[Books] Books for the Preparation of Aptitude Test (CSAT)

Recommended Books for CSAT/Aptitude Test

Aptitude Test (CSAT) Syllabus

CSAT Paper II: 200 Marks; Duration: Two Hours; Number of Questions: 80/100

1. Comprehension
2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills
3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability
4. Decision making and problem solving
5. General mental ability
6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc.) (Class X level), Data Interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)
7. English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).
8. Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level. (will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation

English Language (Grammar & Comprehension)/Communication Skills :  

This Section consist of  Comprehension, Vocabulary (synonym, antonym), Sentence correction, Fill in the blank, Sentence arrangement / sentence completion etc.

English Section is a very important section but it is not very difficult section, you can go through any Good English Grammar and composition book.

If you are looking for a multipurpose Book For English Grammar and Composition then I will Suggest to choose any one of the mentioned below, these books are also useful for CSAT, SSC, SBI, IBPS PO/CLK and many other Exams.

1. Objective General English by SP Bakshi (Arihant) / Here 
Just Go for it. Beautifully Written and lot of practice questions are included. This is best Book I have gone through.

2. Lucent General English / Here 
Amazing book for SSC CGL English, A must have book. Beautifully Written and lot of practice questions are included.

3. Objective English for Competitive Exams by Tata McGraw Hill / Here

This is another Good book for all the Exams. 

4. Objective General English by R. S. Aggarwal / Here

This is another great book by RS Aggarwal.

5. Howto Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT (English) by Arun Sharma(Tata McGraw Hill) / Here

This Book covers Verbal ability and Comprehension Part very well. In depth and detail.

6. Compulsory Englishfor Civil & Judicial Services ( Mains) by Tata McGraw Hill / Here

I found this book quite useful for various exams.

Some Other Best Book of English 

1. A Mirror Of Common Errors (English+Hindi) by Ashok Kumar Singh / Here

2. A Handbook of Spotting Errors by Hari Prasad / Here

For Vocabulary Building & English Complete Command : 


Best Books till Date, If you strictly follow these books and try to improve your English I can bet you will improve very quickly within a couple of months and in 6 months your English will be at a different level.

1. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis / Here

2. How To Read Better & Faster by Norman Lewis / Here

3. Speak Better Write Better English by Norman Lewis / Here

4. Better English by Norman Lewis / Here

5. The Comprehensive Word Guide by Norman Lewis / Here

6. 30 days to More Powerful Vocabulary by Norman Lewis / Here

More Books By Norman Lewis Click Here / Here

Basic Numeracy/ Quantitative Aptitude:

Topics : These are the topics which Frequently appear.

Simplification, Number System, LCM/HCF, Roots, Fractions, Average, Percentage, Loss & Profit, Ratio and Proportion, Simple & Common Interest, Time & Work, Trains, Mensuration, Mean, Mode, Median etc...  And Some other topics too....

1. Quantum CAT : Quantitative Aptitude / Here

This book is a Amazing book with Very good basics and shortcuts and lot of Questions for practice. It covers almost whole syllabus, Book is very Useful for SSC, IBPS, and all other exams. Trigonometry, Mensuration, Geometry and many other topics are give very good quality and depth. 

Go for this book its not very costly, covers almost everything, written nicely and the book you were looking for.

2. Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Arihant / Here
This book is also very good book Covers whole syllabus and shortcuts are given. Book is written very beautifully and have very good basics. I will say this is one of the best book.

Data interpretation is also included.

3. Quantitative Aptitude Numerical Ability by Kiran Publication / Here

Hindi Edition / Here

This book is another brilliant book for Quantitative Aptitude & Numerical ability with all formulas, shortcuts and lot of fully solved questions. Data interpretation is also included. This is one of the best book for SSC CGL for Quantitative Aptitude.

Some Other Good Books :

1. QuantitativeAptitude by R. S. Aggarwal / Here

Hindi Edition / Here

2. Magical Book On Quicker Maths by M.Tyra / HereHindi Edition / Here

3. QuantitativeAptitude by Abhijit Guha (Tata McGraw Hill) / Here

4. QuantitativeAptitude for Competitive Exams by Pearson / Here

5. SSC Mathematical Ability - Quantitative Aptitude

Data Interpretation : (Charts, Graphs, Tables, Data Sufficiency etc)

For This section and great practice follow one of these books

1. Data Interpretation Data Sufficiency by Arihant / Here (best without any Doubt, also very useful for SSC, Bank Exams etc)

