Note: My book, Fundamentals of Essay and Answer Writing is available now. It’s a comprehensive guide that helps you write better Essays and Answers in the UPSC Mains Exam. You can know about the book here.
In this article, we will go through my booklist for Civil Services Exam (Prelims). I’ve written this post keeping in mind an absolute beginner aspirant who is starting from level zero.
As you start your Prelims preparation and read these books, please keep the following points in mind:
- Along with these books, get a printout of the syllabus and read it carefully.
- And when you start, I recommend that you begin with NCERT books. Read and revise them methodically to gain absolute conceptual clarity. They form the foundation of your knowledge which will help you immensely through all stages of the exam.
- Do not be scared at the long list of books. For a beginner, one year is more than enough to cover the complete syllabus of GS (prelims and mains) and optional.
- In the book list, wherever I had mentioned selective reading, it means there’s no need to read the book cover to cover. Go through the past five years’ question papers to understand the kind of questions UPSC usually asks. It’ll give you a good perspective of what’s important and what’s not.
- For the same topic, do not refer to more than one material. For example, take India’s freedom struggle (1857-1947). If you read that portion from the Spectrum publications, there’s no need to do the same again from Bipan Chandra’s book. Read the latter to cover those parts not covered in the former.
- Use internet extensively. Let me give a few examples. Youtube’s PMFIAS channel is an excellent resource for understanding complex Geography topics. Similarly, for Art & Culture, I used to watch videos of classical dances, folk dances, puppetry shows on Youtube so that I could memorise their features better. In Science & Tech, if you come across a term, say, Blockchain Technology, go to Youtube and see explainer videos. Even for Environment, suppose you read about endangered species such as the Red Panda and Malabar Hornbill, Google them and see how they look. Visuals stick in your mind far longer. Your target must be to gain knowledge, be it through books or through internet.
- If you are taking coaching, by all means read their notes. But please keep in mind that you cannot just read those coaching notes and neglect these standard books. For example, take Polity topic. A coaching institute’s notes will never cover the complete subject, only Laxmikanth does. So even if you refer to your coaching notes, you still have to read Laxmikanth and know it like the back of your hand. This principle applies for all subjects.
- For all subjects, you have to superimpose current affairs over it. To illustrate, in Polity topic, apart from reading the static theory portion, you need to keep an eye on current happenings. For example, if the Govt brings in Constitutional amendment for GST, you must read both about the major provisions of the amendment and the Constitutional amendment procedure itself. Do this for all subjects.
- To perform well in Prelims, revision is crucial. Without it, you will not be able to recollect whatever you may have read. So please dedicate adequate time for revision before the actual exam.
- Just because I am AIR-1, it does not mean that this book list is the last word. If you have been studying some other material, that’s fine, too. To succeed in this exam, the source of material is not important. What’s important is you to understand the concepts, memorise the facts well and have a firm grip over the entire syllabus.
The Complete Booklist for UPSC Civil Services – Prelims Exam (Paper I)
Polity
- Indian Polity by Laxmikanth
Economy
- Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
- Mrunal.org articles
- Macroeconomics – NCERT Class XII
- Indian Economic Development – NCERT Class XI
- Economic Survey (Selective reading from Prelims perspective)
- The Hindu
- Internet for understanding concepts (Arthapedia, Google, Youtube)
Ancient History of India
- Old NCERT by RS Sharma
Medieval History of India
- Old NCERT by Satish Chandra (Selective Reading)
Modern History
- A Brief history of Modern India- Spectrum Publications
- India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra (Selective Reading)
- NCERT by Bipan Chandra (For the period 1700s to 1857)
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
Environment and Biodiversity
- Shankar IAS book
General Science
- General Science books – IX and X standard
- The Hindu (Note down and read about the latest scientific terms, discoveries and inventions frequently mentioned in news)
- Google and YouTube
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
- PMFIAS (Excellent resource for understanding complex topics)
- Google and YouTube
Govt Schemes
- Govt schemes compilation by the website Civils Daily
General Trivia (Eg: Global groupings, Reports, Institutions, Rankings etc)
- Any coaching material
Current Affairs
- The Hindu
- Civils Daily
- ForumIAS
Mindset to tackle the UPSC Prelims Exam
Ten days before the Prelims is usually the time when your mind is rather restless and clouded in self-doubt. Even though you must have prepared thoroughly for the exam, covering all the sources, Some of you are worried that you haven’t yet finished a particular topic, some others are stressed whether they will make the final cut for Mains. Remember that it’s okay to be a little nervous at this point and that it happens to everyone. I was no different, too.
From my experience, I have distilled a few suggestions to help you perform well in the exam.
