How to choose books for TANCET exam preparation?

Candidates preparing for TANCET must avoid buying any random books available for MBA exam preparation. In case the candidates already have any books for MBA exam prep, they can skip buying any book. However, if TANCET is the only exam for which the aspirant is planning to appear, following factors must be kept in mind to choose a book: 1. Check the table of content and book edition 2. Check if the book has its content arranged systematically 3. Read reviews whether the book is for advanced level preparation or basic preparation 4. Author and publisher 5. Does it contain a question bank? 6. Does it have section wise distribution? 7. Buy specific books for TANCET preparation 8. Ask for recommendations from past toppers.

Which book will be best to prepare for TANCET Exam?

Some of the preparation books for preparing for Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) are mentioned here: English Language Student Book by Alison Ross Quantitative Aptitude by S. N. Jha Numerical Test by Dr. M. B. Lal & Jain Reasoning Test (Verbal & Non-Verbal) by Dr. M. B. Lal & A. K. Singh Logical and Analytical Reasoning by A. K. Gupta TANCET MBA Exam Book - Author: E. S. Ramasamy TANCET MBA (Anna University) - Author: V K Subburaj A Comprehensive Study of Data Interpretation Analysis and Sufficiency - Author: Ashok Gupta Non-Verbal Reasoning - Author: B. S. Sijwali & Indus Sijwali Besides the above mentioned books, candidates can get section wise recommended books on Shiksha's article on recommended books for TANCET MBA (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/best-books-for-tancet-preparation-blogId-20375). .

Which are the best books to prepare for English Proficiency in TANCET?

TANCET exam has five sections two of which are based on English language skills of the candidate. One section check the proficiency in English language while other section will gauge reading comprehension skills of the candidate. Here are some of the best books for English language preparation for TANCET MBA exam: - Objective General English by S. P. Bakshi - English Grammar and Composition by SC Gupta - Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis - Objective English for Competitive Examination by Hari Mohan Prasad and Uma Sinha - General English for All Competitive Examinations by S. C. Gupta These are just a few of the many great books available for English language preparation for competitive exams. The best book for you will depend on your individual needs and goals as individuals may have a strong hold on different topics under the section.

Is it okay to prepare only previous year question papers for TANCET exam?

No, it is not recommended to solely rely on previous year question papers for TANCET exam preparation. While solving previous year question papers is an essential part of exam preparation, it should not be the only source of preparation. To crack the TANCET exam, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of the syllabus, exam pattern, and types of questions asked in the exam. You can start by studying the basic concepts and theories of each subject, followed by solving practice questions from various sources. Here are some tips to prepare for the TANCET exam: Know the exam pattern and syllabus: It is essential to have a clear understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus before starting your preparation. The TANCET exam has four sections - Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation & Analysis. Make a study plan: Once you know the exam pattern and syllabus, make a study plan that covers all the topics and sections. Make sure to allocate time for regular practice and revision. Solve practice papers and mock tests: Solve previous year question papers, sample papers, and mock tests to get an idea about the types of questions asked in the exam. This will also help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Refer to good study material: Choose good study material that covers the entire syllabus and is easy to understand. You can also refer to online resources and video lectures. Focus on time management: Time management is crucial to crack the TANCET exam. Solve questions within the time limit and try to improve your speed and accuracy. Stay calm and positive: Finally, stay calm and positive throughout your preparation. Take breaks when needed, and don't stress yourself too much. So, it is advisable to use previous year question papers as a supplement to your overall preparation strategy, but not rely solely on them.

Is there a set pattern of distribution of questions in the TANCET exam?

Yes, the TANCET MBA question paper will have 20 questions each from five sections i.e. Business Situation Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Sufficiency and English Usage. In TANCET MCA exam, there are four sections, therefore with equal weightage each section has 25 questions.

Which is the best book for preparing for the TANCET MBA?

Hi TANCET MBA by E. S. Ramaswamy. TANCET MBA Solved Papers by S. Sambasivan DR. Antony. Business Situations. Reading Comprehension. Quantitative Ability. Data Sufficiency. English Usage. The question paper of TANCET MBA 2023 will be divided into five sections namely Reading Comprehension, Data Sufficiency, Quantitative Ability, Analysis of Business Situation and Verbal Ability. All the sections of the exam will contain 20 questions.

