IIM Preparation

Hi Manish,
If you are sincere with your studies then 8 months are enough for you to crack the CAT. Enrol yourself with a good coaching institute so that you get the relevant course material to begin your preparation. Also, do join mock tests so that you get your grip over time management. For more on preparation, refer to the below article links. https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/cat-2016-simple-tips-to-optimize-exam-preparation-blogId-13034
https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/cat-2015-last-week-prep-tips-for-qa-section-blogId-11731
https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/99-87-cat-percentile-gives-a-step-by-step-guide-to-crack-the-exam-blogId-14609
If you manage to score above 99 percentile, getting a call from Iims can be high.
Regards, Aneeket.

Verbal Ability section has consistently maintained similar pattern and level of difficulty. This year too, the break-up of questions was even. There were two passage carrying 5 questions each. The passage on the environment was an interesting read, but questions were pretty direct. The passage on how technology like internet etc. has changed the way people behave in social life was also interesting. It had some tougher questions based on inference like the title of the passage, the tone of the passage etc. Both the passages were around 350 words and hence a well-prepared student would have attempted almost all questions in 12 to 14 minutes. Questions based on grammar were divided into two types, phrasal verbs based question in the form of fill in the blanks which were around 5 and Sentence correction based questions which were also around 5. This year, weightage in vocabulary was reduced as there were only 10 questions divided equally into two types viz Word Usage and Fill in the Blanks. Most of these questions can be considered as easy. There were few questions on writing Passage summary as well. Interestingly, there were questions where an entire sentence was to be added in the blank. The same can be considered as Logical continuation type question. Questions based on Parajumbles were moderate as the options were relatively close. Questions on Critical reasoning were missing, though it helped in reducing the level of difficulty, it would have helped improvise the balance of questions. Because of less focus on direct vocabulary questions and better quality of RC, we can consider this section as Moderate and not easy. Good attempts in 45 minutes can be 34+ while good score assuming 85% accuracy can be 112.

I'm sharing with you the list of books considered best for CAT exam preparation:
1. Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT Common Admission Test by Arun Sharma for a simple and easily understanding purpose.
2. Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT Common Admission Test and Data Interpretation by Nishit Sinha for an advanced purpose.
3. A Modern approach to verbal and non-verbal reasoning by R. S. Aggarwal.
4. How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT Common Admission Test by Meenakshi Upadhyay and Arun Sharma.
5. Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Common Admission Test for Admission into IIMs by Sarvesh K. Verma.
The hours of study really depends on how strong your base is and how much you grasp.

It's good to see your awareness and seriousness towards cracking a management entrance exam so early. Still, in the first year, there is ample time for you. You can start improving your vocabulary by reading good novels/books and newspapers daily(especially the editorial columns). Solving some good logical puzzles and related questions will also help in keeping your mind fit and sharp. Nothing much needed to do for Maths, as of now. just ensure your basic concepts are strong. 1-1.5 hours is quite sufficient to prepare for the time being.
One important thing, there is absolutely no need to start a full-fledged preparation for CAT(or any other entrance exam) now. Focus the next three years on both enjoying your college life and studying well; this phase will never come back in life so make the most of it. Ensure you score well in your exams(it will prove very helpful afterward) and try building your profile by participating in college's extracurricular activities, certification courses or an internship if possible during vacations, social work, etc). Your profile will help you get that edge over others. All the best!