Stop Wasting Time on Wrong Books—Here Are the 5 That Actually Work
Banking and insurance exams in 2026 demand the RIGHT study material. Not the most books—just the BEST ones.
This guide gives you the exact 5 books that crack exams. Period.
Practice Mock’s PM Infinity covers EVERY banking and insurance exam topic with unlimited mocks, expert videos, and live doubt solving.
The Top 5 Books: Complete Breakdown
| Book Title | Author | Best For | Price | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude (2026) | R.S. Aggarwal | All bank exams | ₹450-550 | 5,500+ questions with solutions |
| Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi | All bank & insurance exams | ₹280-350 | Crystal clear grammar rules |
| A Modern Approach to Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal | All bank exams (IBPS/SBI) | ₹450-550 | 7,500+ practice questions |
| Banking Awareness | Arihant Experts | Bank mains exams | ₹300-400 | RBI guidelines & current topics |
| Financial & Insurance Awareness | Disha Experts | Insurance exams (LIC/NIACL) | ₹350-450 | Financial markets + insurance |
Book #1: Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal
What it covers:
- Simplification, percentages, profit-loss, time-work, data interpretation
- 5,500+ solved examples
- Shortcut tricks for speed
Why it works: Quant is 30-40% of your exam. Master it here, and you’re already halfway there.
Best for: IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO/Clerk, RBI Assistant, LIC AAO, NIACL AO
Book #2: Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi
What it covers:
- Grammar, synonyms, antonyms, error-spotting
- Reading comprehension (banking-related)
- 2,000+ practice exercises
Why it works: English scares people. This book makes it simple. Your score jumps immediately.
Best for: Every banking and insurance exam
Book #3: A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
What it covers:
- 50+ types of puzzles and arrangements
- Coded inequalities, seating arrangements, box problems
- 7,500+ practice questions
Why it works: Reasoning clears mains cutoffs. This book gets you there 100%.
Best for: IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO, RBI Assistant
Book #4: Banking Awareness by Arihant Experts
What it covers:
- How banks operate (products, services, regulations)
- RBI guidelines and policies (updated for 2026)
- Current banking reforms
Why it works: 40-50 marks in mains come from this. One book = 35+ marks guaranteed.
Best for: IBPS/SBI mains, RBI Grade B, LIC AAO, NIACL AO
Book #5: Financial & Insurance Awareness by Disha Experts
What it covers:
- Financial markets and derivatives
- Insurance products and IRDAI regulations
- Role of major insurers (LIC, NIACL, OICL)
- 500+ practice questions
Why it works: Insurance exams test your understanding of WHY insurance exists and HOW markets work. This book explains both.
Best for: LIC AAO/ADO, NIACL AO, NICL AO, OICL AO, UIIC AO
Your 4-Month Study Schedule
| Month | Focus | Primary Book |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Math basics + Grammar fundamentals | Aggarwal Quant + Bakshi English |
| Month 2 | Advanced Quant + Reasoning | Aggarwal Reasoning + Quant (tough topics) |
| Month 3 | Banking/Insurance Awareness + Revision | Banking Awareness / Insurance Awareness |
| Month 4 | Mock tests + Final revision | All 5 books (quick revision only) |
3 Critical Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Mistake 1: Reading 8 books = Master none. Read 5 books = Master all.
❌ Mistake 2: Only reading books, no mock tests. Books teach concepts. Mocks teach speed.
❌ Mistake 3: Ignoring current affairs. Update yourself monthly.
Why Books + Practice Mock = Guaranteed Success
Books build concepts. Practice Mock builds exam temperament.
Our platform gives you:
- 500+ chapter tests
- 50+ full-length mocks (exactly like real exams)
- Expert explanations for every question
- Performance analysis showing your weak areas
- Live doubt solving from experts
- Community of 500,000+ successful aspirants
Result: 92% users crack exams within 3 months.
Bank vs Insurance Exams: Which Should You Target?
| Factor | Banking Exams | Insurance Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Salary (Entry) | ₹35,000-50,000/month | ₹25,000-35,000/month |
| Work Environment | Fast-paced, data-heavy | Customer-centric, product-focused |
| Book Content Overlap | 90% same | 90% same (except Book 5) |
| Best Months to Attempt | Oct-Nov (IBPS), Aug-Sept (SBI) | Jan-Mar (NIACL), May-June (LIC) |
Truth: Many aspirants target BOTH exam types using the same 4 books. Smart strategy!
Your Action Plan: Start Today
✅ Step 1: Buy these 5 books (₹1,800-2,200 total investment)
✅ Step 2: Join Practice Mock Premium (unlimited mocks + expert guidance)
✅ Step 3: Follow the 4-month schedule above
✅ Step 4: Take 10+ mocks per week in final month
✅ Step 5: Crack the exam
No excuses. No delays. Just action.
Why Practice Mock’s New Plans Are Game-Changers
We just launched 3 powerful plans for 2026:
| Plan | Coverage | Price |
|---|---|---|
| PM Infinity | ALL banking + insurance exams | ₹999/month |
| PM Regulatory Pro | RBI, SEBI, IRDAI exams | ₹699/month |
| PM Prime | IBPS + SBI focused | ₹599/month |
Plus: 1 free week trial. No credit card needed.
The Bottom Line
You’ve got the book blueprint. You’ve got the study schedule. You’ve got the platform.
Now you just need consistent action for 4 months.
That’s it.
Your banking or insurance career is waiting. Don’t waste more time on YouTube or random PDFs.
One Last Thing (P.S.)
Banking and insurance jobs offer:
- Job Security: Government jobs = lifetime employment
- Salary Growth: ₹35L-80L+ in 15 years
- Pension Benefits: 50% salary after retirement
- Work-Life Balance: Standard 9-5 hours
This exam is your ticket. 4 months of focused effort = 30+ years of financial stability.
Make the decision now.
10 FAQs: Your Questions Answered
A: Physical books. Zero distractions. Better retention. Cost is worth every rupee.
A: Not recommended. Each covers a unique exam section. All 5 are equally important.
A: 4-5 hours of focused study. Quality beats quantity.
A: Start with S.P. Bakshi’s English (easiest to finish), then R.S. Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude.
A: No. Books + Practice Mock’s online platform = complete solution.
A: 2025 editions work fine. Just update yourself with 2026 current affairs monthly.
A: When you score 80%+ in 10 consecutive mock tests consistently.
A: No. 90% content is common. Just add SBI-specific descriptive writing practice.
A: Quantitative Aptitude. It’s 30-40% of your score and sets the difficulty tone.
A: Yes! Use books 1-4 for both. Book 5 (Insurance Awareness) is only for insurance exams.
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