Which NCERT Books Are Required For UPSC?
The NCERT books are without a doubt a wealth of knowledge; despite being written for school students, they also cover pertinent subjects that are a vital component of the UPSC syllabus. They are among the most reputable publications that must be studied for UPSC preparation, aiding candidates in learning important themes. The authors of the NCERT books have included all the essential information, from biodiversity to geography and from 2,000-year-old hand histories to current politics.
The information in NCERT books is clear and of the highest caliber. The books’ language is simple to memorize and provides extensive knowledge on many important subjects, which ultimately aids in laying a solid foundation. It is recommended for beginners to start with these works before moving on to the traditional sources. These books are regarded by the majority of IAS top performers and educators as essential for UPSC test preparation.
One of the time-consuming duties is gathering information, next to studying. We have supplied all the crucial information regarding NCERT in this article because candidates frequently find it tough to locate PDFs for books. Everything you need to know has been covered, including study methods and access to all required reading materials.
Since it is not necessary to cover all books, we should take into account NCERT books for classes 6 to 12. By not just identifying books, but also pertinent chapters within those books, we hope to make things simpler for you while you study for your Prelims and Mains exams. Despite not covering the whole civil service syllabus, the NCERT books do cover the majority of the essentials. Additionally, we have correctly divided the book lists for your consideration.
List of NCERT books suggested by UPSC teachers and toppers:
There is a lot of material that must be covered for the UPSC syllabus. It might be very difficult to find reliable sources for this information. The most pertinent NCERT books for UPSC preparation are listed here, organized by subject. We have also included all the required download links for these books.
Paper I (General Studies)
INDIAN SOCIETY BOOKS (Social Studies & Sociology)
It is crucial to comprehend the science underlying how society functions, especially if youwant to work in government. Visit this page to download NCERT Sociology books
- Indian Society: NCERT Class VI – Social Science: Social & Political Life I
- Indian Society: NCERT Class VII – Social Science: Social & Political Life II
- Indian Society: NCERT Class VIII – Social Science: Social & Political Life III
- Indian Society: NCERT Class XI – Sociology: Understanding Society
- Indian Society: NCERT Class XII – Indian Society
- Indian Society: NCERT Class XII – Social Change and Development in India
- NCERT Class 11 – Sociology Book – Introducing Sociology
- NCERT Class 11 – Sociology Book – Understanding Society
- NCERT Class 12 – Sociology Book – Indian Society
- NCERT Class 12 – Sociology Book – Social Change and Development in India
HISTORY BOOKS
Students can start their history preparation with NCERT history books for a foundational preparation for prelims and mains. For students with backgrounds in science or business, these texts have proven to be of great assistance.
- History: NCERT Class VI – Our Past – I
- History: NCERT Class VII – Our Past – II
- History: NCERT Class VIII – Our Past III
- History: NCERT Class IX – India and the Contemporary World – I
- History: NCERT Class X – India and the Contemporary World – II
- History: NCERT Class XI – Themes in World History
- History: NCERT Class XII – Themes in Indian History – I
- History: NCERT Class XII – Themes in Indian History – II
- History: NCERT Class XII – Themes in Indian History – IIIOld NCERT History books (RS Sharma, Satish Chandra, Bipan Chandra & Arjun Dev)
GEOGRAPHY BOOKS
It is crucial to understand both Indian and global geography. Many questions concerning geography can be answered using the maps and details about various climatic areas provided in NCERT Geography books.
ART AND CULTURE BOOKS
- Art & Culture: NCERT Class XI – An Introduction to Indian Art
- Art & Culture: NCERT Class XI – Living Craft Traditions of India (Chapters 9 & 10)
POLITY BOOKS
Political Science covers the country’s legal and fundamental aspects, which makes it an extremely important subject. Download important NCERT polity books from here.
- Polity: NCERT Class IX – Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – I
- Polity: NCERT Class X – Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – II
- Polity: NCERT Class XI – Political Science: Indian Constitution at Work
- Polity: NCERT Class XI – Political Science: Political Theory
- Polity: NCERT Class XII – Political Science I: Contemporary World Politics
- Polity: NCERT Class XII – Political Science II: Politics in India since Independence
Paper III (General Studies)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BOOKS
Having adequate knowledge of general science is important in UPSC. To be able to answer science and technology-related questions you must refer to NCERT science books as they cover a lot of information. You can download books from here.
- Science: NCERT Class XII – Chemistry: only download (b) is normally required
- Science: NCERT Class XII – Biology: Units 8, 9 & 10
ECONOMICS BOOKS
The subject of the Indian Economy covers India’s current and past economic aspects, which makes it an important topic. Knowing its fundamentals is crucial for UPSC exams. Download NCERT economic books from here.
- Economy: NCERT Class IX – Economics
- Economy: NCERT Class X – Understanding Economic Development
- Economy: NCERT Class XI – Indian Economic Development
- Economy: NCERT Class XII – Introductory Microeconomics
- Economy: NCERT Class XII – Introductory Macroeconomics
ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY BOOKS
Paper IV (Ethics)
For more NCERT books or to download these books chapter-wise, please visit this link: https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php
How to study from NCERT books for UPSC?
The NCERT volumes are very easy for anyone to read since they make good use of illustrations, simplified tables, illustrative examples, maps, and clear language. These books include a vast amount of material, especially when it comes to India’s political history, cultural history, and biodiversity, all of which are indisputably significant components of the IAS test.
There isn’t a specific or effective technique to learn from these books. Only the path that best suits you needs to be taken. To improve the efficacy of your planning, take into account the suggestions provided below.
- Read subject-wise and not class-wise
NCERT books from 6 to 12 provide us with generous amounts of information and each subject is interlinked with the other in every class. Thus, to form connectivity between books, read them subject-wise.
- writing notes
- To save time during revision, read thoroughly and begin noting key points or underlining anything you find relevant.