Best Recommended Books For IAS Exam 2020

This chapter discusses the ‘Best Recommended Books For IAS Exam 2020’. The objective is to familiarise you to each and every reading material available in the market [both hard and soft] and guide you to choose the best books for IAS exam preparation.

“Building blocks called concepts:” –  The NCERT books for IAS exam

Of the two things any successful civil servant would tell you, one would be about the importance of NCERT textbooks. Yes, yes, you did hear that right. Mastering NCERTs is a must for any aspirant who decides to take up the UPSC examination. 

The most important thing here is developing conceptual clarity and concrete understanding of the subject matter. UPSC does not expect you to specialize in any core subject, but it does expect you to be strong in basic concepts. NCERT is the best IAS study material that encompasses a  common theme underlying preparation in all the three stages of the Civil services exam – Prelims, Mains and Personality Test (Interview). 

You would realize this by having a look at our blog – MUST READ NCERTS FOR UPSC IAS EXAM

So, for those currently in school and thinking of a career in Civil Services, make sure you focus on the basics and your NCERTs.

IAS study materials must-read books and magazines:

Once you get a hang of NCERTs, it is time to move on to other IAS study materials advanced books and magazines. The number of subjects that are to be studied while preparing for UPSC examination can be broadly categorized into seven-

• History

• Geography

• Indian Polity

• Governance and International relations

• Economics

• Science and Technology

• Environment and Ecology

• Ethics

Apart from these subjects, current affairs are another area of importance (we will talk about newspapers and current affairs in the next section). However, while preparing for mains examination, an advanced level of reading is necessary and hence you must opt for certain standard reference books in addition to NCERTs. The link given below would provide you with the list of subjects and books that are to be read while preparing for UPSC mains examination.

BEST BOOKS FOR UPSC IAS EXAM

IAS Preparation Tips For Beginners

Always remember; Ultimately, it’s not about how many books you have read or how many hours you have spent. It’s always about how well you have read and how much revisions you have done.