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.
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 |
Commonly asked questions
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 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.
IBSAT syllabus for Quantitative Ability is based on CAT syllabus. Based on previous year question paper analysis, some of the important topics for IBSAT quantitative ability are:
- Percentages
- Ratios and Proportions
- Profit and Loss
- Time and Work
- Speed and Distance
- Averages
- Simple and Compound Interest.
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Number System
- Data Interpretation
- Probability and Statistics
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 |
Commonly asked questions
No, while appearing for IBSAT exam, candidates are not allowed to refer the books or any material. IBSAT exam is conducted in online proctored mode. Candidates practicing any unfair means will be disqualified from the examination.
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.
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.
Explore popular MBA colleges for you
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 |
Read More:

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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
IBSAT results 2026 will be declared online at ibsindia.org. Candidates who will appear for the exam will be able to check their section-wise and overall scores by entering the login details. It is expected that IBSAT result will be declared in last week of December 2026.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Yes, candidates who will appear for the IBSAT 2026 exam will likely get the notification on their registered email ID or number once the IBSAT scores are declared. Candidates can download the IBSAT result 2026 online by entering the login details.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
IBSAT cutoff is not released officially by the colleges on the webiste. Candidates can check the IBSAT cutoff on downloading the IBSAT scorecard. Candidates can check the section-wise and overall score. The scorecard also mentions the qualifying status for Micro Presentation and Personal Interview r
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
IBSAT scores are accepted for nine IBS campuses only for admission to MBA program. The nine campuses of IBS are:
- IBS Hyderabad
- IBS Mumbai
- IBS Bangalore
- IBS Gurgaon
- IBS Pune
- IBS Kolkata
- IBS Ahmedabad
- IBS Jaipur
- IBS Dehradun
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
No, meeting the IBSAT cutoff will not guarantee admission to desired IBS campus. Meeting the cutoff criteria makes candidate eligible for the further selection rounds. Based on the candidate's performance in IBSAT exam, academics and selection process, IBS releases the final results.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
IBS Mumbai conducts the application process for all courses in online mode. The step-wise IBSAT application process is given below:
- Visit the IBSAT registration portal.
- Fill out the admission form with all the information about personal and educational details.
- Upload the necessary documents.
- Proceed wi
Answered 2 weeks ago
No, ICFAI Business School does not issue the physical copy of IBSAT scorecard, once the results are declared. To download IBSAT scorecard 2026, candidates must visit the official website and enter the login details to download scorecard.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
To download IBSAT scorecard 2026, candidates are required to enter the following login details:
- IBSAT application number
- Password
Once the details are entered, screen will show the IBSAT result 2026 PDF. Candidates can check their section wise score and percentile.
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
No, the IBSAT cutoff is not same every year. The cutoff is released by the IBS campuses based on the number of applicants, difficulty level of exam, and number of seats offered. IBS top campuses like IBS Hyderabad and Mumbai have high cutoffs ranging between 75 to 80 percentile every year.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
A score of more than 75 percentile is considered a good score in IBSAT exam. Candidates scoring 75+ percentile in IBSAT exam will have higher chances of getting into IBS Hyderabad or IBS Mumbai. A score of 65-70 percentile will get into IBS campuses like Bengaluru, Gurgaon and Pune.
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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