CAT Reference Books: Know Best Resources for Quant, DILR and VARC Sections

CAT reference books 2025 cover all the topics included in the CAT syllabus. It includes their concept, theorems, formulae, applications, and practice questions of various difficulty levels. Choosing the correct CAT books is the first and most important step toward successful preparation. 

We have compiled a list of the best CAT books suggested by professionals and toppers just for you. Prepare for the CAT exam 2025 with the following CAT books: Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.

Best Books for CAT Preparation 2025

Here are some of the best books for CAT exam preparation, section-wise (Quant, DILR, VARC).

CAT DILR Reference Books

The DILR part of the CAT is typically of moderate to high difficulty.  Sometimes the LR questions are difficult to understand, and you make mistakes. The key to passing the CAT DILR part is to accurately understand the pattern of puzzles, which can be accomplished by extensive practice with sample questions and simulated activities. So, choose CAT books with a large number of sample questions for practice. 

The following table lists the best CAT books for DILR:

CAT VARC Books for Preparation

Your  CAT VARC score is closely proportionate to your ability to read and comprehend advanced-level English. The more you read, the better your English comprehension will be. However, simply having a good reading and comprehension speed is insufficient. You should know more. Examples include the underlying meaning of a specific language or idiom, as well as the use of words in various settings. Sometimes the location of words can alter the meaning of a phrase. 

Check out the list of the finest CAT books for VARC below.

CAT QA Preparation Books

Quantitative Aptitude is widely regarded as the most difficult element of the CAT exam because it is centred on mathematics and requires extensive calculation. The CAT Quantitative Aptitude exam has consistently been rigorous, and CAT 2025 will be no exception. Prepare for this section with special attention because it is heavy on calculations and requires accuracy. 

The following are the most recommended CAT books for Quantitative Aptitude.

Also Read: What is a good Quant score in CAT? Tips to Score Better

Are CAT Books by Arun Sharma Really Helpful?

Yes, with context. For many aspirants, especially novice ones, Arun Sharma’s books also form good building blocks: 

Beginner-friendly & concept-based: Arun Sharma’s books explain the basics step-by-step, and have sequential Levels of Difficulty (LOD) (making it easy for you to move from simple problems to more complex problems) to help build fundamentals. 

Well-structured information: All topics are (3 Levels of Difficulty—LOD1, LOD2, LOD3), which helps you build slowly. Many CAT aspirants still view them as the "Bible" for CAT, especially for those just starting their preparation.

Here's a clear table of his main CAT prep books along with their focus areas:

Also Read: High-scoring Topics in CAT VARC Section 2025: Expected No. of Questions, Difficulty Level, Weightage

CAT Preparation Tips 2025

Most of you take between three to six months to prepare for the CAT exam, whether you are professionals or students about to graduate. You will need to structure your time into stages, including learning the basics, understanding advanced techniques and developing your exam strategy. You should read the editorial and articles in the paper regularly. You should find that your RC skills improve as a result.

• The more practice questions and mocks you can solve for the section to develop your inside CMD skills, the better you will become at time management.
• Make sure you understand the basics, and work on your weak areas.
• Arun Sharma and Nishit K. Sinha are two authors recommended for CAT preparation. You should always try to choose the latest edition of the CAT preparation book.
• The DILR part is all practice. You need to solve lots of practice questions.
• If you are going through coaching, use the material provided by the institute for CAT preparation.
• If you are stuck on a topic in a book and wasting time, move on to the next topic and solve other questions.

Also Read: How to Plan Sectional Attempts in CAT 2025?

Conclusion

Selecting CAT reference books will be crucial to your success in arguably India's most competitive MBA entrance exam. While there are traditional references, for example: Arun Sharma's content for Quant, DI, LR and VARC are fine as it will solidify your knowledge, aspirants should work towards supplementing with updated CAT mock tests, and CAT online practice material along with CAT question papers from previous years. 

The ideal method combines authoritative reference material and intelligence to cover all topics and knowledge to prepare fully for the CAT exam, to improve your accuracy, and increase your chances of a high percentile.