IBSAT Books 2026: Check best books for exam preparation

Updated on Apr 12, 2026 19:34 IST

By Shruti Garg, Assistant Manager- Editorial

IBSAT exam is an aptitude test conducted by IBS, Hyderabad to assess the candidates’ Quantitative, Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability skills. To prepare well for the exam, IBSAT test takers must take the support of the best books for IBSAT preparation. One can find various kinds of MBA entrance exam preparation books available in the market. These preparation books simplify management entrance concepts and closely align with the official IBSAT syllabus. As candidates progress with their preparation, a well-curated IBSAT book list helps them balance fundamental concepts with advanced problem-solving skills. However, Shiksha has created a list of best books for IBSAT preparation 2026, based on popularity among MBA aspirants and experts. IBSAT 2026 will be held tentatively in last week of December 2026.

Check out the best books for IBSAT 2026 preparation from various sections of the IBSAT syllabus, and build your knowledge on different topics.

Table of contents

IBSAT Best Books 2026: Quantitative Aptitude
IBSAT Best Books 2026: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
IBSAT Best Books 2026: Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation
FAQs on IBSAT Preparation Books

IBSAT Best Books 2026: Quantitative Aptitude

In order to have a stronghold over topics like: number system, geometry, algebra, discount, arithmetic progression and others, check out the best books for the Quantitative aptitude section, below.

Best Books: Quantitative Aptitude
Books	Authors/Publishers
Quantitative Ability	Nishit Sinha
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT from Pearson	Arun Sharma
Fast Track Objective Arithmetic	Rajesh Verma/Arihant Publications
Quantitative Aptitude	Abhijit Guha
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations	RS Aggarwal/ S Chand Publishing; Revised Edition
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT 2019	Sarvesh K Verma/ Arihant Publications; Tenth edition (10 June 2019)
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT and MBA Entrance Examination	TIME
Quantitative Aptitude Numerical Ability (Fully Solved) 7000 + Objective Question	Pratiyogita Kiran & KICX Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan
Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examination	Dinesh Khattar
Mathematics for MBA Entrance Exams	R.S. Aggarwal and S. Chand
Mathematics Class 11^th and 12^th	RD Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT	Sarvesh K. Verma

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is IBSAT 2025 schedule?

ICFAI Business School announced the IBSAT 2025 dates in first week of July 2025. IBSAT 2025 registration commenced on July 01, 2025 and exam was held on December 27 and December 28. IBSAT 2025 exam was a online proctored examination administered across India. Candidates seeking admission to MBA/PGDM programme of IBS campuses must appear for IBSAT or have obtained score in national level examination conducted for MBA admissions.

Q: What are IBSAT last minute preparation tips?

Some of last minute preparation tips for IBSAT exam are:

Check exam pattern and syllabus
Focus on strong areas
Practice time management
Revise important concepts
Stay cam and positive

Q: Are books allowed in IBSAT exam?

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.

View list of Books

IBSAT Best Books 2026: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

In order to have a stronghold over topics like- comprehension of passages, syllogism, punctuation, sentence completion, contextual usage and others, check out the best books for the IBSAT VA section mentioned below.

IBSAT Best Books: Verbal Ability
Books	Authors/ Publishers
English Proficiency	IMS India
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis
High School English Grammar and Composition	Wren & Martin
Objective General English	RS Aggarwal, Vikas Aggarwal/ S Chand Publishing
English Plus ICSE for Class 10	Xavier Pinto
Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT	Ajay Singh
Business English and Communication	Clark
Verbal Ability Guide for CAT	PT Education Ltd.
CAT Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Gautam Puri
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT	Meenakshi Upadhyay and Arun Sharma
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT and MBA Entrance Examination	TIME
Tuesday with Morrie	Mitch Albom

VARC Questions with Answers for Practice

Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers for Practice

DILR Questions with Answers for Practice

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is IBSAT exam structure?

As per IBSAT exam pattern, question paper will be divided into four sections:

Verbal Ability: 50 questions
Reading Comprehension: 30 questions
Quantitative Aptitude: 30 questions
Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation: 30 questions

Q: What is IBSAT syllabus?

The IBSAT syllabus covers four sections:

Verbal Ability (Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Comprehension)
Reading Comprehension (Passages with questions)
Quantitative Aptitude (Mathematics-based problems)
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency (Logical reasoning and analysis)

Q: Where can I get best books for IBSAT to study?

To prepare for ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test, candidates can get the IBSAT best books online or offline from nearby book stores. Candidates must ensure to check the edition and author name for IBSAT books.

IBSAT Best Books 2026: Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation

In order to have a stronghold over topics like, tables, Data Interpretation, data sufficiency, Logical Reasoning, graphs representing areas and others, check out the best books for Data Adequacy and Data Interpretation mentioned below.

