UPSC Mains

Books For UPSC Mains General Studies Paper I

An IAS aspirant is as well-prepared as the books he/she used to study. When it comes to the Mains Civil Services Exam Paper I, the more you read, the better you are. That said, only quality material can prepare you enough to fly through the competitive exam. Therefore, we give you Top Recommended Books for UPSC mains GS paper one.

One section of the UPSC GS Paper I is history that deals with modern India and world events such as industrial revolution. It covers everything from colonisation to present political philosophies. Meaning an IAS candidate has to widen their reading horizon. Here are some books which will help:

History Of Modern India by Bipan Chandra
Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe
India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandr
History of Modern World by Jain and Mathur
India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha

The next few books are on art, culture, and architecture. While the topics are extensively asked during the prelims, in the mains, they are included within history. Three books that aid in preparing for this segment of CSE are:

India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
The Wonder That Was India by A.L. Bhasham

Geography is the last section of the General Studies Paper I, though it should be noted that the subject is covered in Prelims too. The NCERT book is sufficient to score well in the Prelims, but for the UPSC Mains phase, an aspirant will need further help from these books

Geography of India by Majid Husain
Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Leong
A Comprehensive Geography Book by Khullar

Read through the books recommended here and passing the UPSC conducted exam will be a breeze.