- In the final days preceding the exam, if you start reading entirely new material which you haven’t read before, you’ll only stress yourself out. Just refer to whatever you had already read. Revision is the absolute key. How effectively you perform in the actual exam depends on the quality of revision you do in these 10 days.
- Stay calm. While revising, do not get bogged down in one subject. Your target should be to revise all the topics methodically before the final day.
- Questions are going to be balanced and will be asked from across the syllabus. So if you are poor in one topic, that’s alright. You can offset it through performing well in your stronger areas. For example, if you are worried about Indian Art and Culture, do not freak out. You might lose out on some questions, but you will still have many others to solve.
- Just the day before the exam, ensure that you get 7-8 hours of quality sleep. A good night’s rest will rejuvenate your senses and ensures that your brain is alert and memory is on point.
- Many aspirants (especially engineering grads) tend to be careless about CSAT Paper 2. I’ve seen people who solve only 60 questions and think that’s enough to qualify them. Some are even more impulsive— they leave the hall 30 minutes before time. Don’t be that reckless brat. Your qualification for Mains will be based on your marks, not your audacity. Remember that just because the paper is qualifying, UPSC is not going to hand it you on a platter. This is why they have been constantly pushing up the difficulty level over the past few years. So solve CSAT with all the seriousness and intensity of Paper-1.
- While solving the paper, in the first iteration, go through all 100 questions sequentially and do three things: mark those answers you are confident about, round those questions that you are unsure or vaguely aware of (for guesswork later), and cross those questions which you have absolutely no idea about. In the second iteration, you come back again and try to answer those questions you are vaguely aware of through educated guesswork or elimination method.
- Don’t get mired in one question and waste your time. If you are unable to recall, make a side mark on the question paper and move on. Once you come back after solving remaining questions, chances are you’ll recollect.
- If we assume a moderately difficult paper, then you will confidently know answers to around 50-60 questions. But you must aim to attempt around 85-90 questions. That’s why educated guesswork is necessary and important.
- As you enter the exam hall, it doesn’t matter what books you may have read, or how many times you may have revised. What matters are those 100 questions. Put your emotions aside and solve those 100 questions with a laser like focus. Erase your fears, doubts and insecurities and stay positive and confident.
- Always believe and keep telling yourself that you have worked hard and prepared well so far and that you’ll do well. On the final day, summon your best self and you will absolutely ace the test.
For further reading,
A. You can check out my article on UPSC GS Mains Preparation
B. Article on how to make educated guess work in UPSC Prelims
So that was my Booklist for UPSC Prelims. Hope it’ll be useful to you.
– Anudeep
Note: My book, Fundamentals of Essay and Answer Writing is an Amazon bestseller. Since its release, the book helped countless candidates master the art of crafting exceptional essays and answers and elevate their performance in the UPSC Mains Exam. You can know about the book here.
Hello sir.. Firstly a A very hearty congratulations for your success .
Secondly I want to ask it is necessary to right Insights secure for writing practice ?
How should I approach answer writing I am not able to understand as I have not joined any coaching institute for preparation.
Please help..!
I didn’t join Insights secure, but I heard it’s good. If you are finding value in it, by all means join it.
sir do we need to study any book separately for governane topic or lakshmikanth is enough?
Congrats anudeep brother, I am very happy to get a guidance of selecting bookbooks.But i have some doubts
1. is old ncert important ? or current ncert is enough for all listed subjects ?
2. if old ncert important where can buy ? through online or from where ?
3. for csat arihant enough ?
4. Iam a ece BE student. I am not good knowledge in academics. need guidance for selecting optionals ? what are the strategy to select mains optional. Why u selected anthropology ?
Waiting for your reply … brother guide me.
How many months current affairs we have to prepare for prelims??
Two years before Prelims.
sir i have decided to become ias officer after seeing the attitude of society,our relatives towards helpless people i.e.,who doesnt know how to deal with outside home works,bcz as my father died everything changed we dont know anything outside home and our relatives has came forward to arrange money for our livelihood by selling our assets and they dindnt gave us money nor either told us what they have done with it and faced so many difficulties without money for food etc., and my mom also got ill and died recently ihave been staying at home and looked after my mom since 2 years after the death of my father now i dont have even her ,now iam with my younger brother studying btech 1 year we both are living in our fathers younger brother house who had bringed us to this situation by grabbing our money and mentally torturing my mother who was a total innocent as the reason for my fathers death .now he and my grandmother are seeing after us but they are also the reason for our moms death also .now i have 2 options i.e., i am a bipc student is it better to go for a graduate that comes through eamcet exam ,,,,,i prefer ag.bsc and then apply for upsc or as this wastes an extra yea rwhich completes in 4 years !!!!!!!!!!ishould go for a formal degree like bzc which complete in 3 years and apply for upsc but i am very serious in becoming ias,i am in very much dilema as i am living in the shelter and help of persons who are the reason for our situation i.e., our remaining single parent our moms death and the difficulties we faced on managing our home so is it better to settle in our career as fast as it can BZC and then upsc or based on preference AGBSC and then upsc,please reply and help me sir
Hello their. From my perspective,your first priority should be to get a decent job. Whatever or whichever way get you a decent job,just get it. First make yourself independent then you can choose your dream i.e. being a IAS.
