Exams like CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM, and M.Sc entrances create huge pressure. Time feels short, the syllabus looks endless, and inorganic chemistry often feels like a wall of theory.
In that pressure, coordination chemistry becomes a double-edged part of the syllabus. It has high weightage and great scoring power, yet many students fear it because of long theory, confusing terms, and tricky questions.
This is where Coordination Chemistry on Fingertips by Sudhir Nama comes in as a focused, exam-ready support. The book packs clear theory, exam tips, short tricks, key points, solved examples, exam-oriented shortcuts, practice questions, a quick memory guide, and more than 700 previous year questions in one compact resource.
If you want one strong book that covers coordination chemistry for multiple exams, this guide is built for you.
Why Coordination Chemistry on Fingertips by Sudhir Nama Stands Out for CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM and M.Sc
This book is not a random textbook. It is written as a direct tool for exam success.
Focused on Exams that Matter: CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM and M.Sc
The content matches the way real exams ask questions. The author keeps the focus on:
- CSIR NET: Strong concepts, multiple choice questions, conceptual traps, and mixed topics in a single problem.
- GATE: Problem solving, numerical questions, and application of ideas like CFSE, magnetism, and stability.
- IIT JAM: Clear basic theory plus short tricks for quick answers.
- M.Sc entrance exams: Direct theory, short questions, and fact-based checks.
Topic selection and depth are tuned to these patterns. You do not waste time on topics that never appear. At the same time, you do not miss concepts that exams love to repeat.
Students who prepare during B.Sc or M.Sc often get confused by using many reference books. Coordination Chemistry on Fingertips acts like a one-stop source for this section, so you can focus on depth and revision instead of hunting for material.
Complete Yet Compact: Theory, Key Points and Quick Memory Guide
The theory in this book is short, clear, and exam driven. It covers all major areas like:
- Nomenclature of coordination compounds
- Types of isomerism
- Bonding theories (VBT, CFT, basic MOT)
- Stability of complexes
- Electronic spectra and magnetism
Each topic is explained in simple words, with direct examples. The language feels like a classroom explanation, not a dry research text.
Important ideas are given as key points, often in highlighted format, so your eyes catch them during revision. The quick memory guide uses:
- Tables
- Charts
- Summary boxes
- Short notes
With these tools, you can revise a full chapter in a few minutes. This compact style is a big help during the last week or last month before the exam, when you need fast revision, not fresh theory.
Exam Tips, Short Tricks and Exam-Oriented Shortcuts
Coordination chemistry has many repetitive patterns. The book turns these into usable tricks, such as:
- Quick methods to find oxidation state and coordination number
- Short steps to calculate CFSE
- Trend-based rules for magnetic moment and spin states
- Simple logic for color prediction and stability order
Next to many concepts or questions, you will see exam tips like “most asked pattern,” “trap point,” or “common mistake.” These notes feel like a teacher warning you before you step into the exam hall.
These shortcuts come from study of years of CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM, and other papers. That gives students trust, since they know the advice is based on real data, not guesswork.
700+ PYQs and Practice Questions from Real Exams
The book includes more than 700 previous year questions from:
- CSIR NET
- GATE
- IIT JAM
- Various M.Sc entrance exams
Questions are placed topic wise. This lets you practice, for example, only “isomerism” or only “CFT and CFSE” in one go.
Solving PYQs helps you:
- Catch patterns and common formats
- Understand weightage of subtopics
- Check your level after each chapter
On top of that, there are extra practice questions after theory sections. These work as self-tests. You read the chapter, solve the practice set, then move to PYQs. In this way, the book works like a mini question bank for coordination chemistry.
Inside the Book: How the Coordination Chemistry Syllabus is Broken Down for Fast Learning
The strength of this book is not only the content but also the way it is arranged. The flow of theory, examples, practice, and PYQs is designed for step by step study.
