UPSC conducts Civil Service Examination to recruit candidates for job vacancies like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and various other posts. It is also known by another popular name called “IAS Exam“. It is one of the toughest examinations in India. The examination is conducted in three phases(prelims, mains, and the personality test). The aspirants have to study many books in the preparation process for this examination.
The books to study for UPSC CSE can be divided into three types. They are
- NCERTs
- Standard books –
- Study materials provided by the institutes
NCERTs
NCERTs are the basic books that extensively covers the UPSC CSE syllabus. They are very useful in building the conceptual knowledge of the candidate. They are important to develop a strong base in any subject. Hence they are to be read cover to cover. Important NCERTs that are to be studied cover to cover for UPSC preparation are given below
| Subject | NCERT Books |
| History |
|
| Geography |
|
| Indian Polity |
|
| Economics |
|
| International Relations |
|
| General science |
|
| Indian Society |
|
Standard Books
Standard books add value to your preparation. They give more information required to handle General Studies Papers and Essays. Some of these books are designed to meet UPSC CSE requirements. The facts and figures in the books are updated in new editions. All these books cannot be studied cover to cover. Some of them are very voluminous. So, it is advisable to selectively read a few chapters from some of the standard books. The books that can be studied cover to cover and the books from which a few chapters can be read selectively are given in the below table.
| Subject | Book | Cover to cover/Selective reading |
| Polity | Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth | Cover to cover |
| History, Indian Heritage & Culture | Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania | Selective reading |
| India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra | Selective reading | |
| Geography | Geography of India by Majid Husain | Cover to cover |
| Certificate Physical and Human Geography – G C Leong | Selective reading | |
| Indian Economy | Indian Economy – by Ramesh Singh | Selective reading |
| Indian Economy – by Nitin Singhania | Selective reading | |
| Indian Economy Key Concepts – by Sankarganesh Karuppiah | Cover to cover | |
| Science and Technology | Science and Technology – by Ravi P. Agrahari | Selective reading |
| Environment | Shankar IAS | Cover to cover |
Study Materials Provided by the Institutes
The market is flooded with the study materials provided by the institutes. The study materials current affairs magazines, subject-wise MCQs, consolidated UPSC Study Material etc can be read according to the convenience of the candidate.
Most of the IAS Toppers and the subject experts suggest keeping the study materials limited and more revision to crack the examination. For beginners, it is advised to start with NCERTs before beginning with the standard books. Therefore it is not required to read all the UPSC books cover to cover. Few books have to be read cover to cover and a few must be read selectively as per the syllabus of the UPSC CSE.
FAQ about UPSC Books
Is NCERT enough for IAS prelims?
How many NCERTs are there in UPSC?
Can I skip NCERT for UPSC?
Also Read:
| Topic-Wise GS 1 Questions of UPSC Mains | UPSC 2022 |
| IAS Preparation | Take IAS Mock Tests |
| UPSC MCQ On Polity | List Of IAS Preparation Articles |
| UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice | IAS Salary |
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