The NMAT 2025 is conducted over a test window. Candidates must be worried about books that they can rely upon in the last phase of preparation. Go through the article to know which are the best books for NMAT preparation.
NMAT 2025 Books
Best Books for NMAT Preparation: NMAT by GMAC is among the most popular exams for admission to top business schools. Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is conducting NMAT 2025 in a test window typically ranging above 45 days. NMAT is one of the premier gateways to some top MBA schools, including NMIMS, ISB, IBS, VIT University, SPJIMR, and TAPMI, among many others. These colleges are famous for their alumni, placement track records, incredible campus culture and excellent faculty members. To ensure that they are referring to suitable study materials, this article of Shiksha brings the list of best books for NMAT preparation.
NMAT is unique to other MBA entrance exams in India, as it follows the format of GMAT – multiple attempts allowed to the candidate. But that doesn’t make NMAT an easy exam to crack. The syllabus of NMAT is similar to CAT. It also has a sectional time limit that can prove to be a major roadblock in satisfactory exam performance. So you need to make a sound exam strategy and prepare well. Firstly, get hold of the best books for NMAT recommended by experts. Check the list of books recommended by experts for NMAT preparation below.
- NMAT Exam Pattern 2025
- Best Books for NMAT Preparation
- Books for NMAT: Language Skills
- Books for NMAT: Logical Reasoning
- Books for NMAT: Quantitative Skills
- Best NMAT Study Material: Mock Test series
NMAT Exam Pattern 2025
There are three sections in the NMAT 2025 exam. All three sections carry 36 MCQs, but each section's duration is different. NMAT exam pattern has been changed in the previous session. Check the table below for the latest pattern:
| Sections | Number of Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Language Skills | 36 | 28 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 36 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Skills | 36 | 52 minutes |
Also Read: NMAT 2025 Exam Pattern
Going by the number of questions section-wise, it is visible that Quantitative Skills has more weightage in the NMAT question paper compared to other sections. You need to dedicate a big chunk of your preparation to this particular section. Which books are best to keep in mind as per the NMAT Syllabus? Let’s see.
The NMAT Official Guide is a one-stop solution for NMAT preparation. It comprises topics from all three sections of the NMAT exam. It can help users gain fundamental knowledge and conceptual clarity on all the topics included in the NMAT syllabus. Such knowledge when combined with the rigorous practice of NMAT mock tests and question papers helps any test taker to score high marks in the exam. The key advantage of the Official Guide is that it not only comprises the answers to the questions but also the solution of the same.
Official NMAT reference book, also known as NMAT by GMAC Official Guide, comprises a short description of the answer. Not all options will be right and the right answer will have a logic behind it. Such characteristics are exclusive to textbooks for preparation and one may not always find them in any other resources available for NMAT preparation. The official guide has past year papers along with the answers to the same. Candidates can get answers as well as solutions to the analytical questions.
Best Books for NMAT Preparation
GMAC offers comprehensive study material to NMAT aspirants through an official guide and a mock test series. Apart from preparing using these books, you can study other MBA exam preparation books highly recommended by experts. Some of them are listed below.
Books for NMAT: Language Skills
For the Language Skills section, apart from books, newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. are also quite helpful. The editorial section of newspapers enriches the vocabulary and reading speed. You must read 2-3 editorial articles daily. Apart from this, you can solve Reading Comprehension (RC) passages and practice sample questions offered by MBA coaching centres.
Let’s have a look at some NMAT books for Language Skills:
| Books |
Authors |
|---|---|
| How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT |
Nishit K. Sinha |
| Word Power Made Easy |
Norman Lewis |
| High School English Grammar & Composition |
Wren & Martin |
A list of the best books for the MBA entrance exam is mentioned here;
- How to prepare for Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R. S. Aggarwal
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha
- Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R. S. Aggarwal
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
- Word Power Made Easy Book by Norman Lewis
- Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey
- High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin
- Target XAT (Past papers & mock tests) by Odisha experts
- Analytical and Logical Reasoning by Arihant Publications
- Jabbing the XAT (with solved papers) by R. K. Jha
Besides the books mentioned above, candidates can refer to some other important books for MBA exam preparation as well.
NMIMS Hyderabad offers UG and PG programmes in the fields of Law, Management and Commerce such as MBA, E-PGDM, Pharma Tech, MBA Tech, BBA, BCom and BSc. The list of courses offered along with their schools are given below:
NMIMS Hyderabad Schools | Courses Offered |
|---|---|
School of Management | MBA |
PGDM (Executive) | |
School of Commerce | BBA |
BCom | |
School of Law | BA LLB (Hons) |
BBA LLB (Hons) | |
School of Science | BSc in Applied Statistics & Analytics |
School of Pharmacy & Technology Management | BPharm + MBA (Pharma Tech) |
School of Technology Management & Engineering | MBA Tech (BTech + MBA Tech) - Computer Engineering |
NMAT by GMAC is among the major MBA exams conducted for admission in India and abroad. Candidates planning to pursue MBA typically appear for NMAT exam besides XAT, MAT, CAT, SNAP and more. Owing to its popularity, candidates preparing for the NMAT exam can find numerous books on exam preparation available at major book stores and online retailers. Candidates can also find the NMAT preparation books at a few libraries. In cases when the NMAT books cannot be found in the nearest store, one can use CAT exam books for NMAT preparation.