IBSAT Best Books: Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation
Books	Authors/ Publishers
Data Interpretation MBA Entrance	Jaiswal
Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning	Pearson Publication
Logical and Analytical Reasoning	Ashok Gupta
Data Analysis & Interpretation Data Sufficiency	Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan
DI LR from Pearson	Nishit Sinha
TMH How to Prepare for the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for the CAT 3^rd Edition	Arun Sharma
Data Interpretation	K. Kundan
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	Ananta Ashisha

Also read

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is there negative marking in IBSAT?

No, there is no negative marking in IBSAT exam. IBSAT question paper will consist of 140 question of one mark each. Candidates will given two hours to attempt 140 MCQs. For any incorrect answer or not attempted question, no mark will be dedcuted. In this scenerio, candidates must attempt all questions even if they are not sure of correct answer.

Q: How many questions are there in IBSAT exam?

IBSAT question paper will include 140 Multiple Choice Questions. Check below to know IBSAT section wise questions:

Verbal Ability: 50 questions
Reading Comprehension: 30 questions
Quantitative Aptitude: 30 questions
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency: 30 questions

Q: How many students appear for IBSAT exam?

The number of students appearing for IBSAT exam is not disclosed by the conducting authority. IBSAT exam is held in online proctored mode. Candidates can apply for IBS admission 2027 through following scores:

IBSAT
CAT
NMAT by GMAC, and
GMAT

FAQs on IBSAT Preparation Books

Check frequently asked questions on IBSAT best books below:

Q: What is the importance of taking IBSAT mock test?

Preparation for the IBSAT is incomplete without taking the mock tests/sample papers. Some of the advantages of the IBSAT mock test are:

IBSAT mock test helps students know the IBSAT pattern and difficulty level of the qustions.
Mock tests help candidates know weak and strong areas.
IBSAT mock test helps candidates get an actual exam environment.
Candidates can analyse the time to be devoted in each section
IBSAT mock tests helps candidates go through the syllabus completely.

Q: Which are the important topics for IBSAT Verbal Ability section?

Some of the important topics for IBSAT Verbal Ability section are:

Reading Comprehension
Vocabulary
Tenses
Sentence Correction
Para jumbles
Idioms and Phrases

Q: Can I take IBSAT exam more than once?

yes, candidates can take IBSAT exam more than once. The IBSAT exam is conducted annually. If candidate is not able to appear for the current session, he/she may apply for the next session examinations. ICFAI has not specified the number of attempts for IBSAT exam.

Q: Which are important topics for IBSAT Quantitative Ability?

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

Q: Does ICFAI release IBSAT cutoff?

ICFAI School of Business specifies the cutoff for the following exam for admission to its MBA/PGPM programs:

CAT and XAT: 60 percentile and above
GMAT: 500+
NMAT by GMAC: 150+

Q: Is it important to meet the sectional cutoff in IBSAT for admission?

For admission to ICFAI Business School, candidates must meet the overall cutoff criteria specified for CAT, XAT, GMAT and IBSAT. Based on the cutoff criteria, candidates will be shortlisted for the micro presentation and personal interview rounds. Candidates who are shortlisted through IBSAT scores will be notified on their registered email ID or SMS. Whereas, candidates applying through other national level entrance score, must meet the below criteria:

CAT and XAT: 60 percentile and above
GMAT: 500+
NMAT by GMAC: 150+

Q: What are IBSAT last minute preparation tips?

Some of last minute preparation tips for IBSAT exam are:

Check exam pattern and syllabus
Focus on strong areas
Practice time management
Revise important concepts
Stay cam and positive

Q: Who releases IBSAT exam pattern?

IBSAT exam pattern is released by ICFAI Business School, the conducting body. The IBSAT exam pattern prescribes the number of questions, marking scheme, mode of examination and exam duration to help candidate prepare for exam day.

Q: Are there subjective type questions in IBSAT exam?

No, there are no subjective-type questions in IBSAT question paper. IBSAT exam is held in remote proctored mode. The question paper includes 140 multiple choice questions which have to be attempted in 120 minutes.

Q: How to appear for IBSAT online exam?

IBSAT 2026 exam will be held in remote proctored mode. To appear for online exam, student must:

Login with IBSAT 2026 details on personal laptop/desktop
Show online admit card to the invigilator
Read IBSAT exam instructions
Start solving IBSAT questions

Q: Can I appear for IBSAT mock test through mobile?

Yes, candidates can appear for IBSAT mock test online. However, for better experience and analyse the performance correctly, candidates must take the mock test on desktop or computer. If the candidate is appearing for IBSAT mock test on mobile, he/she must be careful of following things:

Students must put phone on do-not-disturb mode
Test takers must not take any calls during the process
Candidate must keep additional phone for internet connection or for any help from helpdesk

Q: What are the maximum marks for IBSAT exam?

The maximum marks for IBSAT exam is 140 marks. IBSAT question paper consists of 140 multiple-choice questions of one mark each. The questions are divided across three sections.