Best Books for CAT Preparation 2025 Recommended by MBA Experts

Exam On - 30 Nov '25

Senior Manager - Content

Updated on Jun 6, 2025 10:53 IST

Looking for best books for CAT 2025? Here are the top 32 CAT books for preparation recommended by MBA experts. These include CAT books by Arun Sharma, Sarvesh Verma and other authors.

Choosing the best books for CAT preparation 2025 can be a challenge if you don't know the requirement. There are a plethora of books in the market but not all of them can be helpful. A CAT book that has chapter wise explanation, discussion, examples and practice questions, is the one you need. CAT 2025 aspirants must refer to only those CAT preparation books which have detailed explanation of every topic included in the CAT 2025 syllabus as well as sample questions for practice (of various difficulty levels).

If you are preparing for CAT 2025, study from CAT books recommended by experts only. To help you choose the best books for exam preparation, we have prepared section-wise lists of best CAT books. But before shortlisting the books, we suggest that you have a CAT preparation strategy 2025.

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Best Books for CAT Preparation and Other Study Material

Your CAT exam preparation should include a comprehensive study plan, relevant books and study material, a workable timetable and CAT mock test series. Some students opt for self-study with the help of CAT preparation books whereas others choose to study at coaching centres which provide complete guidance and best study material. Whichever approach you choose, the most important thing is to refer to study material which includes previous years CAT question papers, mock tests, sample test papers and practice sets.

CAT 2025 will be held on November 30, 2025. Equipped with a well-planned strategy and best books for CAT, candidates can crack the exam with high scores. Apart from coaching classes, focus on self-study to crack the CAT 2025 exam. Check out the lists of best books for CAT preparation 2025 in this article.

Best CAT Books for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) is an analytical section that require candidates to have an eye for detail and the skill of reading complicated graphs or unravelling jumbled patterns. Strong base in Mathematics is essential for cracking CAT DILR. Ficussed practice is the key, so refer to books that have ample and variety of DI and LR practice question. Check below the list of best books for CAT DILR:

CAT Books for DILR	Author/Publisher Name
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	Gautam Puri
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT	Nishit K. Sinha
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	Ananta Ashisha
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT	Arun Sharma

Best CAT Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) often turns out to be a tough section with dense RC passages and confusing para jumbles. There are no grammar and vocabulary questions in CAT so keep your focus on Reading Comprehension. For this section of CAT too, you need ample practice questions. Check the list of best books for CAT VARC:

CAT Books for VARC	Author/Publisher Name
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT	Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback	Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT	Sharma and Upadhyay
PSC for VA for CAT	Nishit Sinha

Q: Which are the best books to prepare for CAT?

By Arun Sharma-How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT (Tata McGraw Hill) By Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay -How to Prepare for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT (Tata McGraw-Hill) By Nishit Sinha-The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning By Arun Sharma - How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for the CAT Common Admission Test (Tata McGraw-Hill) By Nishit Sinha-The Pearson Guide To Quantitative Aptitude And Data Interpretation By, Ajay Singh - Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (Arihant Publications) By, Muhamed Muneer- How to Prepare for the CAT (Om Books The Complete CAT Digest (Tata McGraw-Hill).

Q: What type of Reading Comprehension passages are there in CAT?

Reading Comprehension passages in CAT exam are usually inference based. The topics are usually based on Economy, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences and Current Affairs. There are several types of questions, such as:

Central theme based questions
Vocabulary based questions
Inference based questions
Title based questions
Paragraph and Structure based questions
Tone based questions

The approach to every type of question has to be different depending on their theme. To master this skill, you will need to start preparing for English section of any entrance exam early on. Firstly, you will need to develop reading comprehension speed and skill, secondly, you will have to practice sample RC passages of different types to understand the difference in approach.

Q: What are the best books for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation?

The best books for Quantitative Aptitude preparation of CAT exam are listed below. These books are recommended by experts and mentors not only for CAT but also for other MBA entrance exams. NCERT Mathematics books (Class 9-10) 1. How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma 2. Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha 3. Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma 4. Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha 5. Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal The NCERT Mathematics book is recommended for CAT preparation because it is the best source of building or revisiting the fundamentals of Algebra Geometry, Trigonometry Mensuration and Arithmetic. The NCERT books are extremely helpful to students from non-Engineering background. Quantitative Aptitude books by Arun Sharma, Abhijit Guha, Sarvesh Verma, Nishit Sinha and RS Aggarwal are the main books for CAT preparation as they cover all the topics at advanced level. They also have 1000s of sample questions of easy, moderate and high difficulty levels for practice.

