UPSC has always been unpredictable because of the diverse nature of the examination, and candidates find it challenging to cover the syllabus and the book list. UPSC has divided the syllabus into three stages of the examination: Prelims, Mains and Interview. The Prelims exam is typically held in early June every year, whereas UPSC conducts the Mains exam approximately 3 to 4 months after the Prelims. This gap allows candidates to prepare for the mains examination after knowing their Prelims results. While appearing for the examination, candidates face the question of what to read, which books can be referred to and how much to cover from the syllabus.
Well, no need to worry about the syllabus anymore. Here, we cleared your doubts regarding the vast syllabus, as it intends to find the best recommendable book list by the toppers. It becomes challenging to navigate by the areas from the syllabus. So, first provide a book list and the best resources for the preliminary where the candidates must appear first. You may also find it handy to know how many questions should be answered from each subject based on the previous years’ question papers (PYQs).
- Syllabus
- PYQs
- Discipline and perseverance
These three things should be your utmost priority, especially the UPSC syllabus, which should be your ultimatum preference in this journey.
Preliminary examination
For the UPSC Prelims, there will be two papers, such as the General Studies and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT).
The GS—1st paper comprises 100 questions, and the marking criteria depend on the cut-off. However, the CSAT contains 80 questions, and aspirants must attain a maximum of 33 percent to qualify for the paper. Remember that it will have negative marking (for one wrong answer, 0.33 will be deducted).
Now, enough of motivation. Tell me the books.
General Studies Paper-1 (GS-I)
| Paper I | Subjects | Books/Sources | Marks |
| General studies | History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern) | Ancient India – R.S. Sharma (Old NCERT) Medieval India – Satish Chandra (Old NCERT) Modern India – Spectrum by Rajiv Ahir India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra | Overall 200 |
| Geography | Physical Geography – G.C. Leong Indian & World Geography – NCERTs (Class VI-XII) Atlas – Oxford / Orient BlackSwan | ||
| Polity | Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth NCERTs (Class IX-XII) for basics | ||
| Economy | – Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh – Economic Survey & Union Budget Summary – NCERT (Class XI-XII Economics) | ||
| Environment & Ecology | – Environment – Shankar IAS – NCERT Biology (Class XII – Last 4 chapters) | ||
| Science & Tech | NCERT Science (Class VI-X) Current Affairs Magazines (Science Reporter, PIB) | ||
| Current Affairs & GK | The Hindu / The Indian Express (Newspaper) Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazines Monthly Current Affairs (Vision IAS / Insights IAS) |
General Studies Paper-II (CSAT)
UPSC conducts the CSAT paper in order to examine your comprehension level, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, analytical ability and so on. It is a qualifying paper, which means the candidates need to score 66 marks out of 200 to quality for the Mains examination.
| Paper II | Subjects | Books/Sources | Marks |
| CSAT | Comprehensive Interpretation skillsLogical reasoning and analytical ability Decision making and problem solving General mental ability Basic numeracy | Quantitative Aptitude – R.S. Aggarwal Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R.S. Aggarwal Previous Year CSAT Papers | Overall 200 |
Tip for CSAT
Despite preparing for the UPSC CSAT, it is advisable to attempt online mock tests instead of relying on traditional book list or becoming a kitaabi kida. This appearance may help you understand how much water you stand in.
The table below provides a succinct analysis of the number of subject-wise questions that came in UPSC Prelims, 2024 and this is a just a demonstration for your understanding of the relevance and importance of the subjects in the exam.
| Subject | No. of Questions |
| Polity | 17 |
| Economy | 16 |
| Geography | 14 |
| Science and technology | 14 |
| Environment | 14 |
| International Relations | 13 |
| Modern History | 5 |
| Art & Culture | 4 |
| Ancient History | 3 |
| Total | 100 |
Main examination and syllabus breakdown
The UPSC Mains exam is a descriptive, written examination that comprises a total of nine papers. From the overall papers, the seven papers are used for merit ranking and two qualifying papers, which assess a candidate’s in-depth knowledge and analytical skills. Before delving into the vast ocean, never-ending syllabus, let’s break down the subject, marking and others details of the Mains exam.
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Details |
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian Language | 300 | Qualifying in nature |
| Paper B | English Language | 300 | Qualifying in nature |
| Paper I | Essay | 250 | Candidates have to write two essays from a given set of topics |
| Paper II | General Studies I | 250 | History, Geography, Society |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 250 | Polity, Governance, International Relations |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 250 | Economy, Science & Tech, Environment, Security |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 250 | Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude |
| Paper VI & VII | Optional Subject (Paper I & II) | 250 each | Two papers from one optional subject |
| Total Marks (Merit-based papers) | 1750 Marks | The final ranking is based on these papers. | |
UPSC Mains exam book list on each paper
Language Paper
These are qualifying papers, which means candidates must score at least 25 per cent (75 marks out of 300) to be considered for further evaluation.
