
The path to the CAT Exam is always filled with hours of studying for the completion of tons of syllabus for all three subjects; Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Quantitative Aptitude (QA), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) with so many topics to cover, and questions to solve.
In preparing for the CAT Exam, candidates sometimes get exhausted when they are not equipped with the right kind of CAT Study Material they should be preparing for the CAT 2025 Exam.
The CAT study material should not be redundant as there are so many books on the same subjects written by different authors and different writers have different approaches and methodologies for the same topics.
For instance, for Quantitative Aptitude (QA) there are three famous books authored by three different authors, and if aspirants indulge themselves with all these three books for QA and solve quant numerical from all three books at the same time, the majority of the aspirants will observe an regression in their enthusiasm and ability for preparation as it will slow down their pace and confuse them a lot.
To solve the above issue the selection of the CAT study material and as per the syllabus and pattern of the CAT exam. Also, if candidates are joined in an offline or online learning center should follow the pattern of preparation curated by that particular coaching center.
Apart from the CAT study materials provided by the coaching center, candidates can refer to some standard and reference books as well but only with having a prior analysis done as studying from too many resources at a time can lead the deflecting their preparation graph.
For more details regarding the CAT study material, aspirants should continue reading this article as it contains syllabus, preparation strategies, examination pattern, and mentions of some of the most important books for the CAT exam preparation.
Also Check:
Before heading towards the selection of the CAT Study Material candidates should go through the CAT exam syllabus first and analyse it in such a way that they can figure out the preferences they should give to the topics mentioned in the syllabus according to their level of difficulties.
Now, talking about the country’s toughest management entrance exam, the Common Admission Test or CAT syllabus we will first classify their sections and syllabus and important topics for each section.
The CAT exam is divided into three sections with different weightages. The syllabus for all three sections is described below:
The syllabus for all three sections above of the CAT exam; VARC, QA, and DILR are described below:
1.1 CAT 2025 Exam: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
1.2 CAT Exam 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
1.3 CAT 2025 Exam: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
3.1 CAT Study Materials for the VARC Section
3.2 CAT Study Material for the QA Section
3.3 CAT Study Material for the DILR Section
VARC is the highest weightage section of the CAT Exam as 67% of questions are related to this category which makes it mandatory for aspirants to allot a significant time for this section along with the other two sections to secure a good percentile in VARC and the Overall CAT exam. The syllabus for the VARC section of the CAT Exam is tabulated below:
| Reading Comprehension | Preposition |
|---|---|
| Synonyms and Antonyms | Para-completion |
| Para Jumbles | Inferences |
| Odd one out | One word substitution |
| Syllogism and Analogies | Verbal Logic |
| Types of Clauses | Parts of Speech |
| Subject Verb Agreement | Verbal Reasoning |
The second high-weightage section of the CAT exam is the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section, as 22 out of a total of 66 questions in the CAT exam come from the Quant section. The section requires candidates to be able to conceptualise and impart their class 9th and class 10th level mathematics knowledge as the QA section is based on high school mathematics. The syllabus for the QA section for the CAT exam is mentioned below:
| Units | Topics |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic |
|
| Algebra |
|
| Number Systems |
|
| Geometry |
|
| Modern Maths |
|
The third and last section of the CAT exam is Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section is divided into two sub-sections; Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Given below are the important topics related to the DILR section of the CAT 2025 exam:
| DILR Topics | |
|---|---|
| Bar and Column Graphs | Binary Relations |
| Blood Relations | Coding Decoding |
| Calendar, Cubes and Blocks | Caselets and Tables |
| Connectives | Line and Pie Charts |
| Seating Arrangments | Matching/Puzzles |
| Number and Letter Series | Seating Arrangments |
| Viens Diagrams | Data Sufficiency |
The subject-wise weightage for all the sections of the CAT exam is tabulated below:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
|
| Quantitative Aptitude |
|
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
|
The CAT study material must be relevant to the exam concerning topics and should contain different levels of difficulty at different stages to get the student accustomed to the exam pattern smoothly as initiating the process for CAT exam preparation without distinguishing the difficulty level of the questions related to a particular topic might lead to losing their morale.
We have shortlisted some of the most opted and highly recommended CAT Study Material which consists of Books by different authors for all three sections, Mock Tests, Previous Question Papers (PYQ), and many other CAT exam resources.
