UPSC Prelims Preparation Books and Sources

POLITY

NCERT

  • NCERT – 6th to 8th (for basic understanding)
  • NCERT- Class 9th to 12th (for understanding more on democracy and federalism)

Standard Books for Indian Polity

  • Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth
  • Introduction to Indian Constitution – D.D.Basu

ENVIRONMENT

  • Shankar IAS Environment
  • ICSE Board- Environmental studies- Class 10th and 11th
  • NCERT Class 12th Biology (Last 4 Chapters)

ECONOMICS

  • Macroeconomics- Class 12th, NCERT
  • NCERT 11th – Indian Economic Development
  • NCERT- Class 9thand 10th 
  • Standard Book-Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
  • Khan Academy Macroeconomics videos
  • Investopedia – University (also read basics of Microeconomics from here)
  • Sriram’s IAS Economics Notes

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

  • NCERT- Class 6th to 10th
  • NCERT – Biology – 11th (Unit IV & V only)
  • NCERT Biology – 12th (Chapters 4, 5 and rest from 7 to 16)
  • NCERT – Biology – 12th (OLD) – Chapter 9 onwards
  • NCERT – Physics – 11th (Chap 1,5 & 8) and 12th (Chap 15 only)
  • NCERT – Chemistry – 11th (Chap 1 & 14 only) and 12th (Chap 14 & 16 only)
  • Science reporter /Yojana Magazine
  • The Hindu-Monday Edition (not technical news, only application based science & Tech)

GEOGRAPHY

  • NCERT Social Science, Class 6th (New) ‘The Earth Our Habitat’
  • NCERT Social Science, Class 7th (New) ‘Our Environment’
  • NCERT Social Science, Class 8th (New) ‘ Resource and Development’
  • NCERT Social Science, Class 9th (New) ‘Contemporary India’
  • NCERT Social Science, Class 10th (New) ‘Contemporary India-Part II’
  • NCERT – Class 11th (New)
    • Fundamentals of Physical Geography
    • India physical environment
  • NCERT – Class 12th (New)
    • Fundamentals of Human Geography
    • India – People and Economy
  • Standard Book-Certificate Physical and Indian Geography – Goh Cheng Leong
  • OLD NCERT Geography – Class 11th and 12th
  • Atlas: Orient BlackSwan School Atlas or Oxford School Atlas

HISTORY

Modern India History

  • NCERT – Class 8th (New) – ‘Our Pasts – III’
  • NCERT-Class 12th ‘Modern India’ (OLD)
  • Tamil Nadu Edition- Class 12th
  • Standard Book:
    • Spectrum Modern India – Rajiv Ahir
    • India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra
    • Plassey to Partition by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay

Medieval India History

  • NCERT – Class 7th (New) –‘Our Pasts –II’
  • NCERT – Class 11th ‘Medieval India’ (OLD)- Satish Chandra
  • Tamil Nadu Edition-Class 11th
  • Ancient and Medieval India –  Poonam Dalal Dahiya

Ancient India History

  • NCERT– Class 11th ‘Ancient India’ (OLD)- R.S. Sharma
  • NCERT– Class 12th ‘Themes in Indian History- Part I’ (NEW)- Chapters 1 to 6
  • Tamil Nadu Edition – Class 11th
  • Ancient and Medieval India –  Poonam Dalal Dahiya

CURRENT AFFAIRS

  • The Hindu
  • The Indian Express
  • Livemint 
  • Press Information Bureau 
  • PRS Website
  • IDSA: Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis (For International Relations & Security)
  • Yojana and Kurukshetra (For Best Introduction)
  • Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha