

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

High School English Grammar and Composition

Wren and Martin

Pearson Guide to IIM Indore-IPM Entrance Examination

Pearson

Objective General English 

SP Bakshi
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Section-wise Best Books for SET 2026

Check out the section-wise best books for all the sections of the SET exam in the tables below.

Best Books for General English Section

This section of the SET 2026 question paper comprises topics such as Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, Sentence Completion, Phrases and Idioms, Prepositions, Error Spotting, Analogy, etc. Look at the table below to know the important books for the General English section.

Book name Author/Publisher

High School English Grammar and Composition Key

Wren and Martin

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

Objective General English 

SP Bakshi

Best Books for Quantitative Aptitude Section

Check the table below to know the best books for the Quantitative Aptitude section of the SET question paper. The section includes topics such as Number systems, Graphs, Arithmetic Equations, Ratio and Proportion, Time, Speed and Distance, Probability, etc.

Book Name

Author/ Publisher

Quantitative Aptitude for All Competitive Examinations

Abhijit Guha

Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination

RS Aggarwal

Fast Track Objective Arithmetic

Arihant Publications

NCERT Mathematics Book for 9th and 12th class

NCERT

Best Books for Logical Reasoning Section

This section of the SET question paper comprises topics such as Verbal Reasoning, Blood Relations,  Analogy, Coding and Series, Syllogisms, Assumptions, Venn Diagram, etc. Check out the best books for Logical Reasoning section in the table below.

Book Name

Author/ Publisher

A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning

R.S. Aggarwal

How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT

Arun Sharma

Analytical and Logical Reasoning for CAT & Other Management Exams 

Peeyush Bharadwaj

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT

Nishit K. Sinha

Best Books for General Knowledge Section

This section of the SET exam has topics on Current Affairs, Awards, the Latest Trends, Sports, Events, etc. The best study material for this section would be newspapers such as The Hindu, Financial Express, and Economic Times, etc. and magazines such as India Today, Business Today, Wall Street Journal, etc. Candidates should also be updated with the latest trends. For static GK, candidates can refer to the Manorama Year Book. Also Read: Current Affairs Guide

Read More:

Tips to prepare for GK How to ace the General English section of SET
Tips and tricks to ace the Quant section How to score well in Logical Reasoning section: Tips and Tricks
SET cutoff SET application form
SET counselling SET admit card
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the important topics of General Knowledge section of SET exam?
A: 
The General Knowledge section of SET is usually of a higher difficulty level but it can be completed in maximum 15 minutes. The questions pertain to static GK and Current Affairs. Topics included in SET GK section are: 1. Business 2. Politics 3. Awards 4. Inventions 5. Science and Technology 6. Sports 7. Society 8. World 9. Advertising 10. Books and Authors 11. Entertainment 12. History 13. Geography 14. Politics.
View list of Books
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SET Exam 2026 Important Topics

Check the table below to know the most important topics of SET syllabus 2026:

Section SET Syllabus

General English

General Knowledge
  • Current Affairs, Science, History, Geography, Economics, Politics
Quantitative
  • Probability, Percentages, Arithmetic, Equations, Mensuration
Analytical and Logical Reasoning
  • Syllogisms, Blood Relations, Arrangements, Coding and Decoding, Puzzles, Cause and Effect
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the important topics of the Analytical and Logical Reasoning section in SET question paper?
A: 

Important topics are:

  1. Syllogisms
  2. Critical Reasoning
  3. Cause and Effect
  4. Statement and Conclusion
  5. Strong and Weak Arguments
  6. Coding and Decoding
  7. Statement and Inference
  8. Data Sufficiency
  9. Data Interpretation
  10. Arrangements
Q:   What are the best books for SET BBA preparation?
A: 

SET exam preparation requires the best books for SET exam. Listed below are some of the best books for SET BBA exam:

General English: Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin, Objective General English by SP Bakshi

General Awareness: Manorama Yearbook, Pratiyogita Darpan, Lucent's General Knowledge, Current Affairs Magazines (e.g., Competition Success Review, Pratiyogita Darpan)

Quantitative Aptitude: Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Aggarwal, Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma, NCERT Mathematics textbooks of Class 9 and 10

Analytical & Logical Reasoning: A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha, 

View Syllabus
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FAQs on SET Exam Preparation Books

Check some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on SET books.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the important topics of the General English section of SET exam?
A: 
Like other management entrance exams, the General English section is divided into Reading Comprehension and English Usage. There are a few comprehension passages while the topics of English usage are as follows: 1. Synonyms 2. Antonyms 3. Grammar 4. Fill in the blanks 5. Word meanings 6. Vocabulary 7. Parajumbles 8. Idioms and Phrases 9. Error Identification 10. Para Formation Questions (PFQs) 11. Correct statement 12. Cloze 13. Incorrect word/phrase.
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SET Exam

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 3 weeks ago

To download SET syllabus PDF, follow process below:

  • Click on SET Exam Syllabus 2026 PDF link
  • Login to Shiksha.com with user ID and password
  • Click on Download buttton

A

Abhishek Kumar

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 weeks ago

SET and UGAT are undergraduate entrance exams conducted for BBA admissions. 

  • SET exam is conducted by Symbiosis International University for admission to the BBA course at its institutes. Eight SIU colleges accept SET scores for admissions. The duration of the exam is one hour and students have to ta

...Read more

V

Vikram Hazarika

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 weeks ago

SET 2026 exam will be conducted on May 2 and May 10. SET exam will be conducted in CBT test format by Symbiosis International University. Duration of exam is one hour and students can take exam at their test centre. 

S

Shruti Tyagi

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 weeks ago

SET exam is conducted for admission to colleges of Symbiosis International University. Candidates can choose their preferred institutes during SET application process. The exam is a gateway to undergraduate programmes offered at these institutes. SET programme framework allows options to pursue sing

...Read more

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Saumya Jain

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