The ACET December 2026 syllabus is set by the Institute of Actuaries of India and has five sections: Mathematics and Statistics (30 marks each), Data Interpretation and English (15 each) and Logical Reasoning (10). The 3-hour online exam on 5 December 2026 has 70 questions for 100 marks and no negative marking.
ACET Syllabus December 2026
This page lists the official ACET topics section by section, the marks and pattern, the IAI reference books and how to prepare.
What is in the ACET Mathematics syllabus?
Mathematics carries 30 marks and covers Class 11 and 12 level topics.
- Notation and standard functions
- Numerical methods
- Algebra
- Differentiation
- Integration
- Vectors
- Matrices
What is in the ACET Statistics syllabus?
Statistics also carries 30 marks and goes from data handling to probability distributions and regression.
- Permutations and combinations
- Types of data and statistical diagrams: bar chart, histogram, dot plot, stem-and-leaf, boxplot
- Measures of location: mean, median, mode
- Measures of spread: range, interquartile range, standard deviation, variance, skewness
- Probability: basic rules, tree diagrams, conditional probability
- Discrete and continuous random variables: probabilities, mean, mode, median, variance, coefficient of skewness
- Discrete distributions: discrete uniform, Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson
- Continuous distributions: continuous uniform, exponential, normal
- Correlation (scatter plots, covariance, correlation coefficient) and regression
What is in the ACET English, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning syllabus?
These three sections carry 40 marks together: English 15, Data Interpretation 15 and Logical Reasoning 10.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| English (15) | Synonyms and antonyms, grammar and usage, sentence correction, fill in the blanks, cloze passage, analogies, jumbled paragraphs, meaning-usage match, summary questions, verbal reasoning (facts, inferences, judgements), reading comprehension |
| Data Interpretation (15) | Tables, column and bar graphs, line charts, pie charts, Venn diagrams, caselets, and sets that combine two or more types |
| Logical Reasoning (10) | Number and letter series, calendars, clocks, cubes, Venn diagrams, binary logic, seating arrangement, logical sequence, logical matching, logical connectives, syllogism, blood relations |
What is the ACET exam pattern and marking?
ACET has 70 multiple-choice questions for 100 marks in 3 hours, in one slot on one day. There are 45 one-mark, 20 two-mark and 5 three-mark questions.
| Section | Marks |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 30 |
| Statistics | 30 |
| Data Interpretation | 15 |
| English | 15 |
| Logical Reasoning | 10 |
| Total (70 questions) | 100 |
There is no negative marking and no sectional cut-off. You pass with 50% overall, and an approved scientific calculator is allowed.
Where can I download the official ACET syllabus?
IAI publishes the syllabus on its ACET Syllabus page at actuariesindia.org/syllabus, along with the reference book list.
- PDFACET December 2026 Registration Announcement (23 July 2026)Official site · actuariesindia.orgOpen
- LINKACET December 2026 important dates (IAI)Official site · actuariesindia.orgOpen
- PDFStudent Guide for ACET Home-Based Online Examinations (20 November 2025)Official site · actuariesindia.orgOpen
- LINKACET official page (Institute of Actuaries of India)Official site · actuariesindia.orgOpen
Which books does IAI suggest for ACET?
IAI lists these reference books, and notes that they may not cover the whole syllabus.
- TOMATO (Test of Mathematics at 10+2 Level), ISI
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT, Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations, Abhijit Guha
- Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations, R.S. Aggarwal
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT, Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
- The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for the CAT, Nishit K. Sinha
- High School English Grammar and Composition, Wren and Martin; Word Power Made Easy, Norman Lewis
- Trishna’s Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for the CAT
- Challenging Mathematical Problems with Elementary Solutions, A.M. and I.M. Yaglom; Problem Solving Strategies, Arthur Engel
- ACTED study material: FAC and Stats Pack
How should you prepare for ACET December 2026?
- Start with Mathematics and Statistics, which carry 60 of the 100 marks.
- Revise Class 11 and 12 calculus, matrices, probability and distributions before moving to harder problem books.
- Practise data interpretation sets and reasoning puzzles daily for speed.
- Read one comprehension passage a day and learn new words for the English section.
- Solve past papers in 3 hours with a calculator, as in the real exam.
Free past papers with IAI’s indicative solutions are on the ACET question papers page.