IBSAT Exam Preparation 2025: Top Books You Must Refer To
ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test 2025 ( IBSAT )
Exam On - 27 Dec '26 - 28 Dec '26
IBSAT 2025 will be held on December 27 and December 28 in online mode. Candidates appearing for the exam must start their preparation. Here are best books to prepare for IBSAT 2025 for Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Adequacy and Quantitative Aptitude.
IBSAT Preparation Books
Best Books for IBSAT Preparation: IBSAT 2025 will be held on December 27 and December 28. As per the IBSAT 2025 exam pattern the question paper will comprise 140 multiple-choice questions for one mark each. While mock tests and study materials provided by coaching institutes play an important role, there is no denial of the fact that books are one of the most important resources for preparing for an MBA entrance exam. This article of Shiksha brings to you a list of section-wise books for IBSAT preparation. Candidates can also refer to CAT preparation books to practice for IBSAT exam as the syllabus and subjects are similar. ICFAI Business School has begin IBSAT 2025 application process and the candidates who want to appear for the exam can apply before the due date which is December 19, 2025.
Also Read:
Here is the section-wise list of top books candidates could refer to while preparing for IBSAT 2025:
- Verbal Ability Preparation Books for IBSAT
- Reading Comprehension Preparation Books for IBSAT
- Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation Preparation Books for IBSAT
- Quantitative Aptitude Preparation Books for IBSAT
Verbal Ability Preparation Books for IBSAT
Verbal Ability (VA) section in IBSAT exam carries 50 questions, the highest among all sections. Therefore, it should be the prime focus of candidates preparing for the exam. To score well in this section, a candidate should go through the syllabus and books recommended by the experts. These include:
IBSAT Syllabus for VA Section
- Punctuation
- Incorrect words
- Arrangement of words
- English usage
- Errors in grammar
- Sentence correction & completion
- Replace the missing words
- Para jumble
- Idioms
- Cloze test
- One-word substitution
Best Books for IBSAT Verbal Ability:
| Book |
Publication/ Author |
|---|---|
| Objective General English 10,000 questions |
R. S. Aggarwal |
| Word Power Made Easy |
Norman Lewis |
| Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT |
Ajay Singh |
| Business English and Communication |
Clark |
IBS Mumbai Postgraduate Programme in Management (PGPM) is a two-year course divided into four semesters. The course is offered in a full-time mode. Aspirants seeking admission must meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Moreover, the selection process is entrance-based. Candidates have to appear for IBSAT and secure a good score of admission. However, candidates with a valid score in CAT/XAT/GMAT/NMAT by GMAC with the required minimum score are exempted from IBSAT. Candidates shortlisted based on the exam score are further invited for group discussion and personal interview round. Read here about on Career Scope of PGDM.
The modes of ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad course admissions are online and offline. Admission to various undergraduate and postgraduate courses is based on merit, entrance exam scores, and interview rounds. At the undergraduate level, the ICFAI Business School Hyderabad offers three-year BBA or a four-year BBA (Hons) to students. At the postgraduate level, the ICFAI Business School Hyderabad offers two-year MBA programme. IBS Hyderabad also offers full-time PhD courses to students.
Reading Comprehension Preparation Books for IBSAT
The section carries 30 multiple-choice questions or MCQs and is based on common topics such as:
- Comprehension (passages)
- Syllogism
- Vocabulary
- Antonyms & Synonyms
Candidates can refer to the below-mentioned books for RC section of IBSAT exam:
| Book Name |
Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| English Reading Comprehension |
RPH Editorial |
| Verbal Reading and Reading Comprehension for CAT |
Pearson |
| Proficiency in Reading Comprehension |
Arihant Publications |
| Effective Comprehension |
H. S Bhatia |
Also Read:
Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation Preparation Books for IBSAT
This section carries 30 MCQs based on topics such as:
- Cause and Effect
- Assumptions and Conclusion
- Critical Reasoning
- Shapes
- Series
- Statements and Conclusion
- Data represented in charts, tables, and graphs.
Candidates should practice with these books for DI & DA preparation:
| Book Name |
Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| Data Analysis & Interpretation, Data Sufficiency |
Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan |
| Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency |
Ananta Ashisha |
| Quantitative Aptitude And Data Interpretation |
Pearsons |
| Data Analysis and Sufficiency |
Arun Sharma |
The b-school offers various elective options under different specialisations. Candidates can choose the desired specialisation and the preferred elective. The university reserves the right to revise the offered courses or the course curriculum. Some of the electives along with the specialisations are mentioned below:
Specialisation | Electives |
|---|---|
Economics |
|
Marketing |
|
Finance |
|
The four-year PhD programme offered at IBS Mumbai involves five stages. These include courses, research workshops and projects, PhD qualifying examination, progress seminars, thesis proposal, and thesis work. During the first year, eight courses on seminars, interdisciplinary studies, and research methodology are undertaken by students. Ongoing assessment is carried out at each stage to monitor academic development.
