Free Study Materials for UPSC Prelims & Mains Exam 2022
The UPSC Exam requires dedication, determination, and perseverance. When a candidate makes a decision to sit for the IAS Exam, he/she should foremost see the UPSC Syllabus. Though the UPSC Prelims Syllabus and the UPSC Mains Syllabus are integrated, one should focus on them separately from time to time. The Study Material For UPSC covers both the UPSC Prelims Syllabus and the UPSC Mains Syllabus, along with a special focus on CSAT Syllabus too.
The IAS Study Material is basically a set of compiled UPSC Books and NCERT Books for UPSC. The UPSC Complete Study Material compiles the best books and resources in one place, to help the students achieve their dream of being civil servants. It is essential that the candidate follows the UPSC Preparation Books with the right UPSC Preparation Strategy.
UPSC Notes PDF Download
UPSC Notes are essential for the preparation for UPSC Exam, both for Prelims and Mains. Here is a list of UPSC Notes, that may prove beneficial during the UPSC Preparation. The list will be updated from time to time.
Below are the lists of subjects and topics, necessary for the UPSC Exam.
UPSC Free Study Material - History (Ancient to Modern)
History is one of the favorite subjects of the UPSC when it comes to UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. In Prelims, History is covered under GS Paper 1, while in Mains, it is covered under General Studies Paper 1. History, itself covers Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History parts, along with Art & Culture.
To cover History for UPSC Exam, one must refer to the History Notes for UPSC, along with the basic prescribed History Books for UPSC.
S. No. | Topics |
1 | Indian History in Chronological Order: Important Dates |
2 | Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) |
3 | Early Vedic Period (1500 BC - 1000 BC) |
4 | Later Vedic period (1000 BC - 500 BC) |
5 | Buddhism & Jainism |
6 | Mahajanapadas, Haryanka Dynasty, Shishunaga Dynasty, Nanda Dynasty |
7 | Maurya Period |
8 | Foreign Invasions in India |
9 | Kushana Empire |
10 | Gupta Period |
11 | Sangam Age |
12 | Chalukya Dynasty and Pallava Dynasty |
13 | States in North India (Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas) |
14 | The Rajput States |
15 | Vijaynagar and Bahmani Kingdoms |
16 | Delhi Sultanate Part-1 |
17 | Delhi Sultanate Part-2 |
18 | Mughal Empire Part-1 |
19 | Mughal Empire Part-2 |
20 | Mughal Empire Part-3 |
21 | Mughal Empire Part-4 |
22 | Bhakti and Sufi Movement |
23 | Advent of Europeans in India |
24 | Peasant Movements in India: Civil Uprising |
25 | Tribal Revolts in India |
26 | Revolt of 1857 |
27 | Political & Socio-religious Organization Before INC |
28 | Governor-General and Viceroy of India |
29 | Indian National Movement (1885-1905) |
30 | Indian National Movement (1905-1917) |
31 | Newspapers and Journals during British India |
32 | Indian National Movement (1917-1947) |
33 | Education during the British Period |
34 | Revolutionary Movements During British Period |
35 | Development of Press during the British Period |
36 | Post Independence Consolidation of India |
37 | Land Revenue System |
38 | Chronology of Important Events in Indian History |
Art and Culture Study Material for UPSC
The UPSC Prelims, every year emphasizes on Art & Culture part. Though Art and Culture aren't directly mentioned in the UPSC Syllabus, questions related to art, architecture, literature, and culture in Ancient, Medieval, and Modern India are asked. These are often related to the incidents happening in news.
Check the list to compile all the relevant Art & CultureMaterial For UPSC in one place.
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Indian monument and their builders (state-wise) |
2 | Classical Dances, Folk Dances and Martial Arts |
3 | Indian Paintings |
4 | Famous Temples in India |
5 | Indian schools of Ancient Indian Philosophy |
6 | UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Sites in India |
7 | UNESCO World Heritage Sites |
8 | GI Tag |
9 | Puppetry, Theatre Forms, Musical Instrument |
10 | Mughal Architecture |
11 | Architecture During Delhi Sultanate |
12 | Ancient Indian Architecture |
UPSC Study Materials for Indian Polity
Indian Polity and Constitution covers a major chunk of the UPSC Exam every year, be it UPSC Prelims or UPSC Mains, or even at the UPSC Interview stage. The polity section of the UPSC Syllabus has both, static and dynamic portions covered under it. The topics covered under Polity are-
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Important Articles of the Indian Constitution |
2 | Historical Evolution of the Constitution (Regulating Act, Charter Act, GOI Act) |
3 | Making of Indian Constitution (Constituent Assembly & sources of the constitution) |
4 | Preamble, Union and Its Territory, Citizenship |
5 | Fundamental Rights (FR) & Fundamental Duties (FD) |
6 | Directive Principles & State Policies (DPSP) |
7 | President of India (Qualification, Election, Impeachment, Power, etc.) |
8 | Vice President of India (Qualification, Election, Impeachment, etc.) |
9 | Indian Parliament Notes |
10 | Indian Judiciary |
11 | Constitutional Bodies |
12 | Non-Constitutional Bodies |
13 | Governor, Chief Minister and Council of Minister |
14 | J & K: What was Article 35 A |
15 | J & K: What is Article 370 |
16 | Lokpal and Lokayukta Act |
17 | Representation of People's (RPA) Act |
18 | Basic Structure of the Constitution |
19 | Anti-Defection Law |
20 | RTI Act |
21 | Public Interest Litigation (PIL) |
22 | Political Philosophies |
23 | Important Amendments in the Indian Constitution |
24 | The local Government system in India |
25 | Electoral Bonds Sold During Recent Elections |
Indian Economy Study Material for UPSC
The Economy section covered under UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains section is always correlated with the Current Affairs. Basic concepts of Economy are interlinked with the Current Affairs and are asked as questions to access the knowledge base of the candidates. One can also refer to the Economy Notes for UPSC for better understanding.