Best CAT Books for Quantitative Aptitude

Quantitative Aptitude (QA) is the last section of the CAT question paper and it requires mental stamina to go through calculation intensive questions. The more you practice Quants questions, the better it is. You need to have conceptual clarity of Algebra, Mensuration, Arithmetic and Geometry. So, opt for CAT Quantitative Books that not only have topic wise discussion but also practice questions. Check the list of CAT books for Quantitative Aptitude:

CAT Books for Quantitative Aptitude	Author/Publisher Name
NCERT Mathematics books (Class 9-10)	NCERT
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT	Arun Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT	Sarvesh Verma
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT	Nishit Sinha
Quantitative Aptitude	RS Aggarwal

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Shiksha spoke to a few experts from top MBA coaching institutes across the country to know which are the best books for CAT 2025 preparation. They shared with Shiksha their list of highly recommended CAT books:

Tarun Malik

So, the very first thing the CAT takers need to make sure is that their fundamentals should be in place. The next very important aspect to crack CAT is 'test taking strategy'. An aspirant must understand the importance of taking tests because only by testing, one can create a strategy to crack CAT. The strategy will include 'selection of questions', 'sequence of questions to attempt', 'Speed with accuracy' and most importantly 'pressure handling'.

Although the study material and CAT mocks distributed by coaching institutes are more than sufficient. We can recommend these CAT books if a student has finished all the course material given by the institute.

Best Books for CAT Preparation Recommended by Tarun Malik

CAT Books	Author/Publisher Name
Quantum CAT	Arihant Publications
High School English Grammar and Composition Book	Wren and Martin
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis
Past Years' CAT Questions	G.K. Publications

Q: What are the best books for CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension preparation?

There are a range of books available for preparation of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT. However, the most recommended books are mentioned below: 1. How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay 2. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit Sinha 3. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis 4. High School Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin 5. 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis/Simon and Schuster For English Grammar and Vocabulary, High School Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin is the best book. For Verbal Ability preparation, practice questions of different difficulty levels are a major part of preparation. The abovementioned books are the best resources of Verbal Ability and practice questions. To prepare for Reading Comprehension, candidates should read books, novels, magazines, research papers, newspaper editorials, etc. Along with these books.

Q: What are the topics on which I should read books for RC preparation?

Candidates must read books on economy, philosophy, science, astronomy, psychology, sociology, history, geography, psychoanalysis, economics, astronomy, art & culture, literature, fiction novels, auto-biographies and biographies. Most of the passages that appear in any MBA entrance exam are based on these topics. The RC passages length may vary but most of the times the language is tough with foreign words and expressions or a good amount of data.

It is also recommended to candidates to read research papers, survey reports, etc. to have the practice of understanding and relating data in a quick read. Always refer to dictionary for word meanings while reading books.

Q: What are the best section-wise books to prepare for the CAT?

Hi shruti The CAT exam is conducted for admission to the top management colleges, including the Iims. It is of utmost importance that you choose the correct study material to prepare for the CAT exam. According to experts, some of the best section-wise books to prepare for the CAT are given below: 1. Quantitative Aptitude Section: To prepare for this the toughest section, you should start with NCERT Mathematics books, particularly if you are not a math student. Then, you can select any other well-known author for the CAT quant section, such as How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma or Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit Sinha. 2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Section: For this section, you can choose A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Agarwal or How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma. You can also choose CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri for practice purposes. 3. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Section: The basic requirement to prepare for this section is reading the newspaper regularly. You can prepare for this section with Nishit Sinha's VARC for CAT High School Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin, and Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis. 4. Reading Comprehension: To prepare for this section, the simple rule is to develop a reading habit. You should read a national newspaper every day. Apart from it, you can read any popular writer such as Stephen Covey, Carl Sagan, or Milton Friedman. And if it's help you like it.

Q: What are the most important formulas in Quantitative Aptitude for CAT?

For cracking Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT, candidates must memorise all the Arithmetic formulae as this topic dominated the QA section of CAT. The candidates must also memorise Algebra and Geometry theorems.

Q: What are the best resources for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation?

The best resources for Quantitative Aptitude preparation is sample papers and previous years' CAT question papers. Since both Quantitative Aptitude is all about Mathematics, it can only be mastered by having enough practice. But only solving question papers and practice papers will not be enough. You will need to first be thorough with the topics and their concepts/formulae. For that refer to books like Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha, Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha and Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Sharma. Sectional mock tests for Quants are also very important for preparation.

Newspapers and magazines recommended by Tarun Malik for CAT preparation:

The Hindu
Time
Business Week
Newsweek
The Economist
National Geographic
Fortune
Business World

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Pratik Gour

CAT preparation 2025 will not be complete without going through a few CAT books like the IMS Theoretical Books of Verbal & Quant. This is a set of books that would not only clear concepts but would also consist of questions to solve which helps to practice.

