Free UPSC Books | NCERT Books for UPSC | Complete List of NCERT Books for IAS UPSC Exam Preparation (Prelims & Mains) | The Essential NCERT Books for UPSC 2025 Preparation (Prelims & Mains)
Your Blueprint for Success: The Essential NCERT Books for UPSC 2025 Preparation (Prelims & Mains)
For every UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) aspirant, the initial question is always the same: “Where do I begin?” The path from being a novice to a confident contender is paved with the right resources, and at the very foundation of this journey lie the NCERT textbooks. Often called the “holy grail” by toppers and veterans alike, these books are non-negotiable for building a conceptual bedrock.
However, a smart aspirant knows that the demands of the Prelims and Mains are different. While the Prelims require a strong factual base and concept clarity, the Mains demands a deeper, interconnected understanding and the ability to articulate answers. Therefore, your approach to reading NCERTs should also be strategic. This guide provides a comprehensive, stage-wise breakdown of the NCERT books you need for your 2025 UPSC Prelims and Mains preparation, with the exact book names you should look for.
Table of Contents
Why NCERTs are Your First and Most Important Step
Before diving into the list, it’s crucial to understand why these school textbooks are so highly recommended. It’s not just about covering the syllabus; it’s about building the right foundation.
- Clarity of Concepts: NCERTs are written in simple, precise language, making even complex topics easy to understand. This clarity is essential for tackling the conceptual questions in both Prelims and Mains.
- Aligned with the UPSC Syllabus: A significant portion of the UPSC syllabus, especially for subjects like History, Geography, Polity, and Economics, is directly based on concepts found in these books.
- Authentic and Factually Correct: Published by the government, NCERTs are reliable sources of information. They provide the basic facts and theories upon which you can build advanced knowledge from other reference books.
A strategic approach is to read them at least twice: first to grasp the core concepts for the Prelims, and later to revisit them for deeper analytical understanding as you build your Mains answers.
Part 1: Building Your Foundation for the UPSC Prelims
The Prelims exam tests your basic understanding and recall of facts. Your first reading of NCERTs should be focused on absorbing information, understanding key terms, and creating a strong factual base. Here are the essential books for this stage, organized by subject.
Subject-Wise Breakdown of Must-Read NCERTs for Prelims
| Subject | Class | Exact Name of the NCERT Textbook |
|---|---|---|
| History | VI | Our Pasts–I |
| VII | Our Pasts–II | |
| VIII | Our Pasts–III (Part 1 & 2) | |
| IX | India and the Contemporary World–I | |
| X | India and the Contemporary World–II | |
| XI | Themes in World History | |
| XII | Themes in Indian History (Parts I, II & III) | |
| Art & Culture | XI | An Introduction to Indian Art |
| Geography | VI | The Earth Our Habitat |
| VII | Our Environment | |
| VIII | Resource and Development | |
| IX | Contemporary India–I | |
| X | Contemporary India–II | |
| XI | Fundamentals of Physical Geography | |
| XI | India: Physical Environment | |
| XII | Fundamentals of Human Geography | |
| XII | India: People and Economy | |
| Polity | IX | Democratic Politics–I |
| X | Democratic Politics–II | |
| XI | Indian Constitution at Work | |
| XI | Political Theory | |
| XII | Contemporary World Politics | |
| XII | Politics in India since Independence | |
| Economics | IX | Economics |
| X | Understanding Economic Development | |
| XI | Indian Economic Development | |
| XII | Introductory Microeconomics | |
| XII | Introductory Macroeconomics | |
| Science | VI to X | Science Textbooks (for respective classes) |
| XI | Biology (Units 4 & 5), Chemistry (Unit 14) | |
| XII | Biology (Units 8, 9 & 10), Chemistry (Unit 16) | |
| Environment | XII | Biology (Chapters 13 to 16) |
| Society | XI | Understanding Society (Sociology) |
| XII | Indian Society (Sociology) | |
| XII | Social Change and Development in India (Sociology) |
Part 2: Deepening Your Understanding for UPSC Mains (with Exact Book Names)
Once your basics are solid, you enter the Mains preparation phase. Here, you must revisit the same NCERTs, but with a different lens. Your goal is no longer just to know a fact, but to understand its implications, interlinkages, and relevance. This deeper understanding will form the core of your articulate and well-structured Mains answers.