Clear Theory Coverage of Core Coordination Chemistry Topics
The theory starts from basics and climbs up smoothly. Main blocks include:
- Basic terms and definitions
Ligand, coordination number, central metal, coordination sphere, chelate, and related terms. - Nomenclature of coordination compounds
IUPAC rules, naming ligands, oxidation states, and order of writing. - Types of ligands and denticity
Monodentate, bidentate, polydentate, ambidentate ligands, and chelating agents. - Isomerism in coordination compounds
Structural isomerism and stereoisomerism, with clear diagrams. - Bonding models
Valence Bond Theory, Crystal Field Theory, and basic Molecular Orbital ideas. - Crystal field splitting
Splitting in octahedral, tetrahedral, and square planar complexes, along with diagrams and examples. - Magnetic properties and colors
High spin, low spin, paramagnetism, diamagnetism, and reasons for color in complexes. - Stability and factors affecting stability
Chelate effect, nature of ligand and metal, and thermodynamic ideas in simple terms. - Electronic spectra basics
Simple treatment of d-d transitions and selection rules at exam level.
This clean order makes it easy to move from “I know nothing” to “I can solve advanced problems” in a steady way.
Solved Examples that Show Every Step, Not Just the Final Answer
After each concept or subtopic, you get solved examples. These are not just final answers. They show each step:
- Naming a complex, with thought process
- Deciding type of isomerism, with clear logic
- Calculating CFSE values and spin states
- Finding magnetic moments using formulas and reasoning
- Predicting geometry based on ligand strength and metal ion
The style teaches you how to think under exam conditions. You learn how to approach a question, what to write first, and how to avoid silly mistakes.
Questions move from simple B.Sc level to advanced CSIR NET level. This mix builds confidence. You feel the progress as you solve harder questions with the same basic tools.
Chapter-Wise Practice Sets with Mix of Concept and Numerical Problems
At the end of each chapter or cluster of topics, practice sets appear. These often include:
- Direct theory questions
- Multiple choice questions
- Matching type
- Numerical problems
- Assertion reason type where suitable
The variety matches real exam patterns. You are not stuck solving only one style. If you solve these under time pressure, they start to feel like mini mock tests.
This habit improves both speed and accuracy, two key factors for rank improvement.
700+ Topic-Wise Previous Year Questions for Pattern Mastery
The previous year questions are not thrown at you in random order. They are grouped by topic, for example:
- Nomenclature PYQs
- Isomerism PYQs
- CFT and CFSE PYQs
- Magnetic property PYQs
- Stability and spectra PYQs
Hints or solutions guide you through typical traps. Many repeated frames or similar patterns are easy to spot. Once you see that a style of question came across several years, you know that topic deserves more focus in your final revision.
Quick Memory Aids: Tables, Charts and Last Minute Revisions
The book includes handy tools that save revision time, such as:
- Tables of common complexes with names and formulas
- Lists of colors of important complexes
- Tables of oxidation states of key metals
- Magnetic moment values and spin states
- Ligand strength order and spectrochemical series
- Charts for crystal field splitting patterns
You can revise these in 15 to 20 minutes before a test or on the exam day morning. For many students, these memory aids help keep facts fresh even under stress.
How to Use Sudhir Nama’s Coordination Chemistry on Fingertips for Maximum Exam Score
A strong book helps only when used with a smart plan. Here is how to use this one well.
A Simple Study Plan for CSIR NET, GATE and IIT JAM Using This Book
You can follow a simple cycle:
- Read the theory topic by topic, with a pencil in hand. Mark key points and tricky areas.
- Solve the in-text solved examples and check the logic, not just the answer.
- Attempt the end-of-chapter practice questions without seeing the solutions.
- After that, move to topic-wise PYQs from the same area and note any new ideas.
- In later rounds, skip full theory. Revise only marked points, tricks, and PYQs.
For CSIR NET, spend extra time on conceptual and mixed numerical problems.
For GATE, give more focus to calculation-based questions and CFSE, magnetism, and equilibrium in complexes.
For IIT JAM, keep a balance between clear concepts and quick tricks for MCQs and MSQs.
If you have 6 months, run two or three full cycles of this plan. If you have 3 months, do one full cycle and one fast revision cycle with focus on PYQs.
Using Short Tricks, Exam Tips and Quick Memory Guide Before the Exam
In the last 15 to 20 days before the exam, shift to sharp revision:
- Read only highlighted key points, boxed tips, and summary notes.
- Revise tables, charts, and quick memory guides for colors, oxidation states, and magnetic data.
