What study materials are recommended for CAT preparation?
Three resources define 99+ percentile CAT preparation: Arun Sharma's QA book, a quality mock test series, and 30 minutes of daily reading. Everything else is supplementary. You don't need expensive coaching; the right self-study stack consistently outperforms classroom programs, including for IIM Bangalore's notoriously high cutoffs (99.5+ percentile for General category).
Core Books by Section
For Quantitative Ability, Arun Sharma's *How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT* remains the benchmark. It progressively covers fundamentals through advanced sets.
If your arithmetic is weak, supplement with NCERT Class 9-10 maths before touching Sharma, since IIM-B's QA section rewards both speed and precision.
| Section | Primary Book | Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability | Arun Sharma QA | NCERT Class 9-10 Maths |
| VARC | Arun Sharma VARC | The Economist, Aeon essays |
| DILR | Arun Sharma DILR | Nishit Sinha Logical Reasoning |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is the section most aspirants misjudge. Norman Lewis's *Word Power Made Easy* helps vocabulary, but RC improvement comes almost entirely from reading quality long-form prose daily. *The Economist*, *The Hindu* editorials, and *Aeon* essays build the analytical reading pace CAT RC demands. Many 99+ scorers skip the VARC book entirely and rely on mocks plus wide reading.
DILR and Mock Strategy
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is the most mock-dependent section in CAT. No amount of theory substitutes for timed set practice. Nishit Sinha's Logical Reasoning covers case-lets well, but your real improvement comes from recognising set-types under pressure, which only mocks teach.
Aspirants who crack IIM Bangalore's cutoff typically attempt 25-40 full mocks in the final three months. The critical habit is post-mock analysis: spend two hours reviewing every attempt, logging error patterns, and reattempting weak areas within 48 hours.
Volume without review is wasted time.
Choosing a Test Series
- IMS and TIME offer the closest simulation to actual CAT difficulty and interface.
- Career Launcher (CL) provides strong sectional tests useful for targeted drilling.
- Cracku offers free daily tests and an affordable full series, genuinely competitive in quality.
Multiple 99+ scorers have reported clearing IIM-B's cutoff using only Cracku mocks plus daily practice, skipping paid coaching entirely. Mix one paid series (IMS or TIME) with Cracku's free tests for variety and coverage. One documented case: a 99.7 percentile scorer who used Cracku exclusively, no books.
IIM Bangalore Context
IIM-B's selection process adds a Written Ability Test and Personal Interview after the CAT cutoff. Strong reading habits built during VARC prep directly feed your WAT performance.
RC practice on complex argumentative essays from *The Economist* or *Foreign Affairs* is arguably dual-purpose preparation. The interview panel at IIM Bangalore tests analytical thinking, so aspirants who read widely during prep tend to perform better at the PI stage too.
Avoid the trap of collecting materials endlessly. One QA book, one VARC reading habit, one mock series, done rigorously, beats a shelf of unused resources every time.
This path is narrow and demanding; the percentile required for IIM-B leaves almost no margin for scattered preparation.
Pro Tip: Start full mocks by August, not October, so you have enough attempts to identify and fix your weakest section before the November exam window.