English Language Paper (Paper A)
- Essay writing
- Precis writing
- Reading comprehension
- Grammar and vocabulary
Indian Language Paper (Paper B)
- Essay writing
- Reading comprehension
- Precis writing
- Translation (English to India language and vice versa)
- Grammar and Vocabulary
Essay Paper
The Essay Paper in UPSC mains requires candidates to write two essays, each carrying 125 marks, within a total of three hours. The paper consists of two sections, and each section offers four topics. Candidates must choose one from each section. The topics may be from philosophy, society, environment, economy governance, etc. The written essay is evaluated based on clarity of thought, coherence, structure, logical arguments, and originality. The candidates from northeastern states such as Arunachal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and Sikkim are exempted from the Indian Language Paper.
General Studies Paper I
| Subject | Books/sources |
| History | India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra A Brief History of Modern India – Spectrum (Latest version)Ancient & Medieval India – R.S. Sharma & Satish Chandra (New NCERT Classes VI-XII) World History – Norman Lowe, Vision IAS Notes |
| Geography | New NCERT Geography (Class VI-XII) Certificate in Physical & Human Geography – G.C. LeongPFM IAS Oxford School Atlas |
| Indian Society | Indian Society – Ram Ahuja Social Problems in India – Ram Ahuja NCERT Sociology (Class 11 & 12) |
| Art and Culture | NCERT (class XI) – an introduction to Indian art Indian art and culture by Nitin Singhania Old NCERT class XI – ancient India by RS Sharma |
The remaining topic of GS I can be covered through current affairs knowledge and test series. These topics are-
- Indian society and diversity of India
- Women, population urbanisation, poverty, and developmental issues
- Effective of globalisation on Indian society
- Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism
General Studies Paper II
| Subject | Books/Sources |
| Indian Polity | Indian Polity – M. LaxmikanthIntroduction to the Constitution of India – D.D. Basu NCERT Political Science (Class IX-XII)Current affairs – editorials, Vision IAS materials, PIB and PIS2nd ARC sixth report – Local Governance |
| Governance | Governance in India – M. Laxmikanth ARC Reports (2nd ARC Summary Notes) – 1st, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12thVision IAS notesCurrent affairs – editorials, vision IAS materials, PRS and PIB |
| Social Justice | Government policies and interventions Welfare schemes and bodies constituted, etc Materials: current affairs – editorials, vision IAS material, PIB NITI Aayog’s 3-year action agenda Budget and economic survey (summaries) |
| International Relations | Vision IAS current affairs materialWorld Focus Magazine/editorials Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Reports |
General Studies Paper III
| Subject | Books/Sources |
| Indian Economy | Indian Economy by Sanjiv VermaNCERT Economics (Class IX-XII)Economic Survey & Budget Documents (Summaries)Current affairs – editorials, Vision IAS materials, PIBOnline websites (Investopedia/Arthapedia) |
| Science & Tech | Vision IAS current affairs material – only important topicsEditorials |
| Environment & Ecology | Environment – Shankar IASNCERT Biology (Class XII – Unit on Ecology – Last 4 chapters)PMF IAS |
| Internal Security | Challenges to the Internal Security of India – Ashok Kumar & VipulCurrent Affairs – editorials, Vision IAS material |
| Disaster Management | 2nd ARC third report – crisis management NDMA guidelines (online)Current affairs |
General Studies Paper IV
| Subject | Books/Sources |
| Ethics & Integrity | Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude – Chronicle Ethics in Governance – 2nd ARC Report 2nd ARC 12th report – citizen-centric administration |
Optional Subject
For the UPSC Mains, you have the liberty to choose from a list of 48 optional subjects. The subjects depend on your choice, which covers a wide range of disciplines including humanities, social sciences, sciences and engineering. The questions in the examination vary on the subject of your interest and the syllabus of the optional based till graduation.
Interview
The interview is the final stage of the UPSC journey, also known as the Personality Test. It carries 275 marks, and it is a crucial part of the selection process. It is not a knowledge test but an assessment of a candidate’s personality, confidence, leadership and ethical standards. The board evaluates whether the candidate is suitable for a career in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other central services. The grades that candidates achieve in the UPSC Interview depend on the cumulative marking of the Mains exam. For example:
If a candidate attains 1000 marks from the Mains and 50 from the Interview, then it will be cumulatively calculated, totalling 1050 marks, which is still great and can help achieve a central position.
Ending Note
Once you understand the syllabus and set your daily routine, please stick to this. Remember that your limited resources will suffice, so keep it succinct and effective.