JEEcompass
23 October 2026 · All posts

Best Physical Chemistry Book for JEE: What to Use After NCERT

By JEEcompass (IIT Bombay, JEE Advanced AIR 764)

Part of Best JEE Books by Subject: Maths, Physics and Chemistry for a Top 1000 Advanced Rank.

Physical chemistry is the most scoring part of the chemistry paper, but only if you pick one good book and finish it. Most students collect three books and finish none.

This post gives the order I would follow and the trade-offs between the usual options. It sits inside our complete JEE books guide, which covers every subject.

Short answer

  • Start with NCERT. I treat NCERT as the best theory source for physical chemistry. Read it and finish it fast.
  • Then pick one reference book: N Awasthi or Neeraj Kumar. I was told by IITians around me that Neeraj Kumar is the better one.
  • Cengage Physical Chemistry is usable if you already have it, since the content is at a decent level. There are more efficient books, though.
  • Make a formula sheet instead of long notes, and practise progressively harder questions.

Layer 1: NCERT as the base

In the NCERT video I called NCERT physical chemistry “a very lovely book”. My method is simple. Read the theory, understand the derivations, finish quickly, and do not spend weeks here. It is the base layer of the pyramid I describe in my chemistry books overview.

NCERT plays a different role in each branch of chemistry. In physical chemistry it is the theory. In inorganic it is only a syllabus map (see NCERT for inorganic). In organic it is a list of reactions and mechanisms to memorise (see organic practice sources).

Layer 2: One reference book

After NCERT, you need a book with enough problems to take you to Advanced level. The options I have a view on:

Book What I can say Watch out for
Neeraj Kumar Judged better than Awasthi by IITians I knew Check chapter list against your coaching order
N Awasthi Widely used I heard it was weaker on question-solving
Cengage Physical Chemistry Most content at a decent level Better, more efficient books exist

I did not personally work through both Awasthi and Neeraj Kumar, so treat this as a recommendation passed on from people I trusted, not a controlled comparison. Before you buy, open the same chapter in both books and see which one you can actually follow. Pick one and stay with it.

How to study the order of chapters

My suggested order, from my chemistry roadmap:

  1. Do the easy physical chapters first. Atomic structure and the periodic table are good starting points.
  2. Attempt previous-year questions on those chapters straight away. See how to use JEE PYQs.
  3. Move to harder chapters only after the easy ones feel stable.
  4. Keep one formula sheet that you add to as you go.

A formula sheet works better than short notes in physical chemistry, because the subject is mostly equations and their conditions.

Where Cengage fits

I recommend Cengage strongly for Physics and Maths, and the same method I describe in how to use Cengage works here too: theory from anywhere, read the solved examples, then pick a selected question set. For chemistry my verdict is different. Physical is fine. Inorganic and organic are a database of mostly out-of-syllabus material, so avoid them. The full chapter-wise view is in the Cengage review.

One useful point from that review: a chapter-end section may have 50 questions but only 20 to 25 distinct concepts. Pick the distinct ones and skip repeats.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Buying two physical chemistry books and half-finishing both.
  • Skipping NCERT because it looks basic.
  • Doing hard problems before the easy chapters are stable.
  • Copying a friend’s book choice without checking the chapter on your own.
  • Treating popularity as quality. Some well-known books are overrated, which I cover in overrated JEE books.

For organic, the plan is separate. See the organic chemistry strategy.

FAQ

Is NCERT enough for physical chemistry? It is enough for theory. For Advanced you still need a reference book with harder problems.

Neeraj Kumar or N Awasthi? IITians I knew preferred Neeraj Kumar. Compare one chapter of each before buying.

Can I use Cengage for physical chemistry? Yes, if you already own it. The content is decent, but more efficient books exist.

Do I need notes for physical chemistry? Keep a formula sheet rather than long notes.

When should I start physical chemistry? Start with the easier chapters early in class 11 and add harder ones as they stabilise.

Need help with your own plan?

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