BOOKS TO READ TO CLEAR PRELIM PAPER-I EASILY:

I will recommend you to read the following ones 1) Indian History and Culture - V.K Agnihotri
2) India's Struggle for Independence - Bipan Chandra
3) Indian Polity - M Laxmikant
4) Introduction to the Constitution of India - D D Basu
5) Physical and Human Geography - Goh Cheng Leong
6) Geography of India - Majid Hussain
7) Environment & Ecology: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Disaster Management Majid Hussain
8) Indian Economy - Dutt & Sundaram OR Mishra and Puri
9) Indian Economy - Ramesh Singh
10) Indian Foreign Policy - Rajiv Sikri
The above 10 books comprise almost everything - Ancient History, Medieval History,
Modern History, Culture, Indian National Movement, Physical Geo, Human Geo, Indian
Geography, Environment, Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Disaster Management,
Indian Polity, Governance, Constitution, Indian Economy - Basics and Advanced, Indian
foreign policy and international relations.
If you read these 10 books thoroughly along with the 30 NCERT textbooks and
theHindu newspaper, Paper one of Prelims will be a cake-walk for you.
Following are paperwise details:
Paper 1:
World History
Book by Arjun Dev,
IGNOU BA notes,
youtube videos
You should watch the important youtube videos covering major events (history channel
and BBC series can help) if you are planning to prepare on long term basis with plenty of
time. As it is said

"Tell me, I'll forget. Show me, I'll remember.

Involve me, I'll understand"

There is no substitute for understanding using the videos. You learn by being involved
completely. Not only your eyes but your ears and your brain is actively involved.

Indian history
NCERT books,
history book by Bipan Chandra on Modern India.
Modern Indian history- Spectrum
Indias freedom struggle- Bipan Chandra
India since independence- Bipan Chandra
Which edition NCERT books (old/new) are preferable? Or we should study both?
My answer is that both should be read. The new editions cover the subject in an
interesting manner which arouses the spirit of inquiry and analysis. So read the new
first.
Then go over to the old books which are more oriented towards facts and loaded with
information. For IAS exams you will need the ability to analyse along with relelvant facts
and trends.
Supplement with the youtube videos esp series Pradhanmantri. Bharat Ek Khoj, BBC
series
CultureNIOS culture
Spectrum publications book
CCRT website
NCERT book on Indian Art
youtube videos Indian diplomacy channel
SociologyNCERT 11th and 12th standard textbooks
IGNOU BA notes ESO 12 module
GeographyNCERT 8th to 12th standard textbooks.
Physical geography Go Che Leong
Neetu Singh's notes for world geography.
India-Comprehensive Geography by D B Khuller
Paper 2:
PolityIndian Polity by Laxmikant
Sriram's notes
Supplement with the youtube videos esp series Pradhanmantri.
Playlists of Loksabha and Rajyasabha channels, 7 RCR.
2nd ARC report- Dont read entire report, but read those topics only which are in
the syllabus.Be very selective while reading it. Only selected and relevant areas should be
studied . Revision is very important after each reading. Use it extensively in your
answers.
Yojana- not only the current issues but also the issues of previous years can be read
selectively according to the topics in syllabus.

PIB (Press Information Bureau)- Studying and preparing from PIB press notes is
an art. Read daily releases on the PIB website along with newspapers. I dont think you
need to read India Year Book if you are following PIB regularly. Make sure that you read
very selectively. If you cant read entire year's release at least try and read the PIB
releases from the date of Prelims to Mains exams. You can also profitably refer to the
section called Features on the website. Make sure that you revise regularly.
PRS | Home- It gives good insight about latest government policies, bills, acts etc.
Read selected portion from Public Administration material
International affairsNewspapers- The Hindu and Indian express
Frontline Magazine- World Affairs (Topics of international affairs are
comprehensively covered by frontline)
IDSA website- Subscribe to it and receive mails regularly. Read the articles in the
section- comment
On the IDSA website, you should also follow the section called Ask an expert This area
gives you very good insights which you can draw from the experts. Here you can also
learn the art of writing answers on international affairs.
Economic and political weekly- Editorial should be treated as an essential reading.
Ministry of external affairs website- It carries lot of resources. Information related
to bilateral relations, multilateral forums international bodies is available. It has
collection of good articles. We can also get the statements of the President, the Prime
minister and external affairs minister at one place.
Other good books like Pax indica (by Shashi Tharoor may be read if you have spare time)
NCERT 11th and 12th books can also be read if you have time.
Youtube videos Indian Diplomacy playlists, BBC, Al Jazeera, RajyaSabha and LokSabha
etc.
Srirams notes.
Paper 3:
Economics- any good book on Indian economy. You may read Indian economy notes
by Srirams IAS. If possible read these notes along with listening to Sriram class
recordings.
For topics like infrastructure, industrial policy, irrigation etc. read Datt and Sundaram's
book, to understand basics.
NIPFP | web page
Newspapers and magazines like EPW.
Sriram's notes.

