SMEAT 2026 Books for SMEAT Exam Preparation

SMEAT 2026 Books for SMEAT Exam Preparation

Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 13 Nov 2025, 04:29 PM IST

Hello aspiring students! The Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, & Technology in Bengaluru administers the Srishti Manipal Entrance & Aptitude Test (SMEAT), a famous national entrance exam, for admission to its undergraduate and graduate programs. The SMEAT 2026 study guide can help candidates get ready for the test. Students can apply for admission during any of the three rounds of the SMEAT exam. Given how challenging the SMEAT exam is, it is crucial for prospective students to develop and follow a study plan.

SMEAT 2026 Books for SMEAT Exam Preparation
SMEAT Books for SMEAT Exam Preparation

SMEAT follows a similar pattern for its examination so it is advisable to aspiring students to go through the previous year question papers to get an idea for the type of questions asked and to understand the exam pattern better. The candidates can now prepare for the SMEAT entrance examination as the books are designed based on core concepts from the syllabus. The candidates can read the article for the SMEAT books which are designed based on core concepts from the syllabus.

SMEAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The SMEAT 2026 exam pattern consists of test 1 and test 2 which are described below.

Test

Description

Test 1

This is a general test to check the candidate’s ability.

The candidates who appeared for the UCEED exam are exempted from test 1 if their All-India Rank (AIR) is 600 or below.

The candidates appeared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) between March and June (the year will be specified as per the official brochure) and if the composite score is 1100 or above, then they are exempted from taking test

NOTE: To be exempted from test 1, the candidates have to submit the results of UCEED/SAT at the time of application if they have appeared for UCEED or SAT exams.

Test 2

This is a creative competition test.

Test 2 is mandatory for all applicants.

Test 2 is based on the concept or theme which will be sent to the candidates before the test dates.

Candidates to showcase their creativity skills, knowledge, and capabilities to complete the test.

NOTE: The applicants will be exempted from test 2 in case they have appeared for the CEED exam and scored an all-India rank (AIR) of 500 or below. The applicants have to submit the CEED results at the time of application.

Students are also advised to download free pdf curated to help in all aspects of SMEAT preparation:

SMEAT Preparation Guide
Download Here
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Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026

Last Date to Apply: 13th Jan | No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings

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SMEAT Topic Wise Resources 2026

For effective SMEAT Preparation 2026, Careers360 has compiled an extensive collection of resources and books organized by topics. These materials are aimed at reinforcing every candidate's grasp of the concepts, hence making them ready for the examination.

Topic

Books

Critical thinking

  • Universal Principles of Design By William Lidwell

Universal Principles of Design is a multi-disciplinary design book which deals with the different rules and approaches in the field of design.

  • The Design of Everyday Things By Donald A. Norman

The Design of Everyday Things deals with human-centered design and human psychology to create user friendly products.

  • Cracking the Creativity Code: Zoom in/Zoom out/Zoom in Framework for Creativity, Fun, and Success By Arie Ruttenberg

This book offers a framework-based approach to developing and unlocking creativity.

  • Creative Thinking: Finding Solutions Out of the Box by Paul Bailey

This book is a great resource for students to sharpen their creative thinking skills and problem solving ability.

Analytical and practical Reasoning

  • A Modern Approach to Verbal & non-verbal Reasoning By R.S. Aggarwal

This book is helpful for the preparation of verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections when preparing for any competitive examination.

  • Shortcuts in Reasoning By Disha Experts

Shortcuts in Reasoning is a book that deals with reasoning questions effectively and quickly and is a great resource for students preparing for competitive exams.

  • Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People by Ken Watanabe

This book is a great resource for aspiring students to strengthen their creative abilities.

Imagination, observation & visualization

  • Analytical Geometry 2D and 3D By P. R. VITTAL

The book is primarily designed for undergraduate students to help them understand the principles of 2D and 3D geometry.

  • The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday By Rob walker

This book comprises 131 different activities to provide practical exercises and techniques to help individuals sharpen their observation skills, enhance creativity and have a deeper understanding of our everyday world.

Communication skills,

Clarification abilities,

Professional attitude, interaction and explanation skills

  • Objective General English by Arihant publications

This book is a comprehensive resource designed to help students prepare for design competitive exams that include an English language section. This book provides structured content, ample practice, and strategies to enhance performance in competitive exams.

  • NCERT English Comprehensive

Students can also brush up their concepts on basics on grammar and English comprehensive reading and writing syllabus covered in NCERT course structures for better preparation for the entrance exams.

Curiosity and expression

  • Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People by Ken Watanabe

This book is a great resource for aspiring students to strengthen their creative abilities.

  • Creative Thinking: Finding Solutions Out of the Box by Paul Bailey

This book is a great resource for students to sharpen their creative thinking skills and problem solving ability.

  • Indian Art And Culture by Arihant

This book comprises clear presentation, visual aids, and practice questions for aspiring students to prepare.

  • Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal

The book encompasses a wide range of quantitative problem and solution examples.

Students are also advised to go through these important articles for preparation

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Courses offered in- Fashion Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Interior & Spatial Design & Animation & VFX Design

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is SMEAT?
A:

The Srishti Manipal Entrance & Aptitude Test (SMEAT) is the entrance exam conducted by Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, & Technology for admission to its Undergrad and Postgrad courses.

Q: How can I prepare for SMEAT exam 2026?
A:

Before applying for the SMEAT exam, it is important to understand the exam pattern of the examination. This can be effectively accomplished by reading the related topics for both test-1 and test-2.

Q: How to create preparation strategy for SMEAT exam 2026?
A:

Students can create their own timetable according to their weaknesses and strengths by assigning more time to the weak topics and daily practice topics. Students can also solve previous years question papers for better preparation.

Q: Is SMEAT exam hard?
A:

SMEAT is a national-level prestigious entrance exam for design courses. Therefore, SMEAT exam is moderately hard to crack.

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Questions related to SMEAT

On Question asked by student community

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If you surrendered a seat allotted to you in CSAB Round 1 without uploading any documents, you are generally eligible for a refund.

Here's a breakdown:

  • No Document Upload: Since you haven't initiated the admission process by uploading documents, there's no financial transaction involved beyond the initial registration fee.
  • Refund

Unfortunately, you cannot download the seat acceptance cum document verification letter after the completion of a JOSAA round. This document is typically generated after the seat acceptance process and is often used for further verification procedures at the allotted institute.

If you need this document for any specific purpose, you

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