CAT 500 is another special book from IMS consisting of '500 Must Solve Questions'. If you can solve these questions correctly and in the target time (average 2.5 minutes) then you can be assured that you are on the right path.

Acing the CAT exam and getting the GD-PI calls from targeted B-Schools is just the first step. Beyond that every student needs to build their skills on communication for acing further rounds. There are a few CAT books that we would recommend in different areas which could be a good read like:

CAT Books Recommended by Pratik Gour

CAT Books	Author	Genre
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People	Stephen Covey	Management
A Brief History of time	Stephen Hawking	Science
Cosmos	Carl Sagan	Science
An Illustrated Retelling of Mahabharta – Jaya	Devdutt Patnaik	Mythology & Management
India in Slow Motions	Mark Tully	Politics
Capitalism & Freedom	Milton Friedman	Economics
Maximum City	Suketu Mehta	City Life - Mumbai
Long Walk to Freedom	Nelson Mandela	Autobiography - Politics
Wings of Fire	APJ Abdul Kalam	Autobiography
Shantaram	David Gregory Roberts	Autobiography – City Life

Other Books Recommends for CAT Preparation by Pratik Gour

Pratik suggests that CAT aspirants must also read non-fiction novels so that they have an incentive to keep reading. Some of them are listed below:

CAT Books	Author	Genre
Around the world in Eighty Days	Jules Verne	Adventure
The Time Machine	H G Wells	Science Fiction
Caves of Steel	Isaac Asimov	Science Fiction
The Hunger Games	Suzanne Collins	Dystopian Fiction
Three Men in a Boat	Jerome K Jerome	Humour
Something Fresh	P G Wodehouse	Humour
Where Eagles Dare	Alistair McLean	Fiction

Best Books for CAT Preparation Recommended by Deekshant Sehrawat

Deekshant Sehrawat, MBAguru, recommends the following books for CAT preparation 2024:

• Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Kumar Verma
• Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit Sinha
• RS Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations
• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh

Free: DILR Questions with Answers for Practice

Free: QA Questions with Answers for Practice

Free: VARC Questions with Answers for Practice

Read most popular articles on Shiksha for CAT Preparation 2025:

CAT Preparation 2025
How to crack CAT: Prep tips from 100 percentilers	How to prepare for CAT: Tips from experts
CAT: Preparation Plan for Verbal Ability	CAT: Preparation Plan for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude preparation plan for CAT	CAT preparation: Your love for reading can get you the desired result
CAT exam: How to prepare without quitting your job	CAT Preparation: Simple tips to optimize exam preparation

CAT Topper Interviews: Exam Tips and Strategy for 2025

Know which CAT books previous year's CAT toppers studied to crack the exam. Also get key exam day tips from CAT toppers to optimise your performance.

CAT Toppers	CAT Topper Interviews
Vagish Nangia CAT 2024, 100 percentile	“For an aptitude exam like CAT, one should focus on two things, speed and accuracy, both of which come with practice. Speed is important as the exam typically has 66-68 Questions to be attempted within 2 hours with sections like DILR and Quant in particular being fairly time-taking. Accuracy is also important as you need to avoid taking negative marks while looking to maximise your score as much as possible.” Read: Vagish’s full interview
Mani Praneeth Chilukuri CAT 2024, 100 percentile	“In terms of preparation, I started just a few weeks before the exam due to my job and other commitments. I prioritised understanding the exam format, syllabus, and structure through YouTube videos. I then solved a few previous years’ question papers to familiarize myself with the patterns.” Read Praneeth’s full interview
Vedant Chandewar CAT 2024, 99.98 percentile	“I began my preparation in August 2024. Being good at mathematics, I found Quantitative Aptitude (QA) and Logical Reasoning (DILR) relatively easy to prepare for. I joined a coaching institute that provided daily practice questions for these sections, which I diligently solved.”Read: Vedant’s full interview
Sarthak Jaiswal CAT 2024, 99.97 percentile	“I personally think that for the DILR section, the mock tests do not really help because every question is unique and there is no set pattern. Only practice can help for the DILR section preparation. Attempting mock tests for this section will not harm the preparation but also not give an edge. For QA and VARC, mock tests are very important.”Read: Sarthak’s full interview
Kartik Bhageria CAT 2023, 99.99 percentile	"I began my CAT preparation around July 2023. Being an engineering student, I did not spend a lot of time learning new concepts in the Quant and DILR sections. I spent most of my time giving mocks to practice and try to increase my attempted questions with better accuracy in each attempt." Read: Kartik's full interview
Riddhi Dugar CAT 2023, 99.91 percentile	"My overall strategy was to finish the entire syllabus a few months before the CAT. From July, I focused entirely on taking mock tests and sectional tests to maximise my score and have a strategy for D-Day. I completed around 70 mocks from July until the CAT exam day." Read: Riddhi's full interview
Rounak Tikmani CAT 2023, 99.90 percentile	I started my preparation properly in May 2023. My preparation strategy was simple build your foundations by having conceptual clarity in the basics of each section. Then It was just mocks every day. I gave around 110 mocks and made sure I spent enough time analyzing them properly. Taking a mock is not as important as analyzing the mocks and improving on your mistakes. Read: Rounak's full interview
Nisakar Kumar CAT 2023, 99.83 percentile	"Quant emerged as my strength, whereas DILR presented a challenge. To address my weakness in DILR, I invested considerable time in understanding the question types and engaged in extensive practice until they became more intuitive. Simultaneously, I dedicated time to revising and practising Quant to maintain a solid grasp. I considered myself decent in VARC." Read: Nisakar's full interview