How can I crack TANCET in 6 months?

TANCET is conducted by Anna University Chennai on behalf of Government of Tamil Nadu and is accepted by many good colleges across India. Make your plan according to the time you can give for the preparation on a daily basis. Work on your plan and identify your weakness and strength. Try to plan and identify above stated things within a week. Set your plan agile and keep buffer time for revision and solving mock test papers. Start with your verbal and quantitative practice in parallel. Six months can make or change the game, time management is very important at every single point of time till the final day and even on the day. Keep positive! Solve questions in a specified time frame this will help you in doing questions in time. Maintain a good balance between your accuracy and solving time. Be focused and calm. For the last month keep all the formulas and tricks handy and revise on a daily basis. Remember not to be emotional while solving or appearing for exam. Manage your time wisely.

When should I start preparing for TANCET (MBA)?

TANCET exam is a competitive exam for MBA and MCA admission. It is crucial to start preparing early in order to get a good score. The ideal time to start preparing for the TANCET MBA exam is at least 4-5 months before the exam date. However, the preparation time may vary across individual students. This will give you enough time to cover the entire syllabus, practice with previous year's question papers, take mock tests, and get familiar with the exam format. Here are some tips for preparing for the TANCET MBA exam: 1) Start by familiarizing yourself with the syllabus 2) Practice with previous year's question papers 3) Take a mock test 4) Create a study plan 5) Get enough sleep 6) Eat healthy meals to avoid illness 7) Plan the exam day beforehand Following the above-mentioned tips will help you to prepare for the TANCET MBA exam and increase your chances of success.

Which are the most important topics to focus for TANCET preparation?

Hi, TANCET sections include Questions from Business situations, Comprehension Passage, Graduate level Mathematics, Determining Data Sufficiency, English Language. The important topics to focus while preparing for TANCET are same as CMAT. Here are few tips which you should consider while preparing for TANCET. 1) Try preparing all the topics listed in the official syllabus. Leaving any topic will risk your chances of obtaining a high score. However, at the last minute, avoid picking up a new topic. 2) Candidates should choose or select the appropriate study material so that they can easily understand it and it will help them to understand the structure of the exam. Negative marking is applicable in the test. 3) Therefore, another TANCET MBA preparation tip is to avoid guesswork. Mark the answers which you are sure of else leave them unanswered. The candidates must concentrate on enhancing their vocabulary as they will have to answer different questions in this section of the exam. Read the newspaper on a daily basis, it will help you prepare for the further rounds of admission. Hope it helps.

How should I prepare for TANCET exam?

TANCET exam consists 100 questions split into 5 sections to be answered in the duration of 2 hours. It is a multiple choice question paper with negative marking in case of the incorrect answer. So for its preparation, you need to time your speed of answering the questions. Topics of evaluation included verbal ability, reading comprehension, quantitative section, data sufficiency. So you should try to further enhance your logical reasoning power as well.

How many questions will be there in Business Situation Analysis section of the TANCET exam?

Each section of the TANCET exam, incliding the Business Situation Analysis section have equal question weightage. A total of 100 questions appear in the TANCET MBA question paper with each section having 20 questions. Each question have four options with one correct option. Candidates need to mark the bubble for the correct option in the OMR sheet.

Is there any defined pattern over the topic-wise distribution of questions in the TANCET exam?

No, there is no definite pattern of the questions from certain topics in the TANCET exam. The candidates are required to cover all TANCET sections and topics under these sections. Anna University can cover any topic to define the questions from the section stipulated in the TANCET syllabus.

Is the syllabus for CAT and TANCET same? Can I prepare for TANCET exam using CAT study material such as mock tests and question papers?

