How to Choose Budget-Friendly Books for Competitive Exams

When preparing for a competitive exam, while it can be mentally exhausting, it is also financially challenging. Now the coaching classes and online classes for these competitive exams take up a good amount, along with the cost of study material also piles up.

But here is the good news: you don’t have to buy expensive books to prepare for the exam. But if you research properly, you can find affordable books, helping you continue your preparation more smartly.

In this blog, we will be covering some tips to help you choose budget-friendly books for competitive exams, that could be UPSC or any other entrance.

Consider the Exam Pattern

The first and foremost thing is taking good time to understand the exam pattern and syllabus. Most students make one mistake, they immediately run to buy books, only to realise the content from these books is not relevant in the exam. Here are some tips that ensure you purchase what is necessary and also cut down on extra costs.

Thoroughly go through the official syllabus.
Get a proper structure and weightage of chapters and topics.
List down all the subjects for which you need books.

Opt for Trusted Authors and Publishers

The one common mistake students usually make during competitive exams is buying any random copy. But especially during competitive exams, it is important to get the books of trusted authors and publishers. Now these books are available in both affordable packages as well as expensive. Collecting as many books as possible if going to overwhelm you, so instead of buying multiple books from different sites, opt for standard publishers, whose books and study material are followed and have content that will help you in your exam.

For instance, R.S Aggarwal has good books for Quantitative Aptitude, Wren and Martin is popular for English Grammar and many such.
Some publishers like MTG are also one of the best options in case you are appearing for a competitive exam for NEET, or any other, the platform ensures valuable and important content that is useful. The best part is that they also come with discount offers, on websites like CouponzGuru, a coupons and deals websites, making them a budget-friendly option.

Combo Packs or Guides

Most publishers also offer some combo of books, and some come up with all-in-one guides, which is more convenient and a good option instead of juggling between different platforms, sites, and publishers. It may seem heavy, but it is a very cost-saving option as compared to buying books separately for every subject. Now, let us consider, for instance, you are prepping for the Quantitative section, you can explore tools like Mathcracker to learn and practice problems and master the concepts alongside your books.

A good option for beginners who are looking for a properly consolidated resource.
Helps in saving money as well as space on the shelf.

Second Handbooks

Nowadays, many local bookstores, online platforms, as well as some groups on social media sell second-hand books at a very affordable price. The best thing about this is that there is a book that has been passed, without being wasted. Below are two tips that are also a smart way to save money, mostly because the exam pattern doesn’t change every year.

Always make sure to check platforms like OLX, Amazon book section, where you have a section for used books, and you can also check second-hand book markets.
Before purchasing, verify the edition of the syllabus and the condition of the copy.

Comparing Online and Offline Prices

One common mistake student make while preparing for the competitive exams is that they end up buying the first copy they see. Now, the same book, meaning the same content, can be in some other book, which is also affordable, so it heavily depends on where you buy it from.

Research about price and compare it from different websites and also have a look at various ecommerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart and local bookstores.
Most times, the offline shops, mainly in the wholesale section, offer great discounts for students.

Free Resources

Yes, books are absolutely important. But never underestimate the PDFs and other study material offered by some educational websites, government sites and even some YouTube educational creators. Most of them are really useful and also relevant at the current time. Just one good book and a few reliable PDFs is a good way to cut down cost and avoid hoarding books drastically.

Don’t Buy Many Books

Instead of focusing on what is important, some students end up hoarding a lot of books, which is, yes, money wastage and also more books on your shelf, which you probably don’t even need. This move also creates a lot of tension and confusion, to figure out which book or what content to use while studying, so here’s what you can do-

Stick to one book per subject.
Revise and practice from the same book as many times.
Always use free mock tests and practice papers as a part of your preparation.

Closing Line

When it comes to choosing a budget-friendly book for competitive exams, it has more to do with the syllabus, pattern of the subject, pricing, publishers, opting for second-hand books, comparing prices and more. With all the tips we listed above, you can make the right choice and also be more focused on your exam and studying, instead of collecting resources and getting overwhelmed. At the end of the day, it is not about how many books you own, but how you prepare and revise the subject, so you focus on cracking the exam.