CMA Inter Operations Management & Strategic Management (OMSM) | CRACKER

Operations Management & Strategic Management – CRACKER is a practice-first question bank and revision companion written specifically for Paper 9 of CMA Intermediate (Group II). Part of Taxmann's popular CRACKER series, it reorganises the entire syllabus into the format that actually earns marks in the examination hall—a quick recap of every chapter's concepts, followed by a deep, chapter-wise bank of past examination questions answered in the institute's expected style.

What sets the book apart is the breadth and discipline of its coverage of questions. Every module—and each chapter within it—opens with 'A Quick Review', a tight summary of the core concepts (with definitions, models and diagrams) for fast recall, and then moves straight into Past Examination Questions, split into objective questions (MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false, and match-the-following) and descriptive/short-note questions. Each question is tagged with its exam session and mark allocation, drawing on attempts dating back to June 2008 and running right up to the June 2026 examination, so a student practises exactly as the paper is set.

Fully aligned to the ICMAI Syllabus 2022 (New Syllabus) and current for the December 2026 and June 2027 attempts, the CRACKER works equally well for first-pass, chapter-by-chapter learning and for high-intensity revision in the final weeks before the exam. With more than 600 solved questions, sectional additional-practice sets, exam-trend analytics up front, and four full module-wise solved papers at the back, it is a genuinely self-contained resource for clearing the paper.

The Present Publication is the 7th Edition | June 2026, authored by Amarendra Kumar, with the following noteworthy features:

• [Solved Past Exam Questions—up to June 2026] An extensive, chapter-wise bank of previously asked questions (over 600) with complete, point-wise answers, each tagged with the exam session and marks. Historical coverage reaches from June 2008 through the June 2026 attempt
• [Marks Distribution Chart & Trend Analysis] At-a-glance analytics showing how marks have been spread across modules over seven recent sittings (June/December 2023 → June 2026), with per-module averages, so students can prioritise high-weight areas
• [Chapter-Opening 'A Quick Review'] A crisp, scannable recap of each chapter's key concepts and models for fast revision and quick recall before the exam (21 chapter-level summaries across the 11 modules)
• [Mapping to the ICMAI Study Material] A clear table matching each of the book's 11 modules to the corresponding module of the institute's official study material, so coverage can be cross-checked at a glance
• [Every Question Format Covered] Objective questions (Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, True/False, Match the Following) alongside descriptive and short-note questions, reflecting the complete structure of the paper
• [Sectional Additional Practice] Dedicated practice sets for both Section A (Operations Management) and Section B (Strategic Management) to reinforce learning beyond past papers
• [Four Full Module-wise Solved Papers (Suggested Answers)] The most recent attempts—December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 and June 2026 — presented topic-wise for targeted, pattern-faithful revision
• [Fully Aligned to Syllabus 2022] A clean, exam-ready style suited to both self-study and rapid revision

The book follows the paper's two-part structure across all 11 modules:

• Section A – Operations Management (Modules 1–7)
  • Operations Management – Introduction
  • Operations Planning
  • Designing of Operational System and Control
  • Production Planning & Control
  • Productivity Management and Quality Management
  • Project Management
  • Economics of Maintenance and Spares Management
• Section B – Strategic Management (Modules 8–11)
  • Strategic Management – Introduction
  • Strategic Analysis & Strategic Planning
  • Formulation & Implementation of Strategy
  • Digital Strategy
• Within every module the pattern is consistent: A Quick Review of the concepts → Past Examination Questions (objective & descriptive, with session/marks tags and model answers). Both sections then close with their own Additional Practice Questions

The book is organised to move a student from analysis → revision → practice → self-assessment:

• Exam-intelligence — Opens with the Module-wise Marks Distribution table, the Previous Exams Trend Analysis (a question-by-question mapping of topics and marks across recent sessions), and the Module-wise Comparison with the ICMAI Study Material
• Section/Module-wise Core Content — Section A (Operations Management, Modules 1–7) and Section B (Strategic Management, Modules 8–11). Each module and chapter begins with an 'A Quick Review' summary, then presents Past Examination Questions—objective (MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false, match the following) and descriptive/short notes—with complete, point-wise answers
• Additional Practice Questions — A dedicated set for each section (Operations Management and Strategic Management) to extend practice beyond solved papers
• Module-wise Solved Papers (Suggested Answers) — Four recent attempts presented module-wise: December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 and June 2026, so revision can be aligned to specific topics

About the Author

Amarendra Kumar

Amarendra Kumar is a distinguished educator with an M.Sc. in Mathematics and an M.Phil. He possesses specialised expertise in statistics, operations management, and operations research. As a visiting faculty member at the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI), Amarendra contributes significantly to the academic community. He also serves on the editorial boards of various publications, underscoring his active involvement in research and academia.

With over 22 years of teaching experience, Amarendra Kumar is dedicated to imparting education with a focus on conceptual clarity. His teaching repertoire spans across multiple academic levels and professional courses, including:

• Class XI and XII Mathematics
• Engineering entrance exams (IIT-JEE)
• CA (Foundation)
• CMA (Foundation)
• Statistics for CS (Foundation)
• Operations Management for CMA (Intermediate)
• Operations Research for CA (Final)
• Mathematics and Statistics for undergraduate programs
• Quantitative Techniques and Operations Research for MBA Programs

Amarendra Kumar's extensive experience and commitment to education make him a valuable asset to the academic community.