The Common University Entrance Test serves as the gateway to over 200 universities across India, including state, private, and central institutions. A well-structured study plan, along with the right books, can help students crack the CUET exam. It is crucial to have a good strategy to prepare correctly and thoroughly for the examination.
This guide will help you choose the right books to learn from for your CUET examination.
Let’s understand the CUET exam structure:
There are 3 sections in the exam:
- Section I: Language
- Section IA: 13 major Indian languages
- Section IB: 19 additional languages
- Section II: Domain subjects
- The candidate needs to select 6 subjects from a list of 27 domain subjects.
- Section III: General Test
- In this section, questions are related to general knowledge, current affairs, logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude and analytical ability.
Specific preparation and books are required for each section. Let’s learn about the same.
Recommended Books for Section I Language (English)
1. WREN AND MARTIN- HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION
- This book helps you understand the rules of grammar, sentence correction, and writing basics.
- Suitable for understanding core grammar.
2. NORMAN LEWIS- WORD POWER MADE EASY
- This book helps you expand your vocabulary.
- Structured chapters help with word roots, synonyms, and antonyms.
3. ARIHANT’S CUET UG ENGLISH GUIDE
- This book contains content that focuses on reading comprehension, grammar MCQs, and vocabulary sections.
- It also includes practice and mock tests, which help the students manage their time and understand the pattern of the exam.
TOP BOOKS FOR SECTION II: DOMAIN SUBJECTS
COMMERCE STREAMS (ACCOUNTANCY, BUSINESS STUDIES, ECONOMICS)
- NCERT books of Class 12th
- Oswaal CUET Question Banks
- Arihant’s CUET Domain Books
HUMANITIES STREAM (GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND POLITICAL SCIENCE)
- NCERT textbooks for class 12th to enhance knowledge and gain clarity
- Trueman’s subject guide: it provides in-depth knowledge
- Oswaal’s CUET books
MATHEMATICS
- Books of NCERT (class 11th and 12th)
- RD Sharma Objective Mathematics: Helps in solving different mathematical questions.
- Arihant CUET Mathematics
After going through each chapter, solve the CUET-style question paper and understand rather than memorising.
ESSENTIAL BOOKS FOR SECTION III: GENERAL TEST
Students opting for courses in Journalism and Mass Communication, BBA, or Integrated Law programs, section III is very important.
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND CURRENT EVENTS
- Lucent’s General Knowledge
- Manorama Year Book
- Monthly Current Affairs Magazine
These books help the students gain insights into what is going on around the world.
LOGICAL REASONING AND MENTAL ABILITY
- R.S Aggarwal
- Arihant General Test Book
NUMERICAL AND QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE
- Quantitative Aptitude by R.S Agarwal
- Fast Track Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma
By giving at least 1 hour daily to these books, you can crack CUET and make it to your preferred college.
BEST ALL-IN-ONE CUET PREPARATION GUIDE
If you want a collective resource for all the sections, here are a few books which can help you:
OSWAAL UG GUIDE + QUESTION BANKS
- This book comprises language, domain subject and general test which can help you learn from the same book and can save your time and make it easy for you.
- It also includes previous year question papers and mock tests.
ARIHANT’S CUET UG ALL-IN-ONE BOOK
- This book comprises MCQs, 5 mock tests, and a section-wise theory
- It is a great learning for self-assessment.
MTG CUET CHAPTER- WISE PRACTICE AND MODEL PAPERS
- This book is very beneficial for students as it contains OMR-based practice sheets.
- It is a perfect book for a real exam simulation.
PREPARATION STRATEGY: MAKE THE MOST OF THESE BOOKS
Owning the perfect books for your CUET examination is not just enough. Here’s how to study efficiently:
FOLLOW NCERT
- A huge number of domain questions come directly from NCERT textbooks. For a better understanding, make short notes that you can revise later.
SOLVE CUET-SPECIFIC MCQs
- Practice MCQs from CUET-oriented books like Arihant and Oswaal. These books provide chapter based questions that can enhance your learning.
TAKE REGULAR MOCK TESTS
- Weekly solve full-length mock papers. This can help you with time management and accuracy.
REVISE AND RETEST
- Revise the questions that you had difficulty in solving, especially for subjects like economics and Mathematics.
SUBJECT-WISE BOOK REFERENCE TABLE FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
Section/Subject | Recommended Books |
| English Language | Wren & Martin, Norman Lewis, Arihant English |
| General Test | R.S. Aggarwal (QA & Reasoning), Lucent GK, Arihant General |
| History & Pol. Science | NCERTs, Trueman’s Guides, Oswaal Domain Books |
| Commerce Subjects | NCERTs, Arihant, Oswaal Domain-wise Books |
| Mathematics | NCERTs, RD Sharma, Arihant CUET Maths |
| Combined Preparation | Oswaal Combo Guide, MTG Practice Papers, Arihant Full Set |
FINAL TIPS FOR CRACKING CUET
- Study Smart, not just Hard: Focus on understanding concepts rather than just memorizing
- Follow a Balanced Schedule: allocate time slots to the three sections based on your target course
- Stick to limited resources: Don’t study from too many books, 2 quality books per subject are efficient.
- Use a daily revision routine: Daily, go through revisions, especially for General Knowledge and Current Affairs.
- Mock tests are non-negotiable: take at least one mock test per week to enhance and analyse your performance.
CONCLUSION
Success in CUET requires a balanced approach, regular practice and perfect book choices.
Begin with NCERT, then change to CUET-specific MCQs and mock papers. Learn from books by trusted publishers like Arihant, Oswaal, and MTG to stay on track.
With disciplined effort and the right sources, cracking CUET and getting enrolled in your dream university can be easy and reachable. Stay focused, stay consistent, and let the right book guide you to success.
To read more about the topics related to CUET 2025 EXAM, refer to https://www.pulsephase.in/cuet/
