First Notebook

Updated Mains Syllabus, Booklist and Sources:

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General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
Art and Culture: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture
from ancient to modern times.
An Introduction to Indian Art – Class XI NCERT
Chapters related to culture in Ancient and Medieval India NCERTs
NIOS material PDF.
Centre for Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT) material
Heritage Crafts: Living Craft Traditions of India -NCERT

Modern Indian History:

1. Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present-
significant events, personalities, issues.
2. The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different
parts of the country.
A Brief History of Modern India- Spectrum Publications.
India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra (for mains).
Prepare personalities from internet digging.

India’s Post Independence History: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the
country.
India Since Independence by Bipan Chandra.

World History (Modern): History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial
revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political
philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
Class X old NCERT The story of Civilisation by Arjun Dev I & II.
Patterns of Interaction by McDougal Littell (From Chapter 22 to Chapter 36)

Indian Society: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Role of women and women's
organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their
problems and their remedies. Effects of globalization on Indian society Social empowerment,
communalism, regionalism & secularism.
 Understanding Society + Introducing Sociology NCERT XI.
Indian Society + Social Change and Development in India NCERT XII.
Society in India by Ram Ahuja
Social problems in India by Ram Ahuja.
ARC 2 Report + some committee report for Suggestions/ Way forward on Social issues.

Geography:
1. Salient features of world's physical geography.
2. Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-
continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries
in various parts of the world (including India) Important Geophysical phenomena such as
earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-
changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and
fauna and the effects of such changes.
Geography Rajtanil’s videos
Fundamentals of Physical Geography XI NCERT
India: Physical Environment XI NCERT
Fundamentals of Human Geography XII NCERT
India: People and Economy XII NCERT
Certificate Physical and Human Geography: GC Leong
PMFIAS (Excellent resource for understanding complex topics)
Resource Distribution + Industrial Location: Mrunal Articles. (Search them)

General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
Polity:
1. Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant
provisions and basic structure.
2. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the
federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
4. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries Parliament and State
Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising
out of these.
5. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and
Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role
in the Polity.
6. Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.
7. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various
 Constitutional Bodies.
8. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies Government policies and interventions
for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
9. Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various
groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.

Governance:
1. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications,
models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and
institutional and other measures.
2. Role of civil services in a democracy

Social Justice:
1. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the
performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the
protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
2. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health,
Education, Human Resources.
3. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

Laxmikanth Polity
Constitution at Work NCERT XI
Law commission reports
PRS Website (Must)
ARC 2 Reports (Remember the recommendations)
ARC 2 for Governance, transparency and accountability + Role of civil service in democracy.
Nitin Aayog
Current Affairs:
The Hindu
The Big Picture on RSTV
Monthly Magazines
PRS India for latest legislation
All India Radio – Spotlight

International Relations:
1. India and its neighborhood- relations.
2. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's
interests.
3. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests.
 4. Indian diaspora.
5. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

IDSA (Institute for defence studies and Analysis)

Notes by Shubhra Ranjan mam.
Primary book for historical aspects of India’s bilateral relations.
Current affairs:
IDSA: https://www.idsa.in/
The Hindu
Monthly Magazines

General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and
Disaster Management.
Indian Economy:
1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development
and employment.
2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
3. Government Budgeting.
4. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and
irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related
constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies
and minimum support prices;
5. Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks
and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
6. Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and
downstream requirements, supply chain management.
7. Land reforms in India.
8. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial
growth.
9. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
10. Investment models.

Mrunal Lectures and Articles.

For Agriculture + PDS: Report of Agriculture ministry
Indian Economic Development – NCERT Class XI
Macroeconomics – NCERT Class XII
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh.
Economic Survey (Gist + deeply understand the concepts + terminology)
 Economic Survey for infrastructure.
Economic Budget Compilation.
Niti 3-year Action Plan report (a good resource for policy recommendations that come in handy
while writing conclusion)
Arthapedia, Google, Youtube
Arc 2
Law commission Reports
Current Affairs:
The Hindu
Monthly Magazines

Science and technology:

1. Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
2. Achievement of Indians in science & technology
3. Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
4. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and
issues relating to intellectual property rights.
The Hindu
Vision IAS Mains 365

Environment and Ecology:

1. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
2. Disaster and disaster management.

Shankar IAS Book

NCERT Biology Class XII (Ecology)
CBSE book on Disaster Management
National Disaster Management Authority reports.
ARC 2 for Disaster Management

Internal Security:
1. Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
2. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
3. Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social
networking sites in internal security challenges
4. Basics of cyber security.
5. Money-laundering and its prevention.
6. Security challenges and their management in border areas
7. Linkages of organized crime with terrorism
 8. Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
IDSA: https://www.idsa.in/

General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude.

Lexicon Ethics
Michael Sandel Harvard University YouTube videos on ethics
M. Kartikayan Ethics
Case studies by Lukmaan.