6 Must-Have Books for Every IAS-Civil Service-UPSC Aspirants

To help you in making the best choice, here are some of the most popular and highly recommended books (even by successful IAS candidates) that will strengthen your base and take you forward towards being an IAS.

Aspiring to be a bureaucrat? Well, it takes lot of effort to be one. However, if you have the right strategies and approach in the right direction nothing can stop you from adding a suffix with your name. And the very first step towards achieving your dreams is the proper selection of books. In today’s market, you will come across various publishers in each subject. Smart if you are, you will carefully choose your books and keep them as your asset during your preparation years. 


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So, to help you in making the best choice, here are some of the most popular and highly recommended books (even by successful IAS candidates) that will strengthen your base and take you forward towards being an IAS. 


For your convenience we have researched and classified these books from Amazon.in because of lower price and wider delivery options available. Just click on name of the book to visit and buy from Amazon.in at lower price. 


1. NCERT (Classes 6-12)



NCERT is the bedrock for preparing for IAS. UPSC examination, like any other central examination is based on the NCERT standard and therefore follows its pattern. Hence, your first stepping stone should be completing the entire NCERT collection especially History and Geography. You can study Science till class 10, that’s more than enough. By doing so, you will get a complete idea about what all you have to read and have more clarity on the pattern of questions which can be asked in IAS exam. Furthermore, you shall develop a clear concept on each subject and build a strong foundation. 


2. Brief History of Modern India- Spectrum 




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It is the best UPSC study material for understanding Indian National Movement. From European invasions in the 15th century till Indian Independence in 1947, the book takes you through a complete journey of Modern India. Content is very comprehensive and is presented in point form with sufficient elaborations. Therefore, you need not take the extra pain of making notes. Just read whatever’s written and you can expect direct questions from this book or at least you can apply your concepts and knowledge while writing answers (both Prelims and Mains). 


3. Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth




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Moving to Indian polity, there’s one and only M. Laxmikanth. An excellently written book on the background and formation of Indian Constitution along with the present-day political framework of the country, it’s a must read UPSC book for all IAS aspirants. Similar to Spectrum’s Modern History, M. Laxmikanth’s Polity is well presented in points and tables. Here also you don’t have to worry about making extra notes. Continue reading and mark the important portions in the book itself. That’s all.

 4. Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh 



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As an UPSC aspirant, you need to have good idea about our economy. Ramesh Singh’s Indian Economy provides is of good standard, pertaining to UPSC Economics syllabus. The book gives you a complete idea on the nation’s economy including major economic developments, industrial infrastructure, banking sector, HDI and important economic organisations. 
However, before starting this book, it will be better to first finish your NCERT Economics (Class 11 and 12) and form a basic idea about various terms, concepts and terminologies associated with Economics for example, Demand, Supply, GDP, GNP, etc. Always remember IAS exam does not focus on microeconomics (Demand, Supply, Market etc.) but on macroeconomics like Third Year Plans, Current Economic Policies, GDP, RBI and so on. Therefore, in order to understand these things, you must know the basic concepts and ideas of this subject. 


5. Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong


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Physical geography constitutes a major proportion of the UPSC syllabus. With this IAS book in hand, you need not look back into any other books. This goes down as the best UPSC study material in understanding physical and human geography and how one is connected to the other. Written in simple yet standard language, it makes preparation lot easier. For better understanding, you can also go through Oxford Student Atlas and keep things in mind for long-term.


6. Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania 




 6 Must-Have Books for Every IAS/Civil Service Aspirant
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The author himself being an IAS, has written an ideal civil service exam book on Indian Art and Culture. From the quality of writing to the amount of knowledge stored in the content is simply remarkable. Going by the UPSC syllabus, it touches down all the relevant topics; thereby helping students to have a healthy and steady preparation for the most prestigious exam of the country. 

Now that you know the basic strategy, what are you waiting for? Grab these books online from Amazon.in at lower price. Start reading, build your confidence and look forward to a brighter future. All the best!! 

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