Updated By Ritoprasad Kundu on 20 Nov, 2025 09:23
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Students who want to enroll in Symbiosis International University's (SIU) esteemed undergraduate programs must prepare for the SET. SET 2026 exam requires a methodical and well-thought-out strategy because it is one of the most competitive entrance exams for courses in management, law, humanities, economics, computer studies, and liberal arts. The test assesses your analytical aptitude, accuracy, speed, and decision-making abilities in addition to your conceptual understanding. Therefore, in order to perform well in the SET 2026 exam and gain admission to the Symbiosis institute of your choice, a targeted preparation strategy becomes crucial.
It takes more than just reading textbooks and answering unrelated questions to prepare for the SET. It entails comprehending the format and syllabus of the test, determining your areas of strength and weakness, selecting the appropriate study materials, and creating a time-bound study schedule. Preparation needs to be thorough, balanced, and consistent because SET consists of several components, including General English, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and General Awareness. Successful applicants frequently choose a long-term study strategy rather than last-minute cramming, and each area calls for a distinct technique to practice.
Additionally, sensible methods like routinely taking practice exams, evaluating performance, increasing accuracy, and developing time management abilities are necessary for SET preparation strategy. You can better grasp question trends, lessen exam anxiety, and increase confidence by practicing past years' papers and mock exams. Cracking SET is possible with the correct approach, dedicated study practices, and an optimistic outlook. With the help of this introduction, candidates can better match their study efforts with the exam's requirements and improve their chances of achieving high grades.
Preparing for SET in 6 months is ideal—you get enough time to build concepts, practice regularly, and complete multiple revisions. SET primarily tests your speed, accuracy, and logical thinking, so your preparation must combine concept-building with timed practice.
Focus on four key sections:
General English
Quantitative Ability (QA)
Analytical & Logical Reasoning (LR)
General Knowledge (GK—current + static)
Before starting, analyze:
Which sections are your strengths?
Which sections need improvement?
Follow a systematic approach:
Grammar rules (tenses, articles, prepositions, modifiers, subject–verb agreement)
Vocabulary (roots, synonyms, antonyms)
Reading Comprehension techniques
Number system, percentages, profit & loss
Ratio–proportion, averages, mixtures
Simple & compound interest
Time–speed–distance, time & work
Mensuration and basic geometry
Series, analogies, coding-decoding
Blood relations, directions
Syllogisms, puzzles, seating arrangements
Odd one out, visual reasoning
Start reading: newspapers + monthly current affairs
Cover: history, geography, polity, awards, sports, business news
Do 30–40 questions per day:
10 QA
10 LR
10 English
10 GK
Start solving:
Chapter-wise quizzes
Mixed question sets
Sectional tests
SET is a speed-based exam, so practice timed quizzes.
20-minute English quiz
20-minute Quant quiz
20-minute LR quiz
15-minute GK revision
If RC is weak → read 30 minutes daily
If Quant is weak → solve basic arithmetic daily
If LR is weak → solve puzzles regularly
This is the most important stage.
Take 1 full mock test every 3 days.
Analyze:
Which section took maximum time?
Which questions you got wrong?
Which areas need practice?
Prepare quick notes containing:
English grammar rules
Formula sheets for quant
Logical reasoning shortcuts
GK facts & monthly events
Identify which section to attempt first
Develop a 60-minute paper approach
Learn skipping strategy (don’t waste time)
Give 2–3 mocks per week, fully analyze each.
Revise formula sheets
Revise grammar & vocabulary lists
Revise GK for last 9–12 months
Daily:
25 English questions
25 Quant questions
25 LR questions
Read 15 minutes of current affairs
Take mocks at the same time as the actual exam.
Preparing an exam by dividing it into phases or parts is the best way of preparation. If you want to get a good score in the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) it is very important to start your preparations at least three months before the SET exam. Making an effective preparation schedule is important. With three months in hand for SET preparation, candidates must start working on their preparations. Below are a few tips and tricks to make a phase-wise preparation strategy for the SET exam.
