Which NCERT Books to refer for UPSC Preparation?

Experts and Toppers recommend referring to both new and old NCERT Books for UPSC. Especially for ancient and medieval history, old NCERT is recommended. For geography, the new UPSC NCERT is enough.

Which NCERT Books to read for UPSC Exam?

NCERT Books from 6 to 12 for UPSC are recommended. We have listed all important old and new NCERTs required per the IAS syllabus for both prelims and mains.

Which NCERT Books for UPSC are best for Geography?

The Geography NCERT Books for UPSC would help the candidates clear the key concepts of the geography syllabus for both prelims and mains. Geography NCERT books classes VI to XII cover a big portion of the UPSC syllabus, of which classes 11 and 12 are the most important.

How many times should I read NCERT Books for UPSC Prelims?

You need to read the NCERT books for UPSC at least thrice. The first reading gives you an overview of what needs to be covered per the UPSC syllabus. It would help you to understand the concepts and give you the headstart you need during UPSC preparation. The more time you spend on strengthening your concepts, the better it will be for you to cover the standard UPSC books.

How to download NCERT Books for UPSC PDF?

Candidates can find the downloadable link to the NCERT Books PDF here for both old and new NCERTs. We have categorized the books as per the subjects asked in the UPSC syllabus. English NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation – PDF Hindi NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation – PDF

Does UPSC ask questions directly from the NCERT books?

Yes, the UPSC asks direct questions from the NCERT books. Many times in the previous year’s question papers, questions were asked directly. In the 2016 UPSC prelims exam, more than five questions were from the NCERT books.

Are NCERT books enough for IAS Preparation?

NCERT books for UPSC are essential, but it is not enough. The UPSC syllabus is vast, and you can’t cover the entire syllabus only with NCERTs. You need to follow other standard books and resources as well as score big in the examination.

Where to buy NCERT Books for UPSC?

NCERT Books for UPSC can be bought from any local bookstore in your city/town. The NCERT Books are mostly available everywhere. Other than this, you can order online also on Amazon or Flipkart and get them delivered to your doorstep.

What is the cost of NCERT Books for UPSC?

The total pack of NCERT Books for UPSC cost around 3500-4000 INR. Individually, the price of NCERT Books ranges between 85-300 INR.

How many NCERT Books for UPSC preparation are there?

There are a total of 37 NCERT Books for UPSC. The NCERT books offer clear language and brief material, making them simple to understand.

How to read NCERT Books for UPSC preparation?

To read NCERT Books for UPSC preparation, always prefer going subject-wise reading, starting from class 6 to 12th. This maintains a flow and helps to understand the topics better. Reading NCERT Books for UPSC class-wise may confuse the candidate.

How to understand NCERT Books for UPSC Exam?

Initially, just read the book and comprehend the ideas. Examine the question papers from the previous year before moving on to the second read to get a sense of the questions about the subject. Mark the crucial passages in the second reading. During the third read, make notes.

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NCERT Books for UPSC – Complete NCERT Book List 6th to 12th [Old and New], Download PDF

Q: How to make notes from NCERT Books?

While making notes from the UPSC NCERT Books , you must keep the UPSC syllabus in front of you. This way, you won’t get diverted from the topics that need to be covered. Read the book properly, start making bullet points, write short sentences, and make the content crisp. Make sure to revise the notes from time to time.

By Balaji

Updated on: March 21st, 2023

NCERT Books for UPSC are an essential part of Civil Services Exam preparation as it helps build a strong basic foundation before you move on to the advanced UPSC books. Even though designed for school students, NCERT books cover some of an integral part of the UPSC syllabus for both prelims and mains. UPSC NCERT Books are highly recommended books for IAS preparation by both toppers and exam experts for most of the subjects.

The best part about the NCERT books is the simple language that makes it easy to memorize and offers vast information on various crucial topics. Below is the complete list of new & old NCERT books for UPSC subjects. Download the NCERT 6th to 12th for UPSC PDF in Hindi and English using the direct link.

