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Candidates preparing for the UPSC Civil Services exam are advised to study from the best IAS books for preparation. To increase and enrich their knowledge base and preparation, candidates must study from the UPSC IAS books of different subjects. There is a myriad of study material available for the UPSC IAS exam, so it is important to choose books for preparation carefully.
Before selecting the best books for IAS preparation, candidates must also know the UPSC IAS syllabus. Candidates appearing for the IAS exam must have started preparing for the exam long before, if not they should immediately do so. Referring to the best books for IAS is not enough to qualify the IAS exam. Candidates must also work hard and practice as many IAS sample papers and previous year IAS question papers as possible to clear the exam.
Candidates can check some basic details about UPSC IAS exam here.
Exam Name | Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Exam |
Exam Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission |
Stages of Exam | Preliminary Mains Personality Test |
Exam Mode | Offline |
Quick Links:
Here is a list of some of the best and most commonly referred books for UPSC IAS exam preparation. Check the table below for the names of the most common UPSC IAS preparation books.]
Sr. No. | IAS syllabus books |
1 | NCERT books (Geography, Polity, History, Economics) |
2 | Indian polity by M Laxmikahth |
3 | Indian art and culture by Nitin Singhania |
4 | Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh |
5 | Environment by Shankar IAS |
UPSC Civil Services exam is a three-stage exam - prelims, mains and personality test. Candidates preparing for the IAS exam are always looking for good IAS syllabus books to brush up their knowledge base. Check some of the books that they can refer to while preparing the IAS exam in the tables below.
UPSC IAS prelims exam is a multiple choice question type having two papers - General studies and CSAT. In paper 1 questions are from subjects like history, geography, economy, polity, general knowledge, general science, etc. Whereas in CSAT candidates' reasoning and aptitude capabilities are tested. So to prepare for UPSC civil services prelims candidates can refer to the IAS syllabus books mentioned in the table below.
Subject | Books for UPSC IAS Prelims |
India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipin Chandra Facets of Indian Culture – Spectrum NCERT 11th (Ancient & Medieval) NCERT 12th (Modern Indian History) | |
Certificate Physical Geography – G C Leong NCERT 6th to 10th NCERT 11th and 12th World Atlas | |
Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth NCERT 9th to 12th | |
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh Economic Development & Policies in India – Jain & Ohri NCERT 11th | |
International Relations | NCERT 12th (Contemporary World Politics) Current Affairs |
CSAT | Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual CSAT – Arihant Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R S Aggarwal |
UPSC IAS mains exam is descriptive in nature. It has a total of 9 papers all written. In IAS mains questions are asked from subjects like geography, history, economy, Hindi language, English language, etc. To know about the best books for UPSC IAS mains preparation check the table below:
Subject | Books for IAS mains |
History, Indian Heritage & Culture | An Introduction to Indian Art Part 1: Textbook in Fine Arts for Class 11th India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra India after Independence by Bipin Chandra History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra India’s Ancient Past by R.S Sharma Contemporary World History for class 12th Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe |
Geography | NCERT Class 11 - Physical Geography NCERT Class 12 - Human Geography World Geography by Majid Husain Geography of India by Majid Husain Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G C Leong World Atlas |
Polity | Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu From Government to Governance by Kuldeep Mathur Ethics in Governance, ARC Report Human Development Report World Development Report |
Social Justice | NCERT of 11th on Indian Society 12th class NCERT The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper Human Development Report World Development Report |
International Relations | India’s Foreign Policy Since Independence by V.P. Dutt Or India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper |
Economy | Indian Economic Development NCERT of 11th Introductory Macroeconomics 12th class NCERT Indian Economy by Sanjiv Verma Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh Economic Survey (latest) The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper |
Biodiversity, Environment | 12th NCERT Book on Biology India Year Book The chapter on Climate Change from Economic Survey The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper |
Security and Disaster Management | India’s Security in a Turbulent World by Jasjit Singh, published by National Book Trust of India The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper |
Science & Technology | 8th, 9th and 10th class NCERT books on Biology The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper Monthly Magazine ‘Science Reporter for Science & Technology |
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Main Examination by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudhary Ethics in Governance ARC Report Lexicon |
Best Study Material for UPSC Civil Services Exam- Prelims & Mains - Video Guide
Candidates preparing for UPSC IAS 2024 should have a preparation strategy on how to prepare for the UPSC IAS 2024 exam. The best way to prepare for the UPSC civil services exam is to have your own unique plan and not anyone else. Here a few tips on how to prepare for the UPSC IAS examination:
Candidates must go through the UPSC IAS syllabus and exam pattern before starting their preparation
Candidates must refer to the standard books for IAS exam
Candidates must develop a habit of reading the newspaper
Candidates should make short notes while studying for faster revision
Candidates must go through the previous year's UPSC IAS question papers to know the type and level of questions and more
More Relevant Links - UPSC IAS Result 2024
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh is the best book for the UPSC IAS exam.
Yes, UPSC releases the IAS cutoff after the declaration of the final IAS result.
The minimum age required to apply for the IAS exam is 21 years.
No, NCERT books are good and much needed for IAS 2024 exam preparation. But alone they are not enough to crack the exam. To clear the IAS exam candidates must read other reference books too.
While buying the books for UPSC 2024, keep in mind that books must be based on latest syllabus and exam pattern.
It completely depends on the students' perspective. There are students who prefer to study in online mode because of the amount of resources available there whereas some prefer books because of authenticity.
The sample papers of UPSC 2024 is available in the online mode. However, you can buy the books of UPSC IAS which contain the sample practice papers.
While choosing the best books for IAS, candidates must keep in mind that the books are based on latest exam pattern and syllabus of UPSC IAS 2024.
Others:28 January,2025 - 30 April,2025
Others:31 January,2025 - 30 April,2025
Others:31 March,2025 - 30 April,2025
Application Date:07 April,2025 - 03 May,2025
Application Date:13 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
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