The broad topics include under the Economy Syllabus for UPSC include:
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Five Year Plans: History of Economic Planning in India |
2 | National Income (GDP, GNP, NNP, Personal Income, etc.) |
3 | Various Price Indices in India (CPI, WPI, CPI-AL, CPI-RL, etc.) |
4 | RBI and Monetary Policy |
5 | Different types of Unemployment |
6 | Inflation (Types and Effects) |
7 | Poverty in India |
8 | History of Banking in India |
9 | Money Market- Banking System in India |
10 | Capital Market |
11 | Balance of Payment- Current Account Deficit |
12 | Introduction of Union Budget |
13 | Microeconomics Notes: Economic Theory |
14 | World Trade Organisation: Structure, Objectives, Agreements, Subsidies |
15 | Economic Survey 2022 |
16 | Union Budget 2022 |
17 | NITI Aayog and the Important Reports |
18 | Role of International Labour Organization (ILO) in Social Security |
19 | Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana |
20 | MGNREGA; the Contribution in Strengthening the Rural Economy |
21 | Regulatory Bodies |
22 | What is a Currency Swap? |
UPSC Free Material for Geography
Geography overlaps with the Environment and Ecology also in the UPSC Exam. Geography covers physical, human, and Indian Geography, with an additional focus on the places in the news and their location. To cover Geography, it is necessary to cover the NCERT Books for UPSC for the same to build a solid foundation.
The broad topics covered under Geography are:
S.No. | Topic |
1 | India and the Administrative Units; the States and Union Territories (Part I) |
2 | Physiography of India (Himalayas, Northern Plains) |
3 | Physiography of India (Peninsular Plateau, Coastal Plains, Islands) |
4 | Drainage System in India |
5 | Soils and Agriculture in India |
6 | Important Lakes in India |
7 | Indian Climate Notes: Monsoon, El Nino Effect, Koeppen's Classification |
8 | Natural Vegetation in India (Different type of forest in India) |
9 | Solar System |
10 | Census 2011 |
11 | Important Dams in India |
12 | Minerals in India |
13 | World Geography: Mountain Ranges, Peaks, Rivers, Lakes |
14 | World Geography: Desert, Trenches, Straits |
15 | World Geography: Ocean Currents, Volcanoes, Boundary Lines Between Countries |
16 | Interior Structure of the Earth |
17 | Landforms: Fluvial, Glacial, Karst, Coastal & Arid |
18 | Geomorphic Processes: Endogenic and Exogenic Process |
19 | Classification of Clouds |
20 | Climate: Introduction and factors affecting it |
21 | Important Tribes of India |
22 | Important Straits |
23 | Mediterranean Type Climate |
24 | Steppe Type Climate |
25 | Agriculture in India |
26 | Ozone Layer, Ozone Hole Recovery |
27 | Protected Area network in India: Key highlights |
28 | Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, the World Heritage Site rich in Biodiversity |
UPSC Study Material for Science & Technology
The UPSC asks basically asks about the general concepts of science in the UPSC Prelims. Whereas in UPSC Mains, elaborative and critical analysis of recent innovation, researches are asked about. Science and Technology under the UPSC Syllabus broadly cover general science, biotechnology, defense technology, and space technology along with the recent developments covered through Current Affairs.
