Best Books for UPSC CSE 2025 – Subject-Wise Booklist

Preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination requires the right set of books to build a strong conceptual foundation. With an overwhelming number of resources available, selecting the most relevant ones is essential for effective preparation. This subject-wise booklist, recommended by toppers, covers core areas like polity, history, geography, economy, science, environment, and ethics. Standard reference books, along with government reports and NCERTs, help in understanding concepts clearly while keeping up with current affairs. Instead of relying on multiple sources, focusing on limited yet high-quality materials ensures better retention and multiple revisions, which are key to success in this competitive exam.

Subject-Wise Booklist

1. Polity

• Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
• Important Judgments – D.D. Basu

2. History

• Ancient & Medieval – NCERTs
• Modern India – Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir)

3. Geography

• NCERTs (Class 6-12)
• Certificate Physical Geography – G.C. Leong

4. Economy

• Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
• Economic Survey & Budget Documents

5. Science & Technology

• NCERTs & Current Affairs
• Science Reporter Magazine

6. Environment

• Shankar IAS Book
• Reports from UNEP, IPCC

7. Ethics (GS Paper IV)

• Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude – Lexicon
• Reports from ARC (Administrative Reforms Commission)

Choosing the right books saves time and enhances efficiency. Stick to limited but effective resources and revise them multiple times.