List of NCERT Books needed for UPSC Preparation

Note that the books in bold are most important for IAS Exam Preparation.

GS Paper-1 (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the

World and Society)
NCERT Books for Indian Heritage and Culture

1. Class XI – An Introduction to Indian Art

2. Class XI – Living Craft Traditions of India (Chapters 9 & 10)

NCERT Books for Indian History

1. Class VI – Our Past

2. Class VII – Our Past -I
3. Class VIII – Our Past II and III
4. Class IX – India and the Contemporary World – I
5. Class X – India and the Contemporary World – II
6. Class XI – Themes In World History
7. Class XII – Themes In Indian History – I
8. Class XII – Themes in Indian History – II
9. Class XII – Themes In Indian History – III

NCERT Books for Geography

1. Class VI – The Earth Our Habitat

2. Class VII – Our Environment
3. Class VIII – Resource and Development
4. Class IX – Contemporary India – I
5. Class X – Contemporary India – II
6. Class XI – Fundamentals of Physical Geography
7. Class XI – India – Physical Environment
8. Class XII – Fundamentals of Human Geography
9. Class XII – India – People and Economy

NCERT Books on Indian Society

1. Class VI – Social Science: Social & Political Life I

2. Class VII – Social Science: Social & Political Life II
3. Class VIII – Social Science: Social & Political Life III
4. Class XI – Sociology: Understanding Society
5. Class XII – Indian Society
6. Class XII – Social Change and Development in India
 GS Paper 2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and
International relations)
NCERT books for Polity, Governance and Constitution

1. Class IX – Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – I

2. Class X – Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – II
3. Class XI – Political Science: Indian Constitution at Work
4. Class XI – Political Science: Political Theory
5. Class XII – Political Science I: Contemporary World Politics
6. Class XII – Political Science II: Politics in India Since Independence

Note: Detailed focus should be on Indian Polity and World Polity should be read later if time
permits.

GS Paper 3 (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment,

Security and Disaster Management)
NCERT Books for Science & Technology

1. Science: NCERT Class VI

2. Science: NCERT Class VII
3. Science: NCERT Class VIII
4. Science: NCERT Class IX
5. Science: NCERT Class X
6. Science: NCERT Class XI – Chemistry: Unit 14 & Biology: Units 4 & 5
7. Science: NCERT Class XII – Chemistry: Unit 16 & Biology: Units 8, 9 & 10

NCERT Books for Economic Development

1. Class IX – Economics: Economics

2. Class X – Understanding Economic Development
3. Class XI – Indian Economic Development
4. Class XII – Introductory Microeconomics
5. Class XII – Introductory Macroeconomics

NCERT Books for Environment & Ecology

1. Science: Class XII – Biology: last four Chapters (13 to 16)

 List of relevant Old NCERT books for reference/selective reading
1. Ancient India (Class XI) by RS Sharma

2. Medieval India (Class IX) by Satish Chandra – (This book is enough for complete Medieval
history)

3. Modern India (Class X) by Bipin Chandra

4. World History (Class X): The Story of Civilization by Arjun Dev – (Should be enough for an
intro to World History)

Books to be referred after reading NCERT

Once candidates read the NCERT books, they need to follow the prescribed textbooks or one standard
textbook for each subject. Here we have listed essential textbooks for all GS Subjects.

 Indian Polity (M. Laxmikanth)

 Indian Economy (Ramesh Singh)
 History of Modern India ( Bipin Chandra )
 Certificate Physical and Human Geography – G C Leong
 Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania
 Indian Year Book
 Yojana Magazine
 Brief history of Modern India (Spectrum publications)

In UPSC Civil Services Exam, UPSC evaluates candidates conceptual understanding and analytical
ability. It does not give importance to what book you have read, rather it gives importance to what you
have understood from it. So don’t read vaguely or memorise. Instead, follow the concept to proceed
further in UPSC preparation.

We understand that even after reading from reference books some weaknesses in a subject may remain.