General Science
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Biology, Chemistry, Physics |
2 | Important Scientific Laws and Theories |
3 | Diseases and its Affected Area |
4 | World Neglected Tropical Diseases |
5 | About the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Drug Intermediates & APIs |
Biotechnology
S.No. | Topic |
1 | Biotechnology and Its Applications |
2 | Oxygen Concentrator, Oxygen Cylinder |
Defence Technology
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Missile Technology |
2 | Iron Dome Defence System |
3 | Brahmos: Supersonic Cruise Missile |
4 | Chinook Helicopter (Boeing CH-47) |
5 | Dassault Rafale Aircraft |
6 | Apache AH-64E Helicopter |
7 | Sukhoi Su-30 MKI Aircraft |
8 | Mirage 2000 Aircraft |
Space Technology
S.No | Topics |
| 1. | Mission Shakti: All you need to Know |
| 2. | Chandrayaan-2- Space Mission |
UPSC Free Study Material for Environment & Ecology
Environment & Ecology is one of the important subjects of civil services examination. Questions have been asked frequently from this section in both UPSC Prelims and Mains. At times, Environment related topics also come in the IAS Mains Essay paper.
S.No. | Topics |
1 | Basic Terminology on Environment & Ecology Part-1 |
2 | Basic Terminology on Environment & Ecology Part-2 |
3 | Biodiversity Hotspots in India & World |
4 | Tiger Reserves in India |
5 | Biosphere Reserves in India |
6 | National Parks |
7 | Ramsar Wetlands |
8 | Environmental Conventions and Protocols |
9 | Coral Reefs: Introduction, Types, Formation, Locations |
10 | List of Environmental Organization in India |
11 | List of Global Environmental Organizations |
12 | What is Acid Rain: Causes, Effects, Solutions? |
13 | Ozone Depletion: Causes, Effects, Solutions |
14 | Ocean Acidification: Introduction, Causes, Effects and Solutions |
15 | Environment Pollution: Types, Causes, Effects |
16 | Biogeochemical Cycles |
17 | Climate Change |
18 | Sulphur Cycle |
19 | Phosphorus Cycle |
20 | E-waste Management in India |
21 | Solid Waste Management in India |
22 | Red Sanders Smuggling: Impact on the Environment |
23 | Know about Net Zero Producers’ Forum |
UPSC Free Material on Miscellaneous Topics
Other than the basic subjects mentioned in the UPSC Syllabus, every year there are 2-3 questions which are from the miscellaneous topics. It is important for students to cover these topics with utmost dedication.
S.No. | Topic |
1 | Important facts about India Part-1 |
2 | Important facts about India Part-2 |
3 | List of nicknames of Indian Cities |
4 | List of Important Indian Cities on River Banks |
5 | Famous Sports Personalities in India |
6 | International Organisations Notes |
7 | Government Schemes: Ministry of Finance |
8 | National Symbols of India |
UPSC Study Material for Old & New NCERT Books
There is always a doubt in the mind of the serious UPSC aspirant, to which book to refer to. Reading from substandard books and study material can be a potential disaster and can even lead to failure in the UPSC Exams. Majorly for History, it is asked that one should cover the topics through old NCERT, as they contain all the vital pieces of information.
Other than that, majorly for all subjects, reading of new NCERT is preferred.
Old & New NCERT Books (Class 6th to Class12th) |
UPSC Preparation Books
Covering the entire UPSC Syllabus along with the Optional Subject in UPSC syllabus is a task in itself. At times, there are low phases, but one should overcome that. Ernest Hemingway, the famous English writer once said, “ There is no friend as loyal as a book.”. It is indeed true, and in the case of UPSC CSE, it holds much more importance. When one prepares for the UPSC Exam, books should be your best friend and confidante.
Below we have compiled a list of the best UPSC Preparation Books essential for the UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains examination.
- CSAT Books for UPSC
- Geography Books for UPSC
- History Books for UPSC
- Polity Books for UPSC
- Economics Books for UPSC
- Anthropology Books for UPSC
- Sociology Books for UPSC
- Psychology Books for UPSC
- Philosophy Books for UPSC
- International Relations Books for UPSC
- Maths Books for UPSC
- Hindi Literature Books for UPSC
- Public Administration Books for UPSC
- Botany Books for UPSC
- Tamil Literature Books for UPSC
- Kannada Literature Books for UPSC
- Gujarati Literature Books for UPSC
- English Literature Optional Books for UPSC
- Physics Optional Books for UPSC
- Chemistry Books for UPSC
- Sindhi Literature Books for UPSC
- Statistics Books for UPSC
- Geology Books for UPSC
- Commerce and Accounting Books for UPSC
- Electrical Engineering Books for UPSC
- Agriculture Books for UPSC
- Law Optional Books for UPSC
- Urdu Optional Books for UPSC
- Punjabi Literature Books for UPSC
- Sanskrit Optional Books for UPSC
Material For UPSC Mains Examination
After going through the basic books and reading the books required for UPSC, one should focus on the Optional Subjects books. The UPSC Preparation Books are equally important for both Prelims and Mains.
To make a clear choice for choosing your optional subjects, go through the following list of a few Optional Subjects offered by the UPSC.
UPSC Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) Optional Syllabus | |
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