10 Must Read Books For IAS Aspirants

2/3/2016
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10 Must Read Books for IAS Aspirants

February3,2016
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You can find plenty of lists filled with plenty of books for IAS, if you search around for
material to help you start your preparation for UPSC. But most of them are bloated
lists, meant to scare you into thinking thereis too much to study!
Here is a short list ofthe books to prepare for IAS, which you mustgrabfirst, (and
sometimes just download for free!) if you are thinking of making a serious attempt at
UPSC preparation. These should be your first companions.
We have listed the books for IAS and briefly described why we think it is a must-read
book for your preparation. Also included is a brief guide on how to make maximum
use of the book. The books are listed in the recommended order in which they should
be read once you start your preparation.
1. India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha

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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 text books stop their chapters
after the one on Independence of India. Guha takes up the story from there and brings
it close to the 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 todays 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 chapters actual length to be
published) will get gift vouchers rom 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!
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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 engage with each chapter
and make it stick!
Supplementary Read: India Since Independence by Bipan Chandra
2. NCERT books: The Complete Package
Full list of required NCERT books is available here.

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 on
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 your read the relevant NCERTs when reading the other books
in the list dont mix subjects too much in a single day. Give a whole day to polity, for
example.
3. Indian Polity by Laxmikanth
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Polity is a tough subject to get into. Unfortunately, Laxmikanth wont make it easier.
However, reading through Laxmikanth is the best way we know to get students
attuned to the subject. Laxmikanth alone wont get you good marks or teach you how
to think about the Indian Polity, but if you allocate 3 weeks to Laxmikanth and just
finish the book off, the you can be confident that at least whatever you read in Polity
will make some sense to you. That is why you should read this book very early in your
preparation.

step-by-step:
1. First Reading: You should make a complete mess of the book by underlining all
over the place. Most things in the book should be new to you, so in the first read do
not try to make notes. Just underline or highlight everything you think you are not
familiar with or you might forget. This might take you 2-3 weeks.
2. Second Reading: Wait for a week before you go for second reading. Just go
through the parts you highlighted and see if you are able to recollect things. Go to
our practice tests and test your knowledge. Mark in a different color anything that
looks like complete greek to you now!
Google things you forgot to see if better
explanations are there. Make short notes on those things and stick them to the
relevant pages.
3. Third Reading: Do this immediately after Second Round. This time read from cover
to cover again. If possible get a fresh book to read from.
Make chapter
summaries of each chapter. (Send them to us and if we publish you can buy your
fresh book with the gift voucher!!) make sure chapter summaries include better
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explanations you found on web or in the NCERTs.

4. Make skeleton notes with only key terms for each chapter too. Go for a walk and
try to see if you remember what everything means. Now call your mentor or study
partner and try to explain each chapter to them, looking only at your skeleton
notes! Ask them to bow to the new Grand Master of Polity!
4. Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh

Again, not a great book by any shot but it is the most comprehensive in the market.
Our tablet students can skip it altogether if they want, but it is advised that you
approach Ramesh Singh in the same manner as Laxmikanth above. SEE ABOVE
This should be the fourth book you read. Aim to finish this too at the earliest so that
newspapers will start making good sense.
What you should focus on:
One big difference is that here the skeleton notes are already provided for you the
Table of Contents of Ramesh Singh is phenomenal it is comprehensive and covers
everything. If you want to look at only the Table of Contents, have a look here for a
downloadable version. It is in a poster format. Download it, print it and stick it up! The
ToC is more useful than the book use it for constant revision once you have read the
book at least once. Make sure you get the latest edition. Again, send us chapter
summaries to win gift vouchers you can use to purchase new editions, etc.
5.Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D.

Basu
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Basu

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.
Do not go for a very exhaustive reading here. 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.
6.Indias Struggle for Independence byBipan

Chandra
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Except for a few books such as the Spectrum books, this is the most structured book
on Modern Indian History you can read. Some blogs will ask you to read Spectrum
books, 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 be able
to write informed and well argued answers to UPSC level questions.
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.
1. Go decade by decade. Read the relevantchapters 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 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. (http://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/exam-simulation/answer-writing-practice)
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7. 2nd ARC Reports

Best way to get deep into the policy making world. You understand most of the basic
concepts now. Time to start thinking about how to change the country. 2nd ARC had
though a lot about it. Go check out what they thought and improve upon them!
Primarily on the big challenges in each paper. And chapter level recommendations.
1. Skim each chapter and try to understand what issues are being discussed
2. Try to come up with your own recommendations after you understand the
chapters concerns
3. Read the recommendations summarize them. Try to make a single statement or
two/three which captures the spirit of the recommendations.
4. Do this for each chapter in each report
5. Summarize entire report in less than 1000 pages after finishing a report. Do not
look at the report look only at your skeleton notes
You can download all the Reports here.
8.The Wonder That Was India by AL Basham
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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.
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 spectrum)
4. Whenever you reach a topic mentioned in 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.
9. Majid Hussain Indian Geography
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More organized than NCERT. Quick Read.
Make detailed notes of all concepts. Make skeleton notes, teach, etc. as above.
Practice all important diagrams. We will be giving you a list of important diagrams to
practice for UPSC geography. Practice actual questions. Go through optionals 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.
10. IGNOU material on Disaster Management

It is comprehensive and covers most of the required fields if you read with ARC on
same topic. Free marks if you study it well!
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Questions do not change in this section much over the years. So good ROI
Process: follow similarstudy processes.
Bonus: I C Dhingra & Uma Kapila

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.
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 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 opinionpieces on current events such as RBI
sticking to status quo in this MP reviews.
9. You can share your opinions oneach days comprehensive news analysis sections
(http://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/comprehensive-news-analysis-03-february-2016).
Best opinion pieces on important policy measures will be published and rewarded
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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
(withoutneglecting newspapers, of course!), you would be well on your way to mains,
interviews and beyond!
Get reading!
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Jointhediscussion
ARCHANA 4hoursago
whyatabletstudentcanskiptheeconomybookbyRameshSingh
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EditorialTeam>ARCHANA 3hoursago
Becausealltheconceptsarecoveredinthetabletlectures.Howeversuch
extrememeasuresarerecommendedonlyifyouarereallycrunchedfortime!
:)TheycandirectlygotoUmaKapilainstead.
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Daily News Analysis

Strategy: Plan your Prep

preparation) / BookReviews(http://byjus.com/freeiasprep/iaspreparation/bookreviews) / Strategy:

1. India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha

Why you must read it:

How you should read it:

2. NCERT books: The Complete Package

Full list of required NCERT books is available here.

3. Indian Polity by Laxmikanth

Why you must read it:

How you should read it:

explanations you found on web or in the NCERTs.

4. Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh

Why you must read it:

5.Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D.

Why you must read it:

6.Indias Struggle for Independence byBipan

Why you must read it:

7. 2nd ARC Reports

Why you must read it:

8.The Wonder That Was India by AL Basham

Why you must read it:

9. Majid Hussain Indian Geography

Why you must read it:

10. IGNOU material on Disaster Management

Why you must read it:

Bonus: I C Dhingra & Uma Kapila

Why you must read it:

with gift vouchers!

IAS Preparation - CSAT: Remainder Theorem

IAS Preparation - Current Affairs: Nepal Earthquake

IAS Preparation - Current Affairs: Nepal Earthquake

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