How to Re-Read NCERTs for Mains
- Connect the Dots: Link historical events from the ‘Themes in Indian History’ with the geographical conditions described in ‘India: People and Economy’. How did geography shape history?
- Add Value: Your Mains answers need more than just NCERT content. Use your foundational knowledge to incorporate current affairs, data, and government schemes.
- Build a Narrative: For subjects like Polity and Society, the goal is to develop a holistic understanding. For example, while reading ‘Indian Society’ (Class XII), connect it to economic concepts from ‘Indian Economic Development’ (Class XI) and current socio-economic issues in the news.
Below is the detailed list of NCERT books you must revisit for the Mains, categorized by the specific GS Paper they cater to.
Mains Books for GS Paper I: Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Geography, Society
| Subject | Class | Exact Name of the NCERT Textbook | Why it’s Important for Mains |
|---|---|---|---|
| History | XI | Themes in World History | To understand global historical events and their interconnectedness with India. |
| XII | Themes in Indian History (Part I, II, III) | The most critical for Mains. Provides deep insights into ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, society, and economy. | |
| Art & Culture | XI | An Introduction to Indian Art | Essential for questions on architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms. |
| Geography | XI | Fundamentals of Physical Geography | For understanding geophysical phenomena, climate, and landforms—key for questions on disasters and physical features. |
| XI | India: Physical Environment | To analyze India’s physical geography and its impact on the nation’s economy and society. | |
| XII | Fundamentals of Human Geography | For understanding population, migration, and human settlements—directly relevant to society and development. | |
| XII | India: People and Economy | Highly important. Covers economic geography, resources, industries, and regional disparities. | |
| Society | XI | Understanding Society (Sociology) | Introduces basic sociological concepts needed to analyze Indian society. |
| XII | Indian Society (Sociology) | Directly mapped to the GS-I syllabus. Covers caste, tribe, family, communalism, and secularism in depth. | |
| XII | Social Change and Development in India (Sociology) | Explores the dynamics of social change, globalization, and development issues in the Indian context. |
Mains Books for GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice
| Subject | Class | Exact Name of the NCERT Textbook | Why it’s Important for Mains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polity | XI | Indian Constitution at Work | The most important for Mains GS-II. Provides a foundational understanding of the Constitution’s philosophy, structure, and functioning of institutions. |
| XI | Political Theory | Helps in understanding concepts like liberty, equality, justice, and rights, which are crucial for ethics and governance. | |
| XII | Politics in India since Independence | Essential for understanding the evolution of the Indian political system, challenges, and trends. | |
| XII | Contemporary World Politics | Useful for the International Relations section of GS-II, covering global institutions and geopolitical issues. |
Mains Books for GS Paper III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security
| Subject | Class | Exact Name of the NCERT Textbook | Why it’s Important for Mains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | XI | Indian Economic Development | Covers the development trajectory of the Indian economy post-independence, poverty, human capital, etc. |
| XII | Introductory Macroeconomics | Provides the basics of macroeconomics—national income, money, banking, government budget—essential for understanding economic policies. | |
| Environment | XII | Biology (Chapters 13 to 16) | These chapters (Organisms and Populations, Ecosystem, Biodiversity and Conservation) are the bedrock for environment and ecology questions. |
| Science | XI & XII | Biology (Units 4 & 5 from Class XI; Units 8, 9 & 10 from Class XII) | Relevant for basic understanding of biotechnology, health, and diseases which appear in the Science & Tech section. |
Mains Books for GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
While no specific NCERT directly covers the Ethics paper, the Class XI and XII History, Polity, and Sociology books are invaluable sources of case studies, real-life examples, and discussions on moral dilemmas and social issues. Reading them with an ethical lens can provide rich content for your answers.
Frequently Asked Questions by Aspirants
1. Are these NCERT books enough to clear the UPSC exam?
They are absolutely sufficient to build your foundation and can help you answer a large portion of the Prelims questions. However, for a comprehensive Mains preparation, they must be supplemented with standard reference books, current affairs, and dedicated answer writing practice. Think of NCERTs as the roots of a tree—they are essential for strong, healthy growth.
2. What is the best way to read NCERTs for UPSC?
Adopt a thematic and integrated approach. First, read for facts and concepts (Prelims focus). Then, in your second reading, focus on analysis and interlinkages (Mains focus). Make concise notes that you can revise easily.