A Comprehensive Guide to Study Materials for Competitive Exams

We understand the importance of having the right study materials when preparing for competitive exams. Therefore, we have compiled a list of recommended resources that can aid your preparation. Please note that it’s essential to avoid hoarding books and only purchase new ones when necessary and you’re confident you’ll be able to complete at least the majority of it.

Daily Practice Problems (DPPs)

Arihant’s DPPs are some of the best we know of, with 20-30 problems ranging from basic to very advanced for each subtopic in a chapter. They cover everything during revision. They come in a set of 26 books, but we recommend buying only one first to see if you like it.

Computer Science

For Computer Science, Sumita Arora’s book is sufficient for board exams.

NCERT

For Physics, NCERT’s theory is good. For Chemistry, NCERT is a must and is the only theory book you’ll need for inorganic at least. For Math, NCERT is obsolete for JEE.

Physics Books

From the below five, any one would be enough (personally, we chose HC Verma and Physics Galaxy’s mechanics part):

1. hc_verma: Its short answer questions (objective-1,2) are a must even if you don’t have the time to attempt exercises. The exercises are good (but not enough). Difficulty increases from easy formula-based questions to 6-7 advanced level problems by the end.
2. dc_pandey: It offers an exhaustive list of different kinds of problems of varying difficulty, categorized into three levels. It’s a very good problem repository, and the solutions are available online.
3. bm_sharma: Slightly more difficult than DC Pandey, it again has a large number of problems. Don’t solve all, solve till you are confident about the chapter.
4. anurag_mishra: You won’t need any other problem-solving book for Physics for advanced if you do this one. It has mistakes and is a bit disorganized, but it’s still a good book.
5. physics_galaxy: Last but not the least, it offers amazing theory, covers all concepts, and linear difficulty of questions (goes till Olympiad level problems). There’s no need to solve the above-mentioned books if you’re doing this one.

Advanced Level Physics Books

1. sbt_problems_in_physics: Best book for specifically advanced level relevant questions. If you think you’re good at physics, give this book a shot; it might change your opinion.
2. bukhovtsev_problems_in_elementary_physics: This was popular very long ago when JEE didn’t exist. Although it’s not necessary if you solve SBT or Irodov type books, if you have time, you won’t regret solving it as it has good questions.

We hope you find these resources helpful in your preparation journey. Remember, consistency is key in preparation. Happy learning!

Comprehensive Guide to JEE and Olympiad Preparation Books

This article provides an overview of various books beneficial for JEE and Olympiad preparation.

Resnick Halliday (JEE version)

This book is excellent for theory and clearing theoretical doubts. It provides very lucid explanations with real-world examples. However, it’s not recommended to solve problems from this book if you’re already solving from other mentioned books.

PG Advanced Illustrations

This book is best for revision, offering quality 20-60 problems in each chapter. It’s recommended to read the question, think of the steps to reach the solution, then look at the given solution.

IE Irodov

This book is a bit difficult and assumes you already know the whole mechanics from the get-go. It’s a huge confidence boost when you get a question right. This book becomes approachable after solving HC Verma, coaching material, and a few PYQs.

SS Krotov

This book is like Irodov on steroids, with difficult math and physics. It’s recommended only if you have a lot of time. The problems are very beautiful though.

Pathfinder

This book is like SS Krotov on cocaine + steroids. It’s not very relevant for JEE but recommended if you have a lot of time and are also preparing for Olympiads.

Olympiad Only Books

These books are recommended by Nitin sir of INSP YouTube channel. They are beyond the scope of JEE but are excellent for Olympiad preparation.

Electrodynamics

• Griffiths
• Purcell

Problem Books

• 200 Puzzling Problems in Physics & 200 More Puzzling Problems in Physics - Gnadig
• 300 Creative Problems in Physics

Other Recommended Books

• Mechanics and Electrodynamics - David Morin
• J Kalda Handouts
• Olympiads ke PYQs
• Waves and Oscillations - AP French
• Thermal Physics - Schroeder
• Physics of Scientists and Engineers 1 & 2 - Paul A Tipler
• Optics - Eugene Hecht
• Physics of Vibrations - HJ Pain
• Feynman Lectures

Arihant / Cengage /TMH (Vinay Kumar)

These books are similar in difficulty level. They contain a lot of questions, so if you are doing coaching material, don’t solve all questions. You can even skip these completely if you’re doing coaching material religiously.

Black Book by Vikas Gupta

This book contains quality questions. The difficulty doesn’t increase linearly, so don’t attempt just after learning theory. The calculus portion is amazing, with many advanced questions having come from this book.

IA Maron

This book is only for calculus and is the best book if you already know the basics. It has a very good selection of questions, and the theory is better understood if the basics are known.

1000 Challenging Problems by Sameer Bansal

As the title says, this book should be done only after you’ve completed the syllabus as the chapters are not divided.

PYQs of ISI and CMI

Many people don’t know about this, but it’s a goldmine for quality math problems. JEE has taken questions from these in the past.

Higher Algebra by Hall and Knight

This book is good to boost your prep. It’s not a beginner-level book but has a very good selection of questions.

Additional Mathematics Books for JEE and Olympiad Preparation

Vikas Gupta Yellow and Pink Book

This book has a really good selection of questions, especially in algebra. It fills the gaps left by the Black Book. It’s a must-solve if you’re doing the Black Book, otherwise, your algebra and coordinate geometry might remain weak.

AoPS

Some AMC, AIME, HMMT, USAMO problems are very relevant for JEE. For example, search AoPS factorial tail, it’s a beautiful problem. However, it’s not a good resource to search from.

Chemistry Books

JD Lee

This book is a waste of time if you aren’t an inorganic loving masochist or aren’t preparing for Olympiads. It’s recommended to read NCERT instead.

Solomons and Fryhle

This is a good reference book for organic chemistry. It has good explanations. Some topics are missing, like Reimer Tiemann. Also, some topics are extra, so stick to the syllabus.

MS Chouhan

This is probably the only problem-solving book you’ll need for organic chemistry. It’s a bit difficult but covers everything in the JEE syllabus. Its video solution series is available on YouTube.

PMS Sir Digital Book

This book is available for free on his channel, with solutions. It’s the only problem-solving book you’ll need for inorganic chemistry. An alternative is “Problems and Solutions in Inorganic Chemistry” by VJ Sir, which has a similar difficulty level, but not all questions have solutions.

Narendra Awasthi / RC Mukherjee

These books are of the same difficulty level, pick any one. They cover everything till the advanced syllabus.

Peter Atkins

This is a good reference book for physical chemistry but only if you have time. It’s recommended to read equilibrium and thermo from it.

NL Glinka

This is the only chemistry theory book that is interesting to read. It’s not designed for JEE, so read it along with the syllabus.