Through this article we endeavor to provide the aspirants with the list of best books that they should refer for UPSC CSE Prelims.
If one thinks that he/she needs to read HUNDREDS of books, browse TENS of websites and prepare notes from FIVE newspapers and TEN magazines each day to clear IAS, THIS IS WRONG. The exaggerated actions are neither practical nor necessary to clear CSE. Even if an imaginary person does all what is stated above, there is still chance that he/she not clear Prelims/Mains. So, what matters is not the quantity of materials one had gone through, but the quality of learning and revision done.
UPSC conducted the Prelims for CSE 2021 on 10th October. Paper was more random than last couple of years. It was less logical and more factual than last four years. UPSC even touched state PCS level questions like one liner History questions, questions from sports etc. Obscure Science and Technology questions, random organisms were touched.
This was a kind of paper where it was more important for a candidate to judge which question to leave rather than which one to attempt.
The strategy should be:
Read standard books, grasp basic concepts, focus on fundamentals of current affairs, read the newspaper thoroughly, be aware and observant and focus on quality rather than quantity.
UPSC CSE toppers recommend that aspirants start their UPSC preparation with NCERT books and then move on to the standard reference books.
The best books for preparation can vary from candidate to candidate depending on their previous expertise and knowledge of the subject matter. However, the books for UPSC recommended by experts are listed in this article subject-wise.
COMMON FOR BOTH PRELIMS AND MAINS:
CURRENT AFFAIRS:
- Newspapers: Hindu, Business Line, Financial Times, Indian Express (any two)
- Monthly current affairs: IAS Gazette
- IAS GYAN website
- Down to earth, science reporter
POLITY and GOVERNANCE:
- NCERTs 9th, 10th (for basic understanding)
- Acts/Bills, judgements-PRS website
- Constitution of India at Work (Class XI) NCERT Publication
- Indian Polity by Laxmikant
- Introduction to Indian Constitution – D.D.Basu
- From Government to Governance by Kuldeep Mathur
- Ethics in Governance, ARC Report
- NITI Aayog reports, Government reports
- Governance in India by M.Karthikeyan
DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES:
- Human Development Report & World Development Report
- Panchayati Raj in India by Kuldeep Mathur
HISTORY:
- Ancient History of India: Old NCERT by RS Sharma/ TN class 11 th book
- Medieval History of India: Old NCERT by Satish Chandra/ TN class 11 th book
- Modern History
- NCERTs
- Plassey to Partition Book
- Spectrum
- India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra (Selective Reading)
- Indian Art and Culture
- An Introduction to Indian Art – Class XI NCERT
- Chapters related to culture in Ancient and Medieval India NCERTs
- Centre for Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT) material
- Heritage Crafts: Living Craft Traditions of India -NCERT
- Nitin Singhania book (optional)
ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY:
- Shankar IAS Book
- Biology 12th NCERT last 4 chapters
GEOGRAPHY:
- Fundamentals of Physical Geography XI NCERT
- India: Physical Environment XI NCERT
- Fundamentals of Human Geography XII NCERT
- India: People and Economy XII NCERT
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography: GC Leong
- OXFORD Atlas
ECONOMY AND AGRICULTURE:
- Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
- Microeconomics, Macroeconomics – NCERT Class XI, XII
- Indian Economic Development – NCERT Class XI
- Indian Economy by Sanjiv Verma
- Economics Dictionary published by Collins & Penguin
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
- NCERT- Class 6th to 10th
- NCERT - Biology - 11th (Unit IV & V only - read basic concepts not technical details)
- NCERT Biology - 12th (Chapters 4, 5 and rest from 7 to 16)
- NCERT - Biology - 12th (OLD) - Chapter 9 onwards
- NCERT - Physics - 11th (Chap 1,5 & 8) and 12th (Chap 15 only)
- NCERT - Chemistry - 11th (Chap 1 & 14 only) and 12th (Chap 14 & 16 only)
PRELIMS SPECIFIC:
