Note: The download links for all the NCERTs and IGNOU can be found in this website itself. You will only have to buy the textbooks.
In addition to the books prescribed below, reading the news section everyday and preparing rigorously for the Current Affairs section of the test will hold the key to your chances of making it to the Mains. Generally, around 25-30% of the paper is based on current affairs (which might also draw from your knowledge you have garnered from reading all the NCERTs and standard textbooks).
| Sl no | Books | Class | Type |
| 1 | History – Our Past – Class 6 NCERT | 6 | NCERT |
| 2 | Our Past I- Class 7 NCERT | 7 | NCERT |
| 3 | Our Past II – Class 8 NCERT | 8 | NCERT |
| 4 | Our Past III – Class 8 NCERT | 8 | NCERT |
| 5 | India and Contemporary World 1 – Class 9 NCERT | 9 | NCERT |
| 6 | India and Contemporary World 2 – Class 10 NCERT | 10 | NCERT |
| 7 | Contemporary India – 1 (Geography) -Class 9 NCERT | 9 | NCERT |
| 8 | Contemporary India – 2 (Geography) -Class 10 NCERT | 10 | NCERT |
| 9 | Fundamentals of Physical Geography – Class 11 NCERT | 11 | NCERT |
| 10 | India and Physical Environment – Class 11 NCERT | 11 | NCERT |
| 11 | Fundamentals of Human Geography – Class 12 NCERT | 12 | NCERT |
| 12 | Themes in World History – Class 11 | 11 | NCERT |
| 13 | Themes in World History – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 14 | Themes in Indian History 1 – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 15 | Themes in Indian History 2 – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 16 | Themes in Indian History 3 – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 17 | Social and Political Life – Class 7 | 7 | NCERT |
| 18 | Social and Political Life – Class 8 | 8 | NCERT |
| 19 | Democratic Politics – Class 9 | 9 | NCERT |
| 20 | Democratic Politics 2 – Class 10 | 10 | NCERT |
| 21 | India Constitution At Work – Class 10 NCERT | 10 | NCERT |
| 22 | Political theory – Class 11 | 11 | NCERT |
| 23 | Economics – Class 11 | 11 | NCERT |
| 24 | Macroeconomics – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 25 | Indian People and Economy – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 26 | Ancient India – Makhan Lal – Class 11 | 11 | NCERT |
| 27 | Indian Society – Class 12 | 12 | NCERT |
| 28 | The Earth – Our habitat – Class 6 | 6 | NCERT |
| 29 | Our Environment – Class 7 | 7 | NCERT |
| 30 | Science – Class 8 | 8 | NCERT |
| 31 | Science – Class 9 | 9 | NCERT |
| 32 | Science – Class 10 | 10 | NCERT |
| 33 | Our Culture & Heritage by IGNOU | IGNOU | |
| 34 | Environment and Biodiversity – NOS material | IGNOU | |
| 35 | An Introduction to Indian Constitution – D.D Basu | Textbooks | |
| 36 | Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth | Textbooks | |
| 37 | Bipan Chandra – India’s Struggle for Independence | Textbooks | |
| 38 | Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong – For reference | Textbooks | |
| 39 | AL Bashyam – The Wonder that was India | Textbooks | |
| 40 | BV Rao – History of Modern World | Textbooks | |
| 41 | Indian Economics – Ramesh Singh | Textbooks | |
| 42 | India After Gandhi – Ram Guha | Textbooks | |
| 42 | Economic Survey | ||
Although, this booklist is given, students at times have asked where to begin. It is also essential to know which books are the most important ones to pay more attention to.
There are two traps you have to avoid while preparing:
1. Ancient India – Ancient India is very vast. Even if you spend 4 months preparing for it, there is still no guarantee that you will be able to answer questions from it. Read Nitin Singhania properly, twice or thrice before you head to the secondary and tertiary sources. Please study ancient India after you have perfected the other subjects.
2. Current Affairs – Follow the Hindu irrespective of what others tell you. Read the editorials everyday even if you think you know everything that is written in the editorial for the day; that’s how you consolidate your knowledge.
Choose another source, like our Website (or some other website or tuition current affairs) that consolidates the news from various subjects and stick to that source. Do NOT try following Current Affairs from too many sources. That will be the Achilles’ heel of your preparation.
The books are listed here according to their subjects and importance:
Polity
Primary Immportance
1. India Constitution At Work – Class 10 NCERT
2. Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth – This is a very comprehensive read on Polity. Needs no supplementary reading.
Secondary Importance
3. An Introduction to Indian Constitution – D.D Basu – If you are unable to mug up a lot of what is written in Laxmikanth, you can read this commentary on the Indian constitution. It will help clear up a few doubts you might have.
Economics
Primary Importance
1. Macroeconomics – Class 12
2. Economic Survey – Please try and understand all the terms that you come across in the Economic Survey. Although this can be very hard to do, it will pay dividends across all General Studies papers and Essay paper in the Mains written examination.
3. You can refer our “Economic Terms” section. You will find answers to most of your doubts there.
Secondary Importance
4. Indian Economics – Ramesh Singh
Geography
Primary Importance
1. Contemporary India – 1 (Geography) -Class 9 NCERT
2. Fundamentals of Physical Geography – Class 11 NCERT
3. India and Physical Environment – Class 11 NCERT
4. Fundamentals of Human Geography – Class 12 NCERT
5. Contemporary India – 2 (Geography) -Class 10 NCERT
6. Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong – For reference
World History
Primary importance:
1. India and Contemporary World 1 – Class 9 NCERT
2. India and Contemporary World 2 – Class 10 NCERT
Secondary importance
3. Themes in World History – Class 11
4. Themes in World History – Class 12
Tertiary importance
5. BV Rao – History of Modern World
Indian History – Since 1857
Primary Importance
1. Bipan Chandra – India’s Struggle for Independence
2. India After Gandhi – Ram Guha
Secondary Importance
3. Themes in Indian History 1 – Class 12
4. Themes in Indian History 2 – Class 12
5. Themes in Indian History 3 – Class 12
Ancient India, Culture and Indian Society
Ancient India is very vast. Even if you spend 4 months preparing for it, there is still no guarantee that you will be able to answer questions from it. Read Nitin Singhania properly, twice or thrice before you head to the secondary and tertiary sources.
Primary Importance
1. Indian Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania
2. Indian Society – Class 12
Secondary Importance
3. AL Bashyam – The Wonder that was India
4. Our Culture & Heritage by IGNOU
Tertiary Importance
5. History – Our Past – Class 6 NCERT
6. Our Past I- Class 7 NCERT
7. Our Past II – Class 8 NCERT
8. Our Past III – Class 8 NCERT
9. Ancient India – Makhan Lal – Class 11
Environment and Biodiversity
Primary Importance
1. Shankar IAS notes – This is a good compilation. If you can lay your hands on these notes, you should definitely read it.
2. Environment and Biodiversity – NOS material
Science
1. The Earth – Our habitat – Class 6
2. Our Environment – Class 7
3. Science – Class 8
4. Science – Class 9
5. Science – Class 10
Current Affairs
Follow Hindu Newspaper and our Current Affairs section. Do NOT try following Current Affairs from too many sources. That will be the Achilles’ heel of your preparation.
Solve Previous year papers
As an addendum, it is also absolutely necessary you solve previous year question papers as you study through different subject. You can do that through our tests section for free.
Work hard. Work smart. Good Luck!