- Re-solve PYQs you marked earlier as difficult or tricky.
- Revisit solved examples that taught you new methods or shortcuts.
This type of focused revision builds speed and reduces panic. On the exam day, your mind recalls patterns and rules much faster.
Who Will Benefit Most from This Coordination Chemistry Book
This book is a strong fit for:
- B.Sc and M.Sc chemistry students
- CSIR NET Chemical Science aspirants
- GATE Chemistry and related streams
- IIT JAM candidates
- Students preparing for central or state M.Sc entrance exams
Weak or average students get clear basics and a fixed path to follow. Strong students get refined shortcuts, packed PYQ coverage, and a reliable revision tool.
A simple test is to pick one chapter, study it using this book, then solve PYQs from that topic. You will quickly see how much your score and confidence rise.
Conclusion
Coordination Chemistry on Fingertips by Sudhir Nama brings together theory, solved examples, exam tips, short tricks, practice sets, a quick memory guide, and 700+ PYQs in one compact volume. It turns a feared part of inorganic chemistry into a planned, scoring section for CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM, and M.Sc entrance exams.
With a clear study plan, this book helps you cut confusion, save time, and focus on what exams actually ask. The right resource, used with steady practice, can shift your rank by a huge margin.
If coordination chemistry feels like a hurdle today, this book can help turn it into one of your strongest areas.
FAQ's
Here are 15 concise FAQs for the Coordination Chemistry book "Fingertips" by Sudhir Nama, tailored for CSIR-NET, GATE, IIT-JAM, and MSc exams.
1) Q: Who is the target audience for this book?
A: Students preparing for CSIR-NET, GATE, IIT-JAM, and MSc exams who want a focused, exam-ready treatment of coordination chemistry.
2) Q: What makes this book different from standard textbooks?
A: It combines theory with exam-oriented shortcuts, quick memory mnemonics, key points, solved examples, practice questions, and 700+ PYQs to reinforce concepts efficiently.
3) Q: Does it cover both fundamental and advanced topics in coordination chemistry?
A: Yes. It includes fundamentals, complex formation, stereochemistry, ligand field theory, bioinorganic aspects, and practical applications.
4) Q: How are the topics organized?
A: The book is organized into theory, key points, short tricks, exam tips, solved examples, shortcuts, practice questions, and a quick memory guide.
5) Q: What exam formats are explicitly addressed?
A: CSIR-NET, GATE, IIT-JAM, and MSc-style questions, with strategies for multiple-choice, numerical, and short-answer formats.
6) Q: How are the “Exam-Oriented Shortcuts” presented?
A: Shortcuts are embedded within chapters as box inserts and quick steps to solve typical problem types faster during exams.
7) Q: Are PYQ (previous year questions) included?
A: Yes, the book features 700+ PYQs with solutions and annotated patterns to help identify common question trends.
8) Q: Does the book provide solved examples with step-by-step solutions?
A: Yes. Each key topic includes worked examples with detailed, exam-friendly steps and reasoning.
9) Q: Is there a review or memory aid to help with rapid recall?
A: Yes. The quick memory guide summarizes essential concepts, constants, and relationships for rapid recall during exams.
10) Q: How should I pace my preparation using this book?
A: Start with theory and key points, then practice solved examples, use shortcuts while solving, and finish with PYQ practice and the memory guide for revision.
11) Q: Does it include tips for tackling negative marks or time management?
A: Yes. The exam tips emphasize time-boxing, prioritizing high-yield topics, and strategies to minimize mistakes.
12) Q: Are there any mock tests or practice sets?
A: The book emphasizes practice questions and PYQs; you can create mock tests by selecting a mix of questions across chapters.
13) Q: Is the book suitable for self-study or should I use coaching material as well?
A: It is highly suitable for self-study, especially for building fast problem-solving skills, and complements coaching material well.
14) Q: How does the book handle difficult topics like crystal field theory or organometallics?
A: It presents concise explanations, illustrated key points, common pitfalls, and targeted solved examples to demystify tough topics.
15) Q: What should I do if I need more practice after using this book?
A: Use the 700+ PYQs, additional practice sets from standard references, and revisit the shortcut boxes and memory guide for quick.
