UPSC Booklist 2025
A comprehensive list of recommended books and resources for UPSC Civil Services Prelims and Mains. Curated based on the strategies of top rankers to help you streamline your preparation.
Mains GS 1
Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
Modern History
by Spectrum + NCERTs
Art & Culture
by Nitin Singhania
Indian Society
by Vision IAS Notes / NCERT Class 12
World History
by Norman Lowe / Vision IAS Notes
Note: Selective reading required.
Mains GS 4 (Ethics)
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.
Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
by Chronicle
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
by G. Subba Rao
Case Studies
by Lukmaan IAS / Vision IAS
Note: Practice is more important than theory.
Mains GS 3
Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
Indian Economy
by Economic Survey + Budget
Internal Security
by Ashok Kumar IPS / TMH
Disaster Management
by NDMA Guidelines / IGNOU Notes
Environment
by Shankar IAS + Current Affairs
Science & Tech
by The Hindu (S&T Page) + Monthly Magazines
Optional Subjects
Subject-specific recommendations.
Political Science & IR (PSIR)
Anthropology
Sociology
Prelims GS Booklist
Essential resources for General Studies Paper I. Focus on conceptual clarity and repeated revisions.
A Brief History of Modern India
by Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir)
Note: Comprehensive coverage for Modern History.
Ancient & Medieval India
by Old NCERTs (R.S. Sharma & Satish Chandra)
Note: Best for foundational knowledge.
Science & Tech
by NCERT + Current Affairs
Note: Focus on recent developments.
Prelims CSAT Booklist
Qualifying paper (33% required). Practice is key.
Essay Preparation
Crucial for a high rank. Requires diverse reading and practice.
151 Essays
by S.C. Gupta / Arihant
Essay Transcripts
by Vision IAS / Triumph IAS
Selected Contemporary Essays
by Saumya Ranjan
Mains GS 2
Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.
Polity & Constitution
by M. Laxmikanth
Governance
by ARC Reports (2nd ARC)
Note: Summary of reports is sufficient.
International Relations
by Rajiv Sikri / Current Affairs
Note: Focus on India's neighborhood and major powers.
Social Justice
by Current Affairs + NITI Aayog Reports
Related Resources
Pro Tip
Don't hoard books. Stick to one source per subject and revise it multiple times. "Less is more" in UPSC preparation.