Candidates can refer to the details elaborated below regarding the CAT Study Materials for all three CAT exam sections; VARC, QA, and DILR:
The VARC Section is highly ambiguous and diverse as there are no logical methodologies applicable to reading comprehension and verbal components of a language contrary to other CAT exam sections; QA and DILR. Hence the basic rule for beginning the preparation of the VARC Section is to read a lot and that too content which is written in a specific tone and grammar.
Let’s have a look at some of the CAT Study Material for preparing for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC):
The Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section of the CAT exam requires candidates to have a foundational knowledge of the class 9th and class 10th level mathematics to delve into this topic however if someone who has a non-engineering or non-mathematics background can still prepare for the QA section with some extra effort and a structured preparation strategy for it.
Below are some of the most opted CAT Study Materials for completing the QA section for the CAT exam:
The data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section consists of 20 questions out of a total of 66 questions in the CAT exam. The trajectory for preparation for this section depends solely on your question-solving capability the more you practice the easier it gets to accustomed to the pattern of numerical and questions that come from the DILR section in the CAT exam.
Mentioned below are some of the most sought CAT Study Materials for the DILR section:
The preparation of one of the most competitive management entrance examinations, the Common Admission Test or CAT requires a proper understanding and differentiation of the important topics of the CAT syllabus through which candidates can smoothly complete their syllabus by different methods adopted in the preparation strategy.
We have strategized the preparation process for aspirants gearing up for the CAT Exam 2025. Also, with the help of proper CAT Study Material discussed in the article above and other resources provided by online and offline learning centers if candidates have joined any such coaching/learning centers will help them in the process of preparing for the CAT exam.
Check out the preparation tips for all three sections of the CAT Exam 2025; VARC, QA, and DILR:
Quantitative Aptitude
To begin with one of the most important CAT sections which is completely based on class 9th and 10th Mathematics with concept-based questions covers most of the section in the CAT exam. Also, while preparing for any of the CAT exam sections including Quant candidates are required to upgrade their accuracy levels along with increasing the difficulty level of the questions from topics related to QA. Given below are some important steps for completion of the Quantitative Aptitude syllabus:
| Important Topics |
|---|
| Arithmetics: Every topic in this unit is important |
| Algebra: Quadratic Equations, Linear Equations, Inequalities, Sequence and series. Cover the remaining topics such as LCM and HCF, Logarithm, Indices, etc in this unit once the aforementioned topics are completed. |
| Geometry: Triangles and Circles are the most important topics of Geometry solve their questions in depth and try to understand the concepts of the problems then move on to Polygon and other topics of this unit. |
| Mensuration and Trigonometry: Memorise all formulas and practice as many questions as one can. |
| Number Systems: Cover all topics in this unit especially the Factors topic which is the most important topic in Number Systems. |
| Permutations and Combinations: Cover all types of questions in this unit. |
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VARC)
VARC is the highest weightage section of the CAT exam whose preparation is not defined by any set of particular rules or theories the whole concept of preparing for the VARC section originates from the aspirant's reading, vocabulary, and grammatical skills. Below mention are the important topics of Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VARC):
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) is also an important CAT exam section. If the candidate is proficient in the Quantitative Aptitude section solving the DILR questions won’t be a tough task for her/him. Below are some of the important topics which can be referred by the aspirants:
Other important tips for CAT 2025 exam preparation:
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
Hey Khushi! You can practise NTA JEE main mock tests at your home as well as you can attempt them at the nearest test practise centre. The choice is entirely yours. You simply have to login with your credentials and make your choice.
Candidates can apply for the PDUSU admission online through the official website. Click on the 'Admission' link, and check for eligibility. Post checking the eligibility, click on the 'Apply Online' link, fill in the required details, and submit the y application after paying the specified fees. Applicants must also upload their recent photograph, signature, scanned copies of 10th, 12th, and degree certificates, fee payment challan, and Government ID proof.
Hello Abhishek! If you have successfully registered at the official NTA website to avail the facility of the Test Practice Centre then you can visit the Centre. Your parents may drop you at the test centre but they will not be allowed to enter the test centre during the exam or practise mock tests.
The selection process for admission to LNMU varies depending on the course:
For Undergraduate courses, applicants must have a completed 12th grade with 45% aggregate marks, 40% aggregate for restricted categories.
For Postgraduate courses, applicants must complete their graduation with at least 50% of their degree in their respective stream from an accredited university. 45% aggregate marks for SC/ST students.