14 Essential Books For UPSC Preparation (Supplementary Reading List)

Essential Books For UPSC Preparation: The Union Public Service Commission conducts the Civil Services Examination every year in order to recruit candidates for the various civil posts of the Union Government. The examination is conducted in three stages- Preliminary, Mains and Interview. The Preliminary examination is considered as a screening test, followed by Mains examination. The candidate who qualifies in both these examinations is finally called for an interview for which he/she has to apply separately.

Books for Prelims (Optional reading list)

There are a few essential books that you should read if you’re preparing for the UPSC Prelims exam. Firstly, “The Indian Constitution” by B.R. Ambedkar is a must-read. This book will give you a good understanding of the Indian Constitution and how it works. Secondly, “Indian Polity” by M.L. Nehru is also a great book to read. It covers all aspects of Indian polity, from the history of the constitution to the current political system. Thirdly, “The Hindu: An Alternative History” by Dinesh Sharma is a good book to read if you want to learn more about Hinduism and its history. Finally, “The Wonder That Was India” by A.L. Basham is a great book to read if you want to learn more about India’s rich cultural history.

Books for Mains

These are the essential books for UPSC preparation according to the latest syllabus.

For Paper I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

1. India’s Ancient Past by Romila Thapar
2. A History of Modern India by Bipan Chandra
3. India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha
4. Themes in World History by Arjun Dev
5. Introducing Globalization by Craig Murphy
6. Geography of India by Majid Hussain
7. Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth
8. Understanding Society by Craig Calhoun
9. An Introduction to the Constitution of India by D D Basu
10. Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh

For Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

1. Governance in India by Vinod Mehta
2. Constitutional Law of India by D D Basu
3. Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth
4. Social Justice in India by M N Srinivas
5. International Relations by P M Haag

Read Also: How To Get A Scholarship From India To Study Abroad In 2022

Conclusion

If you’re preparing for the UPSC exam, then you know that there’s a lot of ground to cover. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of essential books that will supplement your learning and provide you with all the information you need to ace the exam. Make sure to add these books to your reading list so that you can hit the ground running on your journey to becoming a civil servant.