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Books for NMAT: Logical Reasoning
This section tests your analytical and logical abilities. Apart from referring to the books, you must deploy regular practice as part of your preparation strategy. Have a look at a couple of best books for Logical Reasoning, which not only provide theoretical understanding but practice materials as well:
| Books |
Authors |
|---|---|
| Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT |
Nishit K. Sinha |
| How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
Books for NMAT: Quantitative Skills
The Quantitative Skills section checks your problem-solving ability. Listed below are the best books for Quantitative Skills.
| Books |
Authors |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
R.S. Aggarwal |
| How to prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
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Best NMAT Study Material: Mock Test series
The candidates must practice NMAT mock test series and previous years’ question papers. It gives you a feel of the actual questions and tests your preparation level from scratch. This also helps you distinguish between your weak points and forte. After several mocks, you can list topics that need to be polished. With a better understanding and practice of those topics, you can excel in those topics.
Read More:
- Preparation plan and exam strategy to crack NMAT by expert
- How to Prepare for NMAT 2025 Online
- Eight Key Tips to Crack NMAT 2025
- How to Prepare for NMAT in 6 Months?
- How to Prepare for NMAT in 3 Months?
- Last Minute Tips To Crack NMAT 2025 Exam
- NMAT vs CAT Syllabus
- Top MBA Colleges accepting NMAT 2025 Scores
Abhishek is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He completed his graduation from University of Delhi with a BA Degree. At Shiksha.com, he handles content for MBA, BBA, an
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The maximum scaled score a candidate can achieve in the NMAT exam is 360 marks. Since there are 108 questions and each correct answer carries three marks, the total score ranges between 36 and 360.
V
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
The NMAT exam consists of three distinct sections. These sections are Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. Each of these three sections has equal weightage and contains exactly 36 questions for candidates to solve.
D
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
In the NMAT exam marking scheme, candidates are awarded three marks for each correct objective-type question. There is no negative marking for incorrect attempts, but zero marks are deducted for any unattempted questions during the online test.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
The total duration of the NMAT exam is 120 minutes. NMAY has a sectional time limit with 28 minutes for Language Skills, 40 minutes for Logical Reasoning, and 52 minutes for the Quantitative Skills section.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
The NMAT exam pattern features 108 objective-type questions to be completed in 120 minutes. It is a computer-based test divided into three equal sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning, each containing exactly 36 questions.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Yes, candidates can efficiently prepare using the books recommended for CAT exam preparation or any other MBA entrance exam. The syllabus for these entrance exams is mostly similar, covering Language Skills, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Skills.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Yes, candidates must refer to at least two books for each section while preparing for the NMAT exam. It is highly recommended to use the official GMAC guide along with other standard competitive exam preparation books.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Based on test-taker feedback, the NMAT exam is moderate to tough. It focuses heavily on speed, accuracy, and basic conceptual understanding. Almost all candidates find the NMAT exam easier than CAT, and its difficulty is comparable to SNAP
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Yes, candidates can prepare for NMAY exam in one month by planning a focused approach. Practice the free NMAT question paper, analyse your weak areas, and divide your time to cover one section per week, leaving the final week for revision
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Divide your six months into three focused phases. Allot three months to thoroughly cover the NMAT syllabus. Dedicate two months to practice a minimum of 30 mock tests, and use the final month to revise formulas and concepts
R
Contributor-Level 7
NMAT exam comprises as many as three sections. Candidates can invest in one book which covers the syllabus for all the three sections. Alternatively, candidates may consider to study from three different books, one for each section. GMAC official guide for NMAT is considered the best sourse to study for the competitive exam. Candidates can also prepare using the books recommended for CAT exam preparation or any other MBA entrance exam preparation.
For the NMAT Quantitative Aptitude section, candidates can refer to Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma, Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal and How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma. For Languagew Skills, Noman Lewis' Word Power Made Easy is among the recommended books for competitive exams. For Logical Reasoning section, candidates can choose Logical and Analytical Reasoning by Ashok Gupta.
Besides the books mentioned above, candidates can choose from a ton of books available for competitive exam preparation. Refer to the NMAT books article by Shiksha for complete preparation books guide (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/nmat-exam-books)