Aspirants Should Always Adhere To
Aspirants Should Always Adhere To
Aspirants Should Always Adhere To
IAS aspirants can check the links mentioned below for UPSC preparation:
UPSC Books
UPSC CSAT
Daily News Analysis for UPSC
UPSC Previous Year Question Paper
Important Books
The top 10 must-have books for IAS aspirants preparing for the UPSC Exam are as
follows:
Why you must read it: It is not easy to put a lot of things in context in Indian Politics
without knowing what has been playing out over the years. Most of our history textbooks
stop their chapters after the one on Independence of India.
Guha takes up the story from there and brings it close to modern India we have grown up
in. The book will give you a better understanding of how India has changed since
Independence and some of the big events that shaped today’s India.
How you should read it: It is close to 900 pages in length, so let us not pretend we can
finish it in one sitting. The best approach is to read one chapter a week. This is because
our aim is not to just to read the whole book as fast as possible but to read and then
remember as much of it as possible. There are some tricks to help you remember all that
you learn, as we have seen. What you should do is read one chapter this week and then
read around about the incidents from that chapter. Read Wikipedia, read some blogs
about it, read newspaper articles about it, think about it. Then make a short summary of
the main events/arguments of the chapter from memory. If you want you can send us
your chapter summaries and we will publish the best ones – the best summaries (the
ones that get published – they need to be at least 1/4th of the chapter’s actual length to
be published) will get gift vouchers from Amazon/Flipkart. After this make an outline of
the chapter with only some keywords, this time looking through the actual book. Now get
your study partner (you should have one, if not contact us and we can arrange for one) or
your mentor and explain the chapter to that person – looking only at your key-word notes,
and not at the book itself! Do this for each chapter and you will be the Grand Master of
Modern Indian History within a few months! Of course, if you want you can speed up the
process and make it 1 chapter per 3 days instead of per week – but make sure to engage
with each chapter and make it stick! Supplementary Read: India Since Independence by
Bipan Chandra
Why you must read it: They should form the basics of your preparation. No matter what
coaching you go to or what books you refer to, NCERTs are a must-read for every
aspirant. How to Read NCERTs is a separate article. Read it for a comprehensive
overview of NCERT study Strategy. Point to note: NCERTs should be read in parallel
with the other books we have given here and with the rest of your preparation – do not
think you will finish NCERTs first and then read other things. NCERTs are not enough for
your preparation. Make sure you read the relevant NCERTs when reading the other
books on the list – don’t mix subjects too much in a single day. Give a whole day to
polity, for example.
Why you must read it: Once you have the basics of modern history, economy and polity
in hand, it is time to go a bit deeper. You can do this by choosing DD Basu. Here things
covered in a shallow manner in Laxmikanth is given in more detail. Reading this book will
teach you how to think about some of the important constitutional issues and how the
constitution itself took shape.
How you should read it: Do not go for a very exhaustive reading here. The focus should
be on understanding well. Hence skip directly to making skeleton notes of key points and
then explaining to mentor/study partner. Get feedback on how much sense your
explanation is making. Start writing mains level questions in our answer practice session.
Again, if you want you can make and send us chapter summaries. We will publish them
and reward the best ones.
Why you must read it: Except for a few books such as the Spectrum books civil
services, this is the most structured book on Modern Indian History you can read. Some
blogs will ask you to read Spectrum book for IAS but do not do it unless you have no time
at all and just want to know the events. BC is essential if you want to learn how things
turned out the way they did and able to write informed and well-argued answers to UPSC
level questions. That is why this book is always on the list of must-read books for UPSC
exam preparation.
What you should focus on: Instead of focusing on dates and names, focus on causes
and effects and the various explanations for various events. You should be able to
explain why any particular event took place in a very simple and concise manner. You
should be able to talk about various theories/explanations for the various big events. You
should be able to remember and list of the details of certain bills, provisions,
proclamations, etc – such as the 1935 act, for example.
How you should read it:
1. Go decade by decade. Read the relevant chapters for each decade and then list
out all the big events of that decade.
2. Try to draw out connections between all the big events and write them down.
Also, check for connections from the previous decade or earlier.
3. Summarize the entire decade in a nice story like manner, but including details.
Try to teach your study partner/mentor and send to us for publishing + feedback.
4. After you finish, start writing essays on each big event.
5. Attempt UPSC level questions and get feedback at our Answer Writing Practice
section.