Table of content

1. NCERT Books for UPSC [Class 6 to 12]
2. Old NCERT Books for UPSC
3. NCERT Books for UPSC – Geography
4. NCERT History Books for UPSC
5. NCERT Books for UPSC – Polity
6. NCERT Economics Books for UPSC
7. NCERT Books for UPSC – Science & Technology
8. Art & Culture NCERT Books for UPSC
9. NCERT Sociology Books for UPSC
10. Environment & Ecology NCERT Books for UPSC
11. NCERT Books for UPSC in Hindi
12. How to Study NCERT Books for UPSC?
13. How To Make Notes From NCERT Books for UPSC?
14. Importance of NCERT Books for UPSC

NCERT Books for UPSC [Class 6 to 12]

UPSC Syllabus is vast, and finding the right sources for the syllabus can be extremely challenging. But we have compiled a subject-wise NCERT Book List for UPSC that is the most relevant for UPSC Preparation. Covering these books would give you a headstart in preparing for UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains exams.

The compiled list of NCERT 6th to 12th Books covers most of the IAS syllabus. If the aspirants are preparing in Hindi medium, it is essential to note that all NCERT books for UPSC in Hindi medium can also be downloaded class-wise.

Class	NCERT 6th to 12th Books for UPSC
6th	History: Our Past Science: Science: Class VI Geography: The Earth Our Habitat Social Science: Social & Political Life I
7th	History: Our Past – II Science: Science – Class VII Geography: Our Environment Social Science: Social & Political Life II
8th	History: Our Past III – Part I & II Science: Science – Class VIII Geography: Resource and Development Social Science: Social & Political Life III
NCERT Class 9 UPSC Books	History: India and the Contemporary World-I Science: Class IX Geography: Contemporary India – I Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – I Economics: Economics
10th	History: India and the Contemporary World–II Geography: Contemporary India – II Political Science: Democratic Politics Part – II Science: Class X Economics: Understanding Economic Development
Class 11 NCERT books for UPSC	History: Themes in World History Geography: Fundamentals Of Physical Geography India- Physical Environment Science: Chemistry: Unit 14, Biology: Unit 4 & 5 Economics: Indian Economic Development Sociology: Understanding Society Political Science: Indian Constitution at Work Indian Culture: An Introduction to Indian Art, Living Craft Traditions of India (Chapters 9 & 10
Class 12th NCERT for UPSC	History: Themes in Indian History Science: Chemistry: Unit 16, Biology: Unit 8, 9 & 10 Political Science: Contemporary World Politics Geography: Fundamentals Of Human Geography, India – People & Economy Economics: Introductory Macroeconomics Sociology: Indian Society, Social Change and Development in India

Old NCERT Books for UPSC

For a few topics and subjects in the UPSC syllabus, aspirants prefer referring to old NCERT Books for UPSC as they provide better coverage of the topic. A few of the important old NCERT Books for the UPSC exam are listed below.

Old NCERT Books for UPSC – Download Free PDF

NCERT Books for UPSC – Geography

NCERT Geography Books for UPSC are designed to give basic knowledge about Indian and world geography covering all physical, economic, and social aspects. Maps and climatic information from various regions are relevant for UPSC Geography Syllabus for both Prelims and Mains.

Candidates can also download the UPSC Question Papers to identify how many Geography questions are asked from NCERT books.

NCERT History Books for UPSC

The History Syllabus for UPSC is vast, and you need to start by building a solid foundation for both Prelims and Mains. These NCERT Books for History have proven extremely useful for students who have not studied history since graduation.

NCERT Books for UPSC – Polity

To cover the UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Polity, applicants must go through the below-mentioned NCERT Books before moving on to Laxmikant. Following are some of the best NCERT for the UPSC Polity section.

NCERT Economics Books for UPSC

The UPSC Economics Syllabus covers India’s past and presents economic aspects along with some fundamental concepts. Knowing the basics of these topics is crucial for UPSC Exam. Here is the list of NCERT books for the UPSC economics section.

NCERT Books for UPSC – Science & Technology

Per the UPSC previous year paper, questions from UPSC Science & Technology Syllabus are difficult and can confuse non-science background aspirants. That is why having adequate knowledge of this section is important to fetch good marks in this section. You need to refer to the following NCERT books, which provide basic knowledge of all the topics.

Art & Culture NCERT Books for UPSC

The NCERT book list for UPSC to cover the art and culture section of the UPSC Syllabus is mentioned below. In the past few years, we have seen an increase in the number of questions asked by the Art & Culture Books.

