Books for UPSC Civil Service Main Exam Preparation

Books for UPSC Civil Service Main Exam overlap with many books recommended for Prelims. 

But Mains stage demands certain additional books as there are new topics like Foreign Relations, 

Internal Security, Ethics etc. We suggest a mix of NCERT Books, Government websites, 

newspapers along with new textbooks in the market for mains preparation.

Books for UPSC Civil Service Main Exam Preparation (

Essay 

1. Essays for Civil Services – Pulkit Khare (Essay Paper)

2. Contemporary Essays by Ramesh Singh (2nd Edition 2017) 

General Studies -1

1. The Wonder That Was India – A.L. Bhasham. (Culture)
2. India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma. (Culture)
   
   प्रारंभिक भारत का इतिहास - R  S शर्मा 
   
   
3. Indian Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania. (Culture
   
   भारतीय कला एवं संस्कृति -नितिन सिंघनिया 
4. History Of Modern India – Bipan Chandra. (History)
   
   आधुनिक भारत का इतिहास - बिपिन चंद्रा 
5. India After Gandhi – Ramchandra Guha (History – GS1)
   
   भारत : गाँधी के बाद  BY रामचंद्रन गुहा  
6. India’s Struggle For Independence – Bipan Chandra. (History)
   
   
7. Geography of India – Majid Husain. (Geography) New edition 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            OR  
   
   India : A Comprehensive Geography by Khullar 
   
   (if you have Geography Optional buy Khullar  and if you have Khullar then do not by Majjid hussain )
   
8. Oxford School Atlas – Oxford. (Geography) 
   
                                 OR  
   Orient BlackSwan (Geography)
   
9. Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong. (Geography)
   
10. Norman Lowe OR History of Modern World
    
                              OR 
11. – Jain and Mathur (World History – GS1)
    
    
12. Social Problems In India – Ram Ahuja. (Indian Society – GS1)

General Studies -2

1. Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations – M. Laxmikanth. (Polity) 5th Edi.
2. IAS Mains General Studies Paper 2 (Arihant Manual – GS2)
3. Governance in India for CSE. (Governance – GS2)
4. Pax Indica – Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy – GS2)
5. India and the World by Surendra Kumar. (Foreign Policy – GS2)

General Studies -3

1. Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh. (Economy)
2. Economic Survey. (Economy)
3. Science and Technology in India – TMH. (Science and Technology)
4. Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure – Rajagopalan. (Environment)
5. Environment for Civil Services Prelims and Mains – Khuller. (Environment)
6. India Year Book (Current Affairs)
7. Manorama Yearbook. (Current Affairs)
8. IAS Mains General Studies – GS3. (Arihant Manual – GS3)
9. India’s National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security – GS3)
10. Challenges to Internal Security of India. (Internal Security – GS3)

General Studies -4

1. Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude. ( Ethics – GS4)
2. IAS Mains General Studies – Ethics. ( Arihant Manual – GS4)

Also read:  Temple Architecture and Sculpture - Hindu, Buddhist and Jain (Indian Culture Series – NCERT)

Civil Services Optional Subject Books (Paper 6 and Paper 7)

for Optional Papers for IAS Mains:

1. Sociology Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
2. Public Administration Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
3. History Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
4. Geography Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
5. Economics Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
6. Philosophy Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
7. Psychology Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
8. Agriculture Optional: Books for Mains Exam.
9. Political Science Optional: Books for Mains Exam.

Useful IAS Books and Magazines For Free Download and Reference

• NCERT Books Download.
• Buy NCERT Books Online.
• Yojana Magazine Download.
• Kurukshetra Magazine Download.
• Buy Pratiyogita Darpan Magazine.
• IGNOU Books Download.
• IAS Books Mains General Studies – For more reference in GS1, GS2, G3 and G4.
• Free IAS Study Materials for UPSC Prelims and Mains.