Why you must read it: There is not much ROI in reading about ancient history. This
book, on the other hand, is an easy-to-read classic. It will make you proud to be an
Indian. How you should read it:
1. Also, buy spectrum culture book and keep it nearby
2. Go through spectrum book and mark out the “syllabus areas” and identify where
they are covered in AL Basham.
3. Focus on the major arts and cultural aspects. Make notes on important items
(identified from the spectrum)
4. Whenever you reach a topic mentioned in the spectrum as well, make good notes
– both from Basham and from Spectrum!
5. Again, send summaries/teach, etc.
6. Try to draw and practice some simple diagrams of things like gopurams, etc.
Why you must read it: More organized than NCERT. Quick Read.
How you should read it: Make detailed notes of all concepts. Make skeleton notes,
teach, etc. as above. Practice all the important diagrams. We will be giving you a list of
important diagrams to practice for UPSC geography. Practice actual questions. Go
through the optional syllabus as well, once. Use google to fill some of those also into your
notes. You can send us chapter summaries to get feedback. You can get feedback on
your answers over at the answer writing practice section.
Why you must read it: It is comprehensive and covers most of the required fields if you
read with ARC on the same topic. Free marks if you study it well! Questions do not
change in this section much over the years. So good ROI Process: follow similar study
processes.
Why you must read it: We are cheating here a bit. These are two extra books, either
should be enough. Ramesh Singh will tell you the important topics, but these two books
can give you an understanding of how the economy has changed or evolved over time.
Uma Kapila is better researched and more scholarly, Dhingra is easier to read and
specifically exam-oriented. It is your call which you read.
How you should read it:
1. Understand each concept as it is introduced, and in a decade by decade manner
2. List out major reforms as and when discussed: Summarize the need for the
reform and the effects of the reform.
3. Make a list of important events, concepts and reform ideas
4. Explain each via short notes or chapter summaries or by talking to your
mentor/study partner
5. Connect concepts to things you read in the newspaper, discuss with your
parents, uncles etc if they lived through those reforms and what were the
newspaper headlines back then, etc.
6. Get extra familiar with all this weird alien stuff!
7. Share your chapter summaries and explanations and get feedback from us or
mentor/study partner.
8. Start giving your Grand Master level opinion pieces on current events such as
RBI sticking to the status quo in this MP reviews.
9. You can share your opinions on each day’s comprehensive news analysis
sections. Best opinion pieces on important policy measures will be published and
rewarded with gift vouchers!
Well, that is it. 10 books you should not miss out on once you start your preparation! If
you follow the methods given here properly and understand each book well (without
neglecting newspapers, of course!), you would be well on your way to mains, interviews
and beyond! Get reading!
Gist of Yojana
Gist of Kurukshetra.
The basic educational qualification for the UPSC CSE exam is graduation. The questions
in the IAS interview may be oriented towards your graduation subject or the latest trends
in the same. However, if you don’t know the answer to a particular question then trying to
bluff your way out is not advised. It’s better to be humble and truthful.
IAS Interview questions on Current Affairs
1. What are today’s headlines?
2. Few important issues in news about India/your state/your hometown in the last
few months
Reading newspapers and following the daily news is important from the UPSC IAS
Interview perspective as well. The IAS interview questions can refer to the latest news
topics. Try to avoid giving one-dimensional opinion/information unless the question is
relatively straightforward. (for e.g., What does the term ‘Petrodollars’ mean?)
To know more about the Current Affairs related information, refer to the linked article.
IAS interview questions on Work profile
1. What were your roles and responsibilities at your job?
2. Why do you want to become an IAS/IPS/IFS officer?
Be prepared to answer questions about any gaps in your work history and how your
previous experience is going to help in your career as an administrator.
IAS interview questions on Optional Subject
1. Why did you choose ‘xyz’ optional?
2. Why didn’t you pick your graduation subject as your optional?
The purpose of the questions in the IAS interview is to check a candidate’s suitability to
live in administration. It is not at all mandatory that one has to answer all the questions to
get good marks in the UPSC Personality Test. Often, it is not about whether you know
the precise answer to the question but how you actually come across as an individual
when put under some pressure.
Few key points to avoid in an IAS interview
Don’t stress out on the day before the Interview. Better be rested and calm.
Don’t try to bluff your way out. The IAS interview is unlike any other interview you
have encountered before, so don’t try bluffing strategies.
Don’t be concerned about theoretical questions. It is more about how you
approach any question which is being asked to you.
Don’t argue with the panel members. It is a discussion but candidates should
maintain decorum at all times.
Candidates willing to sit for the upcoming examination can get details of UPSC Online in
the linked article.
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