Disaster management2nd ARC report on Crisis management. Government websites, NCERT pdfs
Science and technologySrirams notes and Vision IAS notes.Use internet extensively. Explore syllabus. Wikipedia
helps.
SecurityLatest annual report of ministry of home affairs.
IDSA website- search articles on this website. It has good articles related to internal
security, cyber security etc.
IDSA monograph on internal security.
Grand strategy of India 2020- IDSA publication.- Read selectively(for only mentioned
topics in syllabus)
EnvironmentInternet, UGC, ICSE 9th and 10th standard Beeta Publications books, NCERT books
Paper 4:
Your strategy should be to have an initial reading and then to concentrate on writing
answers. Make it a regular practice.
read 4 reports of 2nd ARC Ethics in administration, Personnel administration,
District administration and Citizen centric administration.
Book by Ramesh Arora- Ethics in governance.
Collection of quotes of eminent persons and inspiring stories of great people can improve
your answer.
List of magazinesYojana, Frontline, Science reporter, Economic and political weekly, Down to earth: You
can read even online editions.
Websites- IDSA, government websites like PIB, websites of various ministries like MEA,
MHA, MoEF etc.
You can expect that questions will not need data and figures. If you want to score good
marks, you must project your true self and your own personality in your answers. This
paper gives you the opportunity to show the examiner your positive, pro-poor and
proactive attitude, concern for the vulnerable sections of the society. You should try to
demonstrate the citizen centric administration along with your qualities like objectivity,
analytical ability, reasoning, rational thinking etc. It is important that the answers are in
your own words and forcefully express you.
Explore the syllabus and analyse it. Practice regularly the art of writing the answers.
Other Sources:
Bachelor of Arts (BA) IGNOU notes
There are excellent groups on facebook where the above material is available in e format.
Try Sriram or Vajiram IAS groups.
ROMAN SAINI BOOK LIST:

First of all following NCERTs have to be read page by page.

1. NCERTs VI to X (All relevant for GS).
2. NCERTs XI to XII (Polity, History, Economy, Geography).
3. Biology NCERT class XII (Chapter 13 to 16 i.e last 4 chapters related to
Environment and Ecology)
4. Chemistry NCERT (class XII part 2; last 3 chapters)
They are all available for free download from National Council Of
Educational Research And Training
You can answer most of the static part of all the papers through NCERTs and
also you will develop in-depth understanding.
Read all the NCERTs at least 4-5 times before attempting your examination.
For prelims, conceptual and factual information available in NCERT
becomes very important. Any key phrases and keywords, if present especially
in bold, italics, underlined etc. should be noted down separately.
Write these key words and phrases somewhere, either in physical form in
your notebook or make some evernote file.
Revise it again and again, till it becomes your second nature.
Don't skip any NCERT even if you have studied the subject at higher level.
For e.g., even if you are from science background, don't skip science NCERTs
at any cost.
I know you have many things to do with your life and you guys are extremely
busy in doing important stuff. But, it will not take much time for you to study
them (few precious hours of your life at max),and always remember that cost
of not studying them is exorbitantly high, so it doesn't make any sense to
leave NCERTs completely.
Google what you don't understand
Completely avoid reading nostalgic description, pictorial elaborative
discussion, and illustrations which conjures the feeling of awe. These are
meant for fostering better understanding among younger audience in
school, not for civil servants in making.

NOTES MAKING TIPS:

Your note making should be according to the subject and its requirement .

If you are making notes on jute industry ,then you have to write facts on its
location ,factors of location ,present situation ,challenges and opportunities.
If you are making notes on a government scheme/policy ,then you have to
take notes on the need of the policy ,the approach of the policy ,its
advantages and disadvantages.
If you are making notes on an event in history ,then you will have to write
causes ,important events and results .
Wherever needed,use diagrams in your notes, so that you can use the same
in your exam.

Take notes with subheadings for better clarity and faster revision.
Understand what UPSC expects you know in each subject and then take
notes.

SOME ADDITIONAL BOOKS.

0. NCERT BOOKS (Old ncert are preferable )
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

History Of Modern India Bipan Chandra. (History)

Indias Struggle For Independence Bipan Chandra. (History)
Facets of Indian Culture Spectrum. (Culture)
Geography of India Majid Husain. (Geography)
Oxford School Atlas Oxford. (Geography)
Certificate Physical and Human Geography Goh Cheng Leong.
(Geography)
7. Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations M. Laxmikanth. (Polity)
8. Indian Economy Ramesh Singh. (Economy)
9. Economic Survey (2012-13). (Economy)
10. Science and Technology in India Kalpana Rajaram : Spectrum. (Science
and Technology)
11. Environmental Studies from Crisis to Cure 2nd Edition R.Rajagoplan.
(Environment)
12. India Year Book. (Current Affairs)
13. Manorama Yearbook 2014. (Current Affairs)
14. Analytical Reasoning M. K. Pandey (CSAT Paper 2 : Analytical
Reasoning)
15. Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning R. S.Aggarwal (CSAT Paper 2 : Reasoning)
for mains
1. Contemporay Essays by Ramesh Singh OR 151 ESSAYS For UPSC
Mains(Essay Paper)
2. India After Gandhi Ramchandra Guha (History GS1)
3. History of Modern World Jain and Mathur OR Norman Lowe (World
History GS1)
4. Social Problems In India Ram Ahuja. (Indian Society GS1)
5. Development & Developmental Processes (Social Justice GS2)
6. Issues Relating to Social Development (Social Justice GS2)
7. Pax Indica Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy GS2)
8. Indias Foreign Policy by Muchkund Dubey. (Foreign Policy GS2)
9. Indias National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security GS3)
10. Disaster Management. (Disaster Management GS3)

11. Ethics In Governance. ( Ethics GS4)

12. Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Mains. ( Ethics GS4)
Magzine : Civil services Chronicle or Pratiyogita darpan with YOJANA and
KURUKSHETRA MAGZINE will be enough if you still have time then go for other
magzines like science reporter and down to earth .
Newspaper : The hindu is best and if you have time then supplement your knowledge
with The economic times
Additional magzines ( if you have time peferably don't buy them) : ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL WEEKLY and DOWN TO EARTH and THE ECONOMIST .
If you don't have THE HINDU paper in your location then purchase FRONTLINE
magzine published twice in a month by the hindu groups.
Study well at home because self study is the key to crack any exam.
source of books mentioned : crackias list of book !