IAS Books for Civil Services Prelims and Mains exam Preparation

If you have the Question "What are the books needed to clear IAS?" in your mind, we hope this post to clear all your doubts. Taking inputs from toppers, a detailed list of the best IAS books available in the market for each subject in Prelims and Mains with links for buying books online is provided here. Aspirants can click on the links for any book to buy online.

Essential IAS Books for UPSC Prelims (click to Buy Online)

•   History of Modern Indian- Bipan Chandra. (History)

•    India's struggle for Independence - Bipan Chandra. (History)  

•     Facets of Indian Culture - Spectrum. (Culture) 

•    Geography of India - Majid Husain. (Geography)

•   Oxford School Atlas - Oxford. (Geography)

•   Certificate Physical and Human Geography-Goh cheng Leong(Geography)

•   Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations - M. Laxmikanth. (Polity)

•   Indian Economy - Ramesh singh. (Economy)

•    Economic Survey (2013-14). (Economy)

•   Science and Technology in India - TMH. (Science and Technology)

•    Environmental Studies form Crisis to Cure2Edition-R.Rajagoplan

•    India Year Book ( Current Affairs)

•   Manorama Yearbook. (Current Affairs)

•     CSAT 2015: Paper-2 Manual by TMH

•  Analytical Reasoning - M.K. Pandey (CSAT - Paper 2)

•  Verbal Non-Verbal Reasoning - R.S.Aggarwal (CSAT Paper 2)

Additional IAS Books for UPSC Mains 

1. Contemporay Essays by Ramesh Signh or 151 Essays for UPSC Mains (Essay Paper)
2. India After Gandhi - Ramchandra Guha (History - GS1)
3. History of Modern World - Jain and Mathur or Norman Lowe (World History - GS1)
4. Social Problems in India - Ram Ahuja. (Indian Society - GS1)
5. IAS Mains Genera Studies Paper 2 (Arihant Manual - GS2)
6. Governance in India for CSE. (Goernance - GS2)
7. Pax Indica - Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy - GS2)
8. India and the World by Surendra kumar. (Foreign Policy - GS2)
9. IAS Mains Studies - GS3. (Arihant Manual - GS3)
10. India's National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security - GS3)
11. Challenges to Internal Security of India. (Internal Security - GS3)
12. Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Mains. (Ethics - GS4)
13. IAS Mains General Studies - Ethics. (Arihant Manual - GS4)

Books for UPSC Civil Service Main Exam Preparation 

1. Contemporary Essays by Ramesh Singh or 151 Essays for UPSC Mains (Essay Paper)
2. History of Modern India by Bipan Chandra. (Histroy - GS1)
3. India's Struggle for Independence - Bipan Chandra. (History - GS1)
4. India After Gandhi - Ramchandra Guha (History - GS1)
5. Facets of Indian Culture - Spectrum. (Culture - GS1)
6. History of Modern World - Jain and Mathur or Norman Lowe (World History - GS1)
7. Geography of India - Majid Husain. (Geography)
8. Certificate Physical and Human Geography - Goh Cheng Leong. (Physical Geography - GS1)
9. Social Problems in India - Ram Ahuja. (Indian Society - GS1)
10. IAS Mains General Studies Paper 2 (Arihant Manual - GS2)
11. Governance in India for CSE. (Governance - GS2)
12. Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations - M. Laxmikanth. (polity and Constitution - GS2)
13. Pax Indica - Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy - GS2)
14. India and the World by Surendra kumar. (Foreign Policy - GS2)
15. IAS Mains General Studies - GS3 (Arihant Manual - GS3)
16. Indian Economy - Ramesh singh. (Indian Economy - GS3)
17. Economic Survey. (Indian Economy - GS3)
18. India Year Book ( Current Affairs)
19. India's National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security - GS3)
20. Challenges to Internal Security of India. (Internal Security - GS3)
21. Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Mains. (Ethics - GS4)
22. IAS Mains General Studies - Ethics. (Arihant Manual - GS4)
23. IAS Mains Civil Services Main Examination: General Studies Chapter wise Solved Papers.

Civil Services Optional Subject Books (Paper 6 and Paper 7)

Popular Optional Papers for IAS Mains:

1. History - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
2. Geography - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
3. Economics - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
4. Sociology - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
5. Public Administration - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
6. Philosophy - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
7. Psychology - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.
8. Agriculture - Civil Services Books - Mains Exam.