The General Studies mains paper will never be the same again. Till 2006 the GS paper followed a definite pattern: 90 marks history, 30 marks geography, 90 marks polity and so on. In fact it was so predictable that with even a decent amount of preparation candidates managed to score 310+ easily. But things have changed since 2006. Now the GS mains paper is dynamic, unpredictable and even confusing. To tackle this requires a fresh approach to your mains preparation and the books you read. Obviously you still have to refer to the standard GS mains books but apart from those there are some new books that have been recently published to help you in your mains preparation. This post details all the required gs mains books as well as the new ones along with some helpful tips to read the books for GS mains. Dive right in.
GS Mains Books for Indian History
India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra
This book is a legend among IAS aspirants. A must read book for prelims as well as mains, Bipin Chandra along with other renowned Historians takes us from the Uprising of 1857 right till the dawn of Independence in 1947. The book covers all the important topics like Gandhi’s role and contribution, major movements, peasants and farmers movements, Congress party and Muslim League etc.
Numerous questions are regularly asked in the Mains GS paper on the above topics and IAS aspirants would do well to go through this all important GS mains book for tackling the Indian History part of the GS paper.
How to Read India’s Struggle for Independence:
First go through the entire book once. After that pick and focus on the topics that are of more significance from the IAS Mains point of view. How to find out the important topics? Simple. First go through the past few years GS mains section wise papers. Section wise is important to identify all questions asked from a particular section, say Indian History. In the second stage try to identify a pattern relating to the questions asked from a particular topics in that section.
For instance within Indian History the often asked questions relate to Gandhi’s role and contribution, the three movements like Civil Disobedience, Non-Cooperation and Quit India movement. After you’ve identified such topics you can focus more on them from this important book for gs mains history.
Modern Indian History by B.L Grover
This book is a nice complement to Bipin Chandra’s book. In fact to cover the entire modern Indian history part of the GS paper you should read both these books. Modern Indian History starts off from the decline of Mughal rule after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 and continues right till the post Independence period.
The good part about this book from the Mains point of view is that it quite factual and contains important information in a bullet points form. All the movements are thoroughly covered with their causes and implications. In fact whatever is missing in India’s Struggle is covered in Modern Indian History. To repeat once more both these History books should be read for GS mains.
GS Mains Book for Indian Polity
Our Constitution by Subhash Kashyap
Our Constitution is the best book for Indian polity mains as well as prelims. The book is regularly updated, very easy to read and understand and explains all important Articles of the Indian constitution with authority. Subhash Kashyap was a member for the National Commission to Review the Working of Constitution set up in 2000 and lists its suggestions as well which are also useful as questions relating to it have been asked before in the GS and Pub Ad papers.
Students attempting the IAS mains should definitely refer Our Constitution to pick up 40-60 marks in the GS paper.
Apart from reading Our Constitution for conventional questions like Appointment and Removal of Judges, Right to Life, Presidential Powers etc you should also keep track of the latest developments highlighted in leading newspapers like The Hindu.
These topics include Judges Impeachment, Supreme Court Collegium, Judicial Activism, Lokpal Bill, Civil Society etc.
Economy Books for IAS Mains
Indian Economy by Dutta and Sundharam
To understand the fundamentals of Indian economy read Datt and Sundharam’s renowned book, now in its 63th edition! This important book for GS economy covers all the aspects of Indian economy from land reforms, currency system, food security, stock market to international trade, agriculture, employment and more.
Answers to many questions can be directly found in this book.
Tips to read Indian Economy:
Although the book seems quite bulky and even intimidating, you don’t have to read the entire book from start to finish. The book contains the different versions of many economic programmes. Don’t read all the versions. Just develop an understanding about the salient features of the program in its latest form, the pros and cons of it, implementation and effects. For instance, MNREGA.
Secondly, skip those sections that you feel are irrelevant or less relevant from the Mains perspective and focus on the more important sections. This way you won’t need to read more than 40 percent of Indian Economy.
Economic Survey
Just like polity, Economy too requires keeping up with the latest trends and developments. At least two questions in every Mains GS paper relate to the current economic happenings. This makes Economic Survey released by the Finance Ministry before each Budget session one of the indispensable GS Mains Books.
In fact in the 2009 GS paper questions such as there were directly asked from the Economic Survey:
How far has impact of the global meltdown been
reflected in the Economic Survey 2008-09? Identify some
of the core areas given priority to neutralize the adverse
effects of the global downturn.
And remember getting this answer right could fetch you as many as 30 marks! The Economic Survey is divided into two parts. The first part is about the state of the economy, the developments in various sub-parts of the economy, international trade and its impact on India. The second part of Economic Survey contains very useful tables and statistics about every possible aspect of Indian economy.
As mentioned in my post on Books for CSAT these tables are very useful for Prelims as well. You can even download the Economic Survey. But I would suggest you get a physical book to read at your convenience, make notes, and refer it at will.
Geography Books for GS Mains Paper
Till recently reading just the NCERT text books of Class XI and XII was enough to cover the geography syllabus of GS paper. Not so now. In the revised GS syllabus the focus is on environment, ecology, spatial and urban geography apart from the conventional topics like climate, soils, rivers etc.
