Are Arun Sharma books and mocks alone sufficient for CAT preparation targeting IIM ABC?

Are Arun Sharma books and mocks alone enough for IIM ABC?

The short answer is: probably not, and the gap depends heavily on which section you are weakest in.

Arun Sharma's books are widely considered a solid foundation, particularly for Quant and DILR concept-building. They cover the fundamentals well and are a reasonable starting point.

But "starting point" is the operative phrase. At the IIM ABC level, where sectional percentiles matter independently and a weak section can disqualify you regardless of overall score, concept coverage alone is not the ceiling you need to hit.

Here is a section-by-section honest read

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Arun Sharma's VARC material is the weakest part of the series relative to actual CAT difficulty. Recent aspirants consistently find it insufficient for RC passages at the IIM ABC difficulty level.

Supplementing with additional reading - editorial content, long-form essays, and IMS or TIME VARC sectional material - is a common pattern among students who convert IIM ABC calls.

DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)

This is where Arun Sharma holds up best. The puzzles and sets are genuinely useful for building the pattern-recognition instinct DILR requires.

That said, CAT DILR in recent years has trended toward more unconventional set types. Practicing sets from Career Launcher or IMS mock papers alongside Sharma's material gives better range.

Quantitative Ability

Arun Sharma's Quant books are strong on concept coverage and are a reliable reference for formulas and problem types. The limitation is that CAT Quant at the 99th percentile bracket rewards speed and non-standard approaches, not just coverage.

If Quant is a weak area, supplementing with TIME or IMS material for higher-difficulty problem sets is worth it.

Where mocks fit in

Mock quantity and quality are the real differentiator at the IIM ABC level, and this part of the original instinct is right. The question is which mocks.

Arun Sharma's own mocks tend to be easier than actual CAT difficulty in recent years. Students who crack IIM ABC calls typically supplement with TIME, IMS, or Career Launcher mocks, which are closer to actual paper difficulty.

Post-mock analysis - understanding why you lost time or made errors - matters more than the number of mocks completed.

The honest verdict

• Arun Sharma books: good for concept-building, especially Quant and DILR, but not a complete toolkit on their own for IIM ABC targeting.
• Sharma mocks alone: likely insufficient - supplement with at least one of TIME, IMS, or Career Launcher mock series.
• VARC in particular needs supplementary sources beyond Sharma.
• Sectional balance is non-negotiable. An overall 99+ percentile with a weak sectional will not convert IIM ABC shortlists.

If you are early in preparation, Arun Sharma is a fine place to start. If you are three to four months out from the exam and targeting IIM ABC, treating it as your primary resource without supplementation is a real risk.

You can compare IIM ABC admission profiles and shortlist patterns to understand what sectional and overall score ranges the actual shortlists reflect.