Best Books for UPSC: UPSC Books play an important role in your preparation. The right books for UPSC ensure balanced coverage of the syllabus along with practice and revision. Hence, candidates must ensure they choose only the best books for UPSC preparation that explain the concepts in an easy-to-understand language.
Most importantly, the best UPSC books must include enough questions for practice. Applicants are advised to pick limited books for every subject to avoid conceptual confusion.
Many beginners wonder which books are best for UPSC preparation. To help, we have shared below the UPSC booklist for prelims and mains so that they can stay on the right track throughout their preparation.
Best Books for UPSC
UPSC is one of the toughest civil service examinations in the country. It demands rigorous preparation and unlimited practice.
The UPSC selection process is divided into three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. To excel in every stage, you must build a strong foundation across all the topics/subjects. And this is possible only when you select the best books for UPSC prelims and mains preparation.
Hence, you must go through the UPSC book list recommended by IAS toppers and experts to make an informed decision. The right books for UPSC will be based on the latest syllabus and trends. Choose only the latest edition as it can help you align your preparation with the latest exam requirements.
In this article, we have compiled the best books for UPSC preparation to guide candidates in the right direction.
Top UPSC Books for Prelims & Mains Preparation
Certain books for UPSC are always recommended by IAS toppers and experts. These UPSC books have helped many individuals succeed in the exam.
The reason? It covers all the relevant topics plus sufficient questions for practice. Given below is the list of best books for UPSC Prelims and Mains for reference purposes:
| UPSC Book Name / Subject | Author / Publisher |
| Indian Polity | M. Laxmikanth |
| Science and Technology in India | Ravi P. Agrahari |
| Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh |
| Indian Art and Culture | Nitin Singhania |
| Certificate Physical and Human Geography | G.C. Leong |
| A Brief History of Modern India | Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir) |
| Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude | Lexicon by Chronicle Publications |
| NCERT Books (Class 6–12) | NCERT Publications |
| Environment and Ecology | Shankar IAS Academy |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu / Indian Express / Yojana/Legacy IAS |
Best Books for UPSC Prelims 2026
The UPSC Prelims exam will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks. There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for every incorrect answer. There are two papers in UPSC CSE prelims:
General Studies & CSAT. Each paper carries 200 marks. The exam duration is 2 hours for each paper. GS subject covers areas like Current events of national and international importance, History of India and Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Indian Polity and Governance, Economic and Social Development, General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change and General Science.
On the other hand, the CSAT syllabus covers topics like Comprehension, Interpersonal skills including communication skills, Logical reasoning and analytical ability, Decision making and problem solving, General mental ability, and Basic numeracy.
Hence, it is essential to select the best books for UPSC prelims to master every topic outlined in the syllabus. You must review the feedback of IAS toppers and experts before finalising the UPSC books for your preparation.
Below are the best books for UPSC Prelims preparation for all the subjects for the candidate’s reference.
| Subject | UPSC Books |
| History | India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan ChandraNCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval)NCERT XII (Modern Indian History) A Brief History of Modern India: SpectrumIndian Art and Culture by Nitin SinghaniaIndia after Gandhi: Ramachandra Guha (only if time permits) |
| Indian Polity | Indian Polity BY M LaxmikanthNCERT IX-XII |
| Geography | NCERT VI- X (Old Syllabus)NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus)Certificate Physical Geography BY G C LeongWorld Atlas |
| International Relations | NCERT XII (Contemporary World Politics)Current Affairs by Legacy IAS |
| Economics | Indian Economy by Nitin SinghaniaNCERT XIEconomic Development & Policies in India – Jain & Ohri |
| CSAT (GS-II) | Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal, Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey, Legacy IAS Notes |
Best Books for UPSC Mains 2026
The UPSC mains question paper will be of a conventional (descriptive) type. Each paper will be of three hours’ duration. It comprises two qualifying papers, an essay paper, 4 General Studies subjects, and two optional subjects.
The UPSC mains exam will be conducted for a total of 1750 Marks. Thus, it becomes crucial to use the best books for UPSC mains to learn and practice endlessly. You must choose the UPSC books for mains that focus only on the relevant topics.
This lets you have sufficient time for answer writing practice and revision. Below is the UPSC Booklist for the mains exam preparation for the candidate’s reference.
Best Books for UPSC Mains (Subject-Wise)
Candidates can find the subject-wise best books for the UPSC 2026 exam in the table below. It will help them stay on the right track throughout the preparation.