FAQs Related to CAT Books and Study Material

Q: Which are the best books for CAT preparation?

A: For CAT 2025 preparation, books by Arun Sharma, Sarvesh Varma, Nishit K Sinha, Wren & Martin and Word Power Made Easy are highly recommended. They are very helpful in building a strong base in Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability as they have large number and large variety of sample questions for practice.

Q: What should be the CAT preparation strategy for freshers?

A: Freshers should start CAT preparation with brushing up basics of Maths and English grammar. Then, move to studying topics of each CAT section. They must also keep solving sample questions to know if they have understood the topic or not. Once, they have completed the CAT syllabus and gained confidence, they must move to solving full length CAT mock tests.

Q: Is studying from recommended CAT books enough to score well in exam?

A: Apart from CAT books, aspirants should practice CAT mock tests, sample papers, previous years CAT question papers and secondary study material for complete preparation. It is very important to understand and practice the application of concepts to be able to solve questions quickly in a speed-based test. For VARC, reading newspapers, books and magazines are a must. for DILR and QA candidates must practice mathematical and pattern based puzzles to develop reasoning and analytical skills. They should also practice mental math for faster calculation.

Q: Can I prepare for CAT 2025 exam in six months?

A: Yes, many previous CAT toppers prepared for the exam in six or less months. However, mostly candidates from Science and Technology background stand a chance of successfully preparing for CAT in six months as they do not have to study Maths topics from the scratch, unlike candidates from Arts background. So, those who have not studied Maths in HSc or Graduation must start CAT preparation much earlier, preferably by March-April.

Q: Which book should I refer for English grammar section of CAT?

A: High School English Grammar by Wren and Martin is highly recommended for strengthening English grammar. Candidates must refer to this book for strengthening fundamentals of English Grammar. It is quite helpful in understanding the rules of English language and usage of words in different context. Sample questions and practice exercises also help in understanding rules of English grammar better.

Q: Are Arun Sharma’s books enough for CAT preparation?

A: Books by Arun Sharma are comprehensive and explains concepts in a simple manner, which is easy to understand. The books also contain test papers having questions of low to high difficulty level which can be immensely helpful in preparing for CAT 2025. However, candidates must refer to other books as well so that they have the experience of a larger pool of practice questions.

Q: Do CAT preparation books that are available in the market have sample questions?

A: Yes, CAT preparation books have sample questions with solutions for candidates to prepare well. Most of the CAT books have 100s of sample questions of a wide variety and different difficulty levels - easy, moderate and high. These sample questions are for practice purpose and highly helpful in mastering application of theorems and formulas.

Q: How many CAT mock tests should I attempt?

A: About 35-40 CAT mock tests should be enough to prepare you for cracking CAT with 99 plus percentile. However, some 100 percentilers of previous years have practiced more than 50-60 mock tests. Candidates must solve mock tests as per their preparation level, because it is quality not quantity that matters in CAT. If they have started scoring 99 percentile in their mock tests, then they must stop and focus on keeping the preparation level high with revision.

Q: From where can I buy CAT books?

A: CAT books are available at bookshops as well as at online stores such as Amazon, Flipkart, etc. Coaching institutes also provide CAT books and study material to registered candidates. Candidates can buy hardcopies as well as get PDFs from various offline and online platforms.

Q: Is study material provided by coaching centres enough for CAT preparation?

A: Coaching centres provide comprehensive study material for CAT preparation such as notes, sample tests, problem solving notes, video explanations, etc. and many students have cracked CAT with high percentile by studying that study material only. However, if one feels they need to look at a few more reference books on CAT, they should do that.

Q: What should be my last month CAT preparation strategy?

A: In the last month of CAT preparation, focus on practicing mock tests and working on your weakness. Keep revising important topics and your strong areas. Once you've achieved maximum score in the mock test stop practicing more questions. Focus more on revision.

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