If you are preparing for SBI PO, it is better to use a small set of reliable resources rather than collecting too many books and PDFs. Your preparation should include standard books for concepts, previous-year papers for exam-level practice, current-affairs notes for Mains, and a good mock-test series for speed and accuracy.
In my opinion, these resources are useful:
1. Quantitative Aptitude Books
Start with a book that explains concepts clearly and then move toward SBI PO-level practice.
Useful options include:
- R.S. Aggarwal – Quantitative Aptitude
- Rajesh Verma – Fast Track Objective Arithmetic
- M. Tyra – Magical Book on Quicker Maths
- Arun Sharma – Data Interpretation for higher-level practice
Focus particularly on arithmetic, simplification, number series, and Data Interpretation.
2. Reasoning Books
Reasoning requires both conceptual understanding and extensive puzzle practice.
Useful resources include:
- R.S. Aggarwal – A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
- M.K. Pandey – Analytical Reasoning
- Topic-wise puzzle and seating-arrangement practice sets
- SBI PO previous-year reasoning questions
Give extra attention to puzzles, seating arrangements, logical reasoning, syllogism, and data sufficiency.
3. English Language Resources
For English, combine grammar practice with regular reading.
Useful resources include:
- S.P. Bakshi – Objective General English
- Norman Lewis – Word Power Made Easy
- Wren & Martin for grammar fundamentals
- Daily newspaper/editorial reading
- Previous-year English questions
Reading regularly is particularly useful for improving comprehension, vocabulary, and familiarity with complex passages.
4. Banking Awareness and Current Affairs
These become especially important for SBI PO Mains.
Focus on:
- Banking terminology
- RBI and monetary policy
- Financial institutions
- Government schemes
- Economy-related developments
- Banking and financial current affairs
- National and international current affairs
Use one monthly current-affairs capsule and revise it multiple times instead of collecting daily PDFs from different sources.
5. Previous-Year Papers
Previous-year papers are one of the most useful resources because they show the actual style and difficulty of questions.
Use them for:
- Understanding question patterns
- Identifying frequently tested topics
- Practicing time management
- Finding weak areas
- Learning the difficulty level
Don't just solve them and check the score. Analyze every incorrect and time-consuming question.
6. Online Courses and Classes
Online coaching is not compulsory, but it can be useful if you need structured guidance.
Look for courses that provide:
- Live classes
- Recorded lectures
- Topic-wise practice
- Study notes
- Doubt-solving support
- Prelims and Mains preparation
Free online classes can also be useful for learning individual topics, especially when you are stuck on a particular concept.
7. Mock Test Series
A good mock series should contain both Prelims and Mains-level tests.
Look for:
- Full-length Prelims mocks
- Sectional tests
- Mains mocks
- Previous-year papers
- Current-affairs quizzes
- Descriptive tests
- Detailed performance analysis
Don't focus only on the number of mocks. Mock analysis is equally important.
8. Short Notes and Revision Material
Don't depend completely on ready-made notes. Make your own short notes while studying.
Maintain separate notes for:
- Quant formulas
- Reasoning tricks
- English vocabulary
- Banking terms
- Current affairs
- Important mistakes from mocks
These notes become extremely useful during the final revision.
Simple Summary
For SBI PO preparation, I would recommend standard books for fundamentals, dedicated puzzle and DI practice, S.P. Bakshi and Word Power Made Easy for English, monthly current-affairs and banking-awareness notes, previous-year papers, and a reliable Prelims + Mains mock-test series. Online courses are useful if you need structured guidance, but self-study is also possible with good resources. The most important thing is to select limited resources, complete them properly, and revise them repeatedly instead of continuously changing study material.