S. No.	NCERT Booklist for UPSC Art & Culture	English PDF Link
1.	An Introduction to Indian Art	Download Here
2.	Craft Traditions of India	Download Here

NCERT Sociology Books for UPSC

The NCERT books for UPSC Indian society section elaborately discuss the science and operation behind the society. Understanding these topics is crucial if you want to become a civil servant. Let’s see the best NCERT books to cover these sections of the Indian Society syllabus for UPSC.

Environment & Ecology NCERT Books for UPSC

In this section, there is only one NCERT book, Science: Class XII – Biology: last four Chapters (13 to 16). As we have mentioned, you don’t have to read the whole book; only covering chapters 13 to 16 would be enough.

NCERT Books for UPSC in Hindi

To ease the preparation of Hindi medium aspirants, we have compiled the UPSC NCERT books list in Hindi.

Hindi NCERT History Books for UPSC

Download all NCERT books for UPSC in Hindi medium to cover the history syllabus for the IAS exam.

UPSC NCERT Books List in Hindi for Polity

राजनीति के सभी महत्वपूर्ण विषयों को कवर करने के लिए यू.पी.एस.सी. प्रारंभिक परीक्षा (प्रीलिम्स) पाठ्यक्रम में पढ़ें।

NCERT Books for UPSC in Hindi Medium – Economics

UPSC NCERT Books List in Hindi for Science & Tech

Sociology NCERT Books for UPSC in Hindi

How to Study NCERT Books for UPSC?

The above-mentioned NCERT books for UPSC have simplified tables, maps, mnemonics, examples, and simple language. These are the main attractions of NCERT books that make them an easy read for everyone. Candidates will get tons of information on polity, history, geography, and biodiversity, which are a big part of the UPSC syllabus.

However, to cover these NCERT books, candidates need to follow the effective UPSC Preparation strategy mentioned below.

Make sure you start reading subject-wise and not class-wise. These NCERT books offer a huge amount of information; each subject is linked with the other in every class, so read them subject-wise.
Note down the pivotal points, highlighting the important points. It would help you during the revision.
Follow a proper schedule to manage your time properly. Have targets to avoid wasting time.

How To Make Notes From NCERT Books for UPSC?

Every UPSC aspirant knows the importance of NCERT Books in preparation for the UPSC Exam. The NCERT Books form the base of the UPSC Preparation Strategy. To make notes from UPSC NCERT Books, one needs to keep the following points in mind:

Always keep the syllabus handy whenever you sit to make notes. Hindi medium aspirants can download the UPSC Syllabus in Hindi.
Try making notes topic-wise rather than going class-wise. This helps in collecting all the important points in one place.
For the first reading, never highlight or mark anything. Only in the second reading, mark or underline the important topics.
Always prefer making notes in bullets or points. Bullets are concise, to the point, and easy to remember.
Next is always to make notes from NCERT Books in short sentences. It is advised to make notes on loose sheets and keep binding them together.
Try summarizing the information into flowcharts, infographic content, mnemonics, and mind maps. It helps in channelizing events.
At the end of each topic, write down all the important sub-topics covered in that specific topic. During revision, it comes in very handy.
Last but not least, revise every week. Revision is a significant step during the UPSC Preparation. A disciplined revision from time to time, along with attempting full-length Mock Tests keeps the candidate in the loop of the preparation and in sync with the topics.

Importance of NCERT Books for UPSC

The NCERT Books extensively cover the UPSC Prelims Syllabus and UPSC Mains Syllabus. The NCERT books are written in simple and lucid language, and the pattern followed helps grasp the ideas easily. The NCERT Books are written after a great deal of research and evaluation.

NCERT Books provide the base for UPSC preparation and make topics and foundations crystal clear to a novice aspirant. They serve as a measure of performance evaluation and improvement. As the content is comprehensible and highly reliable, it is always suggested that aspirants should start with the basic NCERTs. In UPSC Exam itself, often direct questions have been asked from the NCERT.

UPSC Articles
How to Read NCERT for UPSC?	Physical and Human Geography
History Books for UPSC	Maths Books for IAS Preparation
How to Start UPSC Preparation from Zero Level?	UPSC Books in Hindi
Chemistry Books	Botany Books
Sanskrit Books	Economics Books for UPSC