As you explain,your condition is not so good and in this condition you can’t do your preparation in peaceful environment.
You can do your IAS preparation with job and yes it is possible because you have lot of time.
Now it’s on you which way you choose.
Best of luck.
thank u sir i will go for ag.bsc
hello sir can you please suggest best test series for upcoming prelims exam (2nd,june,2019)
and also if possible please advice a strategy for last 4 months of prelims preparation so that many of us can be benefited. thank you sir.
sir, plz tell how many months current affairs is needed to cover for pre as well as mains 2019 . waiting for ur reply
2 years before pre
Tnq sir and all the best
One doubt sir I am take mathematics optional no coaching its posible to cover bt i complete msc mathematics
And one more qst sir spectrum is enough for the exam or ncert + spectrum must a sir
Sir please tell me which books one need to have for Anthropology optional ..
sir, please refer source for government bodies and international organisations
Hello sir,Heartiest congratulation for your success!
You’re my constant inspiration…??
I am doing my graduation in Ayurveda(B.A.M.S)..
Sir i just want to ask your opinion, which subject(optional) would be the best except medical science?
Kindly suggest me!
I’ll be very greatful!!
Gud mrng Sir… M working professional(banker) … Sometimes the will power and motivation level goes down after the hectic schedule of jobs…
M putting my efforts in upsc preparation…
Kindly suggest some more strategies…..
Thank you for giving this material Sir. …..But I have one doubt Sir. ..that is
1)whether reading polity by laxmikant book is basic or otherwise we have to read first ncert Sir. ..and then go to laxmikant book?
2) which coaching institute is better ? Which coaching institution u was taken Sir? Plzz tell me sir
Hello sir!!! can you plz give a preparation strategy for a year. Im an engg. Student.
Hi….Sir!! Pls clear my doubt if possible.I’m from Andhra but I don’t know how to write my regional language as my native is West Bengal and my second language was Hindi …so it is compulsory to write only Telugu as I’m from Andhra?or I can choose Hindi paper ?
Sir, Do we compulsory need a coaching for IAS and I want to prepare my self without a coaching because my parents will not bear money for coaching and financial problems and I definitely want to become a IAS because it’s my dream
Sir, Do we need learn all languages of indiA
My dear brother this is Karthick many people and even me too facing how to answer a question forex: if they ask critically examine,analyse. Whether they are asking us to discuss what is advantage or disadvantage ?? Can you please put a article so that we can understand it better
Jai hind !!!
Sir I’m a beginner so please tell me from where I should start? My optional subject is Zoology as it is my graduation subject.
Thank you sir, I will wait for your reply….
Sir,
Geography is my optional. I am b.com graduate. Can you please suggest me which are the best materials i can use for my preparation?
Sir , I’m teja from hyd i want your anthropology prepared notes can u plz send a pdf
SCATTERED NOTES :-
How did you organize all points related to a particular topic at single place for revision and mentioning them in essay and GS Papers?
Sir,
Thank you for this immensely helpful book list. By this “NCERT by Bipan Chandra (For the period 1700s to 1857)” can you specifically say the book name please? Google search is only giving Modern india by Bipan Chandra.
Thank you.
Sir, PMF’s which geography notes to refer for gs2 only means that is only Indian Geography or go for all notes mentioned under Geography section?
You need to go through all the notes mentioned under Geography section.
*gs1
Sir I am a BA student 18 year old and my college has semester system .So exams are conducted on a monthly basis.At present I’m reading ncert’s and during my exams I have to shift towards my BA books which at basic level I’m not able to understand.So it disturbs my whole timetable and leaves me completely exhausted and if I make notes of my BA books I find them irrelevant after some days and I start it on again… Could you please help me out with this , I will be highly obliged to you..
Sir i am Pavan from vizag . I have doubt sir, i was in my
Brother, i am Pavannaidu from vizag, i am in my final year of graduation can apply for upsc in 2019
Hello anudeep Sir good morning , Sir tell me the strategy of essay and English compulsory paper
Sir,
what is weightage of topics in prelims exam and which test series i have to prepare
Thanking you,
vaishnavi
Actually I m unable to start reading what to read what to escape and how to maintain it sir pls suggest me some way ..how u had done it
I am in class 11 and my aim is to become an ias officer and how I prepare for CSE exam please guide me….