UPSC Study Material for IAS Preparation - Complete Guide

UPSC Study Material is a strong foundation for the exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The following sources are recommended for UPSC exam preparation:

1. NCERT textbooks from classes 6th to 12th for General Studies
2. Yojana and Kurukshetra magazines for current affairs and socio-economic issues
3. The Hindu newspaper for national and international news and analysis
4. Standard reference books like Laxmikanth's Indian Polity, Spectrum's Modern History, and Economic Survey of India for in-depth knowledge on specific subjects
5. Previous year question papers and mock tests for practice and to understand the exam pattern

UPSC IAS - Key Pointers

Through the table below, candidates can check out the important highlights of the esteemed UPSC IAS exam.

UPSC IAS - Key Pointers

Particulars	Specifics
Name of Exam	Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Exam
Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission
Stages of Exam	Preliminary Mains Personality Test
Mode of Exam	Offline

Also Read: Best UPSC Coaching in India 2023: Centres, Fees, Duration, Reviews

Top UPSC Study Material for IAS 2023

Through detailed research, we have collected a list of the important UPSC Study Materials for aspiring candidates to refer to for their upcoming exams. Initially, let us walk through the most commonly used UPSC IAS preparation material.

• NCERT books (Geography, Polity, History, Economics)
• Indian polity by M Laxmikahth
• Indian art and culture by Nitin Singhania
• Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
• Environment by Shankar IAS

Books for UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam

The UPSC IAS prelims exam consists of multiple choice questions, with two papers - General Studies and CSAT. Moreover, the first paper will include questions from History, Geography, Economy, Polity, General Knowledge, General Science, etc. Besides, UPSC also examines the candidate’s reasoning and aptitude quotient. Therefore, these are the best UPSC Study Material for the prelims exam.

Books for UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam

Subjects	UPSC Study Material for Prelims
History	India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipin Chandra Facets of Indian Culture – Spectrum NCERT 11th (Ancient & Medieval) NCERT 12th (Modern Indian History)
Geography	Certificate Physical Geography – G C Leong NCERT 6th to 10th NCERT 11th and 12th World Atlas
Indian Polity	Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth NCERT 9th to 12th
Economics	Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh Economic Development & Policies in India – Jain & Ohri NCERT 11th
International Relations	NCERT 12th (Contemporary World Politics) Current Affairs
CSAT	Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual CSAT – Arihant Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R S Aggarwal

Books for UPSC IAS Mains Exam

Further, candidates who will appear for the UPSC IAS main 2023 exam must ensure that the main paper is descriptive. All nine papers will be in a written format. Likewise, questions will be from Geography, History, Economics, Hindi Language, English Language etc. 

At the same time, candidates can note down the names of the best UPSC Study Material for the main exam.

Books for UPSC IAS Mains Exam

Subjects	UPSC Study Material for Mains
History, Indian Heritage & Culture	An Introduction to Indian Art Part 1: Textbook in Fine Arts for Class 11th India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra India after Independence by Bipin Chandra History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra India’s Ancient Past by R.S Sharma Contemporary World History for class 12th Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe
Geography	NCERT Class 11 - Physical Geography NCERT Class 12 - Human Geography World Geography by Majid Husain Geography of India by Majid Husain Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G C Leong World Atlas
Polity	Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu From Government to Governance by Kuldeep Mathur Ethics in Governance, ARC Report Human Development Report World Development Report
Social Justice	NCERT of 11th on Indian Society  12th class NCERT The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper Human Development Report World Development Report
International Relations	India’s Foreign Policy Since Independence by V.P. Dutt Or India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper
Economy	Indian Economic Development NCERT of 11th Introductory Macroeconomics 12th class NCERT Indian Economy by Sanjiv Verma Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh Economic Survey (latest) The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper
Biodiversity, Environment	12th NCERT Book on Biology India Year Book The chapter on Climate Change from Economic Survey The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper
Security and Disaster Management	India’s Security in a Turbulent World by Jasjit Singh, published by National Book Trust of India The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper
Science & Technology	8th, 9th and 10th class NCERT books on Biology The Hindu or Indian Express Newspaper Monthly Magazine ‘Science Reporter for Science & Technology
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude	Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Main Examination by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudhary Ethics in Governance ARC Report Lexicon

If students get well versed with the List mentioned above of UPSC Study Material, they can score optimum marks in both prelims and mains examinations. Although, students who are yet, to begin with, their UPSC IAS preparations, must get to it at the earliest.

Tips for UPSC IAS Exam

First and foremost, candidates must have a clear preparation strategy for their notes and UPSC study material. It is known that nothing works better than a unique plan catered to the aspirant’s liking. Similarly, some preparation tips are listed below for students to look into.

• Aspirants must be well acquainted with the UPSC IAS syllabus, exam and paper pattern.
• Always refer to the common books for IAS exams besides other study materials.
• Candidates must read the newspaper daily.
• Devise your study plan, and create notes from the study material available.
• Try to make concise notes, as it will be easier during revisions.
• Practice previous year's question papers and take mock tests.