Best Books for UPSC Civil Services Exam 2025 – SteelFrame IAS Booklist

UPSC Booklist 2025 – Subject-Wise Best Books for Civil Services Exam

Choosing the right books is the foundation of UPSC Civil Services preparation. At SteelFrame IAS Academy, we’ve curated a topper-recommended UPSC booklist for both Prelims and Mains. This page covers NCERTs, standard reference books, and subject-wise best resources to help you build strong fundamentals and score high.

📘 Tip: Start with NCERTs (Class 6–12), then move to advanced reference books. Focus on limited books with multiple revisions.

NCERT Books for UPSC

• History: Class 6–12 NCERT History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
• Geography: Class 6–12 NCERT Geography + Certificate Physical Geography (G.C. Leong)
• Economics: Class 9–12 NCERT Economics
• Science: Class 6–10 General Science NCERTs
• Polity & Society: Class 9–12 Political Science & Sociology NCERTs

Indian Polity

• Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
• Introduction to the Constitution of India – D.D. Basu (reference)
• Subhash Kashyap’s Our Constitution (for extra clarity)

History

Ancient & Medieval

• NCERTs (RS Sharma & Satish Chandra)
• A History of Ancient & Early Medieval India – Upinder Singh (optional)

Modern History

• Spectrum – A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir(MUST)
• India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra(optional)

World History (Mains)

• Mastering Modern World History – Norman Lowe

Geography

• Certificate Physical & Human Geography – G.C. Leong
• NCERTs (Class 6–12)
• Oxford School Atlas (Map practice)

Economy

• Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
• Indian Economy – Nitin Singhania (for quick coverage)
• Economic Survey & Union Budget (official reports)

Environment & Ecology

• Environment – Shankar IAS Book
• NCERT Biology (Class 12 chapters: Ecology, Environment)
• Government reports (IPCC, MoEF updates)

Science & Technology

• NCERT Science (Basics)
• Current Affairs (PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express)

Ethics (GS Paper IV)

A Practical Approach to Ethics Integrity and Aptitude -DK BALAJI IAS [paperback] DK BALAJI IAS

• ARC Reports (2nd Administrative Reforms Commission)

Essay & Answer Writing

• Previous Year Essay Papers
• SteelFrame IAS Academy Essay Test Series (recommended)

Current Affairs

• The Hindu / Indian Express (daily reading)
• Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazines
• PIB Releases

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FAQs on UPSC Booklist

Q1. How many books should I read for UPSC?
Ans: Stick to limited standard books and revise them multiple times. Quality > Quantity.

Q2. Should I buy all NCERTs?
Ans: Yes, NCERTs are compulsory for basics. But you can use compiled NCERT summaries if short on time.

Q3. Which book is enough for Polity?
Ans: Indian Polity by Laxmikanth is sufficient if revised 3–4 times.

Q4. Do I need to read Yojana & Kurukshetra?
Ans: Yes, especially for Mains Essay, GS-III, and GS-II.