While the conventional topics can be covered from NCERT text books, the other topics that are just as or even more important cannot be. To prepare such topics I recommend Majid Hussain’s Geography of India published by TMH. Majid Hussain is a renowned coach for Geography and runs his own institute in Delhi for IAS aspirants.
Geography of India covers the conventional as well as the newer and off beat topics as well. The book is well illustrated with maps, diagrams, and tables to make learning easier for students. In fact if you wish to refer just one book in place of multiple NCERT text books and other books read Geography of India.
Current Affairs Books for IAS Mains
Questions related to current events need to be handled tactfully as your answer needs to be to the point, analytical, as well as unique. The best resources for current affairs are The Hindu newspaper and good magazines like Frontline, Civil Services Chronicle and Yojana.
These magazines and newspapers should be followed regularly to keep track of the developments of national significance like the debate on Lokpal Bill, Civil Society, Corruption and so.
In case you need additional books for GS mains current affairs go through General Awareness & Current Affairs Digest by Laxmikanth published by TMH. General Awareness covers all topics like sports, culture, news, personalities, culture etc. A good book to find all the current developments listed in one place.
GS Mains Books for Science and Technology
Science and Technology is of prime importance for any country’s progress. No wonder UPSC has been asking more and more Science and Tech related questions in the IAS mains GS paper. At the very minimum you can expect 40 marks questions from this topic and on the higher end even 120 marks. Such is the variation and importance of Science and Technology.
To tackle this all important section I recommend Science and Technology Manual by TMH. It’s comprehensive, it’s easy to grasp, it’s relevant. The Science and Technology manual covers all science and tech topics like nuclear energy, conventional energy, science institutions, telecommunication, medical science etc.
Apart from this book I suggest you keep yourself updated about latest developments through newspapers and magazines mentioned above especially about works of recently awarded Nobel scientists.
Books to Tackle Statistics in GS Paper
Some IAS aspirants, in fact many, fear statistics for different reasons. Some have never studied statistics past their high school, some didn’t bother to practice statistics before the paper, while the large majority fail to reach the last question of GS paper 2 which deals with statistics.
While there is no solution other than increasing your writing and thinking speed to tackle the last problem, I can suggest a remedy for the first two.
To get an understanding about basic Statistical concepts you can refer to Class X NCERT text book. However this is insufficient for tackling questions of a more complex nature that are asked in GS paper 2. For such questions as well as the basic ones go through Spectrum’s Statistical Analysis.
Long considered as a reliable book for statistics by IAS aspirants, Statistical Analysis contains many practice questions and tutorials to solve statistics based questions. But the key is to practice questions contained in the book as well as previous years statistics based questions to tackle the last part of paper 2. Doing this you can score 40 easy marks and thereby gain an edge over your competition.
This wraps up GS Mains Books for paper 1 and 2. If you’ve got some recommendations or feedback let’s hear it in the comments below.
August 31, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Thnx Sir, for dz books. Sir kindly publish d books for Geog mains at the earliest. I need dm d most. Thank you for d books once again.
January 9, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Hello, Sir.
I am beginner and i am very serious about my career…. The books which you have mentioned is quite useful…i just started preparing for Civil Service, How much would it require to prepare and to appear for exams. I have set a target for 2 years. I have not determined but i have to make sure i crack it at the right time. I have chosen Geography and Sociology as my Optional. Heard that Geography is TOUGH? Is that so? What about Political compared with Geography. Please guide me sir.
Thank u..
September 1, 2011 at 11:48 am
Hi Sir. thanx for such nice info…. plz advise if D. D basu in polity is ok for polity or should i skip to Subhash Kashyap. And if Pratiyogita darpan magazine is fine with mains point of view…
September 2, 2011 at 11:09 am
hallo jyoti didi,
d.d. basu is an indespensable book for the analytical study for the constitution of india,esp. for the optional paper Pub. Ad.’s point of view and G.S.’s mains ,too. as far as Dr. subhash’s book is concerned ,it is more conceptial than anylitical w.r.t. D.D. Basu’s one. now it depends on you from which perspective you are studying the topic.but aggregately, Dr. Subhash’s book is more than sufficient for preparation of the topic CONSTITUTION OF INDIA for C.S.E..
Pratoyogita Darpan is very nice magzine but a bit voluminous.so i request you to go for Civil services chronical due to its section-wise & coincise presentation of the contents as required by CSE’s syllabus.
with best wishes
September 1, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Hello Sir, thank you for the wonderful information provided by you for the IAS aspirants. Sir, can you provide some strategy for preparation of physics and chemistry optionals?
September 1, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Thank you vary much for giving the list of books for public administration . ..
And I want to ask that I am pursuing Mechanical Engineering degree and I want to be IAS officer any how and I make choice for optional are Pub. Ad and Mechanical Engineering.
My problem is there by help of you I get all the material regarding to GS and Pub. Ad but troubling to find out Mechanical Engineering.
So will you help me to me get,
1>Books for Mechanical Engineering
2>Previous year question papres
Willing for reply . ..