Below is the detailed UPSC booklist for the prelims and mainfor the clarity purposes:
| Subject | Mains Paper | UPSC Books |
| History, Indian Heritage & Culture | GS Paper 1 | Ancient India by RS SharmaIndia after Independence by Bipan ChandraIndian Art and Culture by Nitin SinghaniaHistory of Medieval India by Satish ChandraIndia’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra |
| Geography | Fundamentals of Physical Geography NCERT Class 11World Geography by Majid HusainWorld AtlasGeography of India by Majid HusainCertificate Physical and Human Geography by G C Leong | |
| Polity & International Relations | GS Paper 2 | Indian Polity by M. LaxmikanthIntroduction to the Constitution of India by DD BasuInternational Relations: Pushpesh Pant |
| Economy | GS Paper 3 | Indian Economy BY Nitin SinghaniaChallenges to Internal Security of India by Ashok KumarEnvironment and Disaster Management by Tata McGraw Hill |
| Ethics | GS Paper 4 | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudary |
Best UPSC Books for GS 1
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for GS 1 subjects from the perspective of prelims and mains for reference purposes:
Art & Culture (Both Prelims and Mains)
- NIOS on Art and Culture
- NCERT Fine Arts Class XI
- Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
Ancient and Medieval History (only for Prelims)
- New NCERTs: Class 6th to 12th
- Old NCERTs (if possible)
Modern History (Both Prelims and Mains)
- New NCERTs: Class 6th to 12th
- A Brief History of Modern India: Spectrum
India’s Struggle for Independence
- Post-Independent India (Both Prelims and Mains)
- India after Independence: Bipan Chandra
- India after Gandhi: Ramachandra Guha (only if time permits)
World History (only for Mains)
- NCERTs – Themes in World History
- Old NCERT by Arjun Dev
Indian Society (Both Prelims and Mains)
- Follow the Current affairs by Legacy IAS
Geography (Both Prelims and Mains)
- GC Leong (for conceptual clarity)
- NCERTs: Class 6 to Class 12
- Atlas
Best UPSC Books for GS 2
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for GS 2 subjects from the perspective of prelims and mains for reference purposes:
Indian Polity and Governance (Both Pre and Main)
- Indian Polity: Laxmikant
- Governance in India: Laxmikant
- Few topics not found in these books can be availed in Legacy IAS Resources
- Schemes and Policies: Current Affairs by Legacy IAS
India’s Foreign policy and Diaspora (Mostly Main)
- Follow the Current Affairs by Legacy IAS
- Ministry of External Affairs
- Static issues covered in Legacy IAS Resources
Best UPSC Books for GS 3
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for GS 3 subjects from the perspective of prelims and mains for reference purposes:
Indian Economy (Both Pre and Main)
- Get the basic understanding of concepts from Legacy IAS notes
- Economic Survey and Budget summary by Legacy IAS.
- Newspaper Business/Economy section.
- 11th Standard NCERT
- Environment (Both pre and Main)
- Legacy IAS notes
- An annual report from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Control
Science and Technology (Both Pre and Main)
- Down to Earth Magazine
- Science and technology notes from Legacy IAS
- Current Affairs by Legacy IAS
- Internal Security Challenges and Disaster Management (Only Main)
- Internal Security Challenges by Ash0k Kumar
- IDSA website
- 2nd ARC report (Report 3) on Disaster management
Best UPSC Books for GS 4
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for GS 3 subjects for reference purposes:
Ethics and Integrity (Only for Main Exam)
- Legacy IAS notes
- Lexicon Dictionary
- Michael Sandals Videos on Youtube
- Previous year question papers
- 2nd ARC report on Ethics (report 4)
Best UPSC Books for Essay
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for essays for reference purposes:
- Legacy IAS Newsletters
- Legacy IAS Resources: Weekly Essay and Case Study section on the home page
Best UPSC Books for Current Affairs
We have compiled below the best books for UPSC for current affairs for reference purposes:
- Read the Hindu Newspaper, Articles from the Indian Express
- Study the summaries of newspapers and analyses of editorials from the Legacy IAS Current Affairs Section
- Follow PIB: Summary provided daily by Legacy IAS
- Take Daily Current Affairs Quiz
Subject-wise Books For UPSC Mains (Optional Paper)
The list of optional subjects for UPSC Mains Exam is:
(i) Agriculture
(ii) Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
(iii) Anthropology
(iv) Botany
(v) Chemistry
(vi) Civil Engineering
(vii) Commerce and Accountancy
(viii) Economics
(ix) Electrical Engineering
(x) Geography
(xi) Geology
(xii) History
(xiii) Law
(xiv) Management
(xv) Mathematics
(xvi) Mechanical Engineering
(xvii) Medical Science
(xviii) Philosophy
(xix) Physics
(xx) Political Science and International Relations
(xxi) Psychology
(xxii) Public Administration
(xxiii) Sociology
(xxiv) Statistics
(xxv)Zoology
(xxvi) Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.