BBA is a three-year course offered by IBS Hyderabad. The duration of BBA is divided into six semesters. The duration of BBA (Hons) is four-years. The programme consists of 44 courses (of which 37 are compulsory, 5 are elective and 2 are of soft skills). For BBA (Hons) degree, aspirants need to complete four-years. Additionally, there are two summer internship programmes, one at the end of the first year and the second at the end of the second year to provide corporate exposure to the students. Candidates after completing Class 12 can apply for IBS Hyderabad BBA course.
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Quantitative Aptitude Preparation Books for IBSAT
The section also carries 30 questions and is based on mathematical skills questions including topics below:
- Arithmetic
- Number system
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Ratio & proportion
- Percentage
- Profit & loss
- Mensuration
- Linear equation
- Mean, median & mode
- Arithmetic and geometric progression
To practice these topics and more from Quantitative Aptitude section, candidates should refer to the books below:
| Book Name |
Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams |
R. S Aggarwal |
| Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning |
R.V. Praveen |
| Shortcuts in Quantitative Aptitude |
Disha Experts Publication |
| Rapid Quantitative Aptitude - With Shortcuts & Tricks |
Disha Experts |
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Shruti Garg is a graduate in English and Education with over 7 years of experience in content writing/editing and education journalism. At Shiksha.com, Shruti covers UG and PG entrance exams like MBA entrance exams,
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 19 hours ago
ICFAI Business School offers MBA/PGDM programmes at 9 IBS campuses in offline mode. For admission to IBS campus, candidates must appear for IBSAT, CAT, XAT, NMAT by GMAC, or GMAT examination to qualify for admission process.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 19 hours ago
Yes, candidates can apply for MBA/PGDM admission at IBS campuses without ISAT scores. Such candidates must have a valid score in any of the national-level MBA entrance exam:
- CAT: Top 75 candidates with a minimum score of 90 percentile and above
- XAT: Top 25 candidates with a minimum score of 80 percent
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 19 hours ago
There is no prescribed sectional time limit for IBSAT exam. Candidates appearing for IBSAT exam can attempt any section as per their order preference and can switch between sections while attempting questions. Candidates must carefully review the pending questions.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 19 hours ago
There are no prescribed IBSAT qualifying marks. Candidates preparing for IBSAT exam can check the expected IBSAT cutoff marks for IBS campuses below:
- IBS Hyderabad: 72-80+ marks
- IBS Mumbai: 70-78+ marks
- IBS Bangalore: 65-75+ marks
- IBS Gurgaon: 62-75+ marks
- IBS Pune: 60-70+ marks
- IBS Dehradun: 55-65+ marks
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 19 hours ago
ICFAI Business School does not release the official IBSAT syllabus PDF on its official webiste. However, candidates preparing for IBSAT exam can refer to CAT syllabus. IBSAT syllabus is similar to CAT syllabus. Candidates can check the important topics for CAT and prepare for IBSAT exam accordingly.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Yes, candidates can apply for IBS MBA/PGPM admissions without IBSAT. Candidates must ensure to have score in any of the following national entrance examinations for admissions:
- CAT
- XAT
- NMAT by GMAC
- GMAT
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To complete the IBSAT application form 2026, candidates will be required to enter the below details:
- Personal details
- Academic details
- Address
- Contact details
- Upload required documents
- IBSAT payment details
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Yes, candidates can fill IBSAT 2026 application form in offline mode. To apply offline, candidates must purchase the application form and prospectus offline from the designated ICFAI campus of INR 1800. Candidates must complete the IBSAT application form and submit at designated centres.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
ICFAI Business School prescribes the IBSAT marking scheme. As per the marking scheme, the candidate gets one mark for every correct answer and there is no negative marking for any wrong answer or not attempted question. IBSAT quwstion paper includes 140 questions of one mark each.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
IBS Aptitude Test is conducted once in a year. The exam is scheduled in last week of December conducted by IBS Hyderabad in remote proctored mode. IBSAT exam is conducted in a two days window. The exam is codncuted for admission to MBA or PGPM programme of IBS campuses. The admission to IBS campuses
N
Contributor-Level 6
IBSAT Notifications
Based on the programme strengths highlighted on NTPC School of Business's website and educational ranking portals, the top course offered at the institute is:
MBA in Power Management
Some key reasons why the MBA in Power Management seems to be their flagship course:
1. Uniquely Specialized: The programme is specially designed for the power and energy sector. This gives graduates an edge in relevant job roles.
2. Industry-Oriented Curriculum: The course is crafted in collaboration with IIM-Calcutta with subjects like power trading, renewable energy management, energy laws etc. directly applicable for the sector.
3. Strong Placements: As per reports, graduates get placed majorly in power, oil and gas companies at leadership posts indicating good ROI.
4. Faculty Pedigree: Faculty is highly qualified with past experience in the power industry to provide the right guidance.
5. Live Projects: Program has live case study projects for practical orientation.
While NTPC SOB also has other courses like Project Management, Business Analytics, Finance - their tailored MBA programme for the power management sector seems to be their most popular course making it officially their flagship offering.