September 2, 2011 at 10:52 am
her highness / his mijesty
gd morning
there is no mentioning of the ARTS & CULTURE section.should i consider it to be less important from examination point of view and so i may please to skip this section ?
also there is no elaboration of the PAPER-2 for GS . though there is a tag attached with for the same but i am not finding the requiste .i have, in past, requested you to kindly elaborate the source of information in light of the degree of vastness of the information associated with a typical contemporary issues of paper-2.
expecting you to kindly reply
sincerely
k.k.
September 2, 2011 at 8:17 pm
Hello sir, Is it fine if i refer M laxmikant’s book for polity for GS mains instead of subhash kashyap?
September 3, 2011 at 4:13 am
@kislay or @lazylord:
anyone plz help me on how to prep for CS prelims GS paper….i am very much confused about it and i am not able to figure it out…plz help me on the same …i really really need this information asap….apart from magazines and newspaper..how to prep for other topics his,geo,sci and all…..plz suggest me sthng.
September 4, 2011 at 7:41 am
Sir, i would like 2 know d relevance of INDIA YEARBOOK & ECO. SURVEY, in PRELIMS as well as MAINS. & WHICH CHAPTERS should be studied 4m d above mentined Books?
September 5, 2011 at 11:45 am
@kislay or @lazylord: I have general studies manual of vajiram and ravi 2010 edition..now should i buy the new edition 2011 of the same or i can continue with the old edition. Plz suggest me as soon as possible as i am planning to buy the new edition.Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
September 13, 2011 at 11:04 pm
Sir,
Plz tell me which books to refer for psychology n anthropology as optionals??????
September 14, 2011 at 4:03 pm
sir reply me psycology main books
September 14, 2011 at 4:21 pm
It is better to read CSAT paper1 then go for general studies main after result. otherwise i should start reading both prelims and main from now onwards. reply me
October 5, 2011 at 5:56 pm
uhmm..! i am in 8th class. and wish to be an IAS offficer.. but..! for it we have to study like hell.. and i am not soo good in studies..! and rilly want to be an IAS officer ! :/ ..!
October 19, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Hi everyone!! I want to give paper of CSAT 2012, for that I want to know about books needed and books for HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY (mains). Please reply…..
October 28, 2011 at 9:04 pm
Hello sir,
I am giving CSAT exam in 2012 and my question is w.r.t GS-Economics. Per your suggestion, if I am buying Economics Survey, which year should it be 2010-11 or 2011-12..? Since the exams will be held in 2012, will the questions be asked from 2011-12…?
Thanks & regards,
Sapna
November 4, 2011 at 11:47 am
thanks 4 dis guidance & motivation sir,………………………..:)
December 18, 2011 at 9:07 am
thank u sir..
but i would like to know that, most probably the IAS pattern will be changed from 2013. so in that case, in that case how should we prepare. i am going to appear in this exam in 2013.
in that case the books that mentioned above, is sufficient or not?
i shall be highly obliged if you give us your valuable suggestions.
thank you sir.
January 19, 2012 at 10:59 am
hi sir thx for ur help n guiding us.my querry is same AS BIDESH DAS
January 21, 2012 at 4:48 pm
sir can u tell about the books for ancient & medival history for mains
January 29, 2012 at 4:13 am
Ancient and Medieval History is not asked in GS Mains. Only 2 mark questions from Indian culture are asked for which you can get any “2-Markers” available in market
January 29, 2012 at 10:46 pm
please write something on how to study economic survey effectively as it contains huge amount of data
February 14, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Dear Sir,
Please advise me for the books on management and geography as optional subjects for Mains.
Regards
Shailendra
March 2, 2012 at 11:30 am
hello sir this is sweta i will be appearing for cs prelims in 2012 may but i have started preparing for the exam right now only and i have no idea how to start studying for it and which books to refer and i also want to know that is it enough to start studying just before 2 maoths for this exam kindly guide me plzz…
March 10, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Hi Sweta,
If you have no idea then attempt Pre in 2013. As far as preparing goes, get the books mentioned for Prelims here
http://books.iaskracker.com/books-for-csat-prelims
March 3, 2012 at 7:45 pm
hi sir,
its a wonderful job u r doing. But i wanna ask u dat whether people hv been successful afta going thru dese books or not. if 1 reads dese books, v vl hv every man as IAS den??
March 10, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Well Mont,
It’s not true that every person was successful after reading these books but its certain true that most successful people read these books
April 3, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Dear Sir,
Could you please suggest some books to study Hindi and Philosophy for the mains examination?
Thank you
April 16, 2012 at 11:34 am
Good morning sir,this is Sindhu from Hyderbad.Thank you for providing excellent information regarding the books which are useful in the preparation of CS mains GS exam.The books mentioned here are really very helpful for the CS aspirants.
April 16, 2012 at 11:42 am
Sindhu:Sir,can u please tell me the books which one should refer for LAW????
May 2, 2012 at 10:35 am
Dear Sir , this is regarding History book for prelims , i simply heard Bipin chandra initially and got book titled “history of modern india” by Bipin Chandra , do i have to rely on any other book . I never read book other than this .
Shaif