We have compiled below some of the best books for UPSC Mains optional paper to guide the candidates in the right direction:
Books for UPSC Mains Anthropology Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Anthropology Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
- Physical Anthropology by P. Nath
- Anthropology by Ember and Ember
- An Introduction to Social Anthropology by D.N.Majumdar & T. N. Madan
- An Introduction to Anthropological thought ( Theories) – by Makhan Jha
- Indian Anthropology by Nadeem Hasnain
- Indian Anthropology by R. N. Sharma
- Tribal India by Nadeem Hasnain
- Xaxa committee report
- State, society, and tribes by Virginius Xaxa
Books for UPSC Mains Public Administration Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Public Administration Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
- IGNOU BA and MA Booklets
- Administrative Thinkers by Prasad and Prasad
- New Horizones of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya
- Public Administration And Public Affairs by Nicholas Henry
- Public Administration – Laxmikant
- ARC reports
Books for UPSC Mains Psychology Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Psychology Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
- Psychology – Class XI NCERT (Complete Book)
- Psychology – Class XII NCERT (Complete Book)
- Psychology by Robert A Baron (complete book)
- or
- Psychology by Saundra K Ciccarelli.
- or
- Understanding Psychology Robert S. Feldman.
- IGNOU BAPC Material
- IGNOU MAPC Material
- Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioural Sciences by A K Singh
- Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology by Ronald Kellogg
- Theories of Personality by Sydney Ellen Schultz and Duane Schultz
- Applied Psychology by Smarak Swain
- Social Psychology by Baron and Branscombe
Books for UPSC Mains Political Science and International Relations Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Political Science and International Relations Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
- Does the Elephant Dance? by David M Malone
- Pax Indica by Shashi Tharoor
- An Introduction to Political Theory by O P Gauba
- Issues in Political Theory by Catriona McKinnon (Very Good for Case studies)
- A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx by Ramaswamy Sushila, Mukherjee Subrata
- The Oxford Companion to Politics in India by Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Niraja Gopal Jayal
- Global Politics by Andrew Haywood (Very Good for IR theory)
- The Globalisation of world Politics: An Introduction to International Relations by John Bayes
- Comparative Politics
- India’s Foreign Policy Challenges and Opportunities by GoI publication
- Challenges and Strategy: rethinking India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri
- Crossing the Rubicon by Mohan C Raja
- India’s Foreign Policy and it’s Neighbours by J N Dixit
Books for UPSC Mains Kannada Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Kannada Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
1. Linguistic History of Kannada Language-M.H. KrishnaiahKannada
2. Bhasha Shastra- R.Y. Dharwadkar
3. Kannada Sahitya Charitre- R.S. Mugali
Books for UPSC Mains Geography Optional
Some of the best UPSC Books for Mains regarding Geography Optional paper are shared below for reference purposes.
- NCERT-XI & XII
- Made Simple Series by Rupa Publication-Vol-I & II
- A certificate course in geography by Goh Cheng Leong
- Physical Geography- By Savindra Singh
- Geomorphology-By Savindra Singh
- Oceanography- By Savindra Singh
- Climatology- By Savindra Singh
- Environment Geography-By Savindra Singh
- Biogeography- By Savindra Singh
- Indian Geography by D R Khullar
- Human Geography by Majid Hussain
- Models and theories by Majid Hussain
- Geographical thought by Dixit
- Geographical thought by Sudipta Adhikary
- NCERT class X text book, (Old Edition)
- Settlement Geography by K Siddhartha
How to Cover Books for UPSC Exam Preparation?
Preparing for the UPSC exam requires smart planning and disciplined execution. One of the biggest challenges aspirants face is managing the vast syllabus and multiple UPSC books.
Covering books for UPSC strategically is more important than gathering too many study materials. A focused and structured approach can save time and improve revision. Here’s how you can effectively cover books for UPSC preparation:
Limit Your Resources
Avoid studying too many UPSC books. Stick to standard sources like NCERTs, Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for Modern History, and basic reference books. Too many books create confusion and delay revision.
Make a Realistic Study Plan
Divide subjects month-wise and week-wise. Establish daily goals like finishing one chapter with notes. Keep buffer days for revision.
Focus on Concept Clarity
Don’t just read. You need to understand too. UPSC tests application of concepts. After completing a chapter, try solving previous year questions related to it.
Prepare Short Notes
Make crisp notes for quick revision. Highlight key facts, examples, and current linkages.
Revise Multiple Times
Revision is the key to retention. Plan at least 3-4 revisions before Prelims.
For structured guidance and expert mentorship, joining Legacy IAS Academy UPSC Coaching can make a big difference.
With experienced faculty, comprehensive study material, and regular test series, Legacy IAS Academy helps aspirants cover UPSC books systematically and stay exam-ready.
FAQs
Q) Which are the best UPSC Books for Prelims & Mains?
A) Some of the best UPSC books are Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir), Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania, and Current Affairs by Legacy IAS.
Q) Which are the best books for UPSC History?
A) Some of the best UPSC books for History are NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval), NCERT XII (Modern Indian History), A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum, etc.
Q) Which are the best books for UPSC Geography?
A) Some of the best UPSC books for Geography are