Hindi Edition / Here

2. Data Analysis Interpretation Data Sufficiency by Kiran Publication /  Here  (Another brilliant book)

Hindi Edition / Here

3. An Advanced Approach to DataInterpretation by R.S. Aggarwal / Here (Good Book)

4. DataInterpretation by BSC Publishers / Here ( Really Good Book)

Reasoning & Mental Ability :

Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, General Mental Ability, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning etc

Note : R.S. Aggarwal Reasoning + Analytical Reasoning M. K. Panday is the Best Combination... because R.S. Aggarwal Reasoning Covers Some part very Good + Lots of Questions for practice But it lacks in Analytical Reasoning part so for this Part Analytical Reasoning M. K. Panday is very very useful. These are also very useful for SSC, Bank Exams etc. 

A lot of practice is needed to fetch good marks in this section, here are some of the required books for this section:

Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, General Mental Ability, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning etc

R.S. Aggarwal Reasoning + Analytical Reasoning M. K. Panday is the Best Combination, because R.S. Aggarwal Reasoning Covers Some part very Good + Lots of Questions for practice But it lacks in Analytical Reasoning part so for this Part Analytical Reasoning M. K. Panday is very very useful. These are also very useful for SSC, Bank Exams etc

1. Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoing by R. S. Aggarwal  / Here

This is the best book in Reasoning with lots of Questions and solid basics.
Covers Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning
Covers Analytical and Logical Reasoning.

If you Want to choose only Verbal Reasoning Part by R. S. Aggarwal then Choose this One :

Verbal Reasoning by R. S. Aggarwal / Here

2. AnalyticalReasoning by M. K. Pandey / Here

This Book is Best Book Available for Analytical Part with lots of questions for Practice. Best Part of this Book is the Great Conceptual Approach and problem solving methods. Syllogism, Statement, assumptions, Input output, Puzzles ect are the some topics which are explained Very Well. This Book is Very much needed for every Exam where Reasoning is asked whether its UPSC CSE exam or bank Exams or SSC Exams. This is one time investment and provides Great material. 

3. New Approach to Reasoning Verbal and Non-Verbal by Arihant  / Here
This book is also very Good covers almost all the topics of Reasoning, nicely written and have lots of questions for practice.

4. Competitive Reasoning Verbal and Non Verbal Fully Solved: Question Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability by Kiran Publication / Here

Hindi Edition / Here

Believe me this book is better than RS Aggarwal Reasoning book, reason is this book is up to date and have very good basics and includes last few years previous questions and standard of difficulty is very good. Book is written in a very lucid manner and very easy to understand the concepts and practice. Fully solved and lots of question for practice.

Decision Making & Problem Solving:

This section consists of case studies in which your decision making skills, attitude, character, and common sense is tested through questions, This tests whether you are right person with right attitude to deal with difficult and tricky situation as a Civil Servant. So build the right kind of attitude and and approach about sensitive topics.

Although in this Section CSAT Manual will be helpful  so choose one of the manual I have mentioned below.

Apart from this there are CSAT or Aptitude Manuals Which are also very useful, although The books above are mentioned are basic and very useful books, but if you want to have one CSAT Manual then here are two best one.


CSAT Manual (Choose any One)

1. CSAT for Civil Services Preliminary Examination Paper - II 2014  by TMH [English]

CSAT for Civil Services Preliminary Examination Paper - II 2014  by TMH [Hindi Medium]

2. Cracking the CSAT Paper - 2 : Civil Services Aptitude Test by Arihant [English Medium]

CSAT Paper - 2 Ki Tayari Kaise Karein? : Hal Prashna-patra 2014 - 2011 Evam 10 Crack Sets by Arihant Publication [Hindi Medium]

CSAT Practice Sets  : (Two Best Available Sets)
English Medium

1. CSAT Paper - 2 : 15 Practice Sets by Arihant Publication

2.  UPSC CSAT - IAS Prelims 101 Speed Tests Practice Workbook with 10 Practice Sets (Paper 2) by Disha Publication

3. IAS - CSAT Paper 2 : 15 Practice Work Book for (Preliminary) Civil Services Examination by Kalinjar Publications

for More Visit Here


Hindi Medium

1. UPSC - CSAT Paper - 2 : 15 Practice Sets by Arihant Publication [Hindi Medium]

2. CSAT Paper-II (10 Practice Paper) Hindi by G K PUBLISHERS

for More Visit Here

Also Read :

Books For General Studies Already Explained Click below:

[General Studies Paper : 1] Books for the Preparation of General Studies