All study material must begin with an understanding of the entire syllabus and entrance test pattern. As previously stated, the SET is a time-based entrance test; thus, it is critical to separate your preparation strategy so that the applicant is able to cover the full syllabus while also having sufficient time at the end of the preparatory phase for revision and practice. Applicants taking the SET exam must devise a strategy that allows them to devote sufficient time to each category. While studying for the SET exam, take brief notes.
The next stage of your SET preparation you should start familiarizing yourself with the curriculum and numerous significant topics. Select the best study materials for your preparations. It is pointless to amass a large amount of learning resources. Choose the one that encompasses the entire curriculum. Begin with the most difficult topics and work your way up to the easier ones. While studying for your admissions test, you will come across many tips and tricks for answering difficult questions. Find more than one way to answer a question and hence, prevent errors. Polish up on your fundamentals and calculations, and write down formulas and equations to help you remember them. Read the newspaper daily and make it your best friend if you want to ace the Current Affairs category and improve your vocabulary. Try to read the newspaper every day for at least an hour as it will keep you up to date on the current developments, news affairs, and so on, while also expanding your vocabulary.
The final and most important stage of SET preparation is revision. Without adequate practise and revision, no preparation is perfect. Allow at least 15 days for revision. Practice tests and past year's test papers will help candidates become acquainted with the exam pattern, strengthen their time management skills, and recognise their strong points and shortcomings. Applicants will also encounter a variety of relevant questions and new strategies for answering lengthy, brief, complicated, and straightforward questions.
Check the tips below
When you sit down to study, you should know exactly what you have to study. Without knowing your SET 2026 syllabus thoroughly, you will not be able to make a timetable or plan your preparation.
While preparing for the exam, you must also become familiar with the exam pattern of SET 2026 by solving sample papers and taking mock tests. Doing so will improve your chances of performing well in the examination.
One of the most important lessons you learn while preparing for competitive exams is how to manage your time. Students often waste a lot of time thinking about questions in the paper instead of actually solving them.
Instead of going through all the topics in detail at the time of the revision, the smart thing to do is to make short notes during your preparation and ensure that you use them for revision.
Another important part of your SET preparation is to identify your strong and weak areas. This way, you will be able to build on your strengths and work harder on improving your weak points.
When it comes to examinations, practice is all that you need to brighten your chances of scoring well in the exam. If you practice well for the exam, your speed will improve and you will be more confident on the day of the examination.
If you are planning to take SET this year, then you should practice mock tests on a regular basis. For practice, there are various sources online that offer free mock tests for SET. By practising mock test of SET 2026, you will be able to polish your problem solving and time management skills. Additionally, with more and more practice, you will be able to improve your speed of solving the questions, which will help you on the day of the actual entrance exam.
Given below are some of the best books candidates can refer to for acquiring best study material for SET exam 2026:
Want to know more about SET
Yes, some popular coaching institutes offer crash courses to help students with last minute SET preparation.
It is advised that you cover the whole syllabus of SET and not leave out any topic while preparing for the exam.
It is not mandatory to join a coaching institute to prepare for SET and you can crack the exam by self studies. However, if your basics are weak and you think you can benefit from outside assistance, there is no harm in joining a good coaching class.
The difficulty level of SET is not that high that you have to take a drop year for the preparation. Make a study plan and stick to it rigidly. With the right approach, you can easily crack SET without having to take a drop.
With the correct preparation strategy and a disciplined approach, no exam is too difficult to be cracked.
The most ideal and effective way to enhance your SET preparation is by solving mock tests. This will make you comfortable with the exam pattern and will also help you with time management.
It is good to consult a few well-known books for the preparation of SET. However, do not delve into several books as that will confuse you and hinder your preparation.
Preparing for SNAP in 2 months is not impossible but it does pose some challenges. If you are well-versed with the basics of maths and verbal, you can easily complete your preparation with a strict schedule.
The time required for SET preparation depends upon many factors. A few of them are the candidate's aptitude and the exam he/ she is applying for. Usually, a period of 6 months to 1 year is enough for SET preparation.
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