BOOKS/SOURCES TO REFER FOR UPSC CSE
In the vast ocean of study material available both online and offline, choosing the best books for UPSC IAS preparation is paramount for aspiring candidates.
Following the advice of IAS toppers, starting with NCERT books and then progressing to standard reference materials is highly recommended.
The best IAS books can differ for each candidate, depending on their prior expertise and subject knowledge. However, this article provides expert-recommended UPSC booklists categorized by subjects.
Opting for the right IAS exam books online is crucial, considering the distinct question formats in the UPSC Prelims (objective) and Mains (descriptive essay) stages.
To ensure effective preparation, candidates should not only be selective about UPSC preparation books but also organize their reading lists separately for Prelims and Mains.
| Subject | Sources to Refer |
History | · Ancient History and Medieval History Old NCERT • Ancient India – R S Sharma • Medieval India – Satish Chandra New NCERT • Our pasts – I • Our pasts – II • Themes – I • Themes – II · New Tamil Nādu History Textbook – Class XI · Modern India History: • Our past III (Both part 1 & part 2 –NCERT class VIII) • Themes in Indian History – III (NCERT Class XII) • A brief History of Modern India – Spectrum Publication · India’s struggle for independence – Bipin Chandra · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Geography | · World Geography: • Our Environment – Class VII • The Earth Our Habitat – Class VI • Fundamentals of Physical Geography (NCERT Class XI) • Fundamentals of Human Geography (NCERT Class XII) • Goh Cheng Leong – Certificate Physical and Human Geography · Indian Geography: • Resource and Development – Class VIII • Contemporary India – II – Class X • India Physical Environment (NCERT Class XI) · India – People and Economy (NCERT Class XII) · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Polity | • Democratic Politics – IX • Democratic Politics, II. Class X • Indian Constitution at Work (NCERT Class XI) · Poltical Theory · LAXMIKANTH – Indian Polity · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Economics |
· Understanding Economic Development (NCERT Class 10th) · Indian Economic Development (NCERT Class XI) · Introductory Macroeconomics (NCERT Class XII) · RAMESH SINGH –Indian Economy · Economics – NCERT Class IX · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Art & Culture | · New TN History textbook · 6th-12th new NCERT history textbooks (this will not include 12th Fine arts textbook on painting) · Introduction to Indian art (NCERT class 11th) · Living Craft Traditions of India (NCERT class 12th) · Indian Culture by Nitin Singhania · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Environment | · 12th Biology NCERT- Chapter No 13,14,15,16 · 11th Chemistry NCERT – Chapter No 14 · Geography NCERTs – Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Chapters from Std 8-11 · ICSE Environment Education Std 10(Especially for Mains) · Shankar IAS Environment · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Indian Society | · NCERT Class XI – Sociology: Understanding Society · NCERT Class XII – Indian Society · NCERT Class XII – Social Change and Development in India · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
International Relations | · Class 12th Political Science- Contemporary World Politics · Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
| Internal Security | · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
Ethics | · Any standard book like (A Practical Approach to Ethics Integrity and Aptitude By D.K Balaji Or Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude) · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
| Social Justice | · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
| Disaster Management | · Daily News Paper or Current Affairs by IAS Origin · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |
| Science and Technology | · NCERT textbooks – class 6 -10 · Any Basic standard material or IAS Origin Module |