The article provides an extensive guide for candidates preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, one of India's most challenging competitive exams. It breaks down the preparation into three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview, and offers a comprehensive list of the best books for each stage and subject. Along with the book recommendations, the article also shares effective strategies on how to utilize these books, supplementing them with online resources and mock tests. It aims to assist candidates in preparing for the UPSC exam systematically and efficiently, ensuring success in their UPSC journey.

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Decoding the Best Books for UPSC Preparation: A
Comprehensive Guide
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The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest and most competitive
exams in the country. It consists of three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. To crack
this exam, candidates need to have a thorough knowledge of various subjects and a good
writing and communication skill.
One of the most important aspects of UPSC preparation is selecting the right books for
each stage and subject. There are hundreds of books available in the market and online
platforms, but not all of them are suitable or relevant for the CSE. Choosing the wrong
books can lead to wastage of time, money, and effort.
In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive list of the best books for UPSC
preparation for each stage and subject. We will also give you some tips on how to utilize
these books effectively and supplement them with online resources and mock tests.
Best Books for UPSC Prelims
The Prelims stage tests the candidate’s basic knowledge and understanding of various
subjects such as history, geography, polity, economy, science, environment, and current
affairs. The questions are mostly factual or conceptual in nature and require a good
memory and accuracy.
Some of the best books for Prelims are:

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History: India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra, Indian Art and Culture
by Nitin Singhania, NCERT Class XI (Ancient & Medieval), NCERT Class XII
(Modern Indian History)
Geography: Certificate Physical And Human Geography by G C Leong, NCERT
Class VI – X (Old Syllabus), NCERT Class XI, XII (New Syllabus), World Atlas
(Orient Black Swan)
Polity: Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth, NCERT Class IX-XII
Economy: Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania, Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh,
Indian Economy Key Concepts by Sankarganesh Karuppiah
Science: Science and Technology by Ravi P. Agrahari
Environment: Environment by Shankar IAS, Environment by PMF IAS
Current Affairs: India 2022 Yearbook by Rajiv Mehrishi, The Malayala Manorama
English Yearbook 2022 by Mammen Mathew, India 2022 by Publications Division
Best Books for UPSC Mains
The Mains stage tests the candidate’s advanced knowledge and understanding of various
subjects such as history, geography, polity, economy, society, ethics, international
relations, optional subject, and essay writing. The questions are mostly analytical or
opinion-based and require a good writing skill, critical thinking, and expression.
Some of the best books for Mains are:
General Studies Paper 1: Indian Heritage and Culture by Nitin Singhania, The
Wonder That Was India by A.L. Basham, A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv
Ahir, World History by Norman Lowe, Social Problems in India by Ram Ahuja
General Studies Paper 2: Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth, Governance in India by M
Laxmikanth, Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Basu, Social Justice:
Indian Perspective by R.P. Singh, Pax Indica by Shashi Tharoor
General Studies Paper 3: Science and Technology by Ravi P. Agrahari, Indian
Economy by Nitin Singhania, Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh, Indian Economy
Key Concepts by Sankarganesh Karuppiah, Environment by Shankar IAS,
Environment by PMF IAS, Challenges to Internal Security of India by Ashok Kumar
and Vipul, Disaster Management by NIDM
General Studies Paper 4: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by G Subba Rao and P N
Roy Chowdhury, Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Niraj Kumar

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Optional Subject: Candidates can choose one optional subject from a list of 26
subjects given by UPSC. Some of the popular optional subjects and their best
books are:
Sociology: Sociology: Themes and Perspectives by Haralambos and Holborn,
Indian Society by SC Dubey, Social Change in Modern India by M.N. Srinivas
Geography: Certificate Physical And Human Geography by G C Leong,
NCERT Class XI (Fundamentals of Physical Geography), NCERT Class XII
(India: People and Economy), Models in Geography by Majid Husain,
Geographical Thought by Majid Husain
History: India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra, Indian Art and
Culture by Nitin Singhania, NCERT Class XI (Ancient & Medieval), NCERT
Class XII (Modern Indian History), Post-Independence India: For Civil
Services Examinations by Sonali Bansal and Snehil Tripathi
Public Administration: Public Administration by M Laxmikanth, New Horizons
of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya, Indian Administration by
Ramesh K Arora and Rajni Goyal
Essay Paper: Candidates need to write two essays of 1000-1200 words each on
any one topic from each section. Some of the best books for essay paper are:
Fundamentals of Essay and Answer Writing by Anudeep Durishetty
Mastering Essay and Answer Writing by Awdesh Singh
Read: How to Start UPSC Preparation from Scratch in 2023: A Complete Guide for
Beginners
Best Books for UPSC Interview
The Interview stage tests the candidate’s personality and suitability for a career in civil
services. The interview is conducted by a board of experts appointed by UPSC. The
interview aims to assess the candidate’s mental caliber, personality traits, leadership
skills, social awareness, moral integrity, etc.
Some of the tips on how to improve one’s communication skills, body language, and
knowledge on current affairs are:
Communication Skills: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie,
The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie
Body Language: The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan and Barbara
Pease, What Every Body is Saying by Joe Navarro
Knowledge on Current Affairs: The Hindu Newspaper, Yojana Magazine, India Year
Book
How to Utilize These Books Effectively

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Reading these books is not enough to prepare well for the UPSC exam. Candidates need
to utilize these books effectively by following some strategies such as:
Reading with a purpose: Candidates should read these books according to the
syllabus, the exam pattern, the previous year papers, the mock tests, etc.
Reading with understanding: Candidates should read these books with an
understanding and comprehension of the concepts, facts, figures, arguments, etc.
Reading with revision: Candidates should read these books with a regular and
systematic revision of the key points, important terms, definitions, concepts,
theories, models, formulas, diagrams, graphs, etc.
Online Resources and Mock Tests
Reading these books is not sufficient to prepare well for the UPSC exam. Candidates
need to supplement these books with online resources and mock tests by following some
benefits such as:
Online Resources: Online resources are the sources of information that are
available on the internet or digital platforms. They provide updated and relevant
information on various subjects and topics that are related to the UPSC syllabus
and exam pattern. They also provide interactive and engaging content that enhance
the learning experience and outcome. Some of the online resources that candidates
can use are: BYJU’S Free IAS Prep, ClearIAS, UPSC Pathshala
Mock Tests: Mock tests are the simulated tests that are designed to mimic the
actual UPSC exam in terms of syllabus, pattern, difficulty level, time limit, etc. They
provide an opportunity to practice and evaluate one’s preparation level,
performance, strengths, weaknesses, etc. They also provide feedback and analysis
on one’s answers, scores, ranks, etc. Some of the benefits of mock tests are:
They help in improving one’s speed, accuracy, time management, etc.
They help in identifying one’s gaps, errors, mistakes, etc.
They help in enhancing one’s confidence, motivation, etc.
They help in developing one’s strategy, technique, etc.
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Candidates
Conclusion
In this article, we have provided you with a comprehensive list of the best books for
UPSC preparation for each stage and subject. We have also given you some tips on how
to utilize these books effectively and supplement them with online resources and mock
tests. By following this article, you will be able to prepare for the UPSC exam in a
systematic and efficient manner. We hope that this article will help you in your UPSC
journey and wish you all the best for your success.