CAT is a national level exam for MBA admission, while TANCET is a state level exam for MBA admission. Syllabus for both CAT and TANCET are on a similar lies with slight changes in the sections. TANCET exam includes an additional section for Business Situation analysis. Candidates who have prepared for CAT exams section, including DILR, VARC, and QA, need a minimal study plan to prepare for TANCET. Candidates who took the CAT exam must drive deeper into the section for analysis of business situations. Study material, including books, question type remains similar for CAT and TANCET exam. Practising mock tests for CAT and TANCET must be done individual as the difficult standards, exam duration, number of questions and other elements of test pattern will vary. Mock test will provide a better understanding of taking TANCET and CAT exam.

Which section of the TANCET exam has the highest weightage?

The TANCET exam has five sections, namely, Business Situations Reading Comprehension Quantitative Ability Data Sufficiency English Usage As per the TANCET exam pattern, a total of 100 questions are asked collectively from all sections of the TANCET exam. All five section of TANCET MBA exam have equal weightage. Therefore, candidates have to answer a total of 20 questions, irrespective of the section. Since all sections of the TANCET exam have equal weightage, candidates must take all sections seriously. Each section of TANCET exam holds identical importance.

How to improve Reading Comprehension skills for TANCET MBA exam?

Here are some tips on how to improve reading comprehension skills for MBA exam preparation: Read regularly Summarize what you read Reach out mentors for help Practice using sample papers and mock tests Pay attention to the author's purpose Identify the main idea of each paragraph Look for clues to the author's tone. Is the author being serious, humorous, or sarcastic? Read between the lines. What is the author not saying? What are they implying? By following the above mentioned tips, one can improve their reading comprehension skills and increase their chances of success on the MBA exam.

TANCET Preparation 2026: Know Complete Strategy & Guide

1.2K Students Q&A

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

MBA MCA, MCA(LE)

Updated on Oct 19, 2025 02:55 IST

By Abhishek Dhawan, Assistant Manager – Editorial Content

TANCET Preparation Tips 2026: Anna University conducts TANCET exam for admission to MBA courses every year. One requires at least five months to prepare for TANCET exam. Candidates planning to take TANCET 2026 must have started preparing for the exam already. Nearly 35,000 candidates fight for 15,000+ MBA seats offered by TANCET participating colleges. With a high level of competition, candidates aspiring for admissions based on the TANCET exam must have a top-notch preparation strategy. Some of the key elements of a well-structured TANCET 2026 preparation plan include knowing the test structure and syllabus. Additionally, one must get the best study resources, including the recommended books, TANCET previous year's question papers, sample papers, etc.

Candidates must start the TANCET preparation as soon as possible as the exam date is already out. Read this article further for more information on TANCET preparation tips 2026 and tricks, along with the recommended preparatory material.

Access past 10 year TANCET question papers for MBA and MCA

➤ TANCET MBA Question Papers with Answers

➤ TANCET MCA Question Papers with Answers

Q: Is it easy to get high scores in TANCET exam?

Yes, it is easy to obtain high score in TANCET exam. to meet the cutoff scores. An exam is considered tough or easy by an individual based on his/her preparation. TANCET exam pattern is easier compared to other MBA entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, CMAT, etc.

TANCET MBA has five sections with 20 marks for each section. These sections are mentioned below:

Business Situations
Reading Comprehension
Quantitative Ability
Data Sufficiency
English Usage

Q: Can you suggest some preparation strategies for TANCET MBA? How much do I need to score to join Madras University?

Some tips one should consider: Prepare all the topics listed in the syllabus. In case a topic gets left out, candidates will risk their chances of obtaining a high score. Avoid picking a new topic. Candidates must also select appropriate study material as it will help them understand the structure of entrance test. Avoid any kind of guesswork. Negative marking is applicable in the exam and it is better to leave those questions whose answers candidates are unable to determine with conviction. Take as many mock tests as possible before the actual day of the test. Mock tests help candidates identify their strong and weak areas. Mocks give them the chance to strengthen those weak areas. Prepare a schedule which must be followed religiously. By the time the exam day arrives, candidates will become skilled at allotting equal time to each section of the test. Vocabulary is an integral part of any entrance test these days and candidates are advised to strengthen it as much as they can. It is advised that they read as many newspapers as they can daily and mark down words they have unknown so far and then check for their meaning.

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