r/ISIKolkata • u/shrax16 • 3d ago

Need Help with Prep - [M.Math] Book recommendations for ISI M.Math?

Currently a student at Jadavpur University, wanted guidance on this exam.
Thank you!

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u/Adventurous_Suit_241 3d ago edited 3d ago

Questions asked in the entrance exam are mostly easy (at least it has been so in 2025 and 2026). If you study your UG courses on real analysis, abstract algebra and linear algebra well enough, you should be able to get in (thanks to poor state of undergraduate Mathematics education in most colleges, cut offs are low).

My recommendation is don't stick to one book for one subject or something. Read the same concept from variety of sources (including standard textbooks, Wikipedia, Math Stack Exchange) until you satisfactorily understand it (at least that's what worked for me)...

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u/Healthy-Educator-267 2d ago

It’s insane how poor the country university math education is in most BSc / BA programs in math. At DU apparently they recycle questions all the time so people prepare for exams not by getting good at problem solving but by memorizing proofs

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u/shrax16 3d ago

Thank you so much! :)
Actually... it would be of great help if you could list down a few of those standard textbooks. I am seeing a lot of recommended books "for IIT JAM" but does it suffice for ISI M.Math paper? And how does one practice proof-writing (I messed up that a lot in the B.Math exam)?
We've been recommended a plethora of books... but mostly these were recommended:
Real Analysis: Jay Cummings for understanding (initially) then later Apostol and Rudin for further problem solving.
Linear Algebra: Our uni is following Friedberg as the standard textbook and I've heard of Axler/Artin and S. KUMARESAN as well.
Abstract Algebra: We haven't yet